Upgrading Probe for EPMA to v. 11.x

[John Donovan]

Updating Probe for EPMA (and CalcZAF) is drop dead easy...  one simply clicks the Help | Update Probe for EPMA menu and after a few minutes and following a few prompts, you are automatically updated.

Beginning with v. 11.0.1, Probe for EPMA is now installed to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Probe Software\Probe for EPMA and C:\ProgramData\Probe Software\Probe for EPMA folders (as all good apps are supposed to be).

Therefore the upgrade from versions prior to 11.0.1 must be performed manually the first time.  Once that has been completed, one can simply update once again from the Help | Update Probe for EPMA menu as before.

Here are some instructions:

The new installers (CalcZAF.msi and ProbeForEPMA.msi) must be downloaded from one of our ftp servers or our Software Updates page here:

http://probesoftware.com/Update.html

Please contact Probe Software if you need help with this step. Then run both .msi files in either order, and the new application files will be installed to the Program Files (x86) folder and the default config files to the ProgramData folder.

When CalcZAF.exe or Probewin.exe or whatever new app first runs, it will automatically copy your site specific config and data files over from the old PFE app folder to the new ProgramData\Probe Software\Probe for EPMA folder.
   
   Note: if you have the Probe Software Remote COM server installed (for control of your instrument from Excel, Matlab, LabView, etc), you will also need to uninstall it and re-install using the 11.x Remote.msi file, also available from our Software Updates page.
   
   Warning: you may also need to manually move over to the ProgramData folder any special standard databases or sound files specific to your lab.

   Warning: you will need to copy over the JEOL EIKS files if you are updating an 8230/8530 instrument as described here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=40.msg3677#msg3677
   

[Dan R]

John-
   I upgraded to v. 11.x and want to delete the old program location in C:\Probe Software\ ... When I do this on the instrument computer, a Windows Installer trying to load "29f79b31.msi" pops up upon opening the new PFE program -- I have to refuse installation 2-3 times before the main PFE window will open. If I go to the trashcan and  "undo delete" (putting the directory back), this problem goes away. This problem is happening on both our 8200 and 8530F ... Do you know anything about this problem and how to make it go away other than ignoring it?

P.S. I did the same test on my laptop for offline processing and this installation message did not show up.

Thanks,
Dan

[John Donovan]

John-
   I upgraded to v. 11.x and want to delete the old program location in C:\Probe Software\ ... When I do this on the instrument computer, a Windows Installer trying to load "29f79b31.msi" pops up upon opening the new PFE program -- I have to refuse installation 2-3 times before the main PFE window will open. If I go to the trashcan and  "undo delete" (putting the directory back), this problem goes away. This problem is happening on both our 8200 and 8530F ... Do you know anything about this problem and how to make it go away other than ignoring it?

P.S. I did the same test on my laptop for offline processing and this installation message did not show up.

Thanks,
Dan

Hi Dan,
Yes.  If you want to delete the old PFE app folder, you will need the new JEOL driver.

Contact me by email and I'll send it to you.
john

[Dan R]

That would be version 2.0.3? I think that i have that. Let me check to see if its in the right place.

OK -- I just had to put it into System32 -- it was in SysWOW64 before...
-Dan

[John Donovan]

That would be version 2.0.3? I think that i have that. Let me check to see if its in the right place.

OK -- I just had to put it into System32 -- it was in SysWOW64 before...
-Dan

Something doesn't sound right.  For 32 bit OS the driver needs to be in the Windows\System32 folder.  For 64 bit operating systems, it needs to be in the SysWOW64 folder.

[Dan R]

Hi John-
I was able to delete the dll file from the system32 folder without the installer problem popping up during PFE start-up. However, now when I attempt to use the Remote server, I get the same message and it appears that the installer thinks that the Matrix Correction Server needs to be installed... any ideas on how to fix this? The current version of remote I am using is 11.4.5.
-Dan

[John Donovan]

I was able to delete the dll file from the system32 folder without the installer problem popping up during PFE start-up. However, now when I attempt to use the Remote server, I get the same message and it appears that the installer thinks that the Matrix Correction Server needs to be installed... any ideas on how to fix this? The current version of remote I am using is 11.4.5.

Hi Dan,
The JEOL driver should be in the Windows\SysWOW64 folder if the OS is 64 bit.  The latest JEOL driver is 2.1.0. I will send it to you off-line.

Matrix is no longer used by Probe Image and so should be uninstalled.   Remote should have nothing to do with Matrix.

Please call me at Probe Software if you have questions.
john

[Dan R]

John-
When I went to uninstall the matrix server under Control Panel --> Programs and Features, I noticed that old versions of PFE, CalcZAF, and Remote were not uninstalled properly. I removed these old applications and now things appear to be working properly. Thanks for your clarifications.
-Dan

[John Donovan]

John-
When I went to uninstall the matrix server under Control Panel --> Programs and Features, I noticed that old versions of PFE, CalcZAF, and Remote were not uninstalled properly. I removed these old applications and now things appear to be working properly. Thanks for your clarifications.
-Dan

Hi Dan,
Yes.  Unfortunately since the PFE installations folders are now using the proper directory structures as specified by Windows, when upgrading CalcZAF/PFE/Remote from 10.x to 11.x, the old applications need to be manually removed after the upgrade. 

This is only an issue with on-line installations where one wants to preserve the instrument specific configuration files. For off-line installations one can just remove all the old PFE apps and just re-install from scratch because the instrument configuration is preserved in the probe database MDB files now.

Helpful hint: to get all new updated menus, it is suggested that you should manually delete the old menus and any desktop shortcuts before starting the v. 11.x install, so the new installer can create new menus that point to the new app folders.

Sorry about this but this is a one time issue that should not occur again, at least until Microsoft changes their mind again!

[sckuehn]

John,

I'm trying an offline installation on a system with 9.6.3 and a running Quantax Communication server.

I've run both the PFE and CZ installers with the new default locations.

When I attempt to run PFE, I get the following error:
    InitINIHardware - InterfaceType keyword value is no longer supported in ... Probewin.ini

I looked for the ini in the old 9.6.3 software location, and it is no longer present.

When I try running PFE again, it runs an installer f0945.msi

Since all my data files are 9.x, I expect that they won't have the configs in the mdb.

- Steve

[John Donovan]

John,

I'm trying an offline installation on a system with 9.6.3 and a running Quantax Communication server.

I've run both the PFE and CZ installers with the new default locations.

When I attempt to run PFE, I get the following error:
    InitINIHardware - InterfaceType keyword value is no longer supported in ... Probewin.ini

I looked for the ini in the old 9.6.3 software location, and it is no longer present.

When I try running PFE again, it runs an installer f0945.msi

Since all my data files are 9.x, I expect that they won't have the configs in the mdb.

- Steve

Hi Steve,
For reprocessing off-line you don't need your ARL config files, though they can be used of course.  Just set the InterfaceType=0 (for demo mode).

The Probewin.ini file (and the other config files) are now in the ProgramData\Probe Software\Probe for EPMA folder.  It is a hidden folder per Microsoft, so it needs to be unhidden to find the files.
john

[sckuehn]

John,

I set the interface to 0 (demo) and copied the RTIFCCLIENT.DLL (version 2.0.1.271) to the new program folder.

PFE was able to load (still getting the f0945.msi installer, but cancelling gets past it).
PFE also loaded the Bruker interface.

I am getting a different error now:

ERROR in BrukerEDSSpectraWriteSystem : Error number -106 returned from Bruker Quantax interface (Invalid result data) when calling function GetSpectrometerParamsSpectrum

[John Donovan]

John,

I set the interface to 0 (demo) and copied the RTIFCCLIENT.DLL (version 2.0.1.271) to the new program folder.

PFE was able to load (still getting the f0945.msi installer, but cancelling gets past it).
PFE also loaded the Bruker interface.

I am getting a different error now:

ERROR in BrukerEDSSpectraWriteSystem : Error number -106 returned from Bruker Quantax interface (Invalid result data) when calling function GetSpectrometerParamsSpectrum

Steve,
Are there any fixed monochrometers in this MDB file from your ARL SEMQ?

If not, then did you install both CalcZAF and PFE msi installers?
john

[sckuehn]

John,

I don't have any fixed monochrometers.

I just tried uninstalling both PFE and CZ, and removing the old 9.x software folder from the computer. This left the configs and Bruker DLL in the new locations. Next, I reinstalled both CZ and PFE. The OS, by the way, is 64-Bit Windows 7.

But I'm still getting the same two errors: (1) the installer that pops up when I try running either application (or when trying to update via the menus) and (2) the Bruker interface error. I have attached an image of the installer message.

- Steve

[sckuehn]

John,

Digging further...  That f0945.msi has a file date of 10/3/2012 and an 8.8.8 version in the dialog box. I checked the installed programs in the Control Panel, and it shows the new PFE and CZ but also an entry for an 8.8.8 version Probe for EPMA Enterprise!  This is strange as the computer was running 9.6.3 before the upgrade, and I really doubt that it has ever had anything older than 9.x installed on it.

So, I told Windows to uninstall the 8.8.8 version, and guess what, it runs the f0945.msi again. I let this finish, and now the installer doesn't pop up anymore when I run PFE.

The Bruker error -106 still persists, though.

- Steve