Problem launching TestStand 2012

[Mattias_Ericsson]

Hi,

I have an annoying problem using TestStand 2012. Each time I launch TestStand a Visual Studio 2010 Shell dialog appears "Invalid license data. Reinstall is required.". I don't have Visual Studio installed and I never had. I certainly never needed to enter any license. The same dialog appear when launching TestStand Version Selector.

I'm running Windows 7 Profession 64-bit SP1. The only Microsoft products that is installed are SQL Server 2012 Express and .NET Framework 4 Runtime. I've tried to reinstall both TestStand and .NET framework still same dialog appearing. If I just press "Close" on the dialog everything works just fine, but really annoying needing to do that.

Anyone seen this before and have a solution?

Thanks,

Mattias

[Mattias_Ericsson]

Hi,

I have now discovered what is causing the problem. It is the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express installation that is causing the problem. If you include install the SQL Server Management Studio when installing the SQL Server Express, you will also get the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (isolated) installed as well. If I uninstall the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell, TestStand works again, but SQL Server Management Studio fails to launch. Reinstalling Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (isolated) puts SQL Server Management Studio back in business again, but TestStand gets the "Invalid license" dialog again.

I've previously used SQL Server 2008 Express (which will install Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (isolated)) together with TestStand without any problems.

It clearly appears that TestStand 2012 is not compatible with SQL Server 2012 (due to the required Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (isolated)).

If there any workaround or patch available for TestStand to run together with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell?

Thanks,

Mattias

[dug9000]

Have you tried reinstalling SQL Server Data Tools:

That worked for this user:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vssetup/thread/5cb09b82-3fd9-47e0-95a6-26aaf89ffb87/

You might try searching msdn for people who have encountered a similar issue. I doubt this is specific to TestStand.

-Doug

[Mattias_Ericsson]

Hi,

Yes, I have tried reinstalling, but I actually installed SQL Server Express last. I have seen the same on other machines as well. I am quite sure it is a problem with TestStand. It is completely repeatable. Uninstall the power Shell, TestStand works, but not SQL Management Tools and vice verse.

There are many problems with the "Invalid license" if you google it, but almost 100% is about updating Visual Studio, but I am not using Visual Studio, only SQL Server Management Tools that requires the Visual Studio Power Shell for some reason.

[dug9000]

Well, the version switcher does try to install visual studio integration (and also runs when you launch teststand), so it is likely that installation that is failing. I will enter a corrective action request into our database and see if there is any way to workaround this.

Probably installing Visual Studio 2010 (maybe even the Express version) would likely also fix this problem.

-Doug

[dug9000]

One thing that might work is to replace the file:

C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\TestStand Version Selector\ToolboxInstaller.exe

with an executable that does nothing but return 0 as an exitcode. If ToolboxInstaller is what is causing the error message, then this should disable it. If you ever install the full version of Visual Studio 2010 you should undo this though and put the real toolboxinstaller.exe back.

-Doug

[Mattias_Ericsson]

Hi,

Well, could work, but I really think NI should fix this properly. I'm quite sure many are going to get this problem more and more since SQL Server 2012 is getting more common now.

Thanks for your efforts in trying to help.

Mattias

[dug9000 · Accepted solution]

---

@Mattias_Ericsson wrote:

Hi,

Well, could work, but I really think NI should fix this properly. I'm quite sure many are going to get this problem more and more since SQL Server 2012 is getting more common now.

Thanks for your efforts in trying to help.

Mattias

---

I have recorded this issue in our tracking database. It will likely be addressed in a future version. You might want to try installing Visual Studio 2010 Express (I think it's a free download from Microsoft), or the other workaround I have proposed.

-Doug

[danwhite]

Mattias,

I am trying to reproduce your problem without any luck. Starting with a clean machine, I have installed SQL Server Express 2012 with Management Tools and TestStand (in both orders) and have not seen the error that you mentioned. I was able to launch both TestStand and the Visual Studio Shell on its own without any difficulties.

Could you tell me any more about the order in which you installed the software and any other actions you may have taken? Did you try re-installing SQL Server Express?

Thanks,

Danny

[Mattias_Ericsson]

Hi,

I had TestStand already installed when I installed SQL Server Express 2012.  What version exact do you have?

I have (from About in SQL Server Management Studio):

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio                        11.0.2100.60
Microsoft Analysis Services Client Tools                        11.0.2100.60
Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)                        6.1.7601.17514
Microsoft MSXML                        3.0 4.0 6.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer                        9.0.8112.16421
Microsoft .NET Framework                        4.0.30319.269
Operating System                        6.1.7601

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell 10.0.40219

I'm running english Windows 7 SP1 64-bit, and no I haven't tried reinstall SQL Express, but removing Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell makes TestStand 2012 works, but makes SQL Server Management tools not working. If I reinstall Visual Studio 2010 Shell, the SQL Server Management Studio works again, but dialog back in TestStand. Could you just try to install the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell 10.0.40219 and see if your TestStand installation works?

Thanks,

Mattias