Using a USB3 Camera in Windows XP

Issue Details

I am trying to use a USB3 Vision camera with NI-IMAQdx in Windows XP, but when I try to associate the camera with NI-IMAQdx in the NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), I receive the error: 

The selected device is not currently associated with the NI-IMAQdx driver. Right-click the device to select which driver is in use.

However, the list of available drivers does not include NI-IMAQdx. How do I associate the NI-IMAQdx driver with my USB3 Vision camera?

Solution

If available, install your camera manufacturer's driver and verify that the camera is being correctly recognized in the Windows Device Manager. If you are unable to see your camera listed in the Windows Device Manager after installing the manufacturer drivers, please check with the camera manufacturer for additional troubleshooting steps before proceeding. 

In order to manually associate your camera with IMAQdx, follow the instructions below:

1. First, navigate to your camera's entry in the Windows Device Manager. Right-click the camera and select Update Driver.... On the next screeen, decline to have Windows search for drivers for you. 

2. Choose to Install from a list or specific location... and click Next. 

 

3. On the next screen, select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install. and click Next. 

 

4. The next screen displays the list of compatible drivers Windows has found for the device. In order to add NI IMAQdx to the list of available drivers, click Have Disk... to search for the driver file on a local disk.

 

5. If you have installed the September 2013 or later release of the NI Vision Acquisition Software (VAS), the IMAQdx USB3 driver file will be located at : 

6. After installing the selected driver .inf file, the Windows Device Manager should now list your USB3 camera as an NI-IMAQdx USB3 Vision Device. 

7. Now, open NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) and right-click your camera under NI-IMAQdx Devices. Under the Driver» sub-menu, there should now be an option to associate the camera with either the NI-IMAQdx driver or the original manufacturer driver. Change the camera driver you are using when you need to use the camera in your manufacturer's proprietary software instead of NI MAX. 

Additional Information

Because of an issue with the way certain drivers are digitally signed in Windows XP, it is usually necessary to manually use the Windows Device Manager to bind the IMAQdx driver to the USB3 camera when configuring the camera for the first time. Note that although the following steps are required to use the camera with NI-IMAQdx for the first time, it should not be necessary to repeat any of the steps listed here more than once.

Remember that only cameras which are fully USB3 Vision compliant will be compatible with NI IMAQdx.