Error -52031 When Creating an NI-XNET Session Using a PXIe-8520

Issue Details

When I try to create an Automotive Ethernet session using a PXIe‑8520 with NI‑XNET 2026 Q1 in LabVIEW, I receive the following error when running the VI:

Error -52031 occurred at XNET Create Session (Frame Input Stream).vi:850001

Possible reason(s):

The specified resource is currently in use.

In addition, the PXIe-8520 Self-Test fails in NI MAX.

Solution

This behavior can occur when required NI-XNET and PXI services are not running correctly or when the system state has not fully initialized. Even after closing applications or rebooting, stale service state can prevent XNET sessions from being created and block firmware synchronization.

To resolve the issue, follow these steps:

Ensure PXI Services Are Running

1. Open Windows Services and verify that the following services are running:
   • NI PXI Chassis Management
   • NI PXI Resource Manager
   • NI Route Coordinator 
   • NI XNET IP Stack
2. For NI Route Coordinator and NI-XNET IP Stack, right-click each service, select Properties, and navigate to the Log On tab. Ensure they are configured to run under the Local System Account.
3. Restart the services if needed, then reboot the PXI system to allow drivers and services to initialize cleanly.
4. After reboot, run a Self-Test in NI MAX or run an Automotive Ethernet shipping example in LabVIEW.
   1. Open LabVIEW, then navigate to Help >> Find Examples.
   2. In the Example Finder, ensure you are browsing according to Task.
   3. Navigate to Hardware Input and Output >> Automotive Ethernet to find the shipping examples.

Update the PXIe-8520's Firmware

With NI‑XNET 2026 Q1, if the PXIe‑8520 firmware is out of date, the firmware update may be triggered implicitly during Self‑Test or XNET session creation. In this case, NI MAX may present the following message:

Once the update is complete, the following message appears instead:

The firmware update is then applied automatically during the restart.