System/Application startup causes error -2147220712 (and others)

Question

I have a developed a .NET logging application (in C#) using DAQmx and an NI USB-6210 board all running under XP Pro. All works fine when the application is launched after the host PC system has been running for some time.
I have now put a shortcut to the application in the Startup folder so that it is launched as part of the system boot (The system is set to run the account containing the Startup folder immediately on boot). I now get the following error message.
NationalInstruments.DAQmx.DaqException: (Hex 0x80040318) Internal error: The client has failed to connect to the configuration server, possibly because the server is too busy or has run into a communication error. Please note the steps you performed that led to this error and contact technical support.
Status Code: -2147220712
   at nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >.CheckWithName(StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >* , tCaseInsensitiveBasicString<unsigned short\,_STL::char_traits<unsigned short>\,_STL::allocator<unsigned short>\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringComparitor\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringCaseForcer>* pName)
   at NationalInstruments.DAQmx.DaqSystem.get_Devices()
i.e. it fails at the first DAQ call in the application at the statement
                 string[] devices = Daqsystem.Local.Devices;
that I'm using to determine if the hardware device I want to use exists on the system.
My guess is what is happening is that my application is starting before the NI configuration server and the other underpinnings of the DAQmx interface have completed their startup activity.
I also have to insert waits of several seconds  AFTER this call succeeds , i.e after the device I want appears in the return string from the call before I can execute calls like
                myTask.AddGlobalChannel(cD.globalChannelName);
to prevent 'resource not available' type errors from this call. Even after the device name is returned there are clearly other startup activites going on.
I suppose I could catch each DAQmx call exception, wait and retry until I get success all the way though this configuration stage of my application, or put a big 'worst case' delay in at the start to allow the NI code to do what it has to do, but that's a kludge at best.
Is there any other coding mechanism or call that I can use from my application that indicates that DAQmx and all its underpinning NI code is up and running and ready for use? 
Regards,
Malcolm Sharp

Answer 1

I am having a similar issue, however, waiting for 15 mintues before starting the program with a try/catch loop does not solve the problem. I am using four computers to test the issue with windows 7: a laptop running x64, laptop running x86, desktop running x64, desktop running x86. All computers are executing the exact same build of the application, and all have the most current version of Daqmx installed. Both of the desktops don't have the issue, but both of the laptops cannot find connected devices (I am only using a USB-6008), and the following exceptions are being thrown:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Exception 1
Exception Message:     Internal Software Error occurred in MIG software. Please contact National Instruments Support.
Task Name: _unnamedTask<0>
Status Code: -229771
Exception Source:      NationalInstruments.DAQmx
Exception Stack Trace:    at nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >.CheckWithName(StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >* , tCaseInsensitiveBasicString<unsigned short\,_STL::char_traits<unsigned short>\,_STL::allocator<unsigned short>\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringComparitor\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringCaseForcer>* pName)
   at NationalInstruments.DAQmx.Task..ctor()
Exception Target Site: Void nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >.CheckWithName(nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >*, nNIDMXS100.tCaseInsensitiveBasicString<unsigned short\,_STL::char_traits<unsigned short>\,_STL::allocator<unsigned short>\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringComparitor\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringCaseForcer>*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Exception 2
Exception Message:     MAX:  (Hex 0x80040318) Internal error: The client has failed to connect to the configuration server, possibly because the server is too busy or has run into a communication error. Please note the steps you performed that led to this error and contact technical support.
Status Code: -2147220712
Exception Source:      NationalInstruments.DAQmx
Exception Stack Trace:    at nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >.CheckWithName(StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >* , tCaseInsensitiveBasicString<unsigned short\,_STL::char_traits<unsigned short>\,_STL::allocator<unsigned short>\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringComparitor\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringCaseForcer>* pName)
Exception Target Site: Void nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >.CheckWithName(nNIMSSAIL100.StatusObserverT<nNIMSSAIL100::ApiTraits<nNIMSSAIL100:otNetApi> >*, nNIDMXS100.tCaseInsensitiveBasicString<unsigned short\,_STL::char_traits<unsigned short>\,_STL::allocator<unsigned short>\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringComparitor\,nNIDMXS100::tLocaleConsideringWideStringCaseForcer>*)
 Also, I have noticed that both National Instruments software, as well as the application I am building require internet access permission by my firewall in order to find the devices. I have tried both enabling access for all National Instruments software and my application, as well as disabling the firewall altogether, both to no avail. On top of the present exception issue, is there any way to prevent the daqmx driver from requiring internet access by a firewall in case a user disables access and cannot figure out the cause of the problem?
Thank you,
Matt