Are you running into a or a "missing file" message when trying to launch your application?
If you are on Windows 10, the installer may ask to install .NET Framework 2.0/3.5 ; allow this, as old NI installers often rely on these early frameworks.
Because 7.1 is "End of Life" (EOL), it may occasionally be moved to legacy FTP servers or hidden behind a login. If the main search fails, searching the NI Discussion Forums often yields direct links provided by NI engineers.
This version is strictly 32-bit. It must be installed on a 32-bit OS or within the SysWOW64 environment of a 64-bit Windows system.
Finding a reliable download for the can feel like a trip back in time. Released in the early 2000s, this version remains a cornerstone for legacy industrial systems and older automated test setups.
National Instruments (NI) maintains an extensive archive. While they have modernized their site, you can usually find the 7.1 RTE by navigating to ni.com .