WinCC Project Duplicator

1 WINCC PROJECT DOES NOT START!

1.1 Corrupt Database
Sometimes the WinCC project can get corrupt and will not activate in runtime.

When you open the project you may get the error “Configured server is not available”, even though
the server name is correct:

Possible solution: Change the computer name to something else, close the project, re-open it and
change it back to the correct name. This may fix this problem.

Sometimes WinCC will hang at startup on the Alarm Logging runtime or the Tag Logging runtime:

WinCC becomes completely non-responsive and you must reboot the PC or manually kill all the
WinCC tasks with Windows Task Manager. If you kill the wrong tasks you may disable MS SQL
Server and will have to reboot anyway. In the WinCC “bin” directory is a VB script that kills all the
WinCC tasks. You can run it from the Start menu by selecting “Run” and typing in the filename as
below:

You will see this message when all tasks have been killed:

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1.2 WinCC Project Duplicator

These problems usually occur after moving or copying WinCC project files.

Often this problem can be fixed by duplicating the project with the WinCC Project Duplicator:

Select the .MCP file of the faulty project, then save it to a different folder (with the same name).

If this new project runs correctly, then you can delete the old one and use this one.

If the WinCC project is in the “wincproj” folder of a Step7 project, you can delete the old project and
move the new one in its place. You should then perform an OS Compile in Step7 to make sure the
project compiles OK.

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1.3 WinCC V6.0 – Analyzing HRESULT Errors

Often WinCC gives a cryptic “HRESULT” error when opening a project.

A good description can be found on the Siemens web site:

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/22089969

The following are the main points in the link above:

HResult 0x80046127
SQL Server Authentication mode must be set to “Mixed Mode” and not “Windows Authentication
Mode Only”. Should only be a problem if someone has changed it after installing WinCC/SQL.

HResult 0x80080005
DCOM must be enabled on the PC. Enable it in the registry:
Open key: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > OLE"
Set the value of "EnableDCOM" to “Y”

HResult 0x80004005
HResult 0x80010105
The logged-on user must have the following minimum rights:
• Standard user rights at least.
• Be a member of the SIMATIC HMI group (valid only as of SIMATIC WinCC V6.0 SP2).
• In the case of server-client systems, the user must be known on both systems.

HResult 0x8007035: The network path has not been found"?

This error message is output if a firewall and antivirus software or such like are enabled on the
computer. WinCC does not support the operation of a firewall. With WinXP+SP2 you must disable the
firewall installed by default.

The following antivirus programs are supported from WinCC 6.0 SP2:
• Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition from V8.1
• Trend Micro Serverprotect from V5.56
• Trend Micro Officescan NT from V5.02

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1.4 Insufficient User Rights

When I want to open my SIMATIC WinCC project, I get the message "Open WinCC project: The user
does not have the rights to perform this action!” Which rights are required?

The Windows user logged on is not a member of the SIMATIC HMI user group (valid only as of
SIMATIC WinCC V6.0 SP2).

Miscellaneous Checks:
• Are you logged on with Administrator / Power User rights? You need to for WinCC to run.
• Does the Windows user logged on have a password assigned? An empty password will
prevent Windows networking operating correctly.

1.5 Abnormal Shutdown / Windows Crash

If Windows crashes, or the power is switched off without shutting down, the MS SQL Server database
can be left in an uncertain state. You may get this error when opening WinCC:

Solution #1:
If your project is integrated into SIMATIC Manager, try opening WinCC from there instead of from the
start menu (this worked for me).

Solution #2:
Hmmm…don’t know yet because the solution above worked…try fiddling with MS SQL Server
Enterprise Manager…

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2 CLIENT/SERVER CONNECTION PROBLEMS

2.1 Network & User Setup

In order to facilitate server-client communication, all the computers have to be found in the network on
the basis on the computer names, NOT only via the IP address. You can check this by opening the
DOS prompt and contacting the other computers with the command "ping" - input: ping
<computer_name>. It is important that the client locates the server, and vice versa, in the network.

It is advisable to use an integrated name service, either via the lmhost file, a DNS server or WINS
server in order to communicate with the computers in the network using the computer name.
All the Windows users who are using WinCC also have to be set up with the same rights / passwords
and added to the "SIMATIC HMI" group.

The link on the Siemens web site for this topic:

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/22131723

• Are you logged on with Administrator / Power User rights? You need to for WinCC to run.
• Does the Windows user logged on have a password assigned? An empty password will
prevent Windows networking operating correctly.
• Can you ping the WinCC server computer by both IP address AND computer name?
• Are both machines on the same physical network?
• Is the WinCC client configured as a client in the project on the server?
• Can you manually browse your network and make a connection to the server and open a file
on it? If you are prompted for a password when making the connection then this highlights an
authentication issue.
• Have you created a user in your WinCC project with the access level 1000 granted? This is
needed for clients to connect.
• Have you generated the Server Data Package in your project? Again this is one of the
required steps for client / server communications.

2.2 Server Project Named “WinCC”

The following error message appears when a client is connected to a server without a project:

"Access to the project is currently blocked"

Check the name of your WinCC project. If it includes "WinCC", please rename your project. For this
purpose use the project duplicator with the "Save as..." function (described earlier)

The link on the Siemens web site for this error:

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/21922674

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