COM PROFIBUS 5.1 on Windows XP Compatibility and Configuration

COM PROFIBUS 5.1 on Windows XP: Compatibility and Configuration Reference

COM PROFIBUS V5.1 (with Service Packs SP1 and SP2) is the last released version of the classic Siemens PROFIBUS-DP and PROFIBUS-FMS configuration tool. It is widely deployed on plants that still rely on Windows XP workstations and on legacy SIMATIC S5 / S7-300 / S7-400 / ET 200 field networks that pre-date the TIA Portal migration. This reference consolidates the official compatibility matrix, the genuine Siemens order number, the available hotfixes, the unofficial-but-validated Windows XP procedure, and the forward migration path to TIA Portal V13 and later.

1. Product Identification and Order Numbers

The COM PROFIBUS package is delivered on CD-ROM with localized documentation. The standard European multilingual bundle is the order number most plants will encounter. For U.S. deployments, the English-only bundle is typically substituted.

Always quote the full 18-character MLFB when re-ordering through your local Siemens sales partner. Hotfix packages are distributed separately and are not bound to a specific MLFB.

2. Version Matrix and Operating System Compatibility

COM PROFIBUS was first released for Windows 3.11 and evolved through several generations. The supported OS matrix narrows significantly after V5.0 because the tool was rebuilt against newer Microsoft runtime libraries.

3. Windows XP Deployment Procedure (Field-Validated)

The following procedure documents the engineering practice used to install COM PROFIBUS V5.1 + SP2 on a Windows XP SP3 workstation. It assumes a clean image with no prior COM PROFIBUS installation.

3.1 Prerequisites

• Windows XP Professional SP3 (32-bit only; the tool is not 64-bit aware).
• Local Administrator or equivalent rights for installation.
• Minimum 256 MB RAM, 200 MB free disk on the system partition.
• Original CD-ROM (MLFB 6ES5895-6SE03-0UG4 or 6ES5895-6SE03-0AE0).
• Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 is not required; V5.1 uses MFC 4.2 and the original Visual C++ 6.0 runtime.
• Disable antivirus real-time scanning during installation (Avira/Symantec have been observed to quarantine cpf5.exe mid-install).

3.2 Installation Sequence

1. Insert the COM PROFIBUS CD. Autorun is enabled; if it does not trigger, run SETUP.EXE from the root directory.
2. Select Install COM PROFIBUS V5.1. Accept the license dialog.
3. Choose Complete installation to deploy GSD library, device catalog, and DP master test tool.
4. When the installer prompts for the CP5611/CP5613/CP5511/CP5512 driver, leave defaults unless you have a Siemens CP card physically installed.
5. After first-install completes, do not launch the application. Apply SP1, then SP2 (each hotfix is a self-extracting archive).
6. Reboot after each hotfix application.
7. Launch COM PROFIBUS once as Administrator to initialize the %APPDATA%\Siemens\COMProfibus\ configuration tree.

3.3 Windows XP-Specific Registry Adjustments

Windows XP's stricter DCOM and Side-by-Side assembly handling occasionally blocks COM PROFIBUS components. The following registry patches are field-validated:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole]
"EnableDCOM"="Y"
"EnableRemoteRPCss"="Y"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\COMProfibus\5.1]
"DisableGSDCache"=dword:00000000
"ForceDPMode"="DPV0"
"CompatibilityMode"=dword:00000001

The CompatibilityMode entry forces the GSD interpreter to fall back to the V5.0 tokenizer, which avoids a known access-violation when reading third-party GSD files that contain UTF-8 extended characters.

3.4 Post-Install Verification

1. Start → Programs → Siemens COM PROFIBUS → COM PROFIBUS V5.1.
2. Open an existing .cpf project, or create a new DP master system with one DP-V0 slave.
3. Choose Diagnostics → Bus Diagnostics. The diagnostic window should populate within 3 seconds if a CP5611 is present, otherwise it should display "No interface available" without an error popup.
4. Check Help → About. The build string must include either SP1 or SP2 to confirm the hotfix was applied.

4. PROFIBUS-DP Master Configuration Workflow

COM PROFIBUS V5.1 organizes each project around a single master system with up to 125 slaves (DP-V0) or 124 slaves plus one DP-V1 master-class-2 connection. The workflow below produces a deployable binary that can be downloaded into a SIMATIC S7 CPU using STEP 7 V5.x or imported as a GSD-equivalent text file.

4.1 Creating a New DP Master System

1. File → New → PROFIBUS-DP Master System.
2. Select master type: SIMATIC S7 DP Master, SIMATIC S5 DP Master, or Third-Party Master.
3. Set bus parameters:
   • Baud rate: 9.6 kbit/s to 12 Mbit/s (auto-detect supported only for CP cards with onboard diagnostics).
   • Slot time (T_sl): default 100 T_bit at 1.5 Mbit/s.
   • Min slave interval (min T_{sdr): 11 Tbit.}
   • Max slave delay (max T_sdr): 150 T_bit.
   • Quiet time (T_qui): 0.
   • Setup time (T_set): 4.
4. Click Calculate to recompute the derived parameters Ttr, Tid1, Tid2, and the GAP factor.

4.2 Adding Slaves

Drag a slave from the device catalog into the bus line. Each slave is identified by its PROFIBUS address (1–125) and its GSD file. The catalog on the SP2 release contains more than 2,400 device entries spanning Siemens ET 200, third-party I/O, drives, encoders, and valves. Custom GSD files may be imported via Options → Install New GSD; the importer accepts GSD Revision 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

4.3 Slot and Module Assignment

For modular slaves (e.g., ET 200M, ET 200S, ET 200pro), double-click the slave to open the slot table. Drag modules from the right-hand catalog into slots 1 through the maximum number of slots declared by the GSD. COM PROFIBUS enforces I/O address uniqueness across the master system and warns on overlap.

4.4 Export and STEP 7 Integration

The configured master system can be exported in two formats:

• .cpf — native COM PROFIBUS project file.
• .cbf — COM PROFIBUS binary for STEP 7 import (HW Config → Options → Import COM PROFIBUS Configuration).

5. PROFIBUS-FMS Configuration

While PROFIBUS-FMS has been deprecated by the PROFIBUS User Organization in favor of PROFINET, legacy FMS segments remain in service. COM PROFIBUS V5.1 retains full FMS configuration capability, including AR (Application Relationship) and CR (Communication Relationship) setup.

FMS commissioning requires an active FMS-LLI connection on a CP5613 or CP5614 with firmware ≥ V5.0. CP5511/CP5512 PCMCIA cards support DP only.

6. GSD File Management

Device Description files (GSD) determine how each slave is presented in the catalog. The GSD cache lives in %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\COMProfibus\GSD and contains:

• Native GSD files for ET 200 families.
• Imported third-party GSD files.
• Bitmap files (.bmp) referenced by GSD entries for catalog icons.

When importing a new GSD, follow this validation checklist:

1. Open the GSD with a text editor. Verify the file starts with ; GSD File or #Profibus_DP.
2. Confirm the file version keyword (e.g., GSD_Revision=5).
3. Check for character encoding. COM PROFIBUS V5.1 expects Windows-1252; UTF-8 BOM must be stripped.
4. Run Options → GSD Checker. The tool reports malformed keywords and duplicate module definitions.

7. Available Hotfixes and Patch Levels

Siemens published the following hotfix roll-ups for COM PROFIBUS V5.1 before discontinuing maintenance:

Hotfixes are available through Siemens Product Support search using the order number 6ES5895-6SE03-0UG4 as the filter. A valid Support Contract is normally required for download access.

8. Diagnostic and Bus Monitoring Functions

When the host PC is equipped with a Siemens CP5611, CP5613, CP5614, CP5511, or CP5512, COM PROFIBUS activates the Bus Diagnostics panel. This panel provides:

• Live bus statistics (frame count, error count, repeat count).
• Per-slave status (operational, failed, not reachable).
• DP-V1 alarm log with timestamp, alarm type, slot, and diagnostic payload.
• Live oscilloscope view of the differential bus voltage (CP5613/CP5614 only, requires firmware ≥ V6.0).

Without a Siemens CP card the diagnostic panel is greyed out, but project configuration remains fully functional. Third-party interfaces (e.g., Softing PROFIusb, HMS Anybus X-gateway) are not supported by COM PROFIBUS V5.1.

9. Migration Path to TIA Portal

Plants transitioning to TIA Portal must migrate both project data and operator competence. The COM PROFIBUS → TIA Portal converter handles the following assets:

For projects containing FMS, plan a parallel-provisioning window: keep a Windows XP / COM PROFIBUS workstation available as a fallback while the new PROFINET topology is commissioned.

10. Troubleshooting Matrix

11. End-of-Life and Long-Term Support Considerations

Siemens formally discontinued COM PROFIBUS at the end of 2008. Subsequent PROFIBUS configuration capability is delivered exclusively through TIA Portal, which does not support Windows XP or Windows 2000. Workstations hosting COM PROFIBUS V5.1 should therefore be:

• Isolated from corporate networks (no inbound SMB/RDP exposure).
• Backed up by image-clone with offline storage; the original CD may be irreplaceable.
• Scheduled for migration to TIA Portal V18 or later running on Windows 10 / 11 LTSC.

12. References and Official Documentation

• COM PROFIBUS V5.1 Manual (English, PDF) — Siemens Product Support, attachment 1498610.
• PROFIBUS Product Finder entry: COM PROFIBUS V5.0 — PROFIBUS User Organization (PNO).

Frequently Asked Questions