Downloading WinCC v7 Projects to a WinCC Server: Step7 V5.4 Guide

This technical reference documents the field-procedure for downloading a SIMATIC WinCC v7 project from a Step7 V5.4 engineering station (ES) to a separate WinCC Server with only the WinCC Runtime installed. The procedure covers PC Station configuration in HW Config, generation of the .xdb station-configuration file, transferring it to the server's WinCC installation, and the WinCC Explorer download sequence. The guide also lists the most common failure points (network/credentials, station configuration, RC vs RT components, XDB mismatch) and how to verify each stage.

1. Architecture Overview

A distributed WinCC v7 system consists of:

• Engineering Station (ES). Runs Step7 V5.4 + WinCC Explorer + WinCC CS (Configuration Studio) or the legacy WinCC Configuration Tool. This is where the WinCC project is authored, compiled, and downloaded.
• WinCC Server. Runs the WinCC Runtime and the WinCC Server service. The Server holds the project database, process image, archive, and alarm log. In a redundant pair, a Standby Server mirrors the Master.
• WinCC Clients. Either WinCC Client RT (with pictures loaded from the Server) or Web Navigator clients. They connect to the Server over TCP/IP and pull data via the WinCC channel DLLs (e.g. SIMATIC S7 PROTOCOL SUITE).
• Automation system (AS). S7-300/400 PLC connected over Industrial Ethernet (TCP/IP) or PROFIBUS. The Server usually holds the S7 connection, not the Client.

The Server is a "WinCC node" referenced inside the WinCC Explorer project tree on the ES. The Server's computer name, IP address, and MAC address are defined inside the PC Station hardware configuration so that the .xdb file generated for the Server is unique and unambiguous.

1.1 Why the server has only the Runtime installed

During WinCC v7 setup, the installer offers two components:

• RC – Runtime/Configuration. Adds the WinCC Explorer with the configuration editors (Graphics Designer, Alarm Logging, Tag Logging, User Administrator, etc.).
• RT – Runtime only. Installs only the WinCC Runtime, the WinCC Server service, the Alarm Logging runtime, the Tag Logging runtime, and the channel DLLs. No project-editing capability.

A dedicated WinCC Server is normally installed with RT only (the RC checkbox deselected). This is correct and standard. Do not install RC on a production Server – it changes the boot behaviour and is unnecessary for an unattended runtime node. After the RT-only install, double-clicking a .mcp project file on the Server will display the file with the generic Windows icon, not the WinCC Explorer icon, because WinCC Explorer is not present. This is expected behaviour; the project is opened and started by the WinCC Runtime service, not by Explorer.

2. Prerequisites

Before attempting the download, verify the following preconditions on both the ES and the Server.

2.1 Network and accounts

2.2 Software versions

WinCC v7 is binary-compatible across service packs within the same major version, but mismatched versions cause the "The server has installed a different WinCC version" download error. Confirm the following on both PCs:

• Step7 V5.4 SPx (typically SP5 or later for current Windows releases).
• WinCC v7.0 SPx or WinCC v7.2/v7.3/v7.4 SPx. The SP-level must match exactly between ES and Server. A project compiled with v7.4 SP1 will not load on a v7.4 SP0 runtime.
• SQL Server 2005/2008/2012 – WinCC v7 installs its own instance (WINCCINSTANCE) and the version is fixed by the WinCC installation media. Do not upgrade SQL independently.
• Same locale settings (regional format) – mismatched decimal separators cause project start errors.

2.3 WinCC licenses

3. Pre-Download Preparation on the Engineering Station

3.1 Configure the PC Station for the Server

The PC Station is a Step7 object that represents any PC-based component of the SIMATIC system (WinCC Server, WinCC Client, OPC Server, S7-PCT, etc.). Each WinCC Server must have its own PC Station in the Step7 project, with hardware slot assignments and network bindings that match the physical server.

1. Open SIMATIC Manager on the ES.
2. Right-click the project and choose Insert New Object → SIMATIC PC Station, or open an existing PC Station that represents the WinCC Server.
3. Open HW Config on the PC Station.
4. In the hardware catalog (right side), navigate to SIMATIC PC Station → User Application → WinCC Server (or "WinCC Server (OPC)" for OPC connectivity).
5. Drag the "WinCC Server" onto a free slot of the PC Station rack (slot 1 or higher; typical: slot 1 or 2).
6. Drag an IE General network card onto a free slot. Select the appropriate type (e.g. "IE General → SW V10.0" for current Windows versions) – the driver version on the Server must be able to support it.
7. Double-click the IE General → Properties → Interfaces tab:
   • Set MAC address to the actual MAC of the Server's Ethernet adapter. The MAC is found on the Server by running ipconfig /all or getmac.
   • Set IP address and Subnet mask to match the Server's actual TCP/IP configuration.
   • Optionally assign the IE node to an Ethernet subnet object so that other stations (HMI stations, AS) can be connected via NetPro.
8. Save and compile the HW Config. The status bar must show "No errors"; otherwise the download will fail at the XDB stage.

3.2 Compile the OS (Operator Station)

Before any download, the WinCC project must be compiled. The compile step generates the runtime databases and detects configuration errors that would prevent a successful download.

1. Open the WinCC project in WinCC Explorer on the ES.
2. Right-click the project name → Rebuild All (this is the equivalent of "OS Compile" in TIA Portal). This regenerates the SQL database, the alarm/tag logging tables, and the graphics runtime files.
3. Check the Compiler Output window. The compile must finish with 0 errors. Warnings about unused tags or pictures are tolerable.
4. If the project contains C-scripts or VB scripts, verify the syntax. WinCC v7 ships a script syntax checker; third-party DLL references must exist on the Server's wincc\bin directory.

3.3 Verify computer name in WinCC Explorer

Inside WinCC Explorer, the Server's computer name appears in the project tree under "Computer". The default is "WinCC-Project-Name\Computer1". If the computer name in the project does not match the actual computer name of the Server, change it:

1. In WinCC Explorer, right-click the Server computer → Properties.
2. Set Computer name to the actual Windows computer name of the Server (the value returned by hostname on the Server).
3. Re-compile after any rename.

4. The XDB File – Generation and Transfer

The .xdb file is the PC Station configuration in XML form. It is consumed by the Station Configuration Editor on the Server. Without the correct XDB, the WinCC Server service will not start its configured components.

4.1 Generate the XDB

The XDB is generated automatically when you compile the PC Station in HW Config or when you initiate the download. Step7 writes it to:

<Step7 Project Path>\s7asrcom\<projectname>\<pcstationname>.xdb

For a default install with project Demo and PC Station PC_WinCCServer, the file is at:

C:\Siemens\Automation\S7Proj\Demo\s7asrcom\Demo\PC_WinCCServer.xdb

4.2 Transfer the XDB to the Server

There are three methods. Method A is the standard one and is recommended.

Method A – Automatic via the download dialog

When you click "Download to target system" in WinCC Explorer and select the Server, Step7 copies the XDB automatically to:

\\<ServerName>\<WinCC-Install-Path>\bin\<PCStationName>.xdb

typically:

\\<ServerName>\Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\bin\PC_WinCCServer.xdb

The Station Configuration Editor on the Server auto-detects the new XDB and updates its index file StationIndex.xml in the same directory.

Method B – Manual copy as a fallback

If the automatic copy fails (typical when the ES does not have write permission to the Server's wincc\bin share), copy the XDB manually:

1. Browse to the XDB on the ES (see path above).
2. Copy it to the Server's \Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\bin directory.
3. On the Server, open Station Configuration Editor (Start → Siemens Automation → Station Configuration Editor). The newly copied XDB must appear in the component list within a few seconds.
4. If the new XDB does not appear, click Update Station or close and reopen the Station Configuration Editor.

Method C – Re-import on the Server

On the Server, open Station Configuration Editor → menu Station → Import Station → select the .xdb file from a network share or local directory. This is functionally identical to a copy, but useful when the path differs from the default.

5. Executing the WinCC Project Download

With the PC Station compiled on the ES, the XDB in place on the Server, and the Station Configuration Editor showing the components, the download is performed from the WinCC Explorer on the ES.

1. On the ES, open WinCC Explorer and load the project.
2. Right-click the project name (root) → Download to target system → WinCC Server... (in a multi-station project) or Download → Target system... for a single-station project.
3. In the "Target system" dialog:
   • Computer name: select the configured Server computer (the name that was set in §3.3).
   • Transfer mode: keep default settings. For very large projects you can switch the transfer mode to "Manual" to avoid blocking other traffic.
4. Click OK. The download progress dialog opens with four sub-steps (in this order):
   1. Copying project – WinCC CS copies the entire project directory, the SQL databases, and any user files to the Server's \Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\<ProjectName> directory.
   2. Opening project – The WinCC Server service receives a project-open command via the WinCC messaging channel. The Server unloads any running project and loads the new one into its memory.
   3. Initialising project – The Server starts the channel DLLs (e.g. SIMATIC S7 PROTOCOL SUITE → TCP/IP), establishes connections to the AS, and begins polling tags.
   4. Closing project – The download dialog closes. On the Server, the project should remain running in Runtime.
5. Verify the result on the Server: WinCC Runtime window should display the start picture, alarm logging should be running (icon in system tray), tag logging should be active, and the "Server" service in the task manager should show the CCWriteServer.exe and CCAlgServer.exe processes.

6. Verification Checklist

Use the following checklist after every download to confirm a healthy system.

7. Troubleshooting Matrix

The following matrix maps the most common WinCC v7 download errors to their root cause and the corrective action.

8. Specific Topics from the Field

8.1 RT vs RC install – confirmation

On a WinCC Server, the typical install selects only RT and deselects RC. The RC option would install the WinCC Explorer with all configuration editors, the Graphics Designer, and the project-authoring tools on the Server. There is no functional benefit to installing RC on a Server and it increases the attack surface and patch load. The only legitimate reason to install RC is when the Server is also being used as an Engineering Station for emergency offline editing – in that case it is a single-machine install and the question of "downloading to the Server" does not arise.

8.2 The PC Station hardware config on the ES – confirmation

Setting the MAC address and IP address of the Server in the PC Station HW Config on the ES is correct and required. Without those values, the XDB would reference the ES's own network adapter and the Server's Station Configuration Editor would refuse to apply it (because it would not match the local adapter). If the Server has multiple network adapters, the MAC must match the one bound to the WinCC Server component (typically the one used for PLC communication).

8.3 Manual XDB copy – confirmation

Manually copying the XDB to the Server's wincc\bin directory and observing a "healthy" state in the Station Configuration Editor is functionally equivalent to the automatic copy. The healthy state confirms that:

• The XDB XML parsed without errors.
• The MAC/IP referenced inside the XDB matches at least one local adapter.
• The component (WinCC Server) is registered in the StationIndex.xml.

After manual copy, proceed with the WinCC Explorer download from the ES. If the manual copy works but the automatic copy fails, the most common cause is a Windows file-sharing permission issue, not a project or XDB problem. Address it on the network/credentials layer, not by re-installing WinCC.

8.4 When to re-install vs when to repair

WinCC v7 is notoriously fragile to in-place uninstall/reinstall sequences because the installer does not always purge the SQL Server instance and the WINCCINSTANCE databases. If the Server's behavior has changed after an uninstall, a clean re-install is often faster than debugging the residual state:

1. Back up the OS partition image.
2. Use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility or msizap to remove all Siemens packages.
3. Manually remove any leftover C:\Programs\Siemens directories.
4. Remove the SQL Server instance with WINCCINSTANCE via "Programs and Features".
5. Re-install the OS patch level to a known good state, then install Step7 and WinCC from the same media/SP that the ES uses.

9. Detailed Network and Account Validation Script

The following script runs on the ES and validates the most common preconditions in a single pass. Save as validate_wincc_download.cmd and run from an elevated command prompt.

@echo off
set SERVER=%1
if "%SERVER%"=="" set SERVER=WINC CSERVER

echo === PING ===
ping -n 2 %SERVER% | find "Reply"

echo === SMB TEST ===
net use \\%SERVER%\C$ /USER:%SERVER%\administrator * 1>nul
if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
  echo SMB admin share: OK
  net use \\%SERVER%\C$ /DELETE /Y 1>nul
) else (
  echo SMB admin share: FAILED - check account/password/workgroup
)

echo === WINCC BIN PATH ===
if exist \\%SERVER%\Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\bin (
  echo WinCC install path: OK
) else (
  echo WinCC install path: NOT FOUND - wrong install path or RT not installed
)

echo === WINCC VERSION COMPARE ===
if exist \\%SERVER%\Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\bin\WinCC_Ver.txt (
  type \\%SERVER%\Programs\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\bin\WinCC_Ver.txt
)

echo === FIREWALL ===
netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name="File and Printer Sharing (SMB-In)" | find "Enabled: Yes"

echo === HOSTNAME MATCH ===
for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('hostname') do set ESNAME=%%a
echo ES hostname: %ESNAME%
for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('nslookup %SERVER% 2^>^&1 ^| find "Name:"') do echo %%a

Expected output: every line contains "OK" or a sensible value. Any "FAILED" or "NOT FOUND" line is the first place to look.

10. WinCC RT Professional in TIA Portal – Conceptual Cross-Reference

If the project is migrated to TIA Portal and uses WinCC RT Professional, the high-level sequence is similar but the tools differ:

1. Compile the WinCC Server device inside the TIA project tree.
2. Select the WinCC RT Professional device → Download to device from the shortcut menu (Project tree → WinCC Server → right-click → Download to device).
3. The TIA Portal automatically performs the PC Station equivalent (XDB is no longer a separate file; the configuration is part of the TIA project) and transfers the runtime files to the configured target.

Refer to the official Siemens documentation for the TIA Portal sequence: Downloading the project to the server (RT Professional) – WinCC. The TIA Portal procedure assumes a single PC Station per project, an HMI connection configured on the device, and a reachable PG/PC interface; the troubleshooting principles (matching versions, network reachability, identical credentials) apply identically.

11. Frequently Asked Questions