Fixing TIA Portal V15 HMI Runtime Simulation Startup Crash

Problem Overview

Symptom: In TIA Portal V15 (with or without Update 1), starting the WinCC HMI Runtime Simulation from the toolbar "Monitor" icon (Start RT) compiles the project successfully and writes the temporary *.hmi_cas / *.sim files, but the HMIRtx.exe process terminates within 1–3 seconds of launch. No HMI screen appears. Windows may or may not raise a dialog box.

The failure pattern is observable in:

• Windows Application event log under Application Error with faulting module names such as HMIRtx.exe, CCAlgCon.dll, CCReportSvc.dll, HMIRTm.dll, or MSVCR120_CLR0400.dll.
• Process Monitor traces showing missing DLL load attempts in %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\Automation\WinCC RT\.
• The TIA Portal output window shows Compilation finished followed immediately by the simulation closing.

Root Cause Categories

The crash originates from one of four independent layers. Always isolate which layer before reinstalling.

Layer 1: Project-Level Isolation

Before touching the installation, prove that the project itself is not the cause.

1. Open TIA Portal V15.
2. Create a new project: Project → New → name it RT_Test.ap15.
3. Add a single Comfort Panel (or the same device family as in the failing project, e.g. TP700 Comfort 6AV2 124-1GC01-0AX0 or KTP1200 Basic 6AV2 123-1MB02-0AX0).
4. Drag a single button onto the root screen, give it one tag wired to a default PLC tag.
5. Click the Start RT icon (the "Monitor with HMI Runtime" toolbar button).
6. If the simulator starts — your project is corrupt. Continue to Layer 1B.
7. If the simulator still crashes — your installation is corrupt. Skip to Layer 3.

Layer 1B: Project Repair

• Project → Compile → Software (rebuild all) to force regeneration of *.hmi_cas / *.sim binaries.
• Open Project tree → Common data → HMI tags and search for any tag with a quality flag in invalid state; delete and recreate.
• Right-click the HMI device → Compile → Software (rebuild all). Inspect the warnings tab; an unresolved pointer, a missing script reference, or a broken screen reference will be listed.
• Open each screen, look at Events → Loaded / Cleared; a VB script that references a removed screen or a deleted tag will fault the RT loader silently.
• For Unified PC RT (if present in the project), check the Performance page in TIA → Runtime settings → Services; disabled background services may still be referenced.

Layer 2: Panel Type / Profile Isolation

Some Comfort panel firmware images (for example early TP1500 Comfort images shipped with V15 SP1) ship with damaged GDI+ font fallback tables that crash the simulator on load.

1. Take the same project that fails with a TP700 Comfort.
2. Change the HMI device to a KTP400 Basic mono (6AV2 123-1DB02-0AX0) using Device → Change device.
3. Recompile and start RT.
4. If it starts, the original panel's HMI device version image is incompatible. Update via HSP (Hardware Support Package) TIA V15 HSP 0290 or later.

Test additional panels in this order to bisect:

Layer 3: TIA Installation Repair

When a brand-new project with the simplest panel also crashes, the TIA Portal V15 installation is the problem.

3.1 Soft Repair First

1. Close TIA Portal and stop the services:

   net stop "S7TRACE" 
   y
   net stop "CCAgent" 
   y
   net stop "ALM" 
   y
   net stop "ALM_RT_Service" 
   y

2. Insert the original TIA V15 DVD (or mount the ISO) and run Setup.exe.
3. Select Repair, not Modify.
4. After repair, restart and test.

3.2 Update 1 Specifically

TIA V15 Update 1 (download via SIOS entry 109751049) addresses a specific WinCC RT startup crash when the ALM (Automation License Manager) service hangs. Apply this before assuming a full reinstall is needed.

3.3 Full Uninstall Order

If repair and Update 1 fail, perform a clean uninstall in this exact order:

1. Uninstall via Control Panel:
   1. SIMATIC TIA Portal V15
   2. SIMATIC STEP 7 V15
   3. SIMATIC WinCC V15 (HMI engineering)
   4. SIMATIC WinCC Runtime V15
   5. SIMATIC S7-PLCSIM V15
   6. Automation License Manager V6
   7. SIMATIC WinCC RT/RC components
   8. Siemens OPC UA Scout (if installed)
   9. Siemens S7 Block Privacy
2. Delete residual directories:

   rd /s /q "C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation"
   rd /s /q "C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens"
   rd /s /q "%ProgramData%\Siemens"
   rd /s /q "%LocalAppData%\Siemens\Automation"
   rd /s /q "%AppData%\Siemens"

3. Clear registry keys:

   reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens" /f
   reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Siemens" /f
   reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Siemens" /f

   Back up the registry first. Misuse will render Windows unbootable.
4. Reboot and reinstall TIA V15.

Layer 4: Operating System / Runtime Dependencies

Even a clean TIA V15 install will fail to start HMIRtx.exe if the underlying Windows runtime is incomplete.

4.1 Required Redistributables

4.2 Reinstall All Redistributables

Use a script to force reinstall of every required redistributable in one pass:

vcredist_x86_2008_sp1.exe /quiet /norestart
vcredist_x86_2010_sp1.exe /quiet /norestart
vcredist_x86_2012_upd4.exe /quiet /norestart
vcredist_x86_2013.exe /quiet /norestart
vc_redist.x86.exe /quiet /norestart
vc_redist.x64.exe /quiet /norestart
NDP462-KB3151800-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe /quiet /norestart

4.3 Antivirus and UAC

• Disable real-time AV (Windows Defender, Trend, Kaspersky, McAfee) for the duration of the RT test. Several SIOS notes confirm AV hooking of CreateProcessW breaks the HMIRtx.exe launch.
• Run TIA Portal as Administrator for the first simulation launch to populate %LocalAppData%\Siemens\Automation\HMI_RT\.
• If you run TIA from a network share (\server\share), copy it locally first; the RT loader cannot resolve relative paths on SMB.

4.4 Windows Compatibility Matrix

For the SIOS compatibility matrix, see TIA Portal V15 compatibility entry.

Diagnostic Procedure Summary

Follow this order to resolve 95% of TIA V15 HMI RT Simulation crashes:

1. Create RT_Test.ap15 with a single Comfort panel; if this works, the user's project is corrupt.
2. Swap the failing panel device family; if a different panel simulates, update the panel's HSP.
3. Test on another PC; if it works there, your OS or AV is at fault.
4. Run Setup → Repair on TIA V15.
5. Apply TIA V15 Update 1 from SIOS 109751049.
6. Reinstall VC++ 2008 / 2010 / 2012 / 2013 / 2015–2022 redistributables (x86 priority).
7. Disable antivirus; run TIA as Administrator; check Windows event log for the exact faulting module.
8. If still failing: full uninstall in the documented order, manual directory and registry cleanup, then fresh install.

Event Log Triage

Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application and filter for Error + Source Application Error. Common entries:

Verification Checklist

Confirm the fix with these checks:

• Click Start RT; HMIRtx.exe remains in Task Manager > 30 seconds.
• The WinCC Runtime window appears, showing the configured root screen.
• Tag simulation updates values (use Tools → Simulation table to force values).
• Stop RT returns to TIA without "Runtime terminated unexpectedly" message.
• Windows Event log shows no Application Error during the simulation window.
• Re-open the original failing project; if it still crashes, the project needs Layer 1B repair even after installation is fixed.

Workarounds When TIA Cannot Be Fixed

If the engineering deadline cannot wait for a full reinstall:

• Use a second PC with the same TIA V15 + Update 1 installed cleanly.
• Use a different machine virtual image: the Siemens pre-built VM (TIA V15.1 + WinCC V15.1) is available to license holders.
• Skip HMI RT and use PLCSIM only: validate PLC logic first, defer HMI testing to the physical panel.
• Export the HMI project: Project → Export → SIMATIC HMI project (.hmi), then re-import on a clean machine to rule out local project-file corruption.

Preventive Maintenance

• Always install TIA V15 with .NET 4.6.2 (or higher per Update level) before TIA.
• Keep Windows Update paused during commissioning phases.
• Use a dedicated engineering workstation; do not mix TIA with consumer AV suites.
• Backup the working project to a clean *.ap15_1 after each RT success — TIA supports project versioning via Project → Versioned project.
• Subscribe to SIOS ID 109751049 for TIA V15 Update notifications.

FAQ