MP377 Project Transfer Troubleshooting in WinCC Flexible 2008

1. Problem Overview

The Siemens SIMATIC MP377 is a 7-, 10-, 12-, and 15-inch widescreen panel from the Multi Panel 377 family that runs the Windows CE 5.0 / Windows Embedded Standard 2009 images bundled with WinCC flexible 2008. Operators commissioning a new panel, performing a panel swap, or replacing a corrupted CompactFlash card frequently hit a wall when trying to download the WinCC flexible project to the device.

Two distinct error classes dominate the field:

1. "OS version discrepancy" / "Operating system not supported" — The image version installed on the MP377 flash does not match the image that ships with the engineering PC's WinCC flexible version. The HMI refuses to accept the project.
2. "No connection between PC and HMI device" / "Check cable, connection settings" — The transfer service cannot open a serial or TCP channel to the panel. The most common root cause is missing or incorrect communication parameters inside ProSave, the standalone transfer utility bundled with WinCC flexible.

This article gives a complete commissioning flow: how to verify the panel's installed image, how to configure ProSave for a Multi Master (RS232/PPI) cable, how to perform an OS update, how to transfer via Ethernet, and how to recover from each of the documented error states.

2. MP377 Interface and Image Hardware Specifications

The MP377 base unit exposes two service interfaces usable for project transfer:

Each MP377 ships from the factory with a Windows CE image burned into internal flash and (when fitted) a CompactFlash card for the runtime project archive. The image build is identified by an Image version string (e.g. V12.01.03) that is printed on the splash screen during boot and stored inside the panel registry under HKLM\Software\Siemens\HMI.

2.1 RS232/PPI Multi Master Cable Pinout

The Siemens 6ES7 901-3DB30-0XA0 USB-to-PPI Multi Master cable is the most common field tool, but for a true RS232 path the legacy 6ES7 901-3BF20-0XA0 RS232/PPI Multi Master cable is used. The DB9-to-MPI pinout is:

The PC sees a COM port (typically COM1..COM4 once the cable's virtual COM driver is installed). For RS232 downloads, ProSave must be configured for RS232 / TTY at 115200 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, not PPI.

3. Prerequisites

Before initiating a transfer, verify the engineering workstation and panel both meet the minimum requirements:

• WinCC flexible 2008 installed with the latest Service Pack (SP5) and Hot Fix, or later.
• ProSave v8.x or later (bundled with WinCC flexible 2008; normally found at Start > Programs > Siemens Automation > SIMATIC > ProSave).
• For serial transfer: RS232/PPI Multi Master cable with virtual COM driver installed and a known COM port number.
• For Ethernet transfer: a switched TCP/IP network with the MP377 either on DHCP or reachable on its static fallback (192.168.0.100 / 24, gateway none).
• Panel powered on, control panel accessible (transfer mode allowed under OP > Transfer or via the Transfer button on the service menu).
• Image file matching the panel: located under %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\Automation\WinCC flexible\WinCC flexible Images.

4. Root Cause: Missing ProSave Communication Parameters

The single most common cause of the "no connection between PC and HMI device" error during MP377 transfers is leaving the ProSave connection dialog at its default values. ProSave defaults to Ethernet on first launch; when the actual physical medium is serial, the transfer simply never opens the port. The resolution is to manually configure the connection per the medium in use.

4.1 ProSave Configuration for RS232/PPI

1. Launch ProSave from the Start menu.
2. In the Device type drop-down select MP 377 (or the exact 12-key variant, e.g. MP 377 12" Touch).
3. Open the Connection tab.
4. Select the connection mode Serial (not Ethernet).
5. Set COM port to match the cable driver (typically COM1 for native RS232, COM3 or higher for USB-PPI Multi Master).
6. Baud rate: 115200 for plain RS232 / TTY; 187500 for PPI Multi Master.
7. Leave the Slot field at default 0.
8. Click OK — the dialog closes and the settings are written to the ProSave registry under HKCU\Software\Siemens\ProSave\LastConnection.

4.2 ProSave Configuration for Ethernet

1. In ProSave Connection tab select Ethernet.
2. Enter the MP377 IP address (verify by tapping Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network on the panel itself, or read from the boot screen).
3. Set the MAC address only if using the initial commissioning backup — otherwise leave blank.
4. Click Test. ProSave opens a TCP session on port

   2308. A green check confirms the panel is reachable.

5. Step-by-Step: RS232/PPI Project Transfer

1. Power the MP377. Press the Transfer button on the service screen or navigate Start > Settings > Control Panel > Transfer.
2. Confirm the channel selection: Serial, baud 115200, no protocol (or PPI at 187.5 kbps if using the PPI Multi Master cable).
3. Set the panel into Transfer mode. The screen displays "Connecting to host...".
4. Connect the RS232/PPI cable from the PC to the MP377 X11 (RS232) connector.
5. Launch ProSave and select the device type.
6. Open the Connection tab and configure serial parameters as detailed in section 4.1.
7. Switch to the Backup tab to first capture a panel backup (recommended before every overwrite).
8. Switch to the Restore tab to push the new project archive (.fwx or compressed .pdz). Click Open Archive and select the file produced by WinCC flexible under WinCC flexible > Project > Transfer > Compile and Transfer.
9. Click Transfer. Progress bar advances; panel reboots automatically on completion.

6. Step-by-Step: Ethernet Project Transfer

1. Connect the MP377 and the engineering PC to the same subnet. Default MP377 IP when shipped from factory is 192.168.0.100; default subnet mask 255.255.255.0.
2. Verify reachability: from the PC command prompt run ping 192.168.0.100. A response confirms layer-3 connectivity.
3. If the panel IP is unknown, press Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network > IP Address on the panel, or hold the boot service button to enter recovery console and view the address.
4. On the MP377, enable the Transfer channel: Control Panel > Transfer > Ethernet > Enable.
5. Open ProSave, select the MP377 device, switch Connection to Ethernet, and enter the panel IP.
6. Click Test. A success dialog appears when port 2308 is reachable.
7. Use Restore to push the compiled archive.

7. OS Update Procedure (Image Version Mismatch Recovery)

If the panel image build is older or newer than the WinCC flexible 2008 build that produced the project archive, the transfer fails with:

"The operating system of the connected HMI device does not match the version of the project. An OS update is required."

Perform the OS update before retrying the project transfer.

1. Identify the image currently installed: on the MP377, during boot, observe the splash screen. The version line reads, for example, WinCC flexible Image V12.01.03. The image is also stamped in the registry key HKLM\Software\Siemens\HMI\ImageVersion.
2. Identify the images installed locally on the engineering PC: browse to \Program Files (x86)\Siemens\Automation\WinCC flexible\WinCC flexible Images\. Each subfolder contains a subfolder named for the device family, e.g. MP 377, with files *.img and *.bin.
3. Match the panel image name to the correct folder. If the matching image is missing, install the corresponding WinCC flexible Service Pack or Hot Fix.
4. Open ProSave. Choose device type MP377. In the Connection tab select either Serial (RS232, 115200) or Ethernet.
5. Switch to the OS Update tab. In Image path browse to the matching *.img file.
6. Check Bootloader > Update only if changing from Windows CE 5.0 to Windows Embedded Standard 2009 or vice versa. For routine minor updates leave unchecked.
7. Click Update OS. ProSave opens a session, erases the panel flash, writes the new image, and reboots the device. Allow 8-12 minutes; do not interrupt power.
8. After reboot, the panel displays "Transfer mode". Proceed with the project restore per sections 5 or 6.

8. Image Version Compatibility Reference

The compatibility matrix between WinCC flexible 2008 service packs and MP377 image versions is published by Siemens. The most relevant builds in production today are:

Cross-version transfers (e.g. compiling in WinCC flexible 2008 SP3 against an MP377 panel running V12.01.05) are rejected by the runtime loader because the project header encodes the minimum image version. The fix is always to align both ends, either by patching the panel image or by rebuilding the project against the older image inside the corresponding engineering build.

9. Error Code and Message Reference

10. Verification Checklist

After a successful transfer, validate the runtime end-to-end:

1. The MP377 reboots automatically after the project restore and displays the configured start screen (no "Transfer mode" prompt remains).
2. From the panel Start > Settings > Control Panel > OP > Information, confirm the project version matches the source.
3. Re-enter ProSave, click Backup, and save a fresh panel archive. This verifies that read-back access is healthy.
4. On the engineering PC, from WinCC flexible 2008 Project > Transfer > Transfer to target system initiates a hot recompile and re-issues the project; if it completes without prompting for an OS update, the versions are aligned.
5. Run a PLC cycle and confirm that the HMI tags update on screen. This proves the tag point database downloaded correctly.
6. Cycle panel power; verify project starts from the panel image (not the recovery loader).

11. Field-Proven Troubleshooting Matrix

12. References and Standards

For deeper reading consult the official Siemens support entries and manuals:

• Siemens FAQ 35677293 — Compatibility list of WinCC flexible and panel image versions
• Siemens FAQ 21742389 — Image versions for operator panels
• WinCC flexible 2008 Communication manual
• SIMATIC HMI ProSave operating instructions
• SIMATIC MP 377 device manual

Frequently Asked Questions