ProSave MP270 Backup Failure Resolving OS Version Incompatibility

1. Problem Overview

Field engineers maintaining legacy Siemens operator panels frequently encounter a hard stop when attempting to back up an MP270 (Multi Panel 270) that has been in service for several years. The symptom is consistent: a modern ProSave utility refuses to communicate with the panel and returns a blocking dialog:

"This ProSave version and the operating system of the operating unit are not compatible. Update the operating system on the operating unit (perform bootstrapping if necessary)."

The dialog makes a destructive implication: it suggests that the only way to clear the error is to reflash the operating unit. For a panel that is the only remaining copy of a working runtime, that is unacceptable. This article documents the root cause, the safe extraction paths, and the order in which they must be attempted to guarantee the program is preserved before any OS-level intervention.

2. Affected Hardware and Software Identification

Capture every code on the back label of the panel before attempting recovery. The combination of MLFB, E-Stand, and HMI image version is what determines which ProSave/ProTool pair will talk to the unit.

Reference the official Siemens catalog page for the MLFB and the SIMATIC HMI product family page to confirm what is installed before matching it to a toolset.

3. Root Cause Analysis

ProSave is not version-agnostic. The utility performs a handshake with the panel bootloader to negotiate the transfer protocol, and the handshake includes the image generation. ProSave V7.3 was compiled against the V7/V8 generation HMI images and the Windows CE .NET runtime used by newer panels. The MP270 with e-stand 08 ships with a V6.x or early V7 image and a CE 3.0 runtime. The handshake fails on the very first exchange, and ProSave deliberately refuses to proceed to avoid corrupting the panel's flash.

The error dialog is therefore not a fault - it is a safety interlock. The same interlock protects you from flashing the wrong image onto the wrong panel family. The catch is that it also blocks you from performing a backup with a tool that is otherwise perfect for the job.

Three variables determine compatibility:

1. The ProSave build number on the PC.
2. The HMI image version stored on the CompactFlash / internal flash of the panel.
3. The transfer channel (MPI, PROFIBUS, Ethernet, serial, USB-to-serial adapter) and the corresponding PG/PC interface setting on the PC.

If any of the three is misaligned, ProSave rejects the operation at the handshake stage rather than at the file transfer stage. The dialog you see is the handshake failure.

4. Pre-Backup Safety Steps (Read First)

Before touching the panel, perform the following in order:

1. Photograph every label on the rear of the panel: MLFB, serial number, E-Stand, any CoA/CoL stickers, and the CompactFlash card label if accessible.
2. Export the project source from the engineering PC that originally generated the runtime. The .pdb/.pcp/.fwd files on the PC may be newer than the runtime on the panel, but they are still your fallback authoring copy.
3. Pull the CompactFlash card if the panel exposes one and image it byte-for-byte on a Linux host using dd if=/dev/sdc of=mp270_cf.img bs=1M status=progress followed by sha256sum mp270_cf.img. This captures the entire filesystem including the runtime, recipe DB, and any alarm logs regardless of ProSave compatibility.
4. Verify the image by mounting it read-only on a Linux host and listing /flash/runtime, /flash/protool, or /flash/project directories. If those paths exist, you already have a usable copy even if ProSave never connects.

5. Solution Path A - Recover a Compatible Legacy ProSave

The cleanest fix is to match the panel's image generation with a ProSave build that speaks its protocol. The pairing matrix below is the result of consolidating the Siemens FAQ ID 11017496 (ProSave V6.0) and FAQ ID 10347815 (ProSave V7.3.3) coverage tables.

Procedure to extract ProSave from the older CD:

1. Insert the ProTool V5.2 + SP2 CD. ProSave is not offered in the default installer menu because it is a utility, not a configuration tool.
2. Browse the CD manually. On the original Siemens layout it is located under \Utility\ProSave\ or \ProSave\Disk1\.
3. Run setup.exe from that folder directly. ProSave V5.2 will install alongside the newer V7.3 build because it uses its own registry hive and service.
4. Launch the new ProSave from the Start menu, not from ProTool.
5. Set the PG/PC interface to the same channel the panel is wired to (MPI/DP at 187.5 kbit/s is the MP270 default).
6. Click Backup, choose Complete backup with recipes and passwords, and target a local folder. The transfer takes 3-12 minutes depending on project size.

If only the ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP3 CD is in hand, repeat the same hunt for \Protool\Utility\ProSave\. The V6.0 ProSave is the most reliable match for an MP270 with e-stand 08.

6. Solution Path B - Use ProTool Direct (No ProSave at All)

ProTool/Pro can pull the compiled runtime directly from a connected panel over MPI/PROFIBUS without going through ProSave. The file pulled is a binary .pdb - not the source - but it is restorable to another panel of the same type.

1. Open ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP3 on the engineering PC.
2. File → Download → Project from Target System.
3. Set the connection to MPI for the panel's MPI address (factory default is 1, baud 187.5 kbit/s).
4. Choose Transfer → Compiled Project. This fetches the runtime the panel is currently executing.
5. Save the resulting .pdb file to a versioned folder and note the timestamp and panel MLFB in the filename.

Path B is preferred when the ProTool V5.2 CD is not available and no compatible ProSave can be located. It is also the only method that will yield a project file the engineering team can recompile, because ProSave backups are sealed HMI images, not editable projects.

7. Solution Path C - Safe Bootstrapping (Last Resort)

If neither legacy ProSave nor ProTool can establish a connection, bootstrapping becomes unavoidable. The procedure is destructive to the OS but, with the right sequence, the runtime can be preserved on the CompactFlash card and re-applied after the new image is installed.

1. Insert a freshly formatted CompactFlash card (Type I, FAT16, 32 MB - 512 MB) into a card reader on the engineering PC.
2. Mount the target image. The image for an MP270 e-stand 08 with V6.x is distributed as a .img or .bin file inside the ProTool V6.0 SP3 install tree under \Images\MP270\.
3. Copy the image to the root of the CF card. Do not put it in a subfolder - the panel bootloader only looks in the root.
4. Power off the panel. Hold the recessed bootstrap button (located next to the CF slot on MP270) while powering on. Release after 5 seconds.
5. The panel's bootloader reads the image from the CF card, erases the OS flash, and writes the new image. Progress is shown on the screen as a horizontal bar.
6. When the bar completes, the panel reboots into the new image. The runtime region is preserved if the image build matches the original major version; if it does not, restore the runtime from the .pdb file obtained in Section 6.

Verification after bootstrap: the Start Center must display the new CE image build, and a subsequent ProTool/Pro download must succeed against the new image. If the runtime was wiped, re-download it from the saved .pdb using ProTool/Pro → Transfer → Compiled Project.

8. Solution Path D - Serial Cross-Over and Ethernet Direct

When MPI/PROFIBUS is unavailable (port damaged, no PROFIBUS master, isolated network), two direct options remain.

For Ethernet, the MP270's IP can be read from the panel under Start Center → Settings → Network. If the IP is unknown because Start Center is locked, a service reset through the CF card will reveal it. ProSave's Ethernet backup is identical to its MPI backup once the PG/PC interface points to the right TCP/IP channel and the panel's IP/Subnet is in the same broadcast domain.

9. Decision Tree - Which Path to Take

10. Step-by-Step: Recommended Combined Procedure

The procedure below sequences the safest actions first and the destructive ones last, and produces three independent backups before the OS is touched.

1. Power off the panel. Open the service cover. Remove the CompactFlash card.
2. On a Linux host, run dd if=/dev/sdX of=mp270_cf_$(date +%F).img bs=4M conv=noerror,sync. Hash the result with sha256sum.
3. Insert the CF card into a Windows PC. Run legacy ProSave V6.0 from the ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP3 CD Utilities folder. Configure PG/PC interface to MPI, baud 187.5 kbit/s, station address matching the panel (default 1).
4. In ProSave, choose Backup → Complete backup with recipes and passwords. Save the file as mp270_backup_v1.psb in a versioned folder.
5. In ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP3, choose File → Download → Project from Target System. Save the downloaded project as mp270_project_v1.pdb.
6. Verify the .psb file with the ProSave Restore function against a spare MP270 of the same MLFB, or restore it into a virtual environment if the engineering PC has one configured.
7. Verify the .pdb file by opening it in ProTool and confirming that the screen list, tag database, and alarm classes match the live panel's Start Center project name.
8. Only if both files verify, proceed with the bootstrap procedure in Section 7.

11. Verification Checklist

12. Field-Engineered Edge Cases

Several non-obvious failure modes appear in the field and are worth documenting.

• ProSave installs but cannot find COM/LPT ports on Windows 10/11. The legacy installer pre-dates modern driver signing. Run the installer in compatibility mode for Windows XP SP3, and disable driver signature enforcement with bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on from an elevated command prompt. Alternative: run the installer inside a Windows XP Mode VM or VirtualBox guest with a USB pass-through to the PC Adapter.
• PC Adapter USB A2 baud rate mismatch. Default is 187.5 kbit/s for MP270 MPI. The adapter must be set to the same baud in SIMATIC Manager → Options → Set PG/PC Interface. Mismatch produces a silent timeout that looks like an OS error.
• Panel address collision. If another HMI on the same MPI segment has address 1, ProSave will fail with the same OS dialog because it cannot open the bus. Set the PC Adapter to a unique PG address (0 by default is fine) and verify with Nodes → Browse in ProTool.
• CompactFlash card too large. MP270's bootloader does not recognize CF cards larger than 512 MB. Use a 64 MB or 128 MB industrial-grade card (e.g. SanDisk Industrial) and format as FAT16.
• Password-protected project. ProTool's Download from Target requires the project password if one was set. Without it, the .pdb comes back without the password-protected portion. ProSave backup, by contrast, captures the password-protected region and is the more complete archive for forensic purposes.
• Time-limited licensing of ProTool V6.0. Some legacy ProTool builds were shipped with a USB license dongle (license key disk). If the dongle is missing, the configuration tool still launches in "Demo" mode and can download from target, but cannot recompile. Backup-only workflows do not need the license.
• Recipe and alarm log data. ProSave Complete backup captures recipes and alarm history. ProTool Project from Target captures the compiled project only. If recipe values are business-critical, ProSave is the only complete option, which is why finding a compatible ProSave build is worth the effort.

13. Long-Term Preservation Recommendations

For panels that will remain in service beyond the next maintenance window, schedule a recurring backup. Siemens provides a stand-alone backup routine called Save_Active_Project.exe in the ProTool Utilities folder; it can be triggered by a Windows Scheduled Task on a PC that has a permanent MPI or Ethernet connection to the panel. The resulting .psb files can be rotated by date and stored in a versioned archive. Pair the ProSave rotation with a quarterly dd image of the CF card to cover the recipe DB and alarm log retention that ProSave may not include in a partial backup.