Resolving Missing GSDML File for SCALANCE W734-1 in STEP 7 V5.5

Problem Description: "GSDML-V2.31-Siemens-002A-SCALANCE_W700-20141023.xml is missing"

When uploading a STEP 7 V5.5 + SP4 project from a SIMATIC S7 CPU to the programming device (PG), the SIMATIC Manager reports that the PROFINET device description (GSDML) for the SCALANCE W734-1FX00-0AA0 (MLFB 6GK5734-1FX00-0AA0) is missing. The exact filename referenced in the upload warning is:

GSDML-V2.31-Siemens-002A-SCALANCE_W700-20141023.xml

After the upload completes, opening HW Config shows the SCALANCE W734-1 device slot marked with a placeholder or yellow question-mark icon because STEP 7 V5.5 SP4 cannot resolve the device to a catalog entry. The standard Install HW Updates routine (Options → Install HW Updates) does not recover the entry because the bundled HSP (Hardware Support Package) shipped with SP4 predates the 2014-10-23 GSDML revision bundled with the firmware pre-installed on the W700 family at the time of project creation.

Root Cause Analysis

The GSDML (Generic Station Description Markup Language) is the XML-based PROFINET equivalent of the PROFIBUS GSD file. STEP 7 V5.5 resolves PROFINET devices using the local catalog database built from installed HSPs and user-imported GSDML files. Three distinct root causes can produce the missing-file error:

1. HSP version drift. The project was engineered with a GSDML dated 2014-10-23, but the local STEP 7 V5.5 installation only contains the older HSP0163 (or earlier) that ships with SP4. The catalog database therefore cannot reconcile the device reference against any installed module.
2. Missing user-installed GSDML. STEP 7 V5.5 stores third-party and late-released GSDML files in a separate user directory (...\Siemens\Automation\S7Imp\S7hspcxA\GSD). The file must be installed through HW Config → Options → Install GSD File; the standard HSP update channel does not cover ad-hoc GSDML additions.
3. GSDML firmware binding. Siemens ships a different GSDML revision with each major SCALANCE W700 firmware line. Using a GSDML whose revision does not match the running firmware triggers parameter mismatches during PROFINET IO startup (e.g., Error: Module difference or 0x001E Diagnostic on the IO controller). Always confirm that the GSDML version matches the device firmware before starting IO.

Affected Product Identification

Confirm you are working with the correct SCALANCE W700 variant before pulling a GSDML:

Verify the device on the SCALANCE W700 web interface under Information → Versions. Record the firmware version (e.g., V6.4.x.x) and the PROFINET device name before any catalog operation; mismatched device names are a frequent secondary cause of PROFINET AR (Application Relationship) failures.

Resolution Path A: Download the GSDML Directly from the SCALANCE Web Server

Every SCALANCE W700 ships a built-in web-based management (WBM) page that exposes the exact GSDML matching the running firmware. This is the most reliable source because the file revision is guaranteed to match the device.

1. Open a browser and connect to the SCALANCE W734-1 default IP 192.168.1.1 (or the project-assigned address). Log in with admin / admin for first-time access, or the operator credentials.
2. Navigate to Information → Downloads (path varies by firmware: in V6.x the section is System → Load & Save → GSDML).
3. Click Download GSDML file. The browser saves a file such as GSDML-V2.31-Siemens-002A-SCALANCE_W700-20151007.xml to your local downloads folder.
4. Verify the file is a well-formed XML by opening it in a text editor; the root element must be <GSDML> with namespace http://www.profinet.org/2008/GSDML-V2.31.

Resolution Path B: Retrieve the GSDML from the SiePortal Product Page

When the SCALANCE is not yet reachable on the network, or when the project must be rebuilt without touching the device, use the Siemens SiePortal product entry for the MLFB.

1. Open the SiePortal product page for 6GK5734-1FX00-0AA0 at SiePortal: SCALANCE W734-1.
2. Switch to the Product support tab and select Downloads.
3. Filter by Engineering & Diagnostics → GSD/GSDML files. Download the GSDML bundle that matches the running firmware line of the device.
4. For projects strictly requiring the 2014-10-23 revision, open the archived Entry list under All downloads and sort by date; legacy GSDML bundles for older firmware lines remain available under the Archive dropdown of the support entry.

Cross-reference the SCALANCE W774-1 / W734-1 Operating Instructions to validate the GSDML revision against the documented firmware matrix in chapter "Technical specifications / PROFINET integration".

Resolution Path C: Install the Matching HSP for STEP 7 V5.5

Siemens distributes Hardware Support Packages that bundle the GSDML set for a firmware generation. Installing the matching HSP updates the catalog database used by HW Config.

1. Navigate to the Siemens Industry Online Support entry for HSPs that target STEP 7 V5.5. The relevant bundles for the W700 family are typically HSP0163 through the latest cumulative HSP for V5.5 SP4+.
2. Download the .exe self-extracting HSP archive.
3. Close all SIMATIC Manager and HW Config instances. Run the HSP installer as administrator; the package deploys GSDML files into %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\Automation\S7Imp\S7hspcxA\GSD (or the user path %LOCALAPPDATA%\Siemens\Automation\S7Imp\S7hspcxA\GSD for non-admin installs).
4. Restart SIMATIC Manager. Open HW Config → Options → Update Catalog. The PROFINET IO section should now list the SCALANCE W700 family under PROFINET IO → Network Components → Siemens AG → SCALANCE W.

Step-by-Step: Importing the GSDML into a STEP 7 V5.5 Project

After obtaining the GSDML file, perform the following sequence to integrate it into the project that triggered the warning.

1. Open the project in SIMATIC Manager. Launch HW Config by double-clicking the station icon.
2. Choose Options → Install GSD File. Browse to the directory containing the saved GSDML-V2.31-Siemens-002A-SCALANCE_W700-20141023.xml (or the newer revision).
3. Select the file and click Install. The installer copies the GSDML into the user catalog and reports success.
4. Close and re-open HW Config to force a fresh catalog read.
5. Open the PROFINET IO system. Delete the placeholder for the SCALANCE W734-1 (right-click the device slot → Delete).
6. Drag the SCALANCE W734-1 entry from the catalog tree (PROFINET IO → Network Components → SCALANCE W) onto the PROFINET IO system bus.
7. Assign the device name. The PROFINET device name must match exactly what is configured on the physical device (use Target system → Ethernet → Assign device name via the PG/PC interface and the LLDP-based topology scan, or via the WBM).
8. Save and compile the station (Station → Save and Compile). The output window must report zero errors.
9. Download the station to the CPU (PLC → Download to Target).

Verification Checklist

Run the following checks after the catalog install and download to confirm the GSDML is fully integrated:

1. Catalog presence. In HW Config, confirm the device entry shows the expected article number and module slots match the device. Slot 0 must show the SCALANCE W734-1 PROFINET interface with submodules for ports 1, 2, and the management interface.
2. Compile log. Save and compile the station; the output log must be free of warnings referencing SCALANCE_W700 or 0x001E.
3. Upload test. Reverse the original failing operation: PLC → Upload Station to PG. The warning about the missing GSDML must no longer appear.
4. PROFINET diagnostics. In online mode, open PROFINET IO → Diagnostics and verify the SCALANCE W734-1 is in OK state with no "Module difference" or "Substitute" flags.
5. Web interface check. From the SCALANCE W734-1 WBM, open Information → PROFINET IO and confirm the AR (Application Relationship) is established and the "Controller name" matches the S7 CPU PROFINET interface name.

GSDML Revision and Firmware Compatibility Matrix

The following table summarizes the GSDML revisions commonly encountered for the SCALANCE W700 family and the firmware lines they target. Always align the GSDML with the running firmware to avoid PROFINET IO parameter errors.

Common Error Codes and Their Meaning

Editing SCALANCE W Parameters Once the GSDML Is Installed

After the GSDML is in the catalog and the device is placed in the PROFINET IO system, double-click the SCALANCE W734-1 icon in HW Config to open its properties dialog. The available properties dialogs are documented in the TIA Portal help referenced earlier and follow the same logical structure in STEP 7 V5.5 HW Config:

1. General: Device name, article number, comment fields.
2. PROFINET interface: Port configuration, LLDP, ring redundancy, SNMPv3, RADIUS settings.
3. IO cycle / Watchdog:
PROFINET IO update time (1 ms minimum, 512 ms maximum in V6.x firmware) and reduction ratio.
4. Media redundancy: MRP client / manager role for the W734-1 acting as ring node.
5. Security: Password policies, RADIUS server, firewall rules pushed from the IO controller.

Refer to the TIA Portal documentation Editing properties and parameters for the parameter-by-parameter field descriptions; the same property keys apply when the GSDML is loaded into STEP 7 V5.5 HW Config.

Working with STEP 7 V5.5 vs TIA Portal for SCALANCE W

Field engineers often face a choice when modernizing a STEP 7 V5.5 plant that includes SCALANCE W700 devices:

• Stay on STEP 7 V5.5 SP4+: Use this approach when the S7-300 / S7-400 CPU line and existing HMI software cannot be touched. Limit to GSDML schema V2.31; pin SCALANCE W700 firmware to V6.x so the catalog can resolve the device.
• Migrate to TIA Portal V15.1+: Required when the SCALANCE W700 firmware is on V6.5 or newer, when the plant introduces S7-1500, or when you want to use the unified PROFINET security configuration. TIA Portal natively imports the W700 GSDML via HSPs and offers integrated security diagnostics.

The official migration tool STEP 7 V5.5 → TIA Portal preserves the SCALANCE W PROFINET IO system as a black-box node; rerun the GSDML install on the TIA side via Options → Manage general station description files (GSD).

Troubleshooting Matrix

Field-Commissioning Notes

• Always back up the catalog directory before any HSP install: robocopy "C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\S7Imp\S7hspcxA\GSD" GSD_BACKUP /MIR. This allows rollback if a newer HSP breaks older projects.
• Pin GSDML revisions in the project documentation: record the filename, date, firmware build, and PROFINET device name alongside the PLC tag list. This eliminates guesswork on the next upload.
• For plants with multiple W734-1 units, standardize on a single firmware line and corresponding GSDML; mixing V6.1 and V6.4 firmware in the same STEP 7 V5.5 project forces two parallel GSDML imports and complicates module slot assignment.
• Enable PROFINET device replacement without programming device in HW Config (PROFINET IO → Properties → Device replacement) when using spare-parts workflows; this is also the supported path for iFeatures on W700.
• Do not modify a GSDML file with a text editor; corrupting the XML schema disables the entire catalog scan and forces a catalog rebuild.

Migration Considerations Beyond STEP 7 V5.5

STEP 7 V5.5 reached end of standard support per the Siemens product lifecycle schedule. For new deployments or major expansions of plants using SCALANCE W700 PROFINET nodes, plan a migration to TIA Portal. The TIA configuration workflow for SCALANCE W is detailed in the TIA Portal online help: Editing properties and parameters — SCALANCE W in TIA Portal. TIA Portal V16 and later fully support the W700 family and the modern GSDML V2.4x schema; use the SiePortal product entry to obtain the latest HSP that targets the installed TIA version.

References Used for This Article

• SCALANCE W774-1 / W734-1 Operating Instructions (PDF)
• Editing properties and parameters — SCALANCE W in TIA Portal
• SiePortal product page: SCALANCE W734-1 (6GK5734-1FX00-0AA0)
• Siemens Industry Online Support forum entry on the missing GSDML symptom

Frequently Asked Questions