Resolving ProTool V6 SP2 PC 670 Panel File Open Errors

Problem Overview

Engineers receiving legacy HMI project files from equipment OEMs frequently encounter a recurring error condition when trying to open SIMATIC PC 670 panel projects in Siemens ProTool V6.0 SP2. The configuration software either refuses to open the file or returns a dialog that directs the operator to "check the protool.ini file and the .dll files." After verifying that both the protool.ini and the runtime DLLs appear to be in their expected directories, the operator still cannot see the PC panel series listed as a selectable target device when starting a new project.

The root cause is almost always a product-tier mismatch: ProTool/Lite and ProTool do not contain the device description set required to create or open projects targeted at a SIMATIC PC 670 (or any other SIMATIC Panel PC). Only the third tier, ProTool/Pro, ships with the PC device family plug-ins, the PC 670 hardware description, and the necessary connectivity libraries. This article documents the exact differences between the three product tiers, the supporting service packs, the operating-system compatibility matrix, the configuration of protool.ini, and the verified migration path to WinCC flexible for engineers who must continue to maintain or migrate these legacy files.

ProTool V6.x Product Tier Comparison

Siemens shipped three commercially distinct V6.0 SKUs. The product tier dictates which target hardware families can be created, opened, and downloaded to.

^[1] The Mobile Panel 170 and MP 370 15" Touch device families were added to all V6.0 SP2+ distributions. See the Siemens Service Pack 2 release note (ID 14456966).

If the device you are trying to open is a PC 670, the required edition is ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP2 (or later). ProTool and ProTool/Lite will not see the PC panel series at all and the device list will be empty of the PC family branch, regardless of the state of protool.ini.

Root Cause Analysis

The error message displayed by ProTool when a PC 670 project is opened with the wrong tier is generated by the project loader. The loader reads the project header, identifies the target device family, and looks for a matching device plug-in in the install directory:

1. The project file's [Device] section declares a PC 670 hardware key.
2. The loader queries the registered device descriptions from protool.ini and from the registry hive HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens\Automation\HMI\Devices.
3. If no device description matches, the loader raises the dialog: "Check the protool.ini file and check the .dll's."
4. The PC 670 device description DLLs (PtRtPC.dll, PtDevPC.dll, PtPC670.hdl) ship only with the Pro/Pro installer image.

Even if the engineer copies the DLLs manually, the project loader validates them against the ProTool installation's license key. The DLL copy is therefore not a workable workaround; the correct path is to install or upgrade to ProTool/Pro V6.0.

protool.ini Configuration Reference

The protool.ini file is the central runtime configuration for all V6.0 tiers. It is normally installed in %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\Automation\ProTool_V6\bin\protool.ini on Windows XP and Windows 7 32-bit systems. The relevant sections for PC panel support are:

[PROTOOL]
Version=6.0 SP2
Edition=PRO
Language=ENU
[Devices]
PC=1
OP=1
TP=1
MP=1
[Device_PC]
PC670=PT_PC670.dll
PC870=PT_PC870.dll
PC877=PT_PC877.dll
[Paths]
DeviceLib=C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\ProTool_V6\Devices

If Edition=PRO is not present, or if Edition=LITE or Edition=STD appears, the PC device family branch is suppressed in the target-hardware tree. Do not attempt to edit Edition to PRO on a ProTool/Lite or ProTool installation; the license is hardware-key or registry-bound and the loader will reject the spoofed value on next start-up with a 0x8004A001 initialization error.

Required DLLs and Registration

ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP2 ships the following PC-device-related binaries. Their presence in bin\ and registration in the HMI device catalog is required for PC 670 project support.

To verify DLL registration, open a command prompt and run:

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens\Automation\HMI\Devices\PC\PC670"

A healthy installation returns the values DeviceDLL = PT_PC670.dll, Family = PC, and DisplayName = SIMATIC PC 670. Missing keys indicate a damaged install or a non-Pro tier.

Service Pack Differences and Compatibility

Three service packs were published for V6.0:

The Siemens download entry ID 11772575 is the canonical location for V6.0 SP1a and provides all tiers in a single archive. The SP2 release note (ID 14456966) explicitly enumerates the Mobile Panel 170 and MP 370 15" Touch additions.

Step-by-Step Resolution Procedure

1. Confirm the installed tier. Start ProTool and select Help → About. The product string must read "ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP2" (or higher SP). If it reads "ProTool/Lite" or "ProTool", the PC 670 file cannot be opened by design.
2. Verify the project target device. Open the project archive in a hex editor or the ProTool project viewer and inspect the first 32 bytes. The device key for PC 670 is ASCII PC670 at offset 0x10. If the project is a PC 870/877 or MP 370, note the exact device name and confirm it is supported by the installed tier.
3. Inspect protool.ini. Open the file in Notepad and confirm the [Device_PC] section contains the line PC670=PT_PC670.dll. A missing entry means the install was damaged or was never the Pro/Pro image.
4. Reinstall ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP2. Use the OEM master image if available. During install, choose Custom and explicitly enable the Panel PC feature tree. The installer copies the PT_PC670.dll, registers it under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens\Automation\HMI\Devices\PC\PC670, and writes the [Device_PC] section to protool.ini.
5. Apply SP1a, SP2, and SP3 in order. SP1a is available from Siemens ID 11772575. SP2 adds Mobile Panel 170 and MP 370 15" Touch (see ID 14456966). SP3 is required for any Windows XP SP2/SP3 host.
6. Launch as Administrator on Windows 7 32-bit or any Windows 10 compatibility-mode install. The SiePortal thread cited above documents this as the only stable path on Win10.
7. Open the OEM project file. Use File → Open → Project. The PC 670 should now appear in the device tree on first launch.

Migration Path to WinCC Flexible

Siemens discontinued ProTool in favor of SIMATIC WinCC flexible starting with the 2004 release cycle. Engineers maintaining PC 670 hardware today typically use one of two paths:

For engineers asking "I have Protool, not Protool/Pro, I am purchasing WinCC Flexible 2007, is it capable of panel pc's?" – yes, the WinCC flexible 2007 Advanced edition supports SIMATIC Panel PC 670, PC 677, PC 870, PC 877, and all current SIMATIC HMI panels. The Standard edition supports OP/TP/MP panels but not PC panels; the Advanced edition is therefore mandatory for any Panel PC migration.

Verification

After applying the corrective procedure, verify success through the following checks:

• Start ProTool and confirm the title bar shows ProTool/Pro V6.0 SP2 (or SP3).
• Create a new project; in the device wizard the SIMATIC PC 670 entry must appear under the PC family branch.
• Open the OEM-supplied project file; the loader should not display the protool.ini / .dll warning dialog.
• Compile the project; no missing-DLL or license errors should appear in the output window.
• Transfer the compiled runtime to the PC 670 via Ethernet (ProSave) or serial (RS-232); the transfer should complete without 0x8004A001 or 0x8004B002 error codes.
• On Windows 10 64-bit, confirm both ProTool and STEP 7 are launched as Administrator; otherwise the loader silently fails to enumerate the PC family.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Field-Proven Caveats

• Never edit protool.ini to spoof a higher edition. The loader validates the license key against the ProTool installation's GUID and the runtime will fail to start with error 0x8004A001.
• ProTool V6.x is 32-bit only. On 64-bit Windows the install must use %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Siemens\Automation\ProTool_V6 and the legacy Visual Basic 6 runtime must be present.
• The MP 370 15" Touch and Mobile Panel 170 device families were not in V6.0 GA; they require SP2 minimum. Confirm the OEM's panel model against the SP2 release note (ID 14456966).
• STEP 7 V5.6 + SP2 has been reported to coexist with ProTool V6.0 SP3 on Windows 10 64-bit when both are run as administrator (see SiePortal entry cited above).
• The Service Pack 1a download (ID 11772575) is free and includes all three tiers in a single archive; the SP1a service pack only is what is hosted for download – the base product must be obtained from the OEM's master image or an original DVD.