Resolving SIMATIC NET 07/2001 Compatibility on Windows XP SP2 with WinCC 5.0
Engineers migrating HMI/SCADA stations from Windows NT to Windows XP SP2 frequently encounter installation failures with legacy SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 software. The root cause is an unsupported operating system combination: SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 and WinCC V5.0 were both released before Windows XP SP2 existed, and neither was qualified against the SP2 kernel changes, Data Execution Prevention (DEP) defaults, and updated Winsock catalog. This reference documents the exact compatibility matrix, the upgrade path, the CP1613 network card constraints, and the database migration steps required to restore a working WinCC/SCADA station.
1. Problem Statement
When attempting to install SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 on a workstation that has been rebuilt with Windows XP Professional SP2, the installer either halts with a setup initialization error, fails the prerequisite check, or completes without registering the S7ONLINE access point. The CP1613 PCI card is detected by Windows, but the SIMATIC NET configuration console (Commissioning Tool) refuses to bind the card to the S7 protocol stack. WinCC V5.0 itself fails to start on the same station because WinCC V5.0 was qualified only against Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000.
The official Siemens knowledge base entry 21927667 documents the incompatibility of WinCC V5.0 with Windows XP SP2, and entry 21927774 lists the supported WinCC V6.0 service packs for Windows XP SP2.
2. Compatibility Matrix
The table below summarizes the supported combinations of SIMATIC NET, WinCC, and Windows XP SP2. Combinations marked "Not Supported" will fail installation, fail to start, or run with undiagnosed stability issues.
| SIMATIC NET Version | Edition | Windows XP SP2 | Windows Server 2003 SP1 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/2001 SP1 | 2001 | Not Supported | Not Supported | Pre-XP release; DEP-incompatible |
| V6.0 / V6.1 | 2002 / 2003 | Not Supported (XP only with SP1) | Limited | XP requires SP1, not SP2 |
| V6.2 | 2004 | Partial (SP1 only) | Partial | CP1613 driver revision required |
| V6.3 | 2005 | Supported | Supported | First XP SP2 qualified release |
| V7.0 | 2006 | Supported | Supported | License model changed; older keys rejected |
| V7.1 | 2007 | Supported (with hotfix) | Supported | See Edition 2007 readme |
The V6.3 release is the first SIMATIC NET version explicitly qualified against Windows XP SP2. Per the SIMATIC NET V6.3 readme on the Siemens Industry Online Support portal, both Windows XP with SP2 and Windows Server 2003 with SP1 are listed as supported operating systems.
3. Root Cause Analysis
Three underlying technical reasons explain why SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 cannot run on Windows XP SP2:
3.1 Data Execution Prevention (DEP)
Windows XP SP2 enabled DEP by default for all processes. SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 uses older runtime libraries (MSVCRT 6.0, S7WPCRPC.DLL) that contain executable stack regions. When DEP triggers, the S7 communication service terminates silently and the CP1613 falls back to "NDIS passthrough" mode where S7 packets are not interpreted.
3.2 Winsock2 Service Provider Interface
SP2 changed the order in which Winsock LSPs are loaded. The SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 LSP (SNWLSP.DLL) registers under the WS2_32.DLL chain at a position that conflicts with the Windows Firewall service. The result is a setup rollback during the "Registering Winsock LSP" step.
3.3 CP1613 Firmware/Driver Mismatch
The CP1613 PCI card (Siemens part number 6GK1161-3AA01) shipped with firmware V1.0 and a driver set dated 2001. The 2001 driver does not enumerate correctly under the XP SP2 PCI subsystem. The card appears in Device Manager with a yellow exclamation mark and code 28 (drivers not installed).
4. Required Upgrade Path
To restore a working station, the following upgrades must be performed in order. Skipping a step will result in partial functionality and licensing errors.
- Upgrade SIMATIC NET to V6.3 (Edition 2005) or later.
- Upgrade WinCC to V6.0 SP3 as a minimum, or V6.0 SP4 for production use.
- Update the CP1613 driver set to the V6.3-era release (version 2.1.6 or later).
- Migrate the WinCC V5.0 project database from Sybase SQL Anywhere to Microsoft SQL Server 2000/2005.
- Re-authorize both SIMATIC NET and WinCC licenses against the new installation.
5. SIMATIC NET Edition Selection
Choose the SIMATIC NET edition based on the licenses you already own and the Windows version in scope.
| Scenario | Recommended Edition | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Existing V6.3 license, Windows XP SP2 | V6.3 (Edition 2005) | No license cost; full XP SP2 support |
| Existing V7.0 license, Windows XP SP2 | V7.0 (Edition 2006) | Matches license; XP SP2 supported |
| Existing V7.1 license, Windows Vista or newer | V7.1 (Edition 2007) | Per Edition 2007 readme |
| No existing license, Windows XP SP2 | V6.3 (Edition 2005) | Most widely field-proven; lowest risk |
| No existing license, Windows 7 or newer | V8.x or later | XP SP2 not supported by V8.x |
6. CP1613 Network Card Considerations
The CP1613 (6GK1161-3AA01) is an Industrial Ethernet PCI card that offloads S7 communication and PROFINET IO from the host CPU. It is fully supported on Windows XP SP2 starting with SIMATIC NET V6.3, but the following constraints apply:
- PCI slot requirement: The CP1613 must be installed in a 32-bit, 33 MHz PCI slot. PCI-X slots work but reduce throughput to 33 MHz. PCIe is not supported by the original CP1613; use CP1613 A2 (6GK1161-3AA02) for PCIe hosts.
- IRQ sharing: Disable ACPI IRQ routing in the BIOS and force the CP1613 to a dedicated IRQ. Shared IRQs cause the S7 driver to log Event ID 7026 (service hang) under load.
- Driver version: Use the V6.3 driver set (dated 2005-09 or later). Earlier drivers (V2.0.x) fail to negotiate MSI under XP SP2.
- Firmware: Flash the CP1613 to firmware V2.0 using the SIMATIC NET Commissioning Tool. Firmware V1.0 will not negotiate with the V6.3 stack on XP SP2.
6.1 CP1613 Driver Installation Procedure
- Insert the CP1613 into a free PCI slot and boot Windows XP SP2.
- Open Device Manager. The card appears as "PCI Ethernet Controller" with code 28.
- Right-click and select "Update Driver." Point to
C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\SIMATIC_NET\CP1613\Driver. - Confirm the driver version is 2.1.6 or later in the driver details tab.
- Reboot. After reboot, the card should appear as "Siemens CP1613" without warning icons.
- Launch the SIMATIC NET Commissioning Tool and assign the card to the S7ONLINE access point.
7. WinCC V5.0 to V6.0 Migration
WinCC V5.0 uses Sybase SQL Anywhere as its runtime database engine. Starting with WinCC V6.0, Siemens switched to Microsoft SQL Server (MSDE 2000 on small installations, SQL Server 2005 on larger ones). A direct in-place upgrade is not possible. The migration must follow a structured path.
7.1 Pre-Migration Inventory
- Document the WinCC V5.0 project name, project path, and license number.
- Export all user-defined tags, alarm classes, and user archives to CSV using the WinCC V5.0 export tool.
- Note all active picture windows, global scripts (C and VBS), and configured hotkeys.
- Identify any third-party drivers or OPC servers registered against the V5.0 project.
7.2 Project Migration Steps
- Install WinCC V6.0 SP4 on the target Windows XP SP2 station. Do not start the WinCC Explorer yet.
- Open the WinCC V6.0 Explorer and select "Open V5.0 Project." Browse to the original
*.mcpfile. - The V6.0 migrator converts the project structure, porting the C scripts to VBS where direct C syntax is not available, and re-creates the database schema in Microsoft SQL Server.
- Recompile all C scripts. Many WinCC V5.0 C functions (
printf,SetTagFloat) require wrapper changes in V6.0. - Rebind all S7 connections to the new SIMATIC NET V6.3 S7ONLINE access point.
- Re-license WinCC V6.0 SP4 with the new license file.
8. Step-by-Step Installation Procedure
The following procedure assumes a clean Windows XP SP2 installation, an existing CP1613, and valid licenses for SIMATIC NET V6.3 and WinCC V6.0 SP4.
8.1 Prerequisites
- Windows XP Professional SP2, fully patched (at least SP2 rollup KB913446).
- 1 GB RAM minimum, 2 GB recommended for WinCC V6.0 SP4.
- CP1613 PCI card physically installed.
- SIMATIC NET V6.3 DVD or licensed installation set.
- WinCC V6.0 SP4 DVD or licensed installation set.
- Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) service enabled (Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs → Windows Components).
- Local administrator account on the station.
8.2 Installation Sequence
- Log in as a local administrator. Disable the Windows Firewall during installation to prevent LSP chain conflicts; re-enable after SIMATIC NET installation completes.
- Insert the SIMATIC NET V6.3 DVD. If autorun is disabled, run
setup.exefrom the root. - Select "Complete Installation." The setup registers the Winsock LSP, installs the S7 driver, and copies the Commissioning Tool to
C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\SIMATIC_NET. - Reboot when prompted. The S7DOS service and the S7CommEXE service must be in the "Started" state after reboot.
- Launch the Commissioning Tool. Verify that the CP1613 is listed under "PC Modules" and that the S7ONLINE access point is assigned to the CP1613.
- Insert the WinCC V6.0 SP4 DVD. Run
setup.exe. Select "WinCC Installer" and accept the license agreement. - During WinCC setup, choose "Install SQL Server 2005" when prompted. This installs the embedded MSDE instance that WinCC uses for runtime data.
- Reboot. The WinCC Explorer should start without errors.
- Migrate the legacy V5.0 project as described in section 7.
9. Verification
After installation, perform the following checks to confirm a working station.
| Check | Method | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| S7ONLINE access point | SIMATIC NET Commissioning Tool → Access Points | CP1613 bound to S7ONLINE |
| CP1613 firmware | Commissioning Tool → Diagnostics → Module Information | Firmware V2.0 or later |
| Driver version | Device Manager → CP1613 → Driver tab | Version 2.1.6 or later |
| Winsock LSP chain |
netsh winsock show catalog from command prompt |
SNWLSP listed above Firewall LSP |
| S7 connection | WinCC Explorer → Tag Management → SIMATIC S7 PROTOCOL SUITE → Connection test | Connection established, status "OK" |
| WinCC runtime | Start WinCC Runtime, observe process list | CCExplorer.exe and CCRTEngine.exe running, no Event Viewer errors |
| Archive write/read | Configure a tag archive, wait 60 seconds, query the archive via WinCC Online Trend Control | Data points recorded and displayed |
10. Troubleshooting Matrix
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| SIMATIC NET setup rolls back at "Registering Winsock LSP" | Windows Firewall or third-party LSP in chain | Disable Windows Firewall during setup; remove conflicting LSPs with netsh winsock reset
|
| CP1613 shown as unknown PCI device in Device Manager | Legacy 2001 driver installed | Uninstall legacy driver, point to V6.3 driver set at C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\SIMATIC_NET\CP1613\Driver
|
| WinCC Runtime starts, but all S7 tags show quality "bad" | S7ONLINE access point not bound | Open Commissioning Tool, bind CP1613 to S7ONLINE, restart WinCC Runtime |
| Event ID 7026 from S7DOS service | IRQ sharing or DEP exception not set | Set DEP exception for C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\SIMATIC_NET\S7dos\S7dos.exe; assign dedicated IRQ in BIOS |
| WinCC V6.0 setup fails to install MSDE | MSMQ not enabled or local admin rights missing | Enable MSMQ, log in as local administrator, retry |
| Migrated V5.0 project shows "Tag does not exist" on many tags | C script compilation errors after migration | Open WinCC C editor, recompile all scripts, review syntax changes between V5.0 and V6.0 |
| License rejected after upgrade | License sold for V6.3, station upgraded to V7.0 | Reinstall V6.3 or purchase a new V7.0 license |
| Archive queries return empty result set | Sybase archive file not converted | Run WinCC Archive Migrator against the original *.dbf files |
11. Field-Proven Caveats
Engineers who have completed this migration report the following recurring issues that are not always documented in the official readme files:
- DEP exception is mandatory. The S7DOS service and the WinCC CCRTEngine.exe must be added to the DEP exception list under System Properties → Advanced → Performance Settings → Data Execution Prevention. Without this, the services crash intermittently under load with no Event Viewer entry.
-
Firewall ordering matters. The SIMATIC NET LSP must be installed before the Windows Firewall LSP. If a hotfix or service pack reorders the LSP chain, the S7 communication will fail silently. Run
netsh winsock show catalogand verify that SNWLSP.DLL appears above the firewall provider. - Parallel NT4 stations should be retired last. The Sybase-to-Microsoft-SQL migration introduces ID changes in the archive database. Run both stations in parallel for at least one production shift to verify that all dashboards, reports, and OEE calculations match the legacy values.
- CP1613 A2 vs. CP1613. If the target PC has only PCIe slots, the original CP1613 (6GK1161-3AA01) will not fit. Order the CP1613 A2 (6GK1161-3AA02) and confirm driver support for V6.3 before scheduling the migration.
12. Long-Term Planning
Windows XP SP2 reached end-of-life in 2014. SIMATIC NET V6.3 and WinCC V6.0 SP4 will run on Windows XP SP2 but are not designed for long-term deployment on a non-supported operating system. If a Windows 7 or Windows 10 migration is on the roadmap, plan a second upgrade to:
- SIMATIC NET V14 SP1 (or current at the time of migration) for Windows 10 64-bit support.
- WinCC V7.4 SP1 or WinCC Professional V15 / V16 for the HMI/SCADA runtime.
- Replacement of the CP1613 with CP1623 or CP1628 for PROFINET IRT support.
The upgrade path described in this document should be treated as a stopgap that restores WinCC V5.0 functionality on a Windows XP SP2 host, not as a final state. Document the migration thoroughly so that the next operating system upgrade can be planned with a clear inventory of the installed software, licenses, and CP1613 firmware.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first SIMATIC NET version that supports Windows XP SP2?
SIMATIC NET V6.3 (Edition 2005) is the first version qualified against Windows XP SP2, per the official SIMATIC NET V6.3 readme. All earlier editions (07/2001 through V6.2) are unsupported on SP2.
Can SIMATIC NET 07/2001 SP1 be patched to run on Windows XP SP2?
No. The Winsock LSP and CP1613 driver in 07/2001 SP1 are binary-incompatible with the SP2 kernel. A hotfix does not exist. The only supported path is to upgrade to V6.3 (Edition 2005) or later.
Is SIMATIC NET software available as a free download from Siemens?
No. SIMATIC NET must be purchased with a valid license. A trial version is available on the Siemens Industry Online Support portal, but production deployment requires a licensed installation set and a license key.
Does a SIMATIC NET V6.3 license work with Edition 2006 (V7.0)?
No. Edition 2006 introduced a new license model and does not accept keys originally sold with Edition 2005. If you have a V6.3 license, stay on V6.3 or purchase a new V7.0 license before upgrading.
What database engine does WinCC V6.0 SP4 use?
WinCC V6.0 uses Microsoft SQL Server (MSDE 2000 on small installations, SQL Server 2005 on larger ones). WinCC V5.0 used Sybase SQL Anywhere. A database migration tool is included with WinCC V6.0 to convert existing V5.0 projects.
Can the original CP1613 (6GK1161-3AA01) be reused on Windows XP SP2?
Yes, but the firmware must be flashed to V2.0 using the SIMATIC NET V6.3 Commissioning Tool, and the driver must be updated to version 2.1.6 or later. The card must be installed in a 32-bit PCI slot, not PCIe.