Resolving TIA Portal V15.1 to V16 HMI Project Upgrade Errors

Upgrading a Siemens TIA Portal project from V15.1 to V16 is normally a routine migration, but a specific class of failures occurs when the source project contains an HMI device (for example, a SIMATIC TP1200 Comfort Panel) whose runtime/firmware revision is not present in the target version's device catalog. The result is a cascade of seemingly unrelated error messages that terminate the upgrade with Upgrade failed. For more information, see the log file.

This reference reconstructs the failure path, isolates the root cause to the HMI device descriptor, and provides a field-proven remediation path that also documents the version bridge through V15 and V17. The article is written for automation engineers responsible for project migration, lifecycle management of operator panels, and CI/CD-like TIA Portal build pipelines.

1. Problem Details: Error Cascade Captured During Live Upgrade

The following error cascade was captured during a live attempt to open a TIA Portal V15.1 project (file PEData.plf located under C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\LFHMI9905\System\) directly in TIA Portal V16 Professional:

[12:02:31 PM] The device Device_1 is not supported in this version. 
              Change the HMI device type in the source project. Refer to documentation.

[12:02:31 PM] Error in the conversion method: 
              Siemens.Simatic.Hmi.Utah.Device.Upgrade.DeviceConverter.ConvertHmiDeviceToV16(IHmiConversionData)!

[12:02:31 PM] The conversion has failed. An error occurred during conversion of the type 'Object' 
              (model type 'Siemens.Simatic.Hmi.Utah.Common.Base.HmiConvertData').

[12:02:31 PM] Unconverted object type found: 'Object' 
              (Model type 'Siemens.Simatic.AlarmServices.Model.LangConnector.AlarmServicesDataContainer').

[12:02:31 PM] Unconverted object type found: 'Object' 
              (Model type 'Siemens.Simatic.FPlus.FEngine.Interface.Model.FailsafeInfo').

[12:02:31 PM] Unconverted object type found: 'Object' 
              (Model type 'Siemens.Simatic.Hmi.Utah.Common.Base.HmiConvertData').

[12:02:31 PM] The project or library possibly contains data that cannot be upgraded 
              by the currently installed software. Repeat the upgrade with a newer version 
              of your software that includes more functionality.

[12:02:31 PM] Upgrade failed. For more information, see the log file. If the project 
              still cannot be upgraded, please contact Siemens Customer Support.

[12:02:31 PM] Upgrade failed. For more information, see the log file. If the project 
              still cannot be upgraded, please contact Siemens Customer Support.

[12:02:31 PM] Project 'C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\LFHMI9905\System\PEData.plf' 
              could not be upgraded.

All timestamps cluster within a single second, indicating that the upgrade engine aborts the entire HMI subtree as soon as the device converter throws. The error list contains three categories:

The unconverted object type entries are downstream symptoms. Once the device converter fails, every payload that hangs off the HMI device node (alarms, Failsafe info, language connectors, screens, tags) is reported as unconverted. None of these payloads are independently broken; they are collateral damage from the device-resolution failure.

2. Root Cause: HMI Device Type Outside the V16 Catalog

The HMI device type selected inside the V15.1 project is the root of the failure. TIA Portal ships an internal catalog of supported panel types per major version. When the V15.1 project was originally created, the developer selected a panel revision (commonly a Comfort Panel firmware/MLFB) that is recognized in V15.1 but absent from the V16 device catalog.

This typically happens when:

• The project was originally created in a very recent V15.1 update that already included a panel revision newer than what V16's frozen device catalog knows about.
• The project contained a panel that was substituted in V15.1 via HSP (Hardware Support Package) not installed for V16.
• The Comfort Panel was a recent MP/TP variant (TP1200, TP1500, TP1900, TP2200 in newer firmware revisions) that was only added in a V15.1.7 / V16 update 3+ device index.

The TIA Portal V16 upgrade engine cannot construct a target device object for an unknown source panel, so the converter throws before the alarm and Failsafe sub-trees are visited. The "FailsafeInfo" and "AlarmServicesDataContainer" entries are reported because the converter never gets the opportunity to translate their respective payloads.

3. Pre-Upgrade Checklist Before Any V15.1 → V16 Migration

Perform the following before launching the TIA Portal V16 upgrade wizard. Each step reduces the probability of a failed migration by an order of magnitude.

1. Snapshot the project tree. Copy the entire project folder (including the System subfolder containing PEData.plf, *.ap*, *.al*, *.tn*, *.sf*, and *.hmi files) to a timestamped backup directory. Never operate on the live project during migration trials.
2. Install the matching TIA edition. Confirm V15.1 and V16 are both Professional (or both Basic/Plcsim). Mixing editions causes the same upgrade denial as mixed device catalogs.
3. Install the same HSP set. Open Options > Support Packages in V15.1, export the HSP list (CSV), and import the identical HSPs into V16. Mismatched HSPs are the most common cause of catalog drift.
4. Update V15.1 to the latest update. V15.1.7 contains the most complete panel catalog for the V15.x generation. Older V15.1 sub-versions have shallower catalogs and will fail to roll forward in V16.
5. Document every HMI device revision. Open Project tree > Devices > [HMI] > Device configuration > General and record the article number (e.g. 6AV2 124-1MC01-0AX0), firmware version, and the WinCC Runtime version it implies.
6. Compile V15.1 cleanly. Run Compile > Software (rebuild all) in V15.1. A clean compile guarantees the project graph is in a known consistent state before the upgrade touches it.
7. Verify TIA Portal licensing. Ensure the V16 license (floating or transfer) is activated; otherwise the upgrade runs but refuses to write the converted files.

4. Solution: Step-by-Step Remediation Path

The fix is to re-home the HMI device to a panel revision that the V16 catalog understands before attempting the V15.1 → V16 migration. The path involves a bridge through V15, and optionally a diagnostic stop in V17.

4.1. Open the project in TIA Portal V15 (not V15.1)

1. Launch the latest installed TIA Portal V15 (or V15.1 if V15 is not available).
2. Project > Open and select the original *.ap15 or *.ap15_1 project file.
3. Allow TIA V15 to perform its own upgrade of the project (this is a no-op or a minor bump for V15.1-saved projects).
4. Once the project opens successfully, do not save yet.

4.2. Change the HMI device type to a V16/V17-supported revision

1. In the project tree, expand Devices and select the HMI device (for example, Device_1 / HMI_1 [TP1200 Comfort]).
2. Right-click and choose Change device / version.
3. In the Change device dialog, switch the device to a panel revision that is explicitly listed in the TIA V16 (or V17) catalog. Common safe targets include the most recent TP1200 Comfort variant at the highest available firmware (for example, 6AV2 124-1MC01-0AX0 with firmware V16.x or V17.x).
4. Confirm the substitution. TIA will preserve screens, tags, alarms, recipes, and scripts; only the device descriptor and version metadata are re-bound.
5. Project > Save As to a new project filename to keep the original as a fallback.

4.3. Optional: Diagnostic Stop in V17

If a V16-only target is required and the migration still fails, open the same project (post device change) in TIA Portal V17 first. V17's upgrade wizard lists each device in the project and explicitly flags any remaining catalog gaps with a clickable hyperlink. Fix any remaining gaps, save, then attempt the V16 migration. The V17 intermediate step is non-destructive; the V16 upgrade wizard will accept a V17-saved project and roll it back to V16.

4.4. Open the project in TIA Portal V16

1. Close the project in V15/V15.1.
2. Launch TIA Portal V16 Professional.
3. Open the saved project. The upgrade wizard runs and should now complete without the ConvertHmiDeviceToV16 exception.
4. Review the upgrade log; minor warnings about deprecated VBS functions or screen objects are normal and can be addressed post-migration.
5. Compile the project in V16 (Compile > Software (rebuild all)). A clean compile confirms the project graph is internally consistent.
6. Download to the panel or to PLCSIM to verify runtime behavior.

5. Understanding the Project Files in a Failed Upgrade

The TIA Portal HMI project file family involved in a failed upgrade includes:

When the upgrade fails, no *.ap16 file is written. The UpgLog.txt file in System\ is the authoritative source for the failure cascade.

6. TIA Portal HMI Version Compatibility Reference

The following table summarizes the supported upgrade paths for TIA Portal HMI projects as documented in the Siemens TIA Portal Help and the TIA Portal Version Compatibility Tool. Always verify the latest entry in the Siemens Online Support before migration.

7. Error-to-Cause Mapping Matrix

Use the following matrix to map the V16 upgrade log output to the corresponding remediation step.

8. Failsafe and Alarm Services Data Considerations

Two of the three "unconverted object type" entries — AlarmServicesDataContainer and FailsafeInfo — deserve individual treatment because they imply project-level features that survive the migration but must be re-validated after it.

8.1. AlarmServicesDataContainer

This payload contains the alarm logging, alarm classes, acknowledgment models, and language connector mapping for the HMI device. When the upgrade fails on the device converter, none of this data is rewritten, so the V16 project would otherwise have a dangling alarm reference. After the device-change fix:

1. Open HMI alarms > Alarm classes and confirm all classes are present.
2. Open Project tree > Languages & Resources and verify the alarm text languages are still mapped.
3. Compile the HMI portion and inspect the compiler output for WCCOAalarm* warnings.

8.2. FailsafeInfo

This payload binds the HMI to a F-CPU (e.g. S7-1500F) for Failsafe operator control. If the original V15.1 project contained an F-CPU paired with the TP1200, the F-CPU side survives the migration independently, but the HMI side may need its F-channel re-acknowledged. Post-migration:

1. Open Devices & Networks and confirm the F-CPU ↔ HMI PROFIsafe/PROFINET link is intact.
2. Open HMI > Failsafe settings and re-enter the PROFIsafe address if prompted.
3. Recompile both the F-CPU and the HMI; verify no F-channel CRC mismatch in PLCSIM.

9. Verification Procedure

After the remediation path completes, run the following verification sequence:

1. Compile clean. Compile > Software (rebuild all) in V16. No errors. Warnings about deprecated functions are acceptable if documented.
2. Consistency check. Project > Compiler > Show consistency check should report zero cross-device inconsistencies.
3. PLCSIM run. If a PLCSIM instance of the CPU is available, start it, download the V16 project, and exercise at least one screen change, one alarm trigger, and one tag write from the simulated HMI.
4. Panel download (hardware). Download the V16-compiled runtime to a physical TP1200 of the matching MLFB. Verify the boot screen, alarm view, and tag online display.
5. Project log scan. Open System\UpgLog.txt and confirm there are no unconverted object type entries. The presence of a clean log is the strongest evidence of a successful migration.
6. Archive the V16 project. Save the project as *.ap16 and store in the controlled engineering archive with a versioned filename and a migration note.

10. Alternative Upgrade Strategies

If the V15.1 → V16 path is required by lifecycle policy but the source project contains a panel that has no V16 counterpart, the following alternative strategies are field-proven.

10.1. Skip V16 and migrate directly to V17

If your production environment can be on V17, skipping V16 entirely avoids the device catalog limitation, because V17's catalog is a strict superset. The downside is that any V16-licensed add-ons (e.g. certain HSPs) may need to be re-acquired for V17.

10.2. Substitute the HMI device with a V16-supported variant

If the project uses a TP1200 with a very recent firmware revision, consider downgrading the panel firmware to the latest revision present in the V16 catalog. This requires physical panel access and a firmware update via ProSave or TIA Online & Diagnostics > Update firmware. The firmware must match the runtime version embedded in the V16 WinCC Comfort/Advanced package.

10.3. Recreate the HMI portion from a template

For heavily customized projects where the HMI has hundreds of screens, recreating the HMI subtree inside a fresh V16 project (using the PLC project as the anchor) is sometimes faster than fighting the upgrade wizard. Use Project tree > Devices > [HMI] > Export to extract the V15.1 screens, then re-import into the V16 HMI device.

11. Diagnostic Workflow When the Fix Does Not Work

If the device-change remediation does not clear the error, escalate with the following diagnostic workflow:

1. Open the project in TIA V17 and read the device list. V17 lists every device that the V16 upgrade would also reject. The descriptive dialog replaces the silent V16 abort.
2. Confirm the TIA installation is a fresh, full Professional install. Partial installs (e.g. missing WinCC Comfort) produce identical-looking errors.
3. Verify Windows regional settings. TIA Portal expects English (United States) or German (Germany) decimal separators. Other locales occasionally cause silent converter failures.
4. Check the user's write permission on the project folder. TIA writes the upgraded *.plf, *.al*, *.tn* in place; read-only access causes the upgrade to abort with a generic message.
5. Disable antivirus real-time scanning on the project folder during the upgrade. Some endpoint protection products intercept PEData.plf writes and corrupt the output.
6. If still failing, open a Siemens Support Request at support.industry.siemens.com and attach the UpgLog.txt, the *.ap15_1 project, and a screenshot of the V17 device list. The Siemens support team can confirm the catalog gap and recommend a specific panel substitution.

12. Frequently Asked Questions