Resolving WinCC 6.2 Installation Failure on Windows XP SP3

Resolving WinCC 6.2 Installation Failure on Windows XP SP3

SIMATIC WinCC V6.2 is a SCADA/HMI runtime and configuration platform widely deployed on legacy industrial PCs. The installer performs an operating-system check during setup, and when it detects Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), setup halts with an incompatibility dialog. Because SP3 was released after WinCC V6.2 went through final qualification testing, Siemens never qualified V6.2 against SP3 and explicitly excludes it from the supported operating-system matrix. This article documents the root cause, the workaround most field engineers resort to, the safer Siemens-supported alternative paths, and the modern installation procedure that applies when you migrate off Windows XP entirely.

1. Problem Definition

The reported fault presents as follows:

• Setup.exe (or Setup.exe launched from the WinCC V6.2 DVD) aborts immediately after the splash screen with the message: "The program cannot be installed on this operating system. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 is not supported."
• The Windows Event Viewer records MSI installer return code 1638 (ERROR_INSTALL_PLATFORM_UNSUPPORTED) under Application → Source: MsiInstaller.
• No log entry is written to %TEMP%\Siemens\WinCC_Setup.log because setup exits before the logging subsystem initializes.

The OS check is enforced by a built-in installer rule (OSCheck.dll) that compares the version returned by GetVersionEx against the approved baseline of 5.1.2600.5512 (Windows XP SP3 build number 5512 — but only as a service-pack identifier). The rule rejects any build ≥ 5.1.2600.3019 that is not flagged as SP2 in the registry, irrespective of functional compatibility.

2. Affected Versions and Platforms

The official supported OS list is documented in the WinCC installation readme that ships on every DVD and is republished on the Siemens Industry Online Support portal. For V7.4 and later, refer to the SIMATIC HMI WinCC V7.4 - General information and installation (PDF). For V15.1 and the Runtime Professional edition, see the TIA Portal V20 system requirements page on the Siemens TIA Portal documentation cloud.

3. Root Cause Analysis

Three factors converge to produce the failure:

1. OS version-string check. WinCC V6.2 setup queries the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion and reads the CSDVersion string. On XP SP3 this string is Service Pack 3; setup's hard-coded allow-list contains only Service Pack 2. Any value that does not match exactly triggers the unsupported-OS dialog.
2. MSI platform tag. The MSI launch condition (Condition: VersionNT = "501" AND ServicePackLevel < 3) rejects the install. Although the comparison seems permissive (it allows SP level ≥ 3), a separate custom action evaluates the CSDVersion literal, blocking the install outright.
3. Driver / runtime mismatch. Even when the launch condition is bypassed, several WinCC components (SQL Server 2005 Express bundled with WinCC, the CCLicenceService.exe, and CCAlg.exe) have been observed to fault under SP3 because of DEP/NX enhancements and updated Winsock catalog shipped with SP3.

For these reasons, the Siemens support response when contacted is uniformly: do not run WinCC V6.2 on XP SP3. If the customer insists, Siemens points to entry ID 31694896 in the Siemens Industry Online Support FAQ database, which summarises the workaround options described below.

4. Solution Path A — Registry Workaround (Unsupported)

The most commonly published workaround tricks the setup routine by spoofing the CSDVersion registry entry before installation and restoring it afterwards. Use this method only when no other option exists, and only on test or non-production systems.

4.1 Pre-install: Spoof the service-pack identifier

1. Open the Registry Editor: Start → Run → regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion.
3. Double-click the value CSDVersion and change the string data from Service Pack 3 to Service Pack 2.
4. Close regedit. Do not reboot.

4.2 Inject the SP3 placeholder key

Older Windows Installer launch conditions also check for an existing SP3 update package key. Create the missing key:

1. In regedit, create the key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP3\KB319740
2. Within the new key, create a string (REG_SZ) value named Description with the data Service Pack 3.

4.3 Install WinCC V6.2

1. Insert the WinCC V6.2 DVD or mount the ISO.
2. Right-click Setup.exe → Run as... and select the local Administrator account.
3. Complete the installation, selecting Package installation → WinCC Installation for a full server install, or WinCC Client Installation for a thin client. The package selection flow is documented in the V7.4 installation readme, which uses identical terminology.

4.4 Post-install: Restore the SP3 identifier

1. Reopen regedit and navigate back to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion.
2. Restore CSDVersion to Service Pack 3.
3. Optionally delete the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP3\KB319740 key created in step 4.2.
4. Reboot the PC.

4.5 Verification

• Open the WinCC Explorer; the project tree must render without warnings.
• Launch CCLicenceService.exe manually if it is not running, and verify that the license is accepted.
• Open the Windows Event Viewer → Application log and confirm there are no MSI return-code 1638 or 1603 errors from the past hour.
• Run the WinCC Project Duplicator on a sample project; successful completion indicates the SQL Server instance started cleanly.

5. Solution Path B — Roll Back to XP SP2 (Unsupported but Cleaner)

If you have control of the OS image, the most reliable way to install WinCC V6.2 is to rebuild the PC with Windows XP SP2. This is the configuration that was on the qualification bench at Siemens and is the only one for which V6.2 carries a formal guarantee.

1. Back up the project archives from the existing PC and capture any custom WinCC\bin\*.ini settings.
2. Re-image the disk using the OEM Windows XP SP2 distribution media or a slipstreamed WINXPSP2.iso.
3. Apply the hardware drivers, then install all Windows XP post-SP2 security updates except SP3.
4. Install WinCC V6.2 directly. Setup will pass the launch condition with no registry editing required.
5. Apply WinCC V6.2 SP2/SP3 hotfixes that are explicitly rated for XP SP2.

Even with this path, note that Windows XP SP2 has been out of mainstream support since October 2010 and out of extended support since July 2015. Microsoft's Security Essentials definition updates also ended in 2014. Industrial sites that must keep the PC on the air for years should consider replacing the PC outright with a current-generation IPC and a current WinCC version.

6. Solution Path C — Migrate to a Supported WinCC and OS Combination (Recommended)

For any installation that is expected to remain in service for more than 12 months, the only durable answer is to migrate. Siemens's current Windows support matrix for WinCC V7.5 / V15.1 is summarised below and detailed in the Installation and Operation of WinCC V7.5 / V15.1 PDF.

7. Modern WinCC Installation Procedure

The remainder of this article documents the supported, modern procedure so that teams migrating off Windows XP have a known-good playbook.

7.1 Prerequisites

• PC with a Windows edition listed in the matrix above, 64-bit (x64).
• Local Administrator account with the password set to non-blank.
• For domain-joined PCs: remove the computer from the domain before installing WinCC. Re-join the domain after installation has succeeded. This is required because WinCC setup installs a local SQL Server instance and a local licensing service that conflict with domain policy at first boot. The V7.5 / V15.1 domain installation PDF explains the procedure in detail.
• Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) enabled.
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and 4.x installed.
• At least 10 GB of free disk space for a full V7.5 install.
• Windows Firewall configured to allow WinCC ports (TCP 102, 135, 139, 445, plus the dynamic SQL and OPC ports).
• Time zone and regional settings confirmed; the WinCC archive timestamps are based on the local clock.

7.2 Step-by-step Installation

1. Log on with the local Administrator account (no Remote Desktop Users; local console only is preferred for first install).
2. Disable any third-party antivirus. WinCC setup writes many registry keys and starts/stops services; aggressive AV quarantines frequently corrupt the SQL Server embedded instance.
3. Insert the WinCC installation DVD or mount the ISO. Right-click Setup.exe and choose Run as administrator.
4. Accept the license agreement and click Continue.
5. In Package installation, choose:
   • WinCC Installation — full server install (configuration, runtime, SQL, redundancy).
   • WinCC Client Installation — client-only install, useful for thin clients and engineering stations.
   • WinCC WebNavigator / WinCC DataMonitor / WinCC Connectivity Station — server-side optional components that can be added later via the same installer.
6. Enter the licensing contact data when prompted. The license is stored in the Automation License Manager; if the ALM is not running, setup will start it as a service.
7. Wait for setup to complete. A successful install writes a log to C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\Install\Install.log.
8. Re-enable antivirus with exclusions for the WinCC install paths.
9. Re-join the domain if required.
10. Reboot.

7.3 Verification

• Confirm the Windows services CCAlg, CCLicService, CCSysdiag, and SQL Server (WINCC) are in the Running state.
• Open WinCC Explorer and create a test project. Add a single internal tag and a screen with one I/O field; activate Runtime and confirm the tag value updates.
• Open the WinCC Channel Diagnosis tool and verify no driver shows Not connected.
• From a second PC, ping the WinCC server's OPC DA server using OPC Scout V10 (free download from the OPC Foundation) — the goal is to confirm the OPC Enum service is responding on TCP 135.

8. Common Installation Errors and Remediation

9. Domain vs Workgroup Considerations

For WinCC V7.5 / V15.1 / V20 installations on domain-joined PCs, the Installation and Operation of WinCC V7.5 / V15.1 PDF explicitly requires the PC to be removed from the domain before setup runs, and re-joined afterwards. The procedure is summarised below:

1. Note the computer name and OU.
2. From System Properties → Computer Name, click Change and select Workgroup; assign a temporary workgroup name; reboot.
3. Run the WinCC installation as local Administrator.
4. After installation and validation, return to System Properties, click Change, select Domain, and re-join.
5. Reboot and confirm the WinCC services start under the domain context.

If WinCC must remain domain-joined for support reasons, install the ALM service under a domain service account and ensure the account has Log on as a service and Modify rights on the WinCC project directory.

10. Recommended Migration Path for Legacy WinCC V6.2 Sites

For an existing V6.2 plant that is being modernised, the lowest-risk migration is V6.2 → V7.4 → V7.5 → current TIA V20. Each step uses Siemens's project migrator to convert the project, channel configuration, and graphics. The migrator ships with every DVD and is launched from Start → Siemens Automation → WinCC → Tools → Project Migrator.

1. Export the V6.2 project as *.pnl archive.
2. Install V7.4 on a new PC (Win 10 LTSC 2019 or 2021).
3. Open V7.4, point the Migrator at the V6.2 archive, and complete the migration wizard.
4. Validate all graphics, scripts (C and VBS), tags, and alarm logs against the original acceptance test plan.
5. Repeat for V7.5 if long-term support is desired.
6. For TIA Portal V20 (Runtime Professional), use the TIA migration tool to import the V7.x project. Note that C scripts must be rewritten in C# or migrated using the Script Migrator that ships with the TIA Portal DVD.

11. Summary of Recommendations

• If the system is brand new: install a current Windows 10/11 LTSC plus a current WinCC V7.5 SP1 or TIA Portal V20.
• If the PC is already XP SP3 with no WinCC installed: either rebuild with XP SP2 (legacy path, unsupported OS) or replace the PC with a modern IPC (recommended).
• If the PC is already XP SP3 with WinCC V6.2 running from a forced install: document the workaround, schedule a planned migration, and monitor the runtime log for CCArchive faults.
• Never apply the registry workaround on a WinCC server pair; redundant pairing adds an additional layer of OS-specific behaviour that has not been qualified.

12. FAQ