Resolving WinCC 7.3 User Archive Not Saving After Close

1. Problem Summary

When working with SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 runtime projects that already contain a high number of configured User Archives, engineers may encounter a configuration inconsistency in which newly created user archive tables fail to persist after the editor window is closed. The symptom is reproducible across multiple engineering stations running the same project file and is independent of the runtime license count.

The defect manifests as follows:

• A new user archive is created in the WinCC Configuration Studio.
• The configuration window is closed.
• On reopening the User Archive editor, the newly created archive is missing from the project tree.
• Conversely, an archive that is deleted in the editor reappears after the editor is closed and reopened.

Because both create and delete operations fail to commit, the user archive configuration database (stored inside the WinCC project folder, typically \\\UA) is left in an inconsistent state. Runtime is unaffected during the engineering session, but the inconsistency corrupts the project file and is propagated to backup copies.

2. Environment and Version Scope

The issue was originally reported and reproduced under the following configuration:

Engineers replicating the issue on a fresh WinCC V7.3 project with no archives reported that they could create more than 130 user archive tables without difficulty. This rules out a hard license limit on the number of user archive tables, since the constraint is observed only in projects that were incrementally grown to a high archive count, not in newly created ones.

3. Root Cause Analysis

The User Archive component of WinCC V7.3 stores its configuration in a Microsoft SQL Server / Sybase-compatible database that lives inside the WinCC project directory. When the User Archive editor is closed, the configuration service is expected to commit pending changes to this database. The reported defect is caused by a corruption or write-conflict condition in this internal configuration database, where pending CREATE / DELETE operations are not being flushed to disk before the editor session terminates.

Two factors aggravate the condition:

1. High archive count: Projects that have been incrementally edited across multiple WinCC versions accumulate schema metadata that is not always optimally re-indexed. Once the archive count exceeds roughly 80-100 tables, the time window in which a commit must complete shrinks, and certain write operations are silently rolled back.
2. Missing cumulative updates: The base install of WinCC V7.3 (RT and CS) shipped with known issues around the User Archive configuration service that were addressed in subsequent updates. The original reporter was running a configuration that was missing both the WinCC V7.3 Update 8 and the SIMATIC WinCC Audit V7.3 option.

4. Immediate Solution: Update 8 + WinCC Audit 7.3

The confirmed working resolution reported by the original engineer and verified by Siemens technical support is the joint installation of:

• SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 Update 8 (or later Update 8.x patch)
• SIMATIC WinCC Audit V7.3 option package

Both components must be installed at the same product version. Mixing, for example, WinCC Audit V7.4 with WinCC V7.3 base, is not supported and will result in the configuration editor refusing to load.

4.1 Prerequisites Before Installation

1. Close the WinCC Configuration Studio and stop the WinCC runtime on the affected station.
2. Back up the entire WinCC project directory, including the UA subfolder, before any change.
3. Verify the current installed version under Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features > SIMATIC WinCC. The displayed version must read V7.3.x where x is the cumulative update level.
4. Confirm administrator rights on the engineering station. Both installers require local administrator elevation.
5. Disable antivirus real-time scanning temporarily, as the SQL service restart triggered by the installer can be flagged as a false positive by some endpoint protection products.

4.2 Step-by-Step Installation

1. Insert or mount the SIMATIC WinCC V7.3 Update 8 media. If the media is unavailable, download the update from the Siemens Industry Online Support portal under entry ID 109746235 (search: "WinCC V7.3 Update 8").
2. Run Setup.exe as administrator. Accept the license terms and select Install/Upgrade.
3. When prompted, choose Update existing installation and confirm the V7.3 base installation detected.
4. Allow the installer to stop and restart the SQL Server instance (WINCC<instancename>). This may take 3-5 minutes.
5. Reboot the engineering station when the installer prompts.
6. Insert or mount the SIMATIC WinCC Audit V7.3 media and run its Setup.exe as administrator.
7. Select the same V7.3 base installation when prompted. The audit option installs the signing and audit-trail components and patches the User Archive configuration service.
8. Reboot the engineering station again.
9. Verify the installed version under Programs and Features: WinCC must show V7.3 Update 8 (build 7.3.0.8) and the Audit option must be listed with a V7.3 suffix.

4.3 Reopening the Project

1. Launch the WinCC Configuration Studio and open the affected project.
2. Navigate to User Archives in the project tree.
3. Verify that all 99 previously configured archives are still listed.
4. Create a new test archive with a single field and close the editor.
5. Reopen the User Archive editor. The test archive must now persist.
6. Delete the test archive, close, and reopen. The delete must also persist.

If the new archive still does not persist after the dual install, the configuration database itself is corrupt and must be repaired - see Section 7.

5. Verification Checklist

Run the following verification matrix after the install to confirm the fix:

6. License Considerations

Several license-related red herrings appeared in the original report. Clarify the following points before assuming a licensing issue:

• Runtime license for User Archives is sold as a separate option. Without it, the User Archive editor is not loaded at all.
• Archive count in the license is a count of simultaneous active client connections that may use the archive, not the number of configured tables. A single WinCC station with 100+ tables and one client connecting will not exceed a 150-archive client license.
• Audit license is required only if the audit trail features of WinCC Audit are actually used. Installing the option package does not require a separate runtime license, but full audit functionality does.

Inspect the installed license via Start > SIMATIC > WinCC > License Analysis and confirm the "User Archives" entry shows the expected count and validity date.

7. Repairing a Corrupt User Archive Configuration Database

If the Update 8 + Audit install does not restore create/delete persistence, the underlying SQL configuration database itself is corrupt. Use the following procedure to repair it without rebuilding the entire project.

7.1 Stop Runtime and Services

1. Open WinCC Explorer and stop the runtime via the toolbar.
2. Open Services (services.msc) and stop the SIMATIC WinCC ArchiveManager and SIMATIC WinCC CCArchiveServer services.
3. Make a second full backup of the project directory.

7.2 Compact the User Archive Database

1. Navigate to \<project>\<computer_name>\UA.
2. Locate the configuration files UADatabase.mdf and UADatabase_log.ldf.
3. Open SQL Server Management Studio (or the WinCC bundled Sybase console for older versions) and connect to the WINCC<instancename> instance.
4. Detach the UADatabase, then reattach with Rebuild Log enabled. This forces a transaction log rebuild and recovers any uncommitted schema changes.
5. Run DBCC CHECKDB('UADatabase', REPAIR_REBUILD) to repair index fragmentation.

7.3 Export and Re-Import the Archive Configuration

1. In the WinCC Configuration Studio, right-click User Archives and select Export to a CSV file. This creates a portable representation of all archive definitions.
2. Delete the corrupt UADatabase.mdf after exporting.
3. Reopen the project; WinCC will recreate a fresh, empty UADatabase.
4. Import the CSV back into the User Archive editor. Validate that field types, limits, and connections match the export.

8. Preventive Measures

To avoid recurrence of the inconsistency, apply the following practices on every WinCC V7.3 station that uses User Archives:

• Keep cumulative updates current. Apply Update 8 or later on every engineering and runtime station. Mix-level WinCC installations across server and clients are not supported and are a frequent cause of schema-mismatch symptoms.
• Install the matching WinCC Audit option. Even when audit logging is not required, the option package contains configuration service patches that improve write consistency.
• Avoid editing the same project on multiple engineering stations in parallel. The user archive database does not support concurrent schema edits. Use a single editor and check the project out of version control before making changes.
• Perform scheduled project backups via the WinCC Project Duplicator or the CCProjectMover tool. Back up before and after any structural change to user archives.
• Cap archive counts per project where practical. Split large user archive models across multiple projects or use relational joins in a higher-level SCADA layer rather than hundreds of flat archive tables.
• Document each archive with a unique description and a versioning note. This makes reconciliation with backups straightforward when corruption is detected.

9. Engaging Siemens Technical Support

If the dual install does not resolve the issue, escalate to Siemens Industry Online Support. The original report was resolved by direct technical support engagement, which is the recommended path for any project that exhibits database inconsistency symptoms.

1. Navigate to support.industry.siemens.com and log in with your Siemens customer account.
2. Open a new Service Request under the SIMATIC WinCC product tree.
3. Attach the compressed WinCC project (.zip), the diagnostic logs from \<project>\<computer_name>\Logs, and a screenshot of the User Archive editor state.
4. Reference the original symptoms: "User archive created in editor does not persist after editor close; deleted archive reappears after editor close."
5. Include the installed WinCC build (must be V7.3.0.8 or later) and the Audit option installation status.

10. Field-Proven Caveats and Edge Cases

Engineers deploying this fix in production should be aware of the following edge cases observed in field installations:

• Multi-client setups: Apply Update 8 on the WinCC server first, then on every client. A client running V7.3 base against a V7.3 Update 8 server may still exhibit intermittent create/delete failures because the client-side configuration service uses its own versioned libraries.
• Redundant servers: On WinCC Redundant pairs, perform the install on the standby server first, fail over, then install on the previously active server. This avoids triggering an unplanned failover mid-install.
• WinCC/WebNavigator and WebUX: User Archive web controls are loaded by the WebNavigator server process. After the install, restart the WebNavigator service to refresh the cached schema.
• SQL AlwaysOn: The User Archive database is not part of the WinCC AlwaysOn availability group. It uses the local SQL instance and is replicated through the standard WinCC project replication mechanism, not through SQL mirroring.
• Antivirus interference: Some endpoint protection suites quarantine the SQL transaction log during a commit, leaving the database in a torn state. Exclude \<project>\<computer_name>\UA\ and \<project>\<computer_name>\ArchiveManager\ from real-time scanning.
• Time and locale: On stations set to a non-Gregorian calendar locale, the audit timestamp written to the user archive schema history can be misformatted. Set the engineering station locale to English (United States) before performing the install and the first archive edit.

11. Quick Diagnostic Flowchart

Use the following decision path when the symptom recurs in another project:

1. Confirm the installed WinCC build is V7.3.0.8 or later. If not, install Update 8.
2. Confirm WinCC Audit V7.3 is installed. If not, install it.
3. Open the project, create a new archive, close and reopen the editor. Persistent? If yes, go to step 7.
4. Stop runtime, back up the project, then run DBCC CHECKDB on UADatabase. Repair if needed.
5. Export all user archive definitions, delete the UADatabase files, reopen the project, and re-import.
6. Verify all field types, limits, and connections match the original export. Open the WinCC Audit Viewer to confirm no further inconsistency warnings appear.
7. Document the resolution and update the project baseline in version control.

12. Frequently Asked Questions