Resolving WinCC Flexible Password Errors on Panel PC

Overview

This troubleshooting reference covers password-related failures in Siemens WinCC Flexible 2008 (the engineering line that preceded TIA Portal) when projects are transferred to SIMATIC Panel PCs equipped with touchscreens. The specific symptom addressed is a previously working HMI runtime that begins rejecting a known password after a project retransfer, particularly in the Recipes view, while the same password is accepted when the same compiled project is launched on a development station (PG/PC) running WinCC Flexible Runtime. These cases commonly arise on touch Panel PCs that have not been re-calibrated after commissioning, leaving the operator unable to authenticate reliably and eventually locking the user administration when incorrect entries exceed the configured attempt limit.

The article consolidates official Siemens recovery procedures, file-system artifact locations, and recipe/security configuration paths into a single diagnostic sequence that field engineers can apply without an original project source. For the engineering product line itself, see the SIMATIC WinCC Flexible 2008 product information page on Siemens Industry Online Support.

Affected Products and Versions

Problem Description

Reported Symptoms

• Runtime accepts the correct password when the same project is launched on a PG/PC, but rejects the same password on the Panel PC.
• Recipes view prompts for a password even after the operator enters the credentials; the prompt reappears and no record can be modified or downloaded.
• User administration has been silently locked because the configured number of invalid attempts was exceeded during touch mis-entry; the lockout is not lifted by simply entering the correct password.
• Re-transfer of the HMI project via Compile OS → Download to target device does not clear the user administration, or the option to overwrite user administration is greyed out.
• Deleting the project file <ProjectName>.PWL is not possible because the file is in use by the running runtime, or the wrong file is targeted because the extension casing is .pwl in some Windows versions.

Touch Screen Context

Many field reports trace the original rejection to degraded touch calibration. When the operator attempts to enter a password on a mis-calibrated panel, characters are mapped to the wrong screen coordinates, producing repeated authentication failures. After three to five failed attempts (the configured user administration limit), the account is locked for the configured lockout duration. This is frequently mis-diagnosed as a project corruption problem when the underlying cause is hardware calibration.

Root Cause Analysis

The WinCC Flexible user administration is stored in two distinct places, and the symptom observed depends on which location is being used by the runtime:

1. Project-embedded user administration. Compiled into the project and stored as <ProjectName>.PWL in the project directory on the Panel PC. This file contains user names, password hashes, group memberships, and the lockout counters. When the project is downloaded with the Overwrite user administration option, this file is replaced. When the option is not selected, the existing file is preserved and the new user list is discarded.
2. Recipe-embedded security bits. Even with a working user administration, individual recipe operations (Modify, Save, Delete data record, Transfer to/from PLC) carry per-operation security bits assigned in the WinCC Flexible ES recipe editor. If these bits are set, the runtime enforces the password prompt for that specific action regardless of the user.

When a project is re-transferred via either the SIMATIC Manager Compile and Download path or the WinCC Flexible Download path, the default download dialog does not enable the Overwrite user administration option. The existing <ProjectName>.PWL from the previous project is preserved. If that file was created with a different password or has accumulated lockout counters from mis-typed entries, the runtime enforces the old credentials even though the project source shows the new ones. This is the most common cause of the password is OK from the PG, wrong on the Panel symptom.

A secondary cause is the recipe-level password enforcement. The recipe element dialog (in WinCC Flexible ES, under Recipes → select recipe → Elements view) carries an Authorization column. If an authorization is assigned to a recipe element, the runtime prompts for credentials on each modification operation. This is enforced independently of the user administration file, so deleting the PWL alone will not remove the prompt.

A third cause is the WinCC Flexible Runtime user administration lockout. The number of invalid attempts and the lockout duration are configured in the project (User Administration → Settings). When the count is exceeded, the user is locked for the configured duration. The countdown is internal to the runtime and is not affected by deleting the PWL.

Diagnostic Sequence

Run through these checks in order before attempting any destructive operation.

1. Verify touch calibration. On the Panel PC, open the Windows Control Panel → touch configuration applet (elo, EETI, or PenMount depending on the installed driver). Run the calibration. Have the operator re-enter the password using the on-screen keyboard. If the issue is calibration, characters now register correctly.
2. Verify with an external keyboard. Connect a USB keyboard to the Panel PC. Use the keyboard to enter the password. If the keyboard entry succeeds, the touch layer is confirmed as the source of mis-entry.
3. Capture the project MLFB / panel type. Open WinCC Flexible ES on the engineering station, open the project, and read the target device (e.g., WinCC Flexible Runtime for PC or a specific panel MLFB). This determines which runtime files apply.
4. Locate the project directory on the Panel PC. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC Flexible\HMIES\<ProjectName>\ (or the custom path set by the project). Confirm the file <ProjectName>.PWL exists. Note its size and modification time.
5. Verify the download options used. If the download was performed via WinCC Flexible, open the transfer settings (Settings → Transfer / Download → Overwrite user administration and Overwrite recipe data records). If these options were not selected, the existing user administration and recipe data on the target are preserved.
6. Check the user administration lockout counter. In WinCC Flexible ES, open User Administration and confirm the configured maximum number of invalid login attempts and the lockout duration. If the operator has exceeded this, the existing PWL must be deleted or overwritten.
7. Check recipe authorization assignments. In WinCC Flexible ES, open Recipes → select the affected recipe → open the Elements view. Inspect the Authorization column for each element. A filled circle indicates that a password is required to modify the element.
8. Capture the runtime build version. On the Panel PC, read the version of the installed WinCC Flexible Runtime (Start → Programs → Siemens → WinCC Flexible → Information, or by reading the version of HmiRTm.exe in the runtime install directory). Confirm that the engineering version and runtime version are compatible (see compatibility table below).

Solution Paths

Apply the solutions in the following order. Each subsequent step is more invasive than the previous one.

Path 1 — Operator-Level Reset (No Project Source Required)

Use this when the password is unknown or the user is locked out and you do not have the original .hmi project file.

1. Stop the runtime. On the Panel PC, use the Windows CE / XPe shutdown menu or the WinCC Flexible Runtime exit command (or Stop Runtime from the start menu).
2. Open Windows Explorer on the Panel PC. If Explorer is not available, use a remote desktop session or the cmd shell via the WinPE recovery image.
3. Navigate to the project directory identified in the diagnostic sequence above.
4. Delete the file <ProjectName>.PWL. This is the password list file. The user administration is reset to the next-download defaults.
5. Restart the runtime. The default user Admin (capital A) is restored. The default password depends on the project that is now loaded; if the project itself defines a default user, that password applies.
6. Verify the recipe view accepts a login with the new credentials.

If the file cannot be deleted because it is locked, see Path 5 (OS Update via WinCC Flexible).

Path 2 — Project Source Re-Transfer with Overwrite Options

Use this when you have the original .hmi project source and the WinCC Flexible ES installation.

1. Open the project in WinCC Flexible ES 2008 SP5 (or the matching service pack level used to create the project).
2. Open the Transfer / Download dialog (Project → Transfer → Transfer Settings).
3. Enable the following options:
   • Overwrite user administration. Replaces the existing PWL on the target with the user list compiled into the project.
   • Overwrite recipe data records. Replaces any recipe data records currently stored on the target.
4. Connect to the Panel PC via Ethernet, MPI/PROFIBUS (CP 5611), or USB, depending on the channel configured in the project.
5. Initiate the download. When the project finishes loading, the runtime restarts automatically (or prompts for restart).
6. After restart, log in as the default user Admin with the project-defined password. If the project does not define a default password, leave the password field blank.
7. Verify that the recipe view is accessible without further prompts (or with the expected authorization prompts).

Path 3 — Remove Authorization from Recipe Elements

Use this when the password is working but the recipe view still prompts for credentials on specific operations.

1. In WinCC Flexible ES, open the Recipes editor.
2. Select the affected recipe.
3. Open the Elements view.
4. For each element, clear the Authorization assignment (right-click → Properties → Security tab, or click the authorization cell and select None).
5. Compile the project (Project → Compiler → All).
6. Transfer the compiled project to the Panel PC with the Overwrite recipe data records option enabled.
7. Restart the runtime and verify the recipe view no longer prompts for the password on element modification.

Path 4 — Create a New High-Level User in the Project Source

Use this when the original password is lost and the project must continue operating with password protection.

1. Open the project in WinCC Flexible ES.
2. Open User Administration.
3. Create a new user with group Administrators (group number 9, the highest privilege level in WinCC Flexible).
4. Assign a known password.
5. Compile and transfer the project with the Overwrite user administration option enabled.
6. The new user can now authenticate and modify recipes and user accounts on the Panel PC.

Path 5 — OS Update via WinCC Flexible

Use this as a last-resort recovery when the runtime is corrupted or the project directory is unreadable.

1. Connect the Panel PC to the engineering station via the same channel used for project transfer (Ethernet, MPI/PROFIBUS, USB).
2. In WinCC Flexible ES, open the project and confirm the target device matches the Panel PC.
3. Initiate OS Update from the Transfer menu (Project → Transfer → OS Update). This reformats the project partition on the Panel PC, removes all project files, and reloads the runtime image.
4. After the OS Update completes, transfer the project as in Path 2.

Communication and Compatibility Notes

CP 5611 / CP 5611 A2 MPI/PROFIBUS

The original report describes transfer via two paths: (1) compile OS in SIMATIC Manager and download to the PLC, then (2) WinCC Flexible download via MPI to the Panel PC. The CP 5611 is a PCI card that supports MPI and PROFIBUS master operation. For WinCC Flexible, the panel must be configured for MPI transfer and the CP 5611 driver must be installed on the engineering station (SIMATIC NET PC software). The typical MPI address for a panel is 1, and for the engineering station it is 0.

WinCC Flexible / TIA Portal Compatibility

WinCC Flexible 2008 SP5 is the last released version of WinCC Flexible. It is not directly compatible with TIA Portal projects; TIA Portal starts at V11 (2010) and uses the WinCC Comfort / Advanced / Professional line. For migration paths, see the Siemens Migration from WinCC flexible to WinCC (TIA Portal) entry.

File System Reference

The following paths are the default locations for WinCC Flexible artifacts on a Panel PC. Actual paths depend on the install path chosen during the image build.

The .PWL extension is the legacy password list format. The file is binary and not editable in a text editor. If the runtime is started with no PWL present, the user administration is initialized from the project-embedded defaults on the next transfer that includes the Overwrite user administration option.

Touch Screen Calibration Procedure

Touch screen calibration is the most common root cause of password rejection on Panel PCs that have been in service for more than a year. Touch controllers (elo, EETI, PenMount) drift over time, particularly in environments with temperature cycling or vibration.

Calibration Steps (elo controller, common on SIMATIC Panel PCs)

1. On the Panel PC, open the control panel applet for the touch controller. The exact name depends on the installed driver:
   • elo: elo TouchSystems → Properties → Calibration tab
   • EETI: EETI Control Panel → Linearization tab
   • PenMount: PenMount Control Panel → Calibration tab
2. Click the Calibrate / Linearize button.
3. Touch each of the 3 or 5 calibration targets precisely.
4. Confirm the calibration by drawing a test line across the screen.
5. If the test line shows a gap between the stylus position and the cursor, repeat the calibration.

Verification

After calibration, enter a test password (such as a single character) using the on-screen keyboard. If the input is registered correctly, the password entry should now be reliable. Re-attempt the WinCC Flexible password entry. If the runtime still rejects the password, the cause is not touch calibration and you should proceed to Path 1 or Path 2.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Verification

After applying any of the solution paths, perform the following checks:

1. Authentication test. Log in as Admin with the expected password. Verify the login dialog closes and the operator is placed in the configured home screen.
2. Recipe access test. Open the recipe view, select a data record, modify a value, and save. Verify the save operation completes without re-prompting for the password.
3. User administration test. Open the user administration view. Verify that all configured users are present and that the lockout counter is reset.
4. Persistency test. Cycle power on the Panel PC. After reboot, verify that the user administration, recipes, and passwords are all preserved.
5. Communication test. Verify that the runtime communicates with the PLC: tag values update, alarms are received, and recipe data can be transferred to/from the PLC.

If any of these checks fail, return to the diagnostic sequence and verify the project source, transfer options, and touch calibration.

Field-Proven Caveats

• The Admin user name in WinCC Flexible is case-sensitive. The capital A is required.
• The .PWL file format is binary and not editable in a text editor. The hashes are salted; a manual edit will corrupt the file and lock all users out.
• WinCC Flexible Runtime can be configured to start in Start Center mode, which displays a project picker. If the project is not started explicitly, the runtime may not load the PWL for the expected project.
• The lockout counter is per-user, not global. Locking Admin does not lock other users. Group-level lockouts are not supported in WinCC Flexible.
• The Overwrite user administration option in the transfer dialog applies only to the user list. It does not reset the lockout counter; the counter is part of the runtime state and is reset only by stopping and restarting the runtime.
• On some Panel PCs (e.g., the SIMATIC Microbox 420 with Windows Embedded Standard 7), the project directory is on a read-only partition. In this case, OS Update is the only way to reset the user administration.

FAQ