Restoring TP177B HMI Project to Different Panel: WinCC flexible

Problem Definition: Project Restore to a Different TP177B Variant

A TP177B 6" Color HMI panel fails in service, and the only spare is a slightly different variant. The most common case involves moving a project compiled for the PROFIBUS-DP-only model (6AV6 642-0BA01-1AX1) to the PROFINET/PROFIBUS-DP model (6AV6 642-0BC01-1AX1). WinCC flexible 2008 + SPx rejects the transfer with a message such as "The settings are not the same as the screen" or "The target device does not match the configured operator panel," because the compiled runtime image embeds the target MLFB and refuses to load on a unit of a different device type.

The same issue arises when the spare is from a different product family (for example, replacing a TP177B with a TP177A or OP 177B) or when the project was originally built for a slightly different firmware image. The error is identical, but the recovery path differs. The procedure below covers the diagnostic steps and the five practical recovery paths: back-transfer, MMC recovery, ProSave, TIA Portal migration, and project recreation.

TP177B 6" Color MLFB Matrix and Compatibility

The TP177B 6" Color family shares the same mechanical footprint, the same 5.7" STN color display (320 x 240, 256 colors), and the same 6 MB of usable project memory. The variants differ in their communications interface stack and in the bundled image. WinCC flexible treats each MLFB as a distinct device type. The two most commonly confused variants are:

Note the trailing "1" vs "0" in the suffix: -1AX1 panels ship with conformal coating for industrial environments; -1AX0 panels do not. Both are electrically and functionally equivalent for the purposes of WinCC flexible. The full TP177B product catalog is available from the Siemens Industry Online Support at the SIMATIC TP 177B product page.

Why WinCC flexible Rejects the Project

When WinCC flexible compiles a project, it produces a *.hmi file (or *.fwx for older versions) that contains the compressed runtime image, all configured alarms, tags, screens, and recipes, plus a 16-byte project header that records the target device type, the target image version, the project ID, and a CRC. During transfer, the loader on the panel reads its own firmware image and compares the embedded target MLFB against the MLFB in the project header. The transfer is aborted before the user data is overwritten if the MLFBs do not match.

The error message text varies slightly by WinCC flexible service pack:

The error is intentionally hard to override because loading the wrong image can leave the panel in a state where it must be re-imaged manually. The 0BA01 image cannot run on a 0BC01 panel and vice versa, even though they share hardware, because the runtime expects the PROFINET stack to be present (or absent). Forcing the issue via direct SD/MMC manipulation is not supported.

Pre-Flight Checklist Before Recovery

Before committing to a recovery path, gather the following items. Each item removes one or more recovery paths from consideration:

1. WinCC flexible 2008 + matching Service Pack (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, or SP5). Confirm the SP that matches the original build, available from the WinCC flexible 2008 entry page.
2. ProSave V13 or later, installed from the WinCC flexible DVD or the Siemens automation toolset. ProSave is the only tool that can write raw image files to the panel and that can perform a back-transfer over Ethernet/MPI/PROFIBUS.
3. SIMATIC Automation License Manager (ALM) if any HMI tags option or runtime script option was used. Basic TP177B does not require a runtime license, but Sm@rtAccess, Sm@rtService, and OPC do.
4. Ethernet cross-over cable or PROFIBUS cable matching the panel's interface. The 0BC01 panel has a 2-port PROFINET switch; the 0BA01 has only an MPI/PROFIBUS DP port (D-sub female 9-pin). Different cable, different IP plan.
5. MMC card reader and a copy of the panel image from a known-good TP177B of the target variant. MMC, not SD; the TP177B slot accepts MMC up to 128 MB. The Siemens MMC part number is 6AV6 671-1CB00-0AX0 (128 MB) or 6ES7 952-1KM00-0AA0 (legacy 64 MB).

Path 1 - Back-Transfer from the Source Panel

Back-transfer is the historical mechanism for retrieving an editable project from an HMI panel that has no source on the engineering station. WinCC flexible 2008 supports back-transfer from TP177B panels only if the original project was loaded with the option Enable back-transfer checked. Without this option, the panel stores only the compiled runtime, and the runtime cannot be edited or re-targeted.

Pre-conditions for a successful back-transfer:

1. The original project was transferred with Enable back-transfer = checked (this is set in the transfer dialog before pressing Transfer).
2. The panel contains a functional MMC card with sufficient free space for the project backup. The MMC must be present during the original transfer; WinCC flexible creates a shadow copy on the MMC and a matching copy in the internal flash.
3. The panel is reachable on the configured network (MPI/PROFIBUS address or PROFINET IP) and is in transfer mode (or has the auto-transfer window enabled via Control Panel → Transfer).

Back-transfer procedure (WinCC flexible 2008, project source from panel):

1. Connect the PC to the panel over the same interface the original project used.
2. Open WinCC flexible 2008 and select Project → Transfer → Back-Transfer.
3. Set the connection parameters (IP address for PN panels, PROFIBUS address for DP panels, MPI address otherwise). For 0BC01, the default IP is 192.168.0.1/24; the back-transfer must match.
4. Click Start Back-Transfer. WinCC flexible will write the editable project to a directory of your choice as a *.hmi file.
5. Open the recovered project, select Device → Change Device Type (or recompile for the new target MLFB), and re-compile for the 0BC01 panel.

If the back-transfer reports "No back-transfer file found on the panel," the original transfer was made without Enable back-transfer and this path is closed. The error is a one-way decision: the only way to re-enable back-transfer for a panel is to load a new project that does enable it.

Path 2 - MMC Card Recovery

When the source panel still boots (or when the panel is dead but the MMC was removed before failure), the MMC may contain the back-transfer files. The TP177B uses a Siemens-proprietary MMC layout with two partitions:

• \SIMATIC.HMI\ - the runtime image and the back-transfer shadow copy (only if back-transfer was enabled).
• \USER\ - recipes, logs, and user files.

To inspect the MMC, power down the panel, eject the MMC, and read it in a PC card reader. The card will appear as two removable drives. The relevant folder is \SIMATIC.HMI\backup\ - if it contains a file named backup.hmi or a dated *.hmi, copy that file to the PC, open it in WinCC flexible 2008, and confirm the project is editable. If the folder is empty or absent, the MMC does not contain a back-transfer copy and this path is closed.

The TP177B MMC image must be from a panel of the same target type. Inserting an MMC from a 0BA01 into a 0BC01 and then loading a project will fail at the loader check (same root cause as the original error). The MMC recovery is most useful for retrieving the editable source for re-targeting, not for transferring a runtime directly.

Path 3 - ProSave Backup Restore

ProSave is the lowest-level image management tool. It is shipped on the WinCC flexible DVD and can perform three operations on a TP177B: backup (read the full panel flash to a *.psb file), restore (write a *.psb file back to a panel of the same type), and update (write a new OS image to the panel). It cannot change the panel type of an image.

ProSave restore steps for a TP177B 0BC01 from a ProSave backup of a TP177B 0BC01:

1. Launch ProSave from Start → SIMATIC → ProSave.
2. Select Device type = TP177B 6" color PN/DP, Connection = Ethernet (or PROFIBUS, depending on your physical link), and enter the panel's IP / PROFIBUS address.
3. Open the Restore tab, browse to the *.psb backup file, and click Start.
4. Wait for the progress bar to complete and the panel to reboot. Do not interrupt power during the restore - the panel's flash is reformatted and any interruption bricks the unit.

ProSave restore is the only way to get a TP177B back to an exact prior state, but it is bound to the panel's MLFB. A *.psb from a 0BA01 will not restore onto a 0BC01; the loader check is the same as the WinCC flexible check. The official ProSave documentation is at the ProSave entry page.

Path 4 - TIA Portal Migration

WinCC flexible 2008 projects can be migrated to the TIA Portal using the TIA Portal migration tool. This is a one-way operation that requires the editable WinCC flexible source project (not the compiled *.hmi). TIA Portal V13 SP1 and later support migration of TP177B projects to a WinCC Comfort or WinCC Professional target panel. The migration is the recommended path for fleet modernization, but it has two important caveats for the TP177B case:

1. The migrated project targets a Comfort Panel (KTP, TP, or RP) by default. The TP177B is a basic panel with a smaller tag set, no script runtime, and no Sm@rt options. Mapping a TP177B to a Comfort target is straightforward, but mapping a Comfort project back to a TP177B is not. After migration, you are committed to a Comfort-class target.
2. The migrated project loses the original 0BA01/0BC01 distinction in the project header. The migration creates a fresh target device entry, and the resulting image will only run on the panel you select at the end of the migration wizard.

TIA Portal migration procedure:

1. Install TIA Portal V13 SP1 / V14 / V15 / V16 (any of these support the WinCC flexible migration). Each newer V-version retains the older migration path; the most recent is recommended.
2. Launch TIA Portal, select Open existing project → Migrate WinCC flexible 2008 project, and browse to the *.hmi or *.hmiprj source.
3. The migration wizard reports unsupported objects (typically: VBScript functions, OPC items, certain alarm classes). Resolve each warning manually or accept the default substitution.
4. Select the new target panel (for example, a KTP700 Basic PN or a TP700 Comfort PN). The TP177B 0BC01 is no longer orderable; the closest modern equivalents are the KTP700 Basic PN (6AV2 123-2GB03-0AX0) or the TP700 Comfort PN (6AV2 124-1GC01-0AX0).
5. Re-compile, transfer, and commission. The original screens, tags, and alarms are preserved; the runtime is re-targeted to the Comfort or Basic runtime environment.

Path 5 - Project Recreation

If the editable source is unrecoverable, the project must be re-built from scratch. This is the most labor-intensive path but is unavoidable when the source panel is gone, the engineering station is wiped, and the MMC is empty or absent. Two strategies reduce the time:

1. Re-use the compiled runtime as a reference. Open the original *.hmi in WinCC flexible 2008 with the option Project → Transfer → Back-Transfer in a temporary copy of the engineering setup. Even if back-transfer is disabled, the runtime can be read as a raw image to extract screen captures, alarm texts, and tag names using third-party tools - but this is not an official path and may breach license terms. Prefer the source recovery paths above.
2. Import the tag and alarm tables from a controller export. If the PLC program (STEP 7 or TIA Portal) is available, the symbol table and the alarm bit addresses can be exported and re-imported into the new WinCC flexible project. This rebuilds the tag list in minutes rather than hours.

Image, Firmware, and License Considerations

TP177B panels ship with the HMI device image pre-installed. The image version is tied to the panel variant (0BA01 image vs 0BC01 image) and cannot be cross-loaded. The image is updated via ProSave → OS Update tab. The latest image for TP177B as of the WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 release line is image version V14.01.01.00 for the 0BC01 PN/DP variant. Image updates below this are valid; images above it require a newer WinCC flexible service pack to compile against.

TP177B does not require a runtime license for the basic tag and alarm engine. License keys are required only for:

• WinCC flexible / Sm@rtAccess (option for HTTP-based remote access) - 6AV6 661-7AB01-0AD0
• WinCC flexible / Sm@rtService (option for remote maintenance) - 6AV6 661-7AC01-0AD0
• WinCC flexible / OPC (option for OPC DA server) - 6AV6 661-7AD01-0AD0

When migrating to a Comfort Panel (Path 4), all three options are bundled into the basic Comfort runtime; the legacy option keys do not transfer. A new key disk or online licensing is required for the Comfort target.

Error Code Reference

The following error messages may be encountered during a TP177B project restore. The table cross-references the message to the recovery path it implies.

Verification and Commissioning After Recovery

After a successful restore, perform the following verification sequence before returning the panel to production. Each step has a pass/fail criterion.

1. Boot test: Power-cycle the panel three times. Each cycle should reach the configured start screen within 30 seconds. Any watchdog reset, white screen, or stuck-on-boot indicates a corrupt image; re-image via ProSave.
2. Communication test: From the PLC side, force a tag, read it on the HMI, and confirm the value updates within the configured update cycle (default 1 s for WinCC flexible, 500 ms for TIA Portal Comfort). Loss of update indicates a wrong PROFIBUS / PROFINET configuration or wrong area pointer.
3. Alarm test: Trigger one of each class of configured alarm (acknowledgement, non-acknowledgement, system, error). Confirm that the alarm appears in the alarm view, the logging buffer increments, and the optional horn output (if used) is asserted.
4. Recipe test: Save a recipe, power-cycle, load the recipe, and confirm all data records match. A wrong recipe path or wrong number of data records is a common migration error.
5. User / password test: Log in as each configured user group, confirm the visibility levels and the operator input rights are correct.
6. Sm@rtAccess / OPC test: If any of the optional keys are used, connect a remote client, authenticate, and confirm the tag values are visible.

Related HMI Family Compatibility Notes

The TP177B is a member of the SIMATIC HMI 170/177 family and is electrically compatible with several other panels of the same generation. The compatibility table below is useful when a TP177B is unavailable and a near-equivalent is the only spare.

For most modernizations, the recommended path is to migrate the project to TIA Portal and target a KTP700 Basic PN (the lowest-cost direct equivalent) or a TP700 Comfort PN (the closest functional equivalent with full script and Sm@rt support). The TP177B was discontinued by Siemens in 2018; new spare stock is limited, and field replacement is increasingly a modernization project rather than a like-for-like swap.

Troubleshooting Decision Matrix

Use this matrix to choose a recovery path based on the state of the source project and the target panel.