SIMATIC IPC427C: Backup, Upload, and WinAC RTX Connectivity

Overview

The SIMATIC IPC427C is a compact embedded PC from the SIMATIC Microbox family used as a PC-based controller in machine automation. In packaging machinery, it commonly hosts Siemens WinAC RTX (a software PLC executing S7-300 instruction set) and a third-party HMI/runtime such as WinCC flexible RT driving an external IFP1500 panel through DVI/USB. When the original project archive is missing, the engineer is left to recover the live program, identify the runtime, and image the disk before any failure event. This guide consolidates the field-proven procedures for OS identification, network connection, program upload, and image backup on the IPC427C platform.

Two generations of the IPC427C exist: the original (based on Intel Atom D425/D525, order number 6ES7647-8B...-...) and the IPC427C PRO variants. The DVI/DisplayPort video, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, USB 2.0, and optional PROFIBUS (CP 5611-compatible) or PROFINET (Intel 82574L/82579LM) interfaces are integral to the machine integration. The bundled restore media (a Restore CD/DVD with the original O/S image plus the SIMATIC IPC Wizard) is the foundation for any image-based recovery plan.

Prerequisites

Before attempting any connection or backup, gather the following hardware and software:

• Engineering PC with STEP 7 V5.5 SP4 or later (V5.6 recommended). TIA Portal V13+ can also be used if the project was created in Portal.
• PROFINET cable (Cat 5e or better) and a free Ethernet port on the engineering PC. Cross-over is unnecessary on modern Gigabit NICs (Auto-MDIX).
• For PROFIBUS networks: a PC Adapter USB A2 (6GK1571-2BA00) or a CP 5611 / CP 5621 PCI/PCIe card with PROFIBUS cable and D-sub connector.
• USB keyboard and mouse for local interaction with the IPC if a working password is available.
• DVI monitor (the IPC427C front bezel has a DVI-I connector; the IFP1500 should be detached or switched off to avoid EDID conflicts).
• External USB hard drive (≥ 250 GB, NTFS) for image and project backup.
• Image & Partition Creator V3.3 (the last release that fully supports the IPC427C). Newer 3.x builds do not contain the IPC427C hardware drivers in the PE environment.
• If the original restore DVD is missing, download the SIMATIC IPC427C Operating Instructions (Compact) and request the matching Restore DVD from Siemens Industry Online Support with the MLFB of the device (label on the underside).

Step 1 - Identify the Operating System and Runtime

Power the IPC427C and connect a DVI monitor plus USB keyboard/mouse. The IFP1500 should be powered off (or its DVI input source switched away) to force the IPC to enable its primary output. Observe the boot sequence:

1. The SIMATIC IPC Wizard (Siemens branded Windows welcome) appears only on Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES7) images that Siemens ships pre-installed. This is the single most reliable indicator.
2. If a generic Windows XP Embedded boot loader is shown, the device is running XPe SP3 (typical for early 2010s production machines).
3. Occasionally a Linux Yocto-based image is encountered on custom OEM bundles (Windmöller & Hölscher TOPAS SL lines, for example, may use a customised RedHat or Suse derivative).

At the Windows logon prompt, log in if the credential is known. If the IPC is set to auto-logon, the SIMATIC IPC Wizard will skip directly to the desktop. Open Control Panel → System to read the exact Windows build (e.g., Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1, 32-bit). Note this build number — it determines which service packs, .NET versions, and WinAC RTX versions are compatible.

Open Programs and Features and inspect the installed packages. Typical entries on a WinAC RTX bundle include:

• SIMATIC WinAC RTX 2008 SP2 / 2010 SP1 / 2010 SP2 (the F-variant is the soft-PLC core, WinLC RTX).
• SIMATIC WinCC flexible 2008 RT (or WinCC RT Advanced in TIA bundles).
• SIMATIC NET for PROFINET/PROFIBUS driver stack.
• The proprietary machine HMI (TOPAS SL in the case of Windmöller & Hölscher extrusion lines).

Locate the WinLC RTX control panel (Start → SIMATIC → WinLC RTX → Control or directly C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinLC\bin\WinLC.exe). The status display reveals the slot, rack, and the active connection (PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, or MPI). Capture the current slot number — by default WinLC RTX occupies slot 2 in a virtual S7-300 rack 0.

Step 2 - Locate the PROFINET/PROFINET and PROFIBUS Interfaces

The IPC427C base board carries two Intel Gigabit Ethernet ports labelled ETH1 and ETH2 on the rear faceplate. By default:

• ETH1 (X1) — PROFINET IO controller interface, configured in TIA/STEP 7 as the IE-General interface. This is the port to use for upload/download against WinAC RTX when WinAC is configured as a PROFINET device.
• ETH2 (X2) — Office/IT network, often bridged to the plant LAN.

If a CP 5611 / CP 5621 or CP 5711 is installed in the internal PCIe slot (recognisable by the 9-pin D-sub PROFIBUS connector on the rear), PROFIBUS DP is the active fieldbus. The PCI device appears in Windows Device Manager as SIMATIC NET CP 5611/5621.

Confirm the IP configuration in SIMATIC IPC Wizard → Network or via the SIMATIC NET Configuration Console. The standard shipped address is 192.168.0.1 / 255.255.255.0 on the PROFINET port. Set the engineering PC to a compatible static address, for example 192.168.0.10 / 255.255.255.0.

Step 3 - Connect STEP 7 V5.5+ to the WinAC RTX Software Controller

Launch STEP 7 Manager on the engineering PC and create a new empty project. In the project tree, right-click the project and choose Insert New Object → SIMATIC 300 Station to match the WinAC RTX virtual rack.

1. Open the SIMATIC Manager and from the menu select Options → Set PG/PC Interface. Choose the access point S7ONLINE (STEP 7) → TCP/IP → Intel[R] PRO/1000 Network Connection (or the actual NIC bound to the PROFINET subnet). For PROFIBUS, pick the entry for the CP 5611/5621 channel.
2. Open Options → Online → Accessible Nodes. STEP 7 broadcasts a DCP/LDP discovery frame on the configured interface. The WinAC RTX node should appear with its PROFINET name and IP. If the MAC/IP table is empty, verify the network cable link LED and confirm that the Windows firewall on the IPC has not been hardened (the default WES7 image permits the broadcast).
3. Select the discovered node and click Online → Upload Station to PG. STEP 7 will read the hardware configuration and all blocks stored in WinAC RTX's load memory (OB, FB, FC, DB, SFB, SFC, SDB). Note that uploaded blocks arrive in raw STL (Statement List) with stripped symbols, comments, and addresses. Program logic is fully reconstructable but the human-readable documentation is lost.
4. Save the uploaded project to disk as the new reference. Compare the SZL partial lists (PLC → Module Information → Diagnostic Buffer) to confirm that the CPU type reported matches the WinLC RTX version (e.g., 6ES7 315-2EH14-0AB0 mapping).

Step 4 - Back Up the WinAC RTX Project Image from the WinLC Control Panel

If the engineering PC can reach the Windows desktop (or a remote-desktop session has been established with the credentials known), the cleanest backup of the WinAC RTX program is via the WinLC control panel:

1. Stop the WinLC RTX runtime. Switch the operating-mode selector to STOP. The control panel will report STOP with cause.
2. From the File menu, choose Create Backup Image (German: Backup-Image erzeugen). WinLC packs the current load memory into a .wlc file located under C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinLC\Backup or a user-defined path.
3. Copy the .wlc file (typically 200 KB to 5 MB depending on block count) to the engineering PC. The file is restorable on a fresh WinLC RTX install using File → Restore Image, preserving all blocks and the interface configuration.

If the WinLC password is unknown, the .wlc backup path is blocked. Proceed to the next step — a full disk image still captures the live project and can be examined offline.

Step 5 - Full Image Backup with Image & Partition Creator V3.3

Siemens Image & Partition Creator (IPC) V3.3 is the last version that includes the IPC427C hardware drivers in its Windows PE boot environment. Newer releases (V3.4, V3.5) lack the Intel ICH9R AHCI driver package and will fail to detect the internal SSD.

1. Download IPC V3.3 from the Siemens support portal (search 6ES7648-2CA63-3AA0 for the licence/order number). It is delivered as a bootable ISO and a Windows host client.
2. Burn the ISO to a USB stick using Rufus (DD mode) or to a DVD. The IPC427C BIOS must boot from USB — enter BIOS with DEL at POST, enable USB Boot, and set the USB device as the first boot option.
3. Boot the IPC427C from the IPC media. The IPC WinPE environment enumerates the internal storage. Select the system partition (usually the largest NTFS volume, ~40-120 GB).
4. Choose Image → Save. Store the resulting .sip file on an external USB drive with adequate capacity. Typical full-image size is 15-30 GB compressed.
5. Verify the image checksum. Image → Verify re-reads each segment and compares against the manifest.

For environments where Siemens IPC V3.3 is no longer available, third-party alternatives such as Acronis True Image, Macrium Reflect, or Clonezilla (with the IPC427C NIC drivers injected) will image the disk. The image can be mounted on the engineering PC to extract the WinAC RTX folder tree under C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinLC and the WinCC flexible RT project under C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC flexible\Projects.

Step 6 - Recovering the IFP1500 HMI Configuration

The IFP1500 panel receives its image via DVI (video) plus USB (touch) and is therefore a monitor + touch HID device — it carries no internal PLC program of its own. The runtime (typically WinCC flexible 2008 RT or WinCC RT Advanced) executes on the IPC427C and the IFP merely displays the video stream.

To change a minimum/maximum range of a variable in the third-party machine HMI (e.g., Windmöller & Hölscher TOPAS SL), the editable project file is stored locally on the IPC under the OEM application folder, not under the WinCC flexible RT project. The W&H software typically uses an ini file (e.g., topassl.ini) or a SQLite database in the program directory, protected by the same Windows login as WinLC.

For the WinCC flexible RT component itself (the Siemens panels used to set machine parameters), open the *.hmi source project in WinCC flexible 2008 SP5, navigate to the variable or IO field, and edit the Low limit and High limit properties. Recompile and re-deploy via Project → Transfer → Transfer to target system using the IP of the IPC's WinCC flexible RT. Reference the Embedded Bundles IPC Manual for the post-transfer settings required to enable runtime auto-start after reboot.

Step 7 - Password and Access Recovery Considerations

The WinLC RTX password dialog blocks access to the backup and online functions for users without the original credential. Siemens intentionally does not provide a backdoor. Field options, in order of escalation:

1. Contact the machine OEM (Windmöller & Hölscher service, Buch & Holm, or the system integrator of record) for the original project archive, which always includes the WinLC image.
2. Use the disk image from Step 5. Mount the image read-only on the engineering PC and extract the WinAC RTX folder. The block sources can be loaded into a fresh WinLC RTX instance with File → Restore Image on a different (or virtual) machine — WinLC RTX is not hardware-dongled and will run on any IPC427C hardware.
3. If the machine can be stopped, swap the IPC427C storage device (the internal SATA SSD/HDD, accessible through the service cover) for an identical blank device, restore the OEM restore image, then reload the captured .wlc from Step 4 or a replacement provided by the OEM.

Verification Procedures

After restoring a project to WinAC RTX, perform the following verification before returning the machine to production:

• Mode transition: with the controller in STOP, force outputs through STEP 7 variable table. Switch to RUN and observe the diagnostic buffer for non-fatal entries (e.g., OB85, OB122) that indicate residual configuration mismatches.
• Block count: compare the number of OBs, FBs, FCs, and DBs against the upload manifest. Missing DBs typically indicate a partial upload caused by a timed-out connection.
• Cycle time: read OB1 execution time and the maximum cycle time from the diagnostics. Values above 100 ms on a packaging machine indicate a heavy archive and warrant optimisation.
• Fieldbus diagnostics: open SIMATIC NET Configuration Console and confirm the PROFINET/PROFIBUS link state is Connected with no error counters incrementing.
• HMI tag consistency: in WinCC flexible RT, open the Tag simulation view and step through every machine parameter, confirming read and write access in both directions.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Long-Term Maintenance Recommendations

Once the project is recovered, formalise a maintenance routine to avoid a repeat of the bare-machine recovery situation:

• Export the WinAC RTX load memory to a .wlc file every six months, versioned with the machine serial number and date, stored in a documented project archive.
• Export the WinCC flexible RT project source (*.hmi) and any third-party OEM HMI data (e.g., W&H TOPAS SL parameter files) to the same archive, with a SHA-256 checksum.
• Capture a full disk image with Image & Partition Creator V3.3 every twelve months, plus an additional image before any firmware or Windows update.
• Label the IPC427C with the MLFB, BIOS version, Windows build, and WinAC RTX version, and store the printed label in the archive envelope.
• Keep at least one spare SSD of the exact type (verified by capacity and firmware revision) imaged with the most recent OEM restore, ready to swap if the active device fails.

Field-Proven Caveats

A handful of issues repeatedly surface in the field and deserve explicit callouts:

• PROFINET on the IPC427C requires the Intel PROSet driver to be installed. A fresh WES7 install without SIMATIC NET will not see the Intel I350-T2 ports as PROFINET-capable, only as standard Ethernet.
• The IPC427C is rated 0-50 °C ambient with 24 V DC ± 20 %. On packaging lines with poor cabinet ventilation, the SSD is the first component to fail — always image the device while it is still healthy.
• Some OEM images lock the BIOS with a supervisor password. A lost BIOS password requires a motherboard replacement. Photograph the BIOS setup screens during commissioning and archive the picture.
• STEP 7 V5.5 SP4 will not open projects created in V5.6. Confirm the STEP 7 version on the engineering PC matches the historical project version before any upload/edit cycle.
• The WinCC flexible 2008 RT runtime is end-of-life and not Windows 10/11 compatible. Migration to WinCC Unified is recommended for new installations, but the IPC427C hardware is not certified for it.