SINAMICS G120 PROFINET GSDML: Finding Legacy Versions

Overview

When commissioning a SINAMICS G120 (or G120S) drive that ships with older PROFINET firmware, the GSDML file shipped with the current TIA Portal (for example, the 2020-era GSDML-V2.3-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20140313.xml revision) is often the only version that matches the drive's slot structure, submodule layout, and telegram definitions. Installing a newer GSDML — such as the 2020 refresh that the Siemens Online Support portal pushes by default — typically produces configuration mismatches, telegram errors, or outright rejection by the controller during device replacement or topology comparison.

This article documents the field-proven path for retrieving, validating, and installing legacy SINAMICS G120 PROFINET GSDML files, including the GSDML-V2.3-20140313 revision, while preserving configuration parity with the drive firmware already in the cabinet.

GSDML File Naming Convention

Siemens publishes SINAMICS G120 GSDML files using the standard PI (PROFIBUS International) naming scheme:

Other variants you will encounter on Siemens support pages for the G120 family include:

• GSDML-V2.3-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20140313.xml — V4.x firmware era, vector control
• GSDML-V2.3-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20160614.xml — V4.7 firmware, extended telegram 350/352 support
• GSDML-V2.4-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20190116.xml — V4.7 SP3 / V5.0 transition
• GSDML-V2.45-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20200615.xml — 2020 release matching TIA Portal V16/V17

GSDML Specification Versions vs. Drive Firmware

The PROFINET GSDML specification evolves independently from SINAMICS firmware. A drive running firmware V4.5 SP3 (for example) can be described by a GSDML-V2.3 file dated 2014, or by a GSDML-V2.45 file dated 2020. The drive itself does not care which GSDML version the controller uses, as long as the configured submodules (telegrams, diagnostics, I/O slots) match the drive's parameter set (p0922, p2079).

The GSDML specification itself is maintained by PROFIBUS International (PI) and is available as a paid download from the PI GSDML specification page. Understanding the spec version helps when third-party controllers reject the GSDML on import (see the B&R example below).

Prerequisites

1. Know the SINAMICS G120 control unit type (CU240E PN, CU240S PN, CU250S PN, etc.) and the firmware version installed. Read this from r0018 (firmware version) on the drive, or from the operator panel (BOP-2 / IOP).
2. Identify the GSDML currently installed in TIA Portal: Options → Manage general station description files (GSD) and look for sinamics_g120s_vector entries.
3. Confirm the target TIA Portal version (V13, V14, V15, V15.1, V16, V17, V18). Newer TIA Portal versions can import older GSDML files, but older TIA Portal versions may reject newer GSDML files (e.g., TIA V15 cannot import a GSDML-V2.45).
4. Note the slot/telegram configuration already in the cabinet: standard telegram 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 20, 350, 352, or free telegram configuration via p0922.

Locating Legacy GSDML Files on Siemens Support

Siemens no longer maintains a separate "legacy GSDML" archive — they ship only the current release. To obtain older revisions such as the 2014-03-13 GSDML, use the following ordered method.

Method 1 — Siemens Online Support Entry List

1. Navigate to Siemens Industry Online Support and search for SINAMICS G120 GSDML or the specific entry ID 23431435 (the master "GSDML files for SINAMICS G120/G120S" entry).
2. Open the entry, expand the Downloads section. The page contains multiple GSDML files with dated hyperlinks.
3. Right-click the older filename (e.g., GSDML-V2.3-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20140313.xml) and use Save link as. The download name may be auto-rewritten with a counter; the file content is identical.
4. If the 2014-03-13 file has been superseded and removed from the entry, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2 — TIA Portal Hardware Support Package (HSP) Archives

Older TIA Portal versions install GSDML files as part of the HSP package. These packages are retained in the TIA Portal installation media and in the Siemens Automation License Manager / TIA Administrator cache.

1. Open the TIA Portal install media (or the corresponding TIA Updater download). HSPs for SINAMICS are bundled under Support/HSP.
2. Locate HSP_SinamicsG120_Vxxxx.zip matching the G120 family.
3. Extract the archive. Legacy GSDML files are stored under PROFINET subfolders with their original dated filenames.
4. The TIA Portal install path on a populated engineering workstation also caches the imported GSDML files at: C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\Portal V[ver]\Data\HspDB\Public\Sinamics. Recover the file from the cached HSP database, not from the user project.

Method 3 — TIA Updater / Automation Tool

The TIA Updater (formerly "TIA Portal Updater") packages are cumulative. For example, TIA Updater 3 for V15.1 contains every HSP released through that date. After running the updater, GSDML files back to ~2012 are stored locally in the updater cache at:

Search the cache for sinamics_g120s_vector; copy out the dated file you need.

Method 4 — SINAMICS Startdrive Project Migration

1. Open the existing drive project in the version of TIA Portal (or Startdrive) that originally commissioned the cabinet.
2. Right-click the G120 device → Export GSDML. TIA Portal writes the GSDML used by the project into the export folder.
3. This is the most reliable way to obtain the exact GSDML revision the cabinet was built with, since it bypasses any Siemens-side file update.

Installing the Legacy GSDML in TIA Portal

1. Close all open TIA Portal instances.
2. Copy the legacy .xml file into an empty working directory (e.g., D:\gsdml\g120s_2014\).
3. Open TIA Portal → Options → Manage general station description files (GSD).
4. Browse to the source directory and select the GSDML. Click Install.
5. Confirm the version string in the installed GSDML list. TIA Portal will show both the spec version (V2.3) and the release date (2014-03-13).
6. Reopen the project; the device catalog will now list SINAMICS G120S Vector — GSDML V2.3 (2014-03-13) under Other field devices → PROFINET IO → Drives → Siemens AG → SINAMICS.
7. Replace the existing G120 device in the project. Do not use device replacement if the slot configuration is identical; instead, manually verify the slot assignment matches the drive's p0922 parameter.

Verifying Firmware and GSDML Compatibility

After installing the legacy GSDML, perform these checks before going online with the drive.

Common Errors and Resolutions

Error: "GSDML file version is not supported" (B&R X20BC00E3)

When integrating a SINAMICS G120 into a B&R X20 PLC (such as the X20BC00E3 PROFINET bus controller), the controller may reject a GSDML that is technically valid for Siemens tooling. The B&R community knowledge base documents that the error text "GSDML file version is not supported" is raised when the PROFINET stack on the controller does not recognize the GSDML specification version number inside the XML header.

For the X20BC00E3 firmware (typical pre-V2.45):

• V2.3 GSDML → accepted
• V2.4 GSDML → accepted
• V2.45 GSDML → rejected, "GSDML file version is not supported"

Resolution: install the GSDML-V2.3-sinamics-sinamics_g120s_vector-20140313.xml revision (or any GSDML that carries the V2.3 spec tag) on the engineering workstation before exporting the bus configuration to the B&R controller. The drive firmware itself does not need to be changed.

Error: "Configuration fault — submodule does not match"

This is the most common symptom of a mismatched GSDML revision. The drive drops from PROFINET exchange within seconds of the controller going RUN.

1. Read the actual submodule layout from the drive via Webserver → PROFINET → Submodule list, or via STARTER / Startdrive online Diagnostics → Telegram configuration.
2. Compare against the TIA Portal device view.
3. Replace the device in the project with the legacy GSDML that matches the drive's actual telegram layout, or reconfigure the drive's p0922 to match a newer GSDML.

Error: "Device has been replaced — different module"

When you download the new project to a PLC that already has the G120 in its AR (Application Relationship), the PLC will report a device-replacement fault. Clear it by either powering-cycle the drive, or by performing PLC → Online → Accessible nodes → Reset AR from the controller side. Always back up the drive parameters (p0971 = 1 for RAM copy to ROM) before this operation.

Field-Proven Verification Steps

1. Compile the TIA Portal project; confirm zero warnings on the PROFINET IO system.
2. Download the hardware configuration to the PLC.
3. Connect the drive to the controller. In Online → Diagnostics → PROFINET, confirm the drive status is Data exchange, not Not connected or Configuration error.
4. In the drive's Diagnostics → Telegram diagnostics, verify that the cycle time and watchdog match the PLC's PROFINET update time (typically 1 ms for G120). Mismatch produces fault F08501 (PROFINET communication error).
5. Read the drive's r2050[0..7] (process data words received from PLC) and verify the control word 1 (STW1) cycles correctly when you toggle bits from the PLC.
6. Run a 60-minute heat test with the drive under load to confirm there is no intermittent AR (Application Relationship) shutdown.

Notes on PROFINET Conformance Class

The SINAMICS G120S PROFINET interface is certified to Conformance Class C (CC-C), which requires support of PROFINET IRT (Isochronous Real-Time) with the Fast Forwarding (FF) standard. The GSDML-V2.3-20140313 file does support CC-C, but only when the controller is also configured for IRT. If the controller defaults to RT (Real-Time, not isochronous), the drive will fall back to RT, and the cycle time jitter increases — often acceptable for V/f drives but problematic for vector control loops.

FAQ