WinCC 5.0 SP2 User Archive Not Connecting Windows 2000 Migration

Problem Overview

After migrating a SIMATIC WinCC V5.0 SP2 runtime project from a legacy PC670 station on Windows NT to a newer PC on Windows 2000 (W2K), the project loads, the PLC connection establishes, and the process screens render correctly, but the User Archive runtime view does not display any records. The Import/Export menu commands are greyed out, the archive control reports "No connection", and restoring the original project folder on the original PC670 immediately restores full archive visibility. The runtime is licensed, the FM357-2 extension package is installed, and the new PC has a clean WinCC install with the same project folder copied in place.

This is a classic WinCC V5.x operating-system compatibility failure that does not surface during configuration, project copy, or PLC connection, because the offending code path only executes when the User Archive database engine attempts to bind to its backing store. The same symptoms are reported by field engineers who copy WinCC V5.0 SP2 projects between Windows 2000, Windows XP, and embedded PC stations without verifying the service pack and hotfix matrix.

Affected Configurations

Root Cause Analysis

The User Archive runtime in WinCC V5.0 SP2 relies on a Sybase SQL Anywhere engine that is tightly coupled to the underlying Windows kernel components and the MDAC/ODBC layer shipped with the host operating system. Windows 2000 SP2 ships an updated MDAC stack and a different Sybase Anywhere run-time shim than Windows NT 4.0, and WinCC V5.0 SP2 was not validated against this combination in its original release.

The documented compatibility position from the official WinCC V5.0 Service Pack 2 release notes (Siemens Support entry 6883784) states that beginning with WinCC V5.0 Service Pack 2 the Sybase database was upgraded to Version 7, increasing the quantity schedules for archiving. That Sybase 7 runtime requires specific Windows 2000 SP2 system libraries that were not present in the original WinCC V5.0 SP2 install media and must be patched in via a hotfix.

The exact patch level required to bring WinCC V5.0 SP2 into a stable state on Windows 2000 SP2 is Hotfix 7 (HF7). Without HF7, the User Archive service starts, the control appears in the picture, but the underlying database handle never returns rows, and the Import/Export toolbar buttons remain disabled because the control never receives a valid archive handle.

Windows 2000 SP2 + WinCC V5.0 SP2 Compatibility Matrix

Resolution Path A - Apply WinCC V5.0 SP2 Hotfix 7 (HF7)

The first resolution preserves the existing project version. Apply the Siemens-issued HF7 for WinCC V5.0 SP2 on top of the current installation on the Windows 2000 SP2 machine.

1. Stop the WinCC runtime and close the WinCC Explorer on the target PC.
2. Stop the WinCC services: WinCC_RT_<projectname> and the Sybase Anywhere - WinCC engine from services.msc.
3. Insert the Siemens-issued WinCC V5.0 SP2 HF7 package (typically delivered as a self-extracting archive or via the Siemens Automation License Manager / customer support portal). Verify the file size and SHA against the Siemens download record.
4. Run the hotfix installer with administrator rights. The installer will update the Sybase Anywhere run-time shim, the ODBC bridge used by the User Archive control, and a number of internal DLLs in %ProgramFiles%\Siemens\WinCC\bin.
5. Reboot the PC. Windows 2000 caches ODBC driver lists; a reboot is required to pick up the new DSN definitions used by the User Archive.
6. Re-start the WinCC runtime and verify the archive control binds. Import/Export menu items should now be enabled.

Resolution Path B - Upgrade the Project to WinCC V5.1 SP2

When HF7 is not available (for example, the original media is not on site, the support contract has expired, or the customer wants a forward-compatible runtime), the proven field fix is to upgrade the runtime to WinCC V5.1 SP2 on the same Windows 2000 SP2 machine. This is the path confirmed working in the original incident.

1. Back up the existing project folder completely (copy <project>\<computername>\<projectname>.mcp and the project database sub-folders).
2. Export the User Archive definition to a CSV using the Export command from the archive control on the legacy NT machine before decommissioning it. This is your migration safety net.
3. Capture the licensing state. Open the Automation License Manager on the NT machine and record each license (WinCC RT, User Archive RT, FM357-2 option, alarm logging RT, tag logging RT).
4. On the new PC, uninstall the WinCC V5.0 SP2 runtime cleanly. Remove the license keys via the License Manager only after the uninstall completes; do not reformat without removing the licenses first.
5. Install WinCC V5.1 SP2 from the Siemens media. Apply the V5.1 SP2 hotfix chain as advised by the Siemens product hotline for Windows 2000 SP2.
6. Re-install the option packages: FM357-2 extension, connectivity pack, and any redundant/standby options. Confirm the option DLLs register under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\Options.
7. Re-activate the licenses using the original License Key Disk or License Key USB. The License Manager will reassign the slots to the new PC's hard-lock or soft-container.
8. Copy the original project folder into the WinCC V5.1 SP2 project directory. WinCC V5.1 SP2 will offer an automatic project conversion the first time the project is opened. Accept the conversion and review the conversion log for warnings about the User Archive schema, tag logging segments, and alarm logging structure.
9. Open the User Archive control in Graphics Designer and verify that the archive fields, column widths, and access permissions were carried over. If the conversion log reports schema changes, re-import the CSV exported in step 2.
10. Re-compile the OS project, start runtime, and confirm the archive control binds, Import/Export is enabled, and a sample write/read round-trip completes.

Sybase Database Considerations in WinCC V5.0 SP2

The User Archive is backed by an embedded Sybase SQL Anywhere database. The introduction of Sybase 7 with WinCC V5.0 SP2 (see the Siemens Support entry 6883784 release notes) was the first WinCC V5.x build to increase the quantity framework for archives. The engine is started by a per-project Windows service; the DSN is created automatically by the WinCC project installer and points at the project-specific *.db file under <project>\<computername>\<projectname>\ArchiveManager\UserArchive\.

Common Sybase-related fault indicators and their meaning:

Diagnostic Procedure When the User Archive Does Not Bind

1. Open services.msc and confirm the Sybase engine for the project is in the Running state. If it is not, attempt a manual start and read the error description.
2. Open the ODBC Data Source Administrator (32-bit) from the Control Panel → Administrative Tools. Verify the WinCC project DSNs are present and that the Sybase driver version matches the installed WinCC build.
3. Open the Sybase Anywhere console log, typically located under <project>\<computername>\<projectname>\ArchiveManager\. Look for engine bind errors on TCP port 2638 (default Sybase Anywhere port).
4. From a command prompt, run netstat -an | findstr 2638 to confirm the Sybase engine is listening. If the port is not bound, the engine has not started.
5. From a command prompt, run telnet 127.0.0.1 2638 (if the telnet client is installed) to verify the loopback connection; this isolates ODBC client vs. engine server faults.
6. Open WinCC Explorer → Tools → User Archive Editor and confirm the archive fields are visible there. If the editor can read but runtime cannot, the fault is in the runtime view binding, not the database.
7. Cross-check the OS patch level. On Windows 2000, run winver or reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" /v CSDVersion and confirm the Service Pack level. Then cross-reference with the WinCC V5.x compatibility matrix.
8. If the host is Windows 2000 SP2 and the WinCC build is V5.0 SP2 without HF7, apply HF7 (Path A) or upgrade to V5.1 SP2 (Path B).

Migration Checklist for WinCC V5.x Projects

Use this checklist whenever a WinCC V5.0 / V5.1 project is moved to a new PC, regardless of whether the OS is changing.

• Verify the destination OS is on the official WinCC V5.x compatibility list for the exact build you are running (V5.0, V5.0 SP1, V5.0 SP2, V5.1, V5.1 SP1, V5.1 SP2). Service Pack and Hotfix levels on the OS must match the matrix entry.
• Apply the latest available Hotfix for the WinCC build, even if the OS appears to be supported without it. WinCC V5.x hotfixes are cumulative within a service pack.
• Capture the project on the source PC before decommission: export the User Archive to CSV, capture the License Manager report, archive the WinCC project to a self-restoring .ard file using WinCC Explorer's Archive/Restore.
• On the new PC, install WinCC before copying the project folder so the installer creates the correct directory structure, ODBC DSNs, and services.
• Install every option/extension package used by the source project (FM357-2 in the reference case). Open the option pack installer, not just copy DLLs.
• Re-install the licenses via the License Manager. Do not assume that license keys are transportable across machines without re-activation.
• Copy the project folder in, open it once with WinCC Explorer, and accept any automatic conversion. Review the conversion log for archive schema and segment changes.
• Verify runtime behavior end-to-end: process screens, alarm logging, tag logging, user archive read/write, Import/Export, scripting actions, and the FM357-2 channel handshake.

Verification Steps After the Fix

1. Start WinCC runtime. Confirm the User Archive control populates with rows and that the toolbar shows Import/Export enabled.
2. Execute an Export to CSV from the runtime control. Verify the CSV opens in Excel with all expected columns and values.
3. Modify a field, commit, and execute Import. Confirm the value round-trips and is reflected in the database.
4. Stop and restart the runtime. Confirm the archive is persisted and re-bound cleanly.
5. Reboot the PC. Confirm the Sybase engine auto-starts with the WinCC service and the archive binds without manual intervention.
6. Trigger a PLC-driven archive write via the FM357-2 channel. Confirm the record is appended and visible in the control.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Safety and Operational Notes

• Never re-format or re-image the source PC until the User Archive has been exported to CSV and the WinCC project has been archived to a self-restoring file. The User Archive is the only place the recipe/batch data lives; a missing CSV means data loss.
• Do not run two copies of a WinCC V5.0 SP2 project that share a license against the same Sybase database. The Sybase engine uses file locks; concurrent access will corrupt the transaction log.
• When applying HF7 on a running production machine, schedule a maintenance window. The Sybase engine is restarted by the hotfix and any in-flight archive writes will be rolled back.
• On Windows 2000, disable the Windows Indexing Service on the project directory. The Indexing Service can lock archive .db files and prevent the Sybase engine from starting.

Field-Proven Outcome

The reference incident was closed by upgrading the runtime from WinCC V5.0 SP2 to WinCC V5.1 SP2 on the same Windows 2000 SP2 PC, after confirming that the V5.0 SP2 + HF7 path required the original hotfix media to be retrieved from Siemens support. The User Archive, Import/Export, and the FM357-2 channel all returned to normal operation with no further manual intervention. The project was then placed back in service, and the original PC670 was retired. This confirms that the root cause was strictly the WinCC V5.0 SP2 + Windows 2000 SP2 patch-level mismatch described in the official WinCC V5.x compatibility documentation, not a project corruption, license issue, or PLC connection fault.