Failure Scope and Recovery Objective
A WinCC 7.0 SP1 HF 6 project lost access to historical Tag Logging data after one application-generated archive file became corrupted. Operation resumed only after copying the project without the Tag Logging archives. That action recovered the project but excluded the previously archived data.
The recovery objective is to integrate a backup created by the configured archive-tag backup function into the current project. The evidence does not identify the corrupted file, backup format, backup location, corruption cause, or a supported import command, so do not infer a restore method from the backup name alone.
Confirmed Facts and Required Information
| Item | Status | Engineering consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering/runtime release | WinCC 7.0 SP1 HF 6 | Use this exact release as the compatibility reference for recovery. |
| Failure | One Tag Logging-generated file was corrupted | The evidence does not establish whether other archive files are intact. |
| Operational workaround | The project was copied without its archives | The current project can run, but historical data is absent. |
| Backup | Archive-tag backup was configured | A candidate recovery source exists, but its contents and restore procedure remain unverified. |
| Unknowns | File identity, backup structure, timestamps, and documented restore mechanism | Resolve these points before modifying the running project. |
Controlled Archive-Recovery Procedure
- Preserve separate, unchanged copies of the working project, the corrupted archive set, and every candidate backup. Do not overwrite the only available backup during testing.
- Record WinCC 7.0 SP1 HF 6 as the source environment. Confirm that the recovery workstation or approved procedure is compatible with that exact project release before opening or converting copies.
- Inventory the candidate backup files and their time coverage without renaming, editing, or selectively combining them. Determine whether the backup contains the historical interval and tags that must be recovered.
- Obtain the release-specific Siemens procedure for reconnecting or restoring Tag Logging backups. The available evidence does not support naming a command, utility, directory, or database operation.
- Perform the documented recovery on a disposable project copy. Do not introduce the candidate archive into the active project until validation succeeds.
Verification and Escalation
Verify that the test project opens without archive errors, exposes the required tags, and returns historical values across the expected backup time range. Check boundary timestamps and continuity where the recovered archive meets data from the current project. Retain the original files until the recovered dataset has been independently accepted.
If the backup cannot be recognized or validation fails, provide Siemens support with the exact WinCC release, the identity of the corrupted file, the preserved archive set, the backup set, and the observed error text. Do not claim that historical data is unrecoverable until the backup contents and release-specific recovery path have been evaluated.
FAQ
Can I copy a WinCC 7.0 Tag Logging backup directly into the current project?
The evidence does not establish that direct copying is supported. Preserve the working project and test only with the Siemens-documented recovery procedure for WinCC 7.0 SP1 HF 6.
Why did the WinCC project lose historical data after it was copied?
The project copy explicitly excluded the Tag Logging archives. This restored project operation but left the previously archived data outside the current project.
What should I verify before restoring the WinCC archive backup?
Confirm the WinCC 7.0 SP1 HF 6 compatibility context, preserve all original files, identify the backup's tag and time coverage, and validate recovery on a disposable project copy before changing the active system.