WinCC

[Oxidation]

I'm using a system with S7 & WinCC for process monitoring. I have installed the WinCC license through Siemens Automation License Manager but Wincc constantly puts up an annoying pop up saying my license has expired.
It is WinCc ver 6.2 RT 128.
I have the original floppy disks & when I insert them, of course the license manager apllication says there is no license on the disk...not surprising as I have already transferred it to the hard disk on the system

Anybody have any ideas what, if anything I've done wrong & how to fix it??

 

[controlsdude]

if you did a defrag on your hard drive then the license would disappear. I know siemens licensing does move around on the hard drive when you boot the application. Also you might want to add this app to your virus software as a safe application so it does not zap your license.

I would go back to your distributor or siemens to see if they can send another floppy with your license on it.

 

[ozmosis]

Have you got a dual core system? Maybe it's in this update (Patch3):

http://support.automation.siemens.c...tandard&viewreg=WW&objid=10805585&treeLang=en

 

[ScottyUK]

if you did a defrag on your hard drive then the license would disappear.

And this is a commercial piece of software, not something knocked up by a second year university student in their lunch break? If routine system maintenance upsets the licensing then it is just lousy software design. I can barely believe this is true.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[itsmoked]

Oh.. I can believe it. Some of the older stuff was rank.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[Oxidation]

No there was no defrag.
There is no dual core system.
I've tried contacting Siemens but get real annoyed when I'm handed around to different parts of the system then back again like a merry go round.
Seems that this is a common problem that Siemens keep trying to bury under "you made a mess dude...you need a new license.."

 

[controlsdude]

Its true about that siemens licensing moves around on the hard drive and yes defrag will zap it.

What about the distributer who sold this to you? Can they run interference for you with siemens support?

 

[ScottyUK]

It is bad enough that Siemens rob you blind for a piece of software that is a necessary evil to use their otherwise good PLCs, but to have such a fragile licensing method is ridiculous and pathetic. I must warn our guys not to defrag their machines.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[controlsdude]

I believe it was changed on later versions to a moving key to a different sector because the eastern euros and russians kept defeating the german made ALM license key. must be a WW2 partisan thing still going on.

The only way I found out about it was my compadre had talked to siemens about his key disappearing and ask some specific questions and this was the reason.

Go figure, I think they make license key defeating too complicated and caused these features in their software.

 

[controlsdude]

see scotty!

from siemens

The following are answers to the questions that were sent in regarding Siemens license keys:

Is it true that if you have your licensing installed through ALM that you should not defrag your hard drive? This is correct, if you need to run a defrag you will need to move the license keys back to the disk media.

Is it true that the licensing is moved to a different sector on hard drive for the above reason? The license keys are stored in a hidden folder on the route of the C drive, the folder name is Ax nf zz.

Also, Is it true that if you have your licensing installed through ALM that you should add your siemens software as a safe application under your virus protection?

The only virus scan that we see a problem with is Norton Antivirus, if this is the antivurus you are using you can exclude the antivirus from scanning the license key folder. Again that folder name is Ax nf zz.

Please let us know if you have additional questions.

Best regards,
Brandy Putman
Siemens Technical Service and Support
Johnson City TSC Hotline
Automation and Motion Division
One Internet Plaza
Johnson City TN 37604

 

[ScottyUK]

Maybe they should just get the Russians to write their software...

...or they could just make the software available for the cost of the media so that it is not worth the effort of cracking and add maybe 5% to the hardware cost.

Oh, they already added that!


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[Oxidation]

Gents,
I see that this thread is getting out of control.
I managed to talk with Siemens...eventually.They will send new license disks....but there is still no real answer as to why ALM makes a mess of the transfer. I have had all kinds of "duff" ideas from Siemens.
So....no I do not have NAV installed, no I have not done a defrag, memory is sufficient, I can not transfer back the license key....the file seems to have just disappeared according to ALM...but exists when I use windows explorer.

Seems Siemens have caught the Microsoft bug & are shipping out poor quality software

 

[ScottyUK]

Oxidation - yes, sorry.

Brandy,

Thanks for the informative post. I will share this info with colleagues and a couple of contractors who I suspect are also unaware of this. I didn't realise you were a Siemens insider too.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[ozmosis]

Scotty
I don't think controlsdude is from Siemens, I think he'd pasted the reply from 'Brandy'.

 

[controlsdude]

The last thing that comes to mind about this is the laptop manufacturer. I have not messed with siemens software in awhile but I noticed that the software was real particular on the manufacture of the laptop. The brits that we were working with had laptops from siemens, it was the only laptop that was reliable with the software.

sorry about getting out of control.

 

[PH927]

A friend of mine I used to work with is now the Siemens control rep for our area and he uses a Dell. BUT apparently the Siemens IT guys don't like the way the Automation software plays with others so he has to shutdown and swap hard drives every time he wants to program and then swap back to use Email. It’s sad but I still laughed at him, that’s what friends are for, isn’t it?

 

[controlsdude]

Maybe the only good solution is to partition the drive, only use one partition for siemens software. I wonder if this solution would work? Sounds like a lot of work to me.

You got to love misbehaving software. Rockwell has their problems but I laugh at a moving sector software key from siemens.

 

[mikek10]

Use Norton Ghost - make a backup when all is working and restore it after any issues.

Works for me anyway.

Not just Siemens to be fair - Allen Bradley are equally anal about using software which is ultimately tied to their hardware anyway...

 

[controlsdude]

I know that AB is screwed up just as bad as siemens. I don't how many times I have had RSNetworx for controlnet crash on me or that wonderful product crap software RSView ME.

Of course the wonderful Firmware and software madness for every new installation that you go through.

These problems are here because their are humans writing software.