Vista compatibility

Hi, I noticed Jesper has a similar topic running to this regarding Dual Core compatibility with WinCC and other software. I'm currently looking at purchasing a new desktop and wondered if anyone knows whether my current PLC software will be compatible. Namely, Siemens Step 7, Step 5 and Protool. I've got them running fine on Windows XP Pro but wasn't sure whether to buy a new PC with a Vista upgrade?

Many thanks

JT ;-)

Something else to consider, we just got new lappy's, nice widescreen versions. Found out they don't place nice with DOS applications. Logicmaster 90 doesn't display correctly due to the widescreen format, haven't checked if S5 does or not.

Not sure if there is a fix out there, we just encouterd that problem.

On a side note, for others reading the read, those running Cimplicity HMI 6.1, dual core systems don't work with that version either. Which we recently found out as well! D'oh

Paully's5.0 said:

Something else to consider, we just got new lappy's, nice widescreen versions. Found out they don't place nice with DOS applications. Logicmaster 90 doesn't display correctly due to the widescreen format, haven't checked if S5 does or not.

Not sure if there is a fix out there, we just encouterd that problem.

On a side note, for others reading the read, those running Cimplicity HMI 6.1, dual core systems don't work with that version either. Which we recently found out as well! D'oh

Click to expand...

LM90 works fine on my 15.4" widescreen notebook.

Really? Did you have to change any display settings? Or does it just open up in a window?

I don't use LM90 often, so I don't have it installed on my lappy yet, but my co-workers have come across this issue.

Paully's5.0 said:

Really? Did you have to change any display settings? Or does it just open up in a window?

I don't use LM90 often, so I don't have it installed on my lappy yet, but my co-workers have come across this issue.

Click to expand...

It just opened in a window. You can hit Alt+Enter to toggle between window and full-screen for dos programs.

I think I've run it full screen in the past as well.

Johnny T said:

Hi, I noticed Jesper has a similar topic running to this regarding Dual Core compatibility with WinCC and other software. I'm currently looking at purchasing a new desktop and wondered if anyone knows whether my current PLC software will be compatible. Namely, Siemens Step 7, Step 5 and Protool. I've got them running fine on Windows XP Pro but wasn't sure whether to buy a new PC with a Vista upgrade?

Many thanks

JT ;-)

Click to expand...

Hello Johnny T,
I think the best thing to do would be to contact your Siemens rep.
I wouldn't have thought that many (if any) of the manufacturers would be able to state with confidence just yet, that their software is fully compatible with Vista. (waits patiently to be flamed on this one... ).

I read a recent magazine article that implied the initial customers for the Vista OS will be consumers. The majority of business and industry will wait several months to see what kind of bugs are identified, and will not migrate until at least the first service pack has been released. This shows the confidence that everyone has in Microsoft products being robust and reliable out of the box.



I speculate that most automation vendors will also take a wait and see position.

I agree on the 'wait and see' approach. The only thing is that I really could do with a new desktop very soon. I'll talk to my Siemens guy and see what he suggests. I really don't want to buy a desktop bundled with XP and then have to go through the bother of upgrading to Vista.

I can also see that once Vista is up and running, Microsoft will start putting the squeeze on XP owners to upgrade.. they'll stop plugging holes in it with 'critical upgrades' and quietly urge people that the answer to all life's problems lies within Vista...

I think we will see a lot of people partitioning hard drives or using 2 hard drives to dual boot between Vista and XP. I know on the early consumer versions that currently run XP with an upgrade to Vista there supposedly will be a dual boot option (during Vista install) if you have multiple hard drives or one that is partitioned.

My two cents worth:

I'm not jumping on Vista anytime soon. Given some of the past OS releases, (such as Win ME), I have no desire to be the "fist kid on the block". We generally upgrade operating systems when the applications we need force us into it. By then the bugs are usually worked out.

The practice of constantly chasing the technology train, to me, seems a furitless endeover that's usually a huge waste of time and money and is often an unnecessary distraction.

Just Tuesday I took possession of a new Dell Laptop (with a real serial port). It replaced a WinBook running Win 98. The only reason for this was to run DS5. I woulnt have bothered with DS5 if it werent for the I'boxes. Other then that the only thing I gained was the ability to watch DVDs, which doesnt do much to enhance my productivity.

Having been bitten in the past, I, too, tend to stay away from the bleeding edge. I just upgraded to XP from Wind98 at home less than a year ago. At work, I will have to be forced to upgrade by a real need to use a piece of software that requires it.

Johnny T said:

I'm currently looking at purchasing a new desktop and wondered if anyone knows whether my current PLC software will be compatible. Namely, Siemens Step 7, Step 5 and Protool. I've got them running fine on Windows XP Pro but wasn't sure whether to buy a new PC with a Vista upgrade?

Click to expand...

I have tried to install Step7on this operational system.

The Setup demands presence Windows XP or Windows 2000 for installation of programs of Siemens.

It is necessary to wait new generationSimatic SW and VistaSP1.

While in new versions WinCC v6.2 and Step7 v5.4 SP2 it is not spoken about compatibility with Vista.

I understand that licensing will be an issue with Vista. From what I can gather so far, computers will either have to connect to the internet every 180 days to renew their OS license, or have someone call in to Microsoft and get a code for each and every computer and then type in this code to continue activation. An alternative is for corporate customers with more than 25 computers can have a license server.

99% of the computers in my company's control systems are islanded with no internet access. I definitely do not want to hook up to the internet just to re-activate. Even more, I do not want to re-activate by telephone...

If anyone knows differently, please correct my understanding.