New Computer set up

PLC Pie Guy

Member
Join Date
Jun 2013
Location
Halifax
Posts
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Hello all.
I had a very unfortunate situation last week where a sanitation worker at my plant hit my lap top with a high pressure water hose. Pretty much instatly it became a brick. I am now getting ready to install all my Rockwell stuff on a new machine. I am installing RSLOGIX 500 V9.00
RSLOGIX 5000 V16 thru V20.01. This I know for sure. Two things I am not certain of. First thing is my RSLINX CLASSIC. Last laptop I was running LINX version 2.52. It worked great but I could not use CCW connected components. It installs LINX 3.60 but would not work with my FTAManager. Every attemp resulted in a complete re-install of my original V2.52 LINX and un-install of CCW. The CCW worked but my RSL500 would crash every time I opened a WHO active window. I ended up not using CCW at all and was told it was due to my old version of FTA Manager. What I am wondering is should I use the new version of LINX, V3.60, or use the old V2.52. I am thinking I will now have a newer version of FTA Manager as I will install it from my V20 RSL5000 disk.Therefore I might be able to use CCW with LINX 3.60.

Second issue: I have lisences for RSNetworx for DNET, CONTROLNET and Ethernet IP. I do not have DNET or ControlNet on site. I do have lots of EthernetIP.. What can this software do for me? I have never used it. Should I install it or not even think about it?

Should mention I am running a Toshiba with WIN 7 PRO (64-bit).

All help will be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Your CCW is the principal issue, here, because it may require RSLinx Classic 3.60. As I understand it, once you go to RSLinx Classic 3.x, you lose compatibility with a lot of older software, in particular RSNetworx.

What I would install is RSLogix 500 and 5000 in all the current revisions you have, along with RSLinx Classic 2.59.

RSLinx Classic version 2.52 very old.. probably over 10 years. Don't mess with that.

If you don't have any DeviceNet or ControlNet onsite, don't bother with RSNetworx. The Ethernet version is only useful for setting up third party scanner devices; you don't need it for anything with ControlLogix.

Which brings us back to CCW software. What version are you installing ?
 
I wasn't clear enough: RSNetworx depends heavily on EDS files, and RSLinx Classic version 3.x manages them in a very different way than RSLinx Classic 2.x did.

So as I understand it, if you're trucking along with RSNetworx v10 like I am, and you install RSLinx Classic version 3.60, your RSNetworx software isn't going to work.

I plan to make the jump to Studio 5000 v21 on a fresh Windows 7 32-bit virtual machine with RSLinx Classic 3.60, RSLogix 5000 v21, and RSNetworx v21, so that I have a nice clean compatible set of software.

Because PLC Pie Guy won't be installing or using RSNetworx software, this doesn't apply to him.
 
So, I am installing LINX 2.59 and CCW will be happy if I don't install it's V3.0 of LINX that is included with it?

I don't know. That was the point I emphasized in my first post.

The RA Compatibility website suggests that CCW 4.0 requires RSLinx Classic 3.60.

You may have to experiment with this, or call RA Technical Support to find out if your older RSLogix 500 and 5000 software will work with RSLinx Classic 3.60.
 
Yeah I went through a real hard time with my PC when I tried out CCW before. It was not ffun. Maybe I'll just leave it alone. Thanks for the advice Ken.
 
I've compiled this for you anyway so you know what's what...

Connected Components Workbench Release 4.0

Operating system requirements

This release is supported on the following operating systems:
Ÿ Microsoft Windows XP® SP3 (32-bit) or later (except Home editions)
Ÿ Microsoft Windows Vista® SP2 (32-bit and 64-bit) or later
Ÿ Microsoft Windows 7® (32-bit and 64-bit)

Important: Connected Components Workbench 4.0 will be the last release to support Microsoft Windows XP and Vista.

VMWare compatibility

Compatibility with VMware® has not been formally tested, but it has been used extensively with Connected Components Workbench.

Ÿ If you use Connected Components Workbench with VMware, you may have to manually switch USB connections between the guest and the host.
Ÿ If you experience poor performance using VMware with a Window 7 guest, you may need to upgrade VMware or run Connected Components Workbench on the host operating system.
Ÿ Connected Components Workbench and other software may try to access the networks, to ensure optimal system performance, you may need to disable network adapters.

Rockwell Automation® software compatibility

This release of Connected Components Workbench software has been successfully tested with the following product versions:

Ÿ RSLinx® Classic Lite 3.60
Ÿ ControlFLASH™ 12.00

RSLinx Classic v3.60, Logix Designer v21.00, and device profiles that ship with Logix Designer v21.00 are not compatible with:

Ÿ RSNetWorx v11.00 or earlier
Ÿ DeviceNet Tag Generator v11.0
Ÿ RSNetWorx and the DeviceNet Tag Generator must be upgraded prior to installing these products.

RSLinx Classic v3.60.00 (CPR 9 Service Release 6) is a component aligned to FactoryTalk View v7.00.00. RSLinx Classic v3.60.00 has been tested, and is compatible, with the following products:

Ÿ FactoryTalk Services Platform v2.60.00
Ÿ FactoryTalk Activation Manager v3.60.00
Ÿ FactoryTalk View v7.00.00

Micro800 firmware requirements

The Micro800 firmware selections for Connected Components Workbench 4.0 are:
Ÿ Micro810 controllers – major revisions 1.xxx, and 2.xxx
Ÿ Micro830 controllers – major revisions 1.xxx, 2.xxx, and 4.xxx
Ÿ Micro850 controllers - major revisions 2.xxx and 4.xxx.

Components installed with Connected Components Workbench

The following additional components are installed with Connected Components Workbench Standard and Developer Editions but they will not be removed if you uninstall Connected Components Workbench.
Ÿ ControlFLASH™ 12.00
Ÿ Rockwell Windows Firewall Configuration Utility 1.00
Ÿ Rockwell Automation USB CIP Driver Package (x86) or Rockwell Automation USB Driver Package (x64)
Ÿ RSLinx Classic 3.60
Ÿ MSXML 4.0 SP2 Parser and SDK
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 (Window XP only) that includes:
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 4 that includes:
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Extend
Ÿ Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Isolated Shell - ENU that includes:
Ÿ Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Multi-Targeting Pack
Ÿ Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Objects
Ÿ Microsoft SQL Server System CLR Types
Ÿ Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729
Ÿ Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 X86 Runtime - 10.0.30319
Ÿ Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (Isolated) -ENU
Ÿ Microsoft Help Viewer 1.1 (Standard Edition only)
Ÿ Microsoft SQL Server Compact 4.0.8482.1
Ÿ OPC Core Components Redistributable (x86) 101.2 or OPC Core Components Redistributable (x64) 101.2 (if the operating system is 64-bit)
Ÿ Virtual COM Port Device Driver 6.3a
Ÿ Adobe Reader 11.0

Connected Components Workbench Developer Edition only

Ÿ Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 (Service Pack 1) that includes:
Ÿ Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime (x86)
Ÿ Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1
Ÿ FactoryTalk Activation Manager v3.60.00 (CPR 9 SR 6)
Ÿ FactoryTalk Diagnostics v2.60.00 (CPR 9 SR 6)

Considerations when using RSLinx Classic with Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Server 2008

The following communication drivers are supported and are available on the Configure Drivers dialog box:

Ÿ 1784-U2DHP for DH+
Ÿ RS-232 DF1 devices
Ÿ Ethernet devices
Ÿ Ethernet/IP Driver
Ÿ 1784-PKTX(D)/PCMK for DH+/DH-485 devices
Ÿ DF1 Polling Master Driver
Ÿ 1784-PCIC(S) for ControlNet devices
Ÿ DF1 Slave Driver
Ÿ DH485 UIC devices
Ÿ Virtual Backplane (SoftLogix 58xx, USB)
Ÿ DeviceNet Drivers (1770-KFD, 1771-SDN, and 1747-SDN)
Ÿ SLC 500 (DH485) Emulator driver
Ÿ SmartGuard USB Driver
Ÿ Remote Devices via RSLinx Gateway

Ÿ The following communication drivers are not supported:

Ÿ 1784-PCC for ControlNet devices
Ÿ 1747-PIC/AIC+ Driver
Ÿ DeviceNet Drivers (1784-PCD/PCIDS)
Ÿ PLC-5 (DH+) Emulator
Ÿ SoftLogix5 driver


PLC Pie Guy said:
So, I am installing LINX 2.59 and CCW will be happy if I don't install it's V3.0 of LINX that is included with it?

No, I'm afraid it wont be happy.

CCW v3.0 and v4.0 need RSLinx v3.60
CCW v2.0 will work with RSLinx v2.59

RSLinx went straight from v2.59 to v3.51 before going to v3.60, there was no "v3.0 of LINX". RSLinx v3.51 introduced the incompatibility issues you're facing, so to continue using software versions below the cut-off point, you'd have to use RSLinx v2.59 max. And as above, you'd have to use CCW v2.0 to keep everything happy.

PLC Pie Guy said:
...I am installing RSLOGIX 500 V9.00 RSLOGIX 5000 V16 thru V20.01...

That's the latest RSLogix 500 version, so that's ok.
But your real crux here is actually RSLogix 5000 v20.01.

If you installed RSlinx v3.60 to satisfy CCW v4.0, then RSLogix 5000 v20.01 would be incompatible with RSLinx v3.60. You'd have to upgrade RSLogix 5000 to v21.00. Then they could all co-exist, except RSNetWorx.

You can either upgrade it, or else live without. I'm running RSNetWorx v11.0 in VMware, so I haven't made the leap to v21 yet either.

Not too long ago I posted some info that explains why these software versions are not compatible. Ken touched on it when he mentioned the EDS files. Since RSLinx v3.51, the EDS File Subsystem has been radically changed. So certain older software versions are not compatible with the new setup and cannot access the EDS files they require anymore. Now it may not stop software, such as RSNetworX, RSLogix 5000 and CCW from connecting to network devices, but they cannot configure them automatically using their EDS files. More info.

Seeing as you're starting from scratch on a new PC, I'd also strongly suggest you use VMware Free Player and configure different virtual machines for each unique software configuration you might need.

G.
 
Hello all.
Sorry for resurecting this old thread but I have a question to ask. I am just trying to make sure I understand correctly that I may create a VM in VMWorkstaion and install newer software on it without risking the installation or performance of older versions of LINX and RSL 500/5000 on my host machine. In particular I am talking about installing LINX 3.6 and CCW on my new VM. Also maybe installing RSL5000 V21 when I get it. Does anybody think I will have an issue with this.

Thanks for input!
 
That should be fine as long as you only run the software versions at, or above, the cut-off point in VMware. They shouldn't interfere with the older software versions running on the host system.

I actually don't run any Rockwell Software on my Windows 7 64-bit host. The different configurations I use are all setup in seperate VMware images. I have the software licence files stored in each VMware and I use a Host ID USB Dongle for activations. The Dongle is setup on the host and I take ownership of it in whichever VMware session I'm using.

Also, you don't have to install all the newer software in the one VMware image. You could setup one for CCW, another with RSLogix 500, another for 5000, RSNetWorx, etc. One for different versions of the same software, such as FTVME v6 and v7. Common components such as FTSP, FTA, FTS, RSLinx, Enterprise, etc will be installed as required at the correct version within each of those images. Seperate configurations eliminate nuisance conflicts between certain versions of software within the same OS.

G.
 
Last edited:
That's the whole point of Virtual Machines; it's an entirely separate "computer within a computer", with its own operating system and system files.

I went ahead and bought a retail copy of Windows 7 32-bit and installed it in VMWare Workstation, and am building a VM that includes the modern Studio 5000 v21 software, along with RSLinx Classic 3.60 and RSNetworx v21, and I'll install the latest CCW when I need to.

That will be completely separate from my host computer, which has only RSLinx 2.59 and FTActivation Manager on it.

It's also completely separate from my other VM, which includes RSLogix 5000 v15 through v20, with RSNetworx v10 and RSLinx 2.59.
 
That's the whole point of Virtual Machines; it's an entirely separate "computer within a computer", with its own operating system and system files.

I went ahead and bought a retail copy of Windows 7 32-bit and installed it in VMWare Workstation, and am building a VM that includes the modern Studio 5000 v21 software, along with RSLinx Classic 3.60 and RSNetworx v21, and I'll install the latest CCW when I need to.

That will be completely separate from my host computer, which has only RSLinx 2.59 and FTActivation Manager on it.

It's also completely separate from my other VM, which includes RSLogix 5000 v15 through v20, with RSNetworx v10 and RSLinx 2.59.

Hi Ken,

On the topic of creating an optimal VM setup on a new laptop:

You mention that you run more than one VM - presumably to minimize problems of interactions that may result when installing a variety of other software suites.

Out of curiosity, are you running clones of a base VM or are you running copies of base VM which you then customize with installing just certain s/w packages?

Using clones of a base system would be a more thrifty approach from the point of view of amount of disk space used, but it gets messy with a proliferation of files required for creating the clones. Also, if the base system files get corrupted, then you lose everything (having a recent backup of everything would minimize the losses of course).

I've been thinking about what may be the best approach, but haven't made my decision yet and would appreciate your input.

Nick
 

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