AB Software question

prallen01

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Dec 2009
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Middleburg FL
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Hi All! I am trying to do some programming for a customer of ours that has AB plcs. They have SLC and micrologix type plcs in their plant. I purchased RS logix 500 to install on my laptop to program with, and much to my suprise, My computer would not allow me to load this program on it. Rockwell tech support said that they do not support 64 bit software. I went out and found a netbook that was 32 bit( Most all of the new laptops are 64 bit ,with windows 7 on them like the one i already have) and had windows XP on it (which Tech Support said they supported)When I tried to load it, It said that the software does not support XP home version. I assume I will have to order and install XP Pro on my netbook. My question is, am I missing something, or is this software just over priced ****? I have programmed with compettiors software at half the price and never had any difficulty. What do other people who use AB products do when they need a computer, most of these software versions are obsolete. Thanks in advance for the help, I am beyond frustrated and going crazy trying to get something going. :confused:
 
It's Allen Bradley. They are probably the most "evil" corporation your going to deal with when it comes to this sort of thing. They are more expensive, and they are very specific of with what they support, and such. Your just going to have to deal with it.

The thing about AB is that everything they have is designed to worktogether with the minimum effort, meaning that it's much eaier to actually get them to talk to eachother.
 
Last edited:
And you only RENT their software for one year at a time. Even if you would never use their support or upgrade you must pay a yearly fee just to keep the software going.
 
While it's true that Allen Bradley software is more expensive than many of it's competitors, in my opinion you get what you pay for. I've used other PLC programming software packages that were cheaper, or even free in some cases, and it's usually easy to see why the cost is lower or nonexistent.

A quick search on the AB knowledgebase http://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/ turned up this Software Compatability Matrix. You could also ask your AB distributor when placing the order for software to ensure that you have a compatible OS for the software you are purchasing. Good Luck!
 
It's Allen Bradley. They are probably the most "evil" corporation your going to deal with when it comes to this sort of thing. They are more expensive, and they are very specific of with what they support, and such. Your just going to have to deal with it.

The thing about AB is that everything they have is designed to worktogether with the minimum effort, meaning that it's much eaier to actually get them to talk to eachother.

Really? Why did Siemens quote me $2200 per year for Step 7 support and A-B quoted me $700 for 8 different packages (RSL5K, RSL500, FTView, etc)?
 
First: All industrial software lags the consumer market, sometimes by a lot. That's life. The market can't complain "but the laptop market is two years ahead !" and also demand support for 25-year-old controllers.

You will get the best compatibility out of all Rockwell Software products by running Windows XP Professional SP2, 32-bit. Windows 7 (again, 32-bit) is supported by most new releases of RA software and very good results have been reported using the XP Compatibility Mode.

Second: Leave the Home editions of the operating systems alone. OS compatibility is one of the most discussed topics here on the Forum and in the RA Knowledgebase. Ask Microsoft why they sell a weak, watery version of the OS.

Third: OEM and System Integrator Toolkits are bundles of software that do have activations that expire after a year; they are literally software leases, not licenses.

Ordinary end users can install their software, activate it, and use it perpetually until the end of days without paying a dime in support or fees. If you want the things that the support contract entails, like upgrades and patches and phone support and e-mail support and chat support and knowledgebase access, then you can get a support contract.

Last: "Evil" ? Dude.
 
Ask Microsoft why they sell a weak, watery version of the OS.

Last: "Evil" ? Dude.

Weak Watery version of the OS? How is Home Premium any "weaker" than Professional? It lacks a couple business oriented things, but is overall the same windows you find on any other Windows 7 install. There are no differences in the core of the OS, nor in the drivers, and how they act. I assume that the compatibility issues here are likely because nobody at Allen Bradley made a bit of effort to check if it would indeed be compatible with home premium (which is far more common than professional).

And as far as I know, XP mode will work on any windows 7 version.

And I said "evil" mostly as a joke. AB is pretty expensive when it comes to support and licensing. There are plenty of cheaper alternatives to using AB PLCs.
 
Bobias - XP mode will "work" with any version of Windows 7, but you get the licensed XP pro VM with 7 Pro or Ultimate.

Ken - great point about the customer demanding support for 25 year old hardware OVER new hardware/software support. This frustrates me to no end (from a security perspective), but is very valid.

second - is there really anything different in XP home than Pro that would matter for RSLinx/RSLogix? To my understanding the difference is a bundled web server (IIS), the ability to join Windows Domains, multiprocessor support, 64 bit support, and other features that have absolutely nothing to do with Rockwell Software. A technical explanation would be enlightening.

Third - selling "leases" instead of "licenses" at said prices strikes me as highway robbery. However, more power to Rockwell for getting away with it. It's a free market - you put out a product at a price and consumers can buy it or not.
 
The "lease" only applies to OEM and Integration tool kit, not regular end user Rockwell software. Think of Microsoft's MSDN subscription or the Technet subcription.
 
Oh, I see.
The "lease" only applies to OEM and Integration tool kit, not regular end user Rockwell software. Think of Microsoft's MSDN subscription or the Technet subcription.

It seems like Bernie was referring to annual service contracts for end users. Are they required?

And you only RENT their software for one year at a time. Even if you would never use their support or upgrade you must pay a yearly fee just to keep the software going.
 

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