AB PLC 5/60 & 6200 (v4.41) software

[cywa]

Hi,

I'm having trouble restoring my back-up data to a PLC 5/60. I'm trying to see if the problem is with the PLC or the 6200 software. It either kicks me out of the 6200 into DOS, or the 6200 freezes when I hit F1 to restore (it just says working and hangs).

Sometimes however, it goes through with the transfer, but I don't see the programs in the PLC.

I tried to reinstall the 6200 software from diskettes. But after getting into the install menu, and hitting RETURN to start the installation, it keeps asking me for Disk 1 of 7. There's no read error on the disks as I was able to copy the files elsewhere. I'm thinking maybe there's a file missing from Disk 1? Anyone had similar problems like this before?

These are the files in disk_1 (attached pic):

PID directory, 1A.zip, 1B.zip, CIPPCONF.EXE, CIRDCONF.EXE, CIVERCHK.EXE, DEFS0.CIF, EXT.TXT, IDENTIFY.TXT, INS.EXE, INSTALL.EXE, INSTALL.LST, PKUNZIP.EXE, REG.TXT, REL.VER, UNINSTAL.EXE, Y.Y

Any help is greatly appreciated.

PS: I'm an end-user with limited knowledge of PLCs, not a programmer... I just need to back-up and restore my PLC data.

[JesperMP]

6200 for PLC5 was in version 5.23 or something. So your 4.4 is very old.
Run it in DOS (not a DOS box in XP), DOS+Win3.11, or Windows 95.

If this is a critically important application, and you need to get up and running fast, then I suggest you get help from someone with experience with AB PLC5.

[cywa]

Yes, the 4.4 was installed in the control panel PC that came with my machine.

I tried installing it on a PC with DOS, not DOS prompt... but it kept asking for the 1st disk

My prob is I can't transfer my backup AF5 program to the PLC. And I'm trying to determine if the prob is with the 6200 software, or the PLC. What can I check on the PLC to make sure the comm parameters are set up correctly? I'm using RS232 btw.

[JesperMP]

Does the PLC have an EPROM ?
It is a module that sits in the front of the CPU (in a slot in the lower right side), and protrudes out a little if installed. There is a yellow label on the EPROM.
If there is an EPROM, try to reload the program from the EPROM: Remove power, remove backup battery (in a slot at the bottom of the CPU), wait 1 minute, reinstall battery, and power up again.

If that does not help, you have to load the program from the backup.
You need at least the .AF5, .D1$ and .P1$ files (as far as I know they are the critical ones).

Determine what hardware is used for the connectio with the CPU. It may be seial, but it may also be DH+. Older DH+ adapters had a connector on the PC side that made it look like a serial port.

If the cable goes into Channel 0 (Ch0) on the PLC5/60 then it is serial, and the protocol will be DF1 full duplex. Baudrate is default 1200 if the memory has been cleared.

If the cable enters one of the channels Ch1a, Ch1b, Ch2a or Ch2b on the PLC5/60, then it is DH+. The card in the PC is possibly a KT or a KTX card. The badudrate and DH+ node number for Ch1a on the PLC5/60 is set by dip-switch SW1 on the PLC5/60 CPU. Ch1b, Ch2a and Ch2b are set in the user program, so if the program has been lost you can only use Ch1a.

[cywa]

Thanks Jesper for the advice...

I don't have any EPROM in the PLC which is why I need to restore the prog from PC.

I'll check tomorrow if the cable and parameters is serial or DH+. I have it set up as serial: COM1, 2400 baud. Can't remember the bits and parity (should be 8 and N if I remember correctly). I can go on-line to the PLC, but I can't restore the AF5 prog to it. If I set it up wrongly, I don't think it will let me go on-line, would it?

[Ron Beaufort]

no offense, but you should know that even though the program was originally written with 6200 software, you should still be able to access it (and do everything else) with the much newer RSLogix5 software ...

do you have RSLogix5 anywhere else in your plant? ... do you have a local vendor - or distributor - who would be able to use RSLogix5 and help you out? ...

everything considered, if you can't get the 6200 software to work again, then it's proabably going to be better in the long run to move on to RSLogix5 ...

hope this helps ...

[cywa]

Yes, I know that the RxLogix5 is a much better update of the 6200. But spending $8000+ just for backing-up and restoring the data files is too steep, don't you think?

Of course, if I were a programmer or work with PLCs all the time, it is worth the investment. But I'm an end-user who just needs to back-up the data regularly...

But thanks for the advice, I'll try to contact the AB office to see if they can help me to restore the data using their RxLogix5. But I'm doubtful as I didn't purchase the PLC from them. It came together as part of the machine from a US manufacturer. Unfortunately, in Asia, the level of service we can expect is still a far cry from the US or Europe...

[Ron Beaufort]

spending $8000+ just for backing-up and restoring the data files is too steep, don't you think?

yes, I agree – but in SOME cases (apparently not in yours) the data itself could be worth much more than that ... also, the price you quoted seems out of line ... the last time I checked, a standard package of RSLogix5 was selling for about US$3,600 ...

But thanks for the advice

no problem ... the reason that I mentioned it is that some people think that if a program has been WRITTEN with 6200 software, then ONLY 6200 software can be used to access it ... that’s not correct ... I just didn’t want you to go out of your way trying to follow one path – when another simpler (and cheaper) path might have been readily available to you ... I’ve seen that happen before ...

good luck with your project ...

[PLCMentor]

Ok, if you can go online with the PLC then the 6200 software is probably OK. On the other hand I think that 6200 stuff ran little mini programs for some of the menu options. So maybe the online capability is there, but the download app is corrupt.

As far as the install goes, I seem to remember the pkunzip programs cycling through all the disks to check the files and then asking for disk 1 to actually cycle through again to actually unzip the data. You probably have a bad diskette - just a guess though so dont throw it out. Sorry I am just full of guesses today...

I would suggest contacting your rep. If they won't help ask them if they can suggest someone you can pay to come out and download the program.

[cywa]

Guys,

I really appreciate you taking the time to read about my problem and offering valuable advice...

I remembered the price of the RsLogix was $8000+, but now that Ron mentioned it, maybe it was in another currency (not USD). If it's abt USD 3,600, then it's more feasible to replace the 6200. After all, the downtime will cost me more. Again, thanx for the info. You're right, Ron, sometimes during troubleshooting, we get so focused on only 1 aspect that we forget there are other alternatives. Not barking up the wrong tree, but more like barking up the only tree we know...

@PLCMentor: Yes I did think about that. Other than a bad disk, maybe I'm missing 1 disk... I found the original disks in 5.25in floppies... hahaha, still remember those? The younger generation don't even remember DOS, let alone 5.25in floppies I'm gonna try cycling through those because I remember there were 2 extra disks. Maybe the install prog was asking for those, but said "Disk 1" instead. Yes, PKZIP cycles through the disks, usually asking for the 1st & last disk before unzipping. I have a last resort to try if the install prog still doesn't work: manually unzipping all the files, and put them in their correct directories.

In the meantime, I've bought a new PLC - thought I needed a spare anyways even if my existing one is not broken. I'm also paying the AB guys to come to my plant to "borrow" their RsLogix and try to restore again. In about 6 hours, I should know for sure if the prob is with the PLC or 6200...

[ddsf]

hi

i want to download the last version of 6200 plc5 software

give help

thank u

[OZEE]

You're funny, ddsf...

The latest version of 6200 PLC5 software is, what, 15 years old???

Contact your local Allen-Bradley rep and get RSLogix 5

[ddsf]

Originally Posted by OZEE

You're funny, ddsf...

The latest version of 6200 PLC5 software is, what, 15 years old???

Contact your local Allen-Bradley rep and get RSLogix 5

what proplem?

i ask any one have the installation of this program ???
i want to work under dos

sorry for disturbance

[jkerekes]

You can't just "download" a copy. You need to have an existing license or need to purchase a new copy of RSlogix from AB. 6200 has been out of production for many years. I beleive you can still download a copy from AB, but you still need to have a support contract to do it.

[ddsf]

Originally Posted by jkerekes

You can't just "download" a copy. You need to have an existing license or need to purchase a new copy of RSlogix from AB. 6200 has been out of production for many years. I beleive you can still download a copy from AB, but you still need to have a support contract to do it.

thanx

i have it already on old pc that have some proplem

any way i want to save the file as .x5 to be imported in rslogix 5

how can i do it under dos???????