Install STEP7 5.4 on Windows 7

Image via Wikipedia

1. Installing STEP7 on Windows 7

If you try to install STEP7 on Windows 7 without any tricks you’ll get the error
The software cannon be installed on your computer with the operating system ?.
The setup program requires Windows XP, 2003 Server or Vista. Other operation systems are not supported. Then setup ends.
Obviously, the install program don’t know such version of operation system as Windows 7 have. Windows Vista and Windows 7 are compatible in most situations. Knowing that fact, many people expect that Step7 will work on Win7. The problem is in setup program, so some fans try to force installing the Step 7. They got a help from siemens support forum.
You need to download and install the special program for MSI packages edit. It names Orca.

http://depositfiles.com/files/fn1ub04yi
http://letitbit.net/download/3301.b39cfa98d34fa88bb91e98bc7/orca___msi_editor.Msi.html

You must to modify several setup.msi files, which contains in STEP7 distributive. To install Step7 Professional 2006 SR6 under Windows 7 you need to edit the next files:
CD_1\STEP7\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_1\STEP7\HF1\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_1\S7PCT\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_1\S7-Plcsim\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_1\Automation License Manager\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_2\S7-Graph\Disk1\setup.msi
CD_2\S7-Scl\Disk1\setup.msi

Open every file in Orca program, choose “ControlCondition” row in Tables, then select at right row DLG_InstallationRequirements and change the contents in Action column from “Disable” to “Enable”. The screenshot is applied. Now the install program allows to skip the prevention message and you’ll be able to press the Ignore button in prerequires checking window.
If you wouldn’t to do this actions you can download the already corrected distributive of Step7 Professional 2006 SR6.

2. File S7EpaSRVx.exe not found

During the installation process of STEP7 the new error appears: “can’t find the S7EpaSRVx.exe file”. This error don’t interrupt the installation, but it appears again when work with “Setting the PG-PC interface” utility. There is no ability to add/remove any interface, for example, to start using PLCSIM.

The problem cause is the same: the setup program didn’t know OS version. The file S7EpaSRVx.exe must be located in Common Files\Siemes folder, though it’s required only in Vista not in XP. There are more some files in this folder that don’t install on Win7. The solution is simple: copy the Common Files\Siemens folder from Windows Vista with successfully installed Step7 Pro on it. You can download this folder with instuctions from

http://depositfiles.com/files/p8qrr5xsm
http://letitbit.net/download/2314.274a62325600990cd7bd8fe3f/Win7_adaptaion.zip.html

It’s recomended to place this folder before starting the Step7 setup program. Then you will not got the any error.

3. Adding CP5611, CP5612 and PC Adapter to PG/PC Interface

The problems end only for users who work only with controllers by Ethernet interface. You can’t select MPI or ProfiBus interfaces to work with PCI-card, PCMCIA extension or USB adapter, because they miss in selection list of Install/Remove Interface window. The PC_Adapter_USB drivers installation also don’t help.
The interface selection list places in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\SINEC registry tree. This tree contents were exported from Vista OS with installed STEP7 5.4 SP5. Add this content to registry in replace mode and you’ll see the full list of interfaces.

The connection to controller throught USB Adapter were tested. All functions work fine.

4. Configure the help system WinHlp32.exe

The most part of STEP7 help system build on old .hlp file format. In order to open it in Windows 7, you need to download the special addon from Microsoft site (validation required).
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=ru&FamilyID=258aa5ec-e3d9-4228-8844-008e02b32a2c

Conclusion

All the problems are caused by unknown version of Windows for the setup program. The Vista compability mode don’t working in full measure.
Siemens must do some adaptaions and tests in order to STEP7 works fine on Windows 7. You perform described operations at you own risk. You must understand that creating the project for real objects under Windows 7 is not a good idea. But learning the Step7 or starting to develop the project are seems to be acceptable.

Files to download

Siemens folder, which should be placed in C:\Program Files\Common Files  before starting the setup program, and SINEC. reg file with registry settings for connection interface list to be full.

http://depositfiles.com/files/p8qrr5xsm
http://letitbit.net/download/2314.274a62325600990cd7bd8fe3f/Win7_adaptaion.zip.html

Simatic STEP7 Professional 2006 SR6 под Windows 7
CD1

http://depositfiles.com/files/b2×0uli5y
http://letitbit.net/download/8627.d8e64a0107e385433b95a0fff/CD_1.zip.html

CD2

http://depositfiles.com/files/iwb3z1wtn
http://letitbit.net/download/5506.5b190aff544b51ea45ab5c3e0/CD_2.zip.html

or Orca to modify existing distributive

http://depositfiles.com/files/fn1ub04yi
http://letitbit.net/download/3301.b39cfa98d34fa88bb91e98bc7/orca___msi_editor.Msi.html

WinHlp32.exe для Windows 7

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=ru&FamilyID=258aa5ec-e3d9-4228-8844-008e02b32a2c