Renaming Computers and OS Projects in PCS 7 When Upgrading to Windows Server

When migrating PCS 7 projects from legacy environments like Windows XP or Server 2003 to Windows Server 2016 or Server 2019, computer names beginning with numbers (such as 101OS) must be changed to comply with NetBIOS and Siemens naming conventions (e.g., OS101). In PCS 7, computer names must be 1 to 15 uppercase alphanumeric characters starting strictly with a letter (A-Z) and containing no hyphens, spaces, or underscores. Renaming the PC station in SIMATIC Manager and updating Computer Properties in WinCC Explorer preserves project functionality, but historical archive linking via ArchiveManager requires running SQL Server computer update scripts and re-linking archive databases under the updated node prefix.

Hostname and NetBIOS Syntax Rules in PCS 7

SIMATIC PCS 7 and WinCC rely heavily on Microsoft NetBIOS name resolution, distributed COM (DCOM), and Microsoft SQL Server named instances. Legacy operating systems permitted computer names starting with digits, but modern Windows Server platforms (Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022) and Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 strictly enforce RFC 1123 and NetBIOS hostname restrictions.

According to Siemens PCS 7 installation and security guidelines:
- Computer names must consist of 1 to 15 characters.
- Only uppercase letters (A-Z), digits (0-9), and underscores are allowed (underscores are permitted by Windows but forbidden by WinCC project communication rules).
- The first character must always be an alphabetic letter (A-Z). Names such as 101OS or 01SERVER are invalid and cause DCOM authorization failures, SQL Server instance connection timeouts, and OS Project Editor compilation errors.
- Renaming a node from 101OS to OS101 resolves operating system compliance but requires precise synchronization across STEP 7, WinCC Explorer, and SQL Server.

Impact on WinCC SQL Databases and ArchiveManager

WinCC stores runtime data in two Microsoft SQL Server databases: <ProjectName>.mdf (Configuration Data) and <ProjectName>RT.mdf (Runtime Data). Historical Process Value Archives and Alarm Logging archives are segmented into time-sliced databases stored under the ArchiveManager\TagExport and ArchiveManager\AlarmLogging directories with filenames structured as <ProjectName>_<ComputerName>_<Date_Time>.mdf.

When a computer is renamed:
1. Active Database Binding: WinCC associates the active runtime database with the local computer name. If the computer name in WinCC Explorer does not match the Windows hostname, WinCC Runtime cannot start and reports 'Server not available'.
2. Linking Historical Archives: Old archive segments that were generated prior to the rename carry the old computer name prefix. When attaching legacy archives using the 'Link Archive' function in WinCC Alarm Logging or Tag Logging, the WinCC DataManager can still attach and read the tables, provided the database structure is attached without file header corruption.
3. Process Historian Synchronization: If connected to a Process Historian (PH), the PH database identifies nodes by their unique computer name and project GUID. Renaming an OS server requires de-registering the legacy client in Process Historian Management Console and registering the new node name.

Platform Operating System Naming Constraints

The following table summarizes computer naming specifications across operating system generations and PCS 7 releases:

OS EnvironmentFirst Character RuleMax LengthPermitted Special CharsSQL Server Instance CompatibilityWindows XP / Server 2003 (PCS 7 V7.1)Numeric or Alphabetic15 charsHyphen (-), Underscore (_)SQL Server 2005 (Permitted leading numbers)Windows 7 / Server 2008 R2 (PCS 7 V8.1)Alphabetic Recommended15 charsHyphen (-) discouragedSQL Server 2008 R2 (Warning on leading numbers)Windows 10 / Server 2016 (PCS 7 V9.0 SP1)Strictly Alphabetic (A-Z)15 charsAlphanumeric ONLY (No hyphens/underscores)SQL Server 2014 SP2 (Rejects invalid NetBIOS)Windows 10 / Server 2019 (PCS 7 V9.1)Strictly Alphabetic (A-Z)15 charsAlphanumeric ONLYSQL Server 2017 (Strict NetBIOS validation)

Step-by-Step Computer and Project Renaming Procedure

To rename the computer and migrate the PCS 7 OS project safely without corrupting SQL databases:

Complete Archive Backup: Archive the entire PCS 7 multiproject and copy all ArchiveManager folders to secure external storage.
Change Windows Hostname:
- In Windows Server 2016, open System Properties -> Computer Name.
- Rename the computer from 101OS to OS101.
- Reboot the server.
Update SQL Server Server Table:
- Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) connecting to the WINCC instance.
- Execute: sp_dropserver '101OS\WINCC' followed by sp_addserver 'OS101\WINCC', local.
- Restart the SQL Server (WINCC) Windows service.
Update SIMATIC Manager Engineering Station:
- Open the PCS 7 Multiproject on the ES.
- Rename the SIMATIC PC Station object to match the new computer name (OS101).
- Open the PC Station Hardware Configuration. Ensure the Station Name matches OS101 exactly.
- In Station Configuration Editor on the target OS, ensure the Station Name is updated to OS101.
Update WinCC Explorer:
- Open WinCC Explorer on the OS.
- Navigate to Computer -> right-click the local computer -> Properties.
- Click Use Local Computer Name.
Full OS Compile and Download:
- Run the OS Project Editor.
- Perform an OS Compile with scope 'Entire OS' and memory reset.
- Download the OS project to the target station.

Verification

Verify the computer renaming and database migration:
1. Open Command Prompt and run hostname to confirm the output is OS101.
2. Open WinCC Explorer and ensure the project opens without displaying the error 'The configured server is not available'.
3. Start WinCC Runtime and verify that process values and alarms display live updates from the AS.
4. Open WinCC Alarm Logging, right-click Archive Configuration -> Message Archive -> Link Archive, and select a legacy archive segment generated under 101OS.
5. Verify that historical alarms from the legacy segment appear in the WinCC Alarm Control table when filtering by past timestamps.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Redundant OS Synchronization: When renaming one server of a redundant pair, redundancy synchronization is broken until both servers, server packages, and OS Clients are updated and downloaded.
Web Navigator and DataMonitor: Web servers require regenerating the Web Navigator website and publishing screen data again after a computer rename.
Process Historian Re-Registration: Process Historian does not automatically rename connected nodes. The legacy client must be removed from the PH dashboard, and the PH-Ready service on the renamed OS must be reconfigured.

Engineer FAQ

Can historical archives created under 101OS be queried on OS101?

Yes. Historical archive segments can be attached via Link Archive in WinCC. WinCC reads the internal SQL table timestamps and tags regardless of the original file prefix.

Why does WinCC reject computer names containing hyphens?

WinCC internal scripts and SQL queries use the computer name in SQL statements and tag prefixes. Hyphens are interpreted as subtraction operators in SQL and C scripting, causing syntax errors.

Do I need to reinstall SQL Server after changing the Windows computer name?

No. Running the system stored procedures sp_dropserver and sp_addserver inside the WINCC SQL instance updates the SQL Server internal metadata without requiring a software reinstallation.

What happens to the Station Configuration Editor when the PC is renamed?

The Station Configuration Editor (SCE) station name must be manually updated to match the new computer name using the 'Station Name' button, and components must be re-imported via XDB or downloaded from SIMATIC Manager.