Resolving 'An Error Occurred Creation OS Object' in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 Project Wizard on Windows 10

The error 'An error occurred creation OS Object' during the SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 'New Project Wizard'—or the sudden crash of SIMATIC Manager when manually inserting an OS object—is typically caused by operating system version incompatibilities, missing Windows user group privileges, or enabled NTFS folder compression on the project drive. SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 base release is officially released strictly for Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB (64-Bit); installing on consumer builds (such as Windows 10 Pro or Feature Update 1709 Fall Creators Update) disrupts Microsoft SQL Server 2014 rights and DCOM security policies. To resolve the crash, verify that the logged-in Windows user belongs to the local SIMATIC HMI and Administrators groups, disable NTFS compression on the project folder, and upgrade to PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 to support modern Windows 10 builds.

PCS 7 Project Wizard Architecture and WinCC OS Object Instantiation

When an engineer creates a new Distributed Control System project using the PCS 7 'New Project Wizard', SIMATIC Manager orchestrates the creation of multiple coordinated database objects: the AS controller rack, the Master Data Library (MDL), the Technological Hierarchy tree, and the Operator Station (OS) WinCC project container.

During the OS creation phase, SIMATIC Manager invokes the WinCC Project Creator COM service (CCProjectMgr.exe) to instantiate a localized Microsoft SQL Server 2014 database (<ProjectName>.mdf). This operation requires elevated inter-process communication (IPC) permissions, DCOM transaction authority, and direct database write access to the host file system. If any security token or database call fails, the wizard aborts with: An error occurred creation OS Object.

Root Causes: Windows 10 Feature Updates, DCOM, and Group Rights

Field analysis across industrial installations reveals three primary triggers for wizard aborts on Windows 10:

Failure MechanismRoot CauseImpact on PCS 7 WizardUnsupported Windows 10 BuildRunning consumer Windows 10 Pro or semi-annual branch (Version 1709)DCOM and user security tokens blocked; COM interfaces crashMissing SIMATIC HMI GroupUser account not added to local Windows SIMATIC HMI groupAccess denied when creating WinCC SQL database tablesNTFS Compression / EncryptionTarget project folder or drive has 'Compress contents' checkedMicrosoft SQL Server rejects database file attachment on compressed volumesSQL Server Rights CorruptionSQL Server 2014 service running under unprivileged service accountSQL service unable to create template database in wincproj

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (Version 1709) notoriously introduced security token modifications that caused legacy COM interfaces in SIMATIC Manager to terminate abruptly unless updated with PCS 7 V9.0 SP1.

Step-by-Step Resolution and OS Object Creation Workflow

To resolve the OS object creation failure and restore full wizard functionality, execute this procedure:

Audit Windows OS Build: Open PowerShell and run winver. Confirm whether the OS is Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB. If running a newer build (e.g., LTSC 2016 / 2019), install SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 or higher.
Verify Local User Group Memberships:
- Open Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) -> Local Users and Groups -> Groups.
- Ensure your Windows login account is an explicit member of: Administrators, SIMATIC HMI, and SIMATIC NET.
- Log off and log back into Windows for token changes to take effect.
Disable NTFS Folder Compression:
- In Windows Explorer, right-click the root folder (e.g., C:\Cielo2) and select Properties.
- Under the General tab, click Advanced.
- Ensure 'Compress contents to save disk space' and 'Encrypt contents to secure data' are both Unchecked.
Re-Run Simatic Security Controller:
- Open Windows Start Menu -> Siemens Automation -> Security Controller.
- Click Repeat Settings to restore all DCOM launch permissions, firewall rules, and registry rights for WinCC SQL Server.
Create Project and Add OS: Rerun the PCS 7 Wizard or create the project and manually insert the WinCC PC Station.

Verification

Confirm that OS object creation is fully operational using these validation steps:

Wizard Execution Test: Launch the 'New Project Wizard' in SIMATIC Manager. Select both AS and OS objects. Confirm that the progress bar finishes to 100% without error dialogs.
Manual OS Insertion Test: In an existing project, right-click the project root, select Insert New Object -> SIMATIC PC Station. Open HW Config, insert a WinCC Application, and save. Confirm zero crashes.
WinCC Explorer Launch: Expand the OS object in SIMATIC Manager. Double-click the OS project icon. Confirm that WinCC Explorer launches cleanly and establishes its database connection.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

When configuring PCS 7 engineering environments on Windows 10, observe these operational principles:

Enterprise LTSC Mandate: Never deploy consumer Windows 10 Pro or Home editions for PCS 7. Only Enterprise LTSB/LTSC releases provide the multi-year stability required for industrial distributed control systems.
UAC Default Settings: Do not completely disable Windows User Account Control (UAC); set UAC to the standard level specified in the PCS 7 Readme.
Commercial Procurement and Licensing Disclaimer: Verify operating system licensing and upgrade to PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 through authorized Siemens channels. Confirm software upgrade entitlements via Automation License Manager.

Engineer FAQ

Why did SIMATIC Manager close without an error message when creating the OS?

When an unhandled access violation occurs inside an out-of-process COM server (CCProjectMgr.exe), the Windows kernel terminates the host process (s7tgtopx.exe) abruptly, causing the application to vanish from the screen.

Can I run PCS 7 V9.0 on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019?

Base PCS 7 V9.0 does not support LTSC 2019. Support for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 was introduced in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 SP3 and PCS 7 V9.1.

What does the Security Controller do?

The Siemens Security Controller is an administrative utility that automatically configures Windows DCOM permissions, registry security keys, and local security policies required by SIMATIC applications.