Resolving PCS 7 Project Wizard Error 2772-106 When Creating Plant Hierarchies

SIMATIC PCS 7 New Project Wizard error 'PCS 7 Wizard (2772:106) An error occurred creating the plant hierarchy' occurs when the wizard encounters file permission lockouts, corrupted project templates in the STEP 7 directory, or missing operating system prerequisites on Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10. To resolve this, ensure the Windows user belongs to the local 'Administrators', 'SIMATIC HMI', and 'SIMATIC NET' groups, verify that MSMQ and IIS prerequisites are configured, and create the Multiproject manually via 'File' -> 'New...' -> 'Multiproject' without using the wizard.

Executive Summary

During the initial setup of a new engineering project in SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 on Windows Server 2016 Standard Edition or Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC, engineers frequently rely on the 'New Project Wizard' to instantiate the default project structure. However, on freshly installed workstations, the wizard can fail with the dialog: 'PCS 7 Wizard (2772:106) An error occurred creating the plant hierarchy'. This failure is caused by DCOM security restrictions, incomplete Windows feature installations, or template corruption in S7PROJ/WIZARD. This article explains the technical causes of Error 2772:106, outlines operating system prerequisite verifications, and details the manual project creation procedure.

Architectural and System Mechanics

PCS 7 New Project Wizard and Database Architecture:

Template Cloning Mechanism: The PCS 7 Wizard copies pre-defined template archives located under C:/Program Files (x86)/Siemens/Step7/S7PROJ/WIZARD/. During instantiation, it connects to local Microsoft SQL Server (WINCC) and Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) to establish project security contexts.
Operating System Prerequisites: Windows Server 2016 requires specific service roles (IIS, Message Queuing Service, Remote Differential Compression) and cumulative security updates. If DCOM authentication or RPC ports are blocked by antivirus software or firewall settings, the wizard COM object fails during hierarchy instantiation.
Plant Hierarchy Creation: The wizard executes internal scripts that generate the hierarchy folder levels (e.g., Plant/Unit/Function) and binds them to the OS compile manager. A failure in the underlying SQL database attachment causes Error 2772:106.

Step-by-Step Engineering and Implementation Procedure

Step 1: Verify Windows User Groups and Permissions

Open Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) -> Local Users and Groups -> Groups.
Confirm that the logged-in domain or local user belongs to:
- Administrators
- SIMATIC HMI
- SIMATIC NET
- Siemens TIA Engineer (if present)
Reboot the operating system if group memberships were newly added.

Step 2: Check Windows Features (MSMQ and IIS)

In Server Manager, open 'Add Roles and Features'.
Under Features, verify that Message Queuing (MSMQ Server Core) is fully installed.
Verify that Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET modules are enabled according to the PCS 7 PC Configuration Manual.

Step 3: Run the Wizard Without OS and Batch Objects

If using the wizard is preferred:
1. Launch the PCS 7 Wizard.
2. In the component selection page, uncheck all OS, SIMATIC BATCH, Route Control, and OpenPCS7 options; create only the AS controller object.
3. If successful, add the PC Station and WinCC Application manually from SIMATIC Manager.

Step 4: Create the Multiproject Manually (Recommended)

The industry-standard workaround that bypasses wizard bugs entirely:
1. In SIMATIC Manager, select 'File' -> 'New...'.
2. Select the 'Multiproject' tab, assign a project name, and click OK.
3. Select 'File' -> 'New...', choose 'Project', check 'Add to current multiproject', and create the AS project.
4. Insert a 'SIMATIC 400 Station' and configure hardware in HW Config.
5. Insert a separate project for the OS, add a 'SIMATIC PC Station', and configure the Plant Hierarchy manually via 'Options' -> 'Customize' -> 'Plant Hierarchy'.

Verification

To verify proper project hierarchy creation:
1. Switch to Plant View in SIMATIC Manager; confirm that hierarchy folders can be created, renamed, and configured.
2. Insert a test CFC chart in the hierarchy folder; verify that the chart opens without COM errors.
3. Right-click the OS project -> 'Plant Hierarchy' -> 'Create/Update Block Icons' to verify hierarchy compilation links.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational precautions:
- PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 is certified strictly for Windows Server 2016 Standard (64-bit) or Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC. It is not supported on Windows 10 Pro or Windows Server Essentials.
- Only Siemens-certified antivirus products (Trend Micro OfficeScan, Symantec Endpoint Protection, McAfee Endpoint Security) should be used on PCS 7 engineering stations.
- Manual multiproject creation requires explicit configuration of the Plant Hierarchy settings prior to OS compilation.

Engineer FAQ

Q: What does error code 2772:106 mean?

A: It indicates that the STEP 7 wizard engine failed while cloning or registering the plant hierarchy database structure.

Q: Why is Windows 10 Pro not recommended?

A: Windows 10 Pro enforces consumer update policies and dynamic network throttling that disrupt PCS 7 COM and SQL database operations.

Q: Where are wizard diagnostic logs stored?

A: Logs are written to C:/Program Files (x86)/Siemens/WinCC/diagnose/ and the STEP 7 S7DATA directory.

Q: Is manual multiproject creation equivalent to the wizard?

A: Yes. In fact, manual creation provides cleaner naming conventions and allows precise modular engineering.

Q: Can I copy a working template from another station?

A: Yes, you can copy an empty multiproject template and retrieve it via SIMATIC Manager 'File' -> 'Retrieve'.

Technical References

Related Tags

PCS 7 Wizard, Error 2772:106, Plant Hierarchy, Windows Server 2016, SIMATIC Manager

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Resolving PCS 7 Project Wizard Error 2772-106 When Creating Plant Hierarchies