C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)
6C
6 Cielo Ciencia y Tecnología
·Publicada en C135 PCS 7 (PCS7)

Resolving SIMATIC BATCH Initialization Failure and Immediate Restart Request on Single-Station Workstations

Resolving SIMATIC BATCH Initialization Failure and Immediate Restart Request on Single-Station Workstations

In SIMATIC BATCH single-station configurations (such as PCS 7 V8.0 Getting Started), an immediate message requesting a computer restart upon launching the BATCH Launch Coordinator with status 'BATCH: UNINITIALIZED' indicates that the local BATCH database (sbdata) has not been generated or lacks Microsoft SQL Server permissions. To resolve this, perform a full 'Compile and Download Objects > SIMATIC BATCH' from SIMATIC Manager to initialize the database tables, verify that the logged-in Windows user belongs to local groups 'SIMATIC BATCH' and 'SIMATIC BATCH Administrators', and check Windows Event Viewer (Application log) to confirm that service bfserverx.exe starts without database attachment errors. Installing the latest BATCH update also resolves known initialization bugs.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Setting up a standalone SIMATIC BATCH single-station environment for plant piloting, training, or factory acceptance testing (FAT)—such as following the 'SIMATIC BATCH Getting Started V8.0' manual—often encounters an early startup roadblock. While the BATCH Status Info displays the server application as 'READY', the underlying PCS 7 status shows Offline: STANDALONE and BATCH: UNINITIALIZED. Attempting to start the BATCH Launch Coordinator in either Automatic or Manual mode produces an immediate operating system prompt requesting a restart. Rebooting the workstation fails to resolve the condition, and the restart prompt recurs immediately upon login. This behavior stems from missing SQL Server database initialization files (sbdata.mdf), insufficient local Windows user rights, or unpatched daemon race conditions. This technical guide outlines the complete diagnostic workflow to initialize BATCH services cleanly.

SIMATIC BATCH Single-Station Architecture and Initialization Sequence

In a Single-Station architecture, all SIMATIC BATCH components reside on the same physical computer:

  • BATCH Server Daemons: bfserverx.exe (Recipe Logic), bfdatax.exe (Data Storage), and bfschedx.exe (Unit Scheduler).
  • BATCH Control Center (BatchCC): The primary operator interface for recipe management and batch control.
  • BATCH Database (sbdata): An independent Microsoft SQL Server database instance dedicated to recipe schemas, audit trails, and unit state tables.

When the Launch Coordinator initializes, it queries the SQL Server instance WINCC or BATCH to attach sbdata. If the project has not been compiled from SIMATIC Manager, the database files do not exist on disk, prompting the daemons to fail their initialization self-test and request a reboot.

Root Causes for 'BATCH: UNINITIALIZED' and Endless Restart Prompts

Four primary faults cause the single-station restart loop:

  1. Uncompiled BATCH Multiproject: Launching BATCH services before executing Compile / Download BATCH from SIMATIC Manager leaves the runtime database uncreated.
  2. Missing Local Windows User Group Memberships: The active Windows user must be a member of SIMATIC BATCH, SIMATIC BATCH Administrators, and SIMATIC HMI. Without these, Windows Access Control Lists (ACLs) deny the BATCH service access to local named pipes.
  3. SQL Server Service State: If the SQL Server instance hosting BATCH is stopped or running under an unprivileged account, service connection fails.
  4. Known Software Defects: Unpatched base releases of SIMATIC BATCH V8.0 exhibit a known synchronization race condition on single-core or fast multi-core IPCs, resolved by installing BATCH V8.0 SP1 or cumulative hotfixes.

Windows Event Log Diagnostics for BATCH Daemons

When BATCH requests a restart, the definitive diagnostic error is recorded in the Windows Event Viewer:

  • Navigate to Computer Management > Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application.
  • Filter for Event Sources SIMATIC BATCH, bfserverx, or MSSQL$WINCC.
  • Error signatures like Database 'sbdata' cannot be opened or Login failed for user NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM identify the precise failure point.

BATCH Service Status and Diagnostic State Matrix

The following table correlates BATCH status indicators, event log signatures, and recovery actions:

BATCH Status InfoLaunch Coordinator StateEvent Log Error SignatureUnderlying FaultRequired Engineering ActionUNINITIALIZEDRequest Restart PromptCannot attach database sbdata.mdfBATCH project never compiled from ES.Execute full BATCH compile/download in SIMATIC Manager.UNINITIALIZEDRequest Restart PromptAccess Denied to Named Pipe \\.\pipe\bfserverMissing Windows group rights.Add user to SIMATIC BATCH Administrators and re-login.READY (Offline)Communication RedSQL Server service not respondingSQL Server instance stopped.Start SQL Server (WINCC/BATCH) service in services.msc.INITIALIZEDServices GreenNo errors loggedNormal operation.Open BatchCC and create recipes.

Step-by-Step Database Generation and Service Recovery Procedure

Method 1: Verifying Local User Group Memberships

  1. Right-click the Windows Start menu and select Computer Management (compmgmt.msc).
  2. Expand Local Users and Groups > Groups.
  3. Confirm that the logged-in Windows user account is a member of:
    * Administrators
    * SIMATIC BATCH
    * SIMATIC BATCH Administrators
    * SIMATIC HMI
  4. If added, log off Windows and log back on to renew security tokens.

Method 2: Compiling and Downloading BATCH from SIMATIC Manager

  1. Open the Getting Started project in SIMATIC Manager.
  2. Select the BATCH process cell object in the project tree.
  3. Right-click and choose Compile / Download.
  4. Check both Compile and Download, select scope Entire plant, and click OK.
  5. Confirm that the compilation log finishes with 0 errors and generates the database files in the project folder.
  6. Open the BATCH Launch Coordinator; verify that status transitions to 'Running' (Green) without requesting restart.

Verification

To verify that SIMATIC BATCH operates cleanly in single-station mode:

  1. Launch Coordinator Status: Confirm that the BATCH Launch Coordinator tray icon turns solid Green.
  2. BatchCC Activation: Launch SIMATIC BATCH Control Center (BatchCC). Confirm that the application opens directly without error dialogs.
  3. Database Health: In BatchCC, select System > Update Plant Data. Verify that all configured units and phases appear in the plant browser tree.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

  • Single-Station Licensing: Single-station installations require valid engineering and runtime licenses in Automation License Manager (SIMATIC BATCH Single Station or BATCH Basic Server).
  • Clean Uninstallation Protocol: If the BATCH database becomes permanently corrupted by repeated hard shutdowns, use the BATCH Database Cleanup tool (CleanBatch.exe) to reset database instances before recompilation.
  • Software Update Discipline: Always apply the latest available Service Pack and Update for your SIMATIC BATCH version to ensure Windows compatibility.

Engineer FAQ

Why does BATCH request a computer restart instead of showing a specific error?

When critical core daemons crash during startup, the BATCH watchdog assumes a locked system DLL or memory corruption and triggers a protective operating system restart request.

Where are the physical BATCH database files stored on disk?

Database files (sbdata.mdf and sbdata.ldf) are stored in the project directory under the BATCH subfolder, or within the default SQL data directory.

Can SIMATIC BATCH run if WinCC is not running?

The BATCH Server can start independently, but communicating with controllers and visualizing batch state on faceplates requires WinCC Runtime to be active.

Technical References

Related Articles

Related Tags

  • https://industrialautomation.net/search?query=simatic-pcs7
  • https://industrialautomation.net/search?query=simatic-batch
  • https://industrialautomation.net/search?query=troubleshooting
  • https://industrialautomation.net/search?query=sql-server
6 respuestas