Troubleshooting Missing Area Button and Alarm Text in WinCC OS Server Runtime

In SIMATIC PCS 7, when area button labels and alarm messages display correctly on OS Clients but appear completely blank in the OS Server runtime, the primary causes are an inactive Alarm Logging server runtime service (CCAlgRtServer.exe), an unconfigured startup application list in Computer Properties, or a mismatch between the server's active runtime language and the WinCC Text Library. Resolving this issue requires ensuring CCAlgRtServer.exe is enabled in the startup list, aligning the runtime language, running the OS Project Editor, and regenerating OS Server Data.

Underlying Mechanisms Causing Server-Specific Blank Displays

In a distributed PCS 7 architecture with redundant OS Servers and OS Clients:
* Client Rendering via Server Data: OS Clients read alarm messages, text archives, and area hierarchies from downloaded Server Data packages (*.pck). The client queries the server's SQL database over the network and displays text based on the client station's regional language settings.
* Server Runtime Local Service Execution: When the OS Server itself is placed into Runtime, the local graphical shell (@Overview1.pdl and @Buttons.pdl) depends directly on local background server processes:
1. Alarm Logging Server Service (CCAlgRtServer.exe): Responsible for querying the local SQL Server message database ([ProjectName]ALG.mdf). If Alarm Logging is unchecked in the OS Server's Computer Properties -> Startup list, or if the process crashed upon initialization, the Alarm Control window cannot fetch alarm texts or area assignments.
2. Text Library Language Desynchronization: If the OS Server runtime is configured for a language (such as English - United States) that was not populated in the WinCC Text Library during engineering, text fields connected to dynamic text indices render as blank strings.
3. OS Project Editor Template Inconsistency: The OS Project Editor establishes internal tags and scripts that bind area buttons to the Technological Hierarchy. If the editor was executed on the ES but not compiled and deployed properly to the server, local scripts fail to populate button captions.

Step-by-Step Diagnostic and Resolution Procedure

Follow this procedure to restore text rendering on the OS Server runtime.

Prerequisites

Administrative credentials on the OS Server (member of Administrators and SIMATIC HMI groups).
SIMATIC Manager and WinCC Explorer access on the Engineering Station (ES) or directly on the Server.

Step 1: Verify Startup Application Components in WinCC Explorer

Open the project in WinCC Explorer on the OS Server.
In the navigation tree, click Computer.
Right-click the computer object matching the server name and select Properties.
Navigate to the Startup tab.
In the Runtime applications list, verify that the following components are checked:
* Alarm Logging Runtime
* Tag Logging Runtime
* Global Script Runtime
* Graphics Runtime
If Alarm Logging Runtime is disabled, check the box and click OK.

Step 2: Verify Background Process in Windows Task Manager

While the project is in Runtime, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Windows Task Manager.
Select the Details tab.
Locate the process CCAlgRtServer.exe (Alarm Logging Runtime Server).
If the process is absent or shows 0% CPU with suspended status, runtime messaging services have failed to initialize properly. Deactivate Runtime, reboot the server, and restart the project.

Step 3: Align Runtime Language and Text Library

In WinCC Explorer, expand Text Library.
Verify that message texts, area names, and button captions exist under the target language column (e.g., English or German).
Open Computer Properties -> Parameters.
Check the Runtime Language setting. Ensure it matches the language column populated in the Text Library.

Step 4: Run OS Project Editor and Regenerate Server Data

In WinCC Explorer, double-click OS Project Editor.
Review the layout settings (monitor resolution and layout style).
Click OK to regenerate standard system pictures (@Overview1.pdl, @Buttons.pdl, @AlarmOneLine.pdl) and internal script assignments.
On the Engineering Station, execute Generate Server Data (Right-click OS -> Generate Server Data), and download changes to the OS Server.

Verification

Activate Runtime on the OS Server (File -> Activate).
Observe the primary overview bar at the top of the screen: area buttons must clearly display their hierarchical plant area text (e.g., Boiler_Area, Water_Treatment).
Open the Alarm Control window: incoming process alarms must display date, time, area, and descriptive message text rather than blank rows.
Verify that OS Clients continue to display active alarms and trends without interruption.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Avoid Editing on Live Standby Servers: In redundant server pairs, execute these changes sequentially. Complete diagnostics on the standby server before touching the master to avoid simultaneous control room blackouts.
Never Overwrite Standard System PDLs Manually: Do not copy individual @*.pdl files from clients to servers; always use the OS Project Editor to generate standard system graphics cleanly.
OS Compilation Requirements: If area names were modified in the Technological Hierarchy, a full OS Compilation is mandatory to update the WinCC Text Library.

Engineer FAQ

Why did the clients work if the server runtime was broken?
OS Clients connect as network clients directly to the SQL database using Server Data. They do not depend on the OS Server's local graphical runtime processes.
What does CCAlgRtServer.exe do?
CCAlgRtServer.exe is the WinCC Alarm Logging Runtime Server executable that handles message buffering, state transitions, and text retrieval from the SQL message archive.
Can running the OS Project Editor overwrite my custom screens?
No. OS Project Editor only regenerates standard system pictures starting with @ (such as @Overview1.pdl). Custom process screens created without the @ prefix are untouched.
What causes text to appear as question marks (????)?
Question marks indicate that the active runtime language character set is not supported by the Windows system locale, or that the Text Library contains missing Unicode fonts.
Is a server reboot required after changing Computer Properties Startup settings?
A complete deactivation and reactivation of WinCC Runtime is required; a full Windows operating system reboot is recommended to ensure clean process re-binding.

Technical References

Siemens Industry Online Support Entry ID 109801081: SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Client-Server Configuration and Startup.
Siemens WinCC V7.5 Manual: Alarm Logging Configuration and Runtime Server Architecture.
Siemens System Documentation: OS Project Editor Guidelines and System Pictures.

Troubleshooting Missing Area Button and Alarm Text in WinCC OS Server Runtime