How to Install PLC Software

How to Install PLC Software

Not only PLC software, but industrial software in general is often troublesome to install and use. By comparison, PLC programming software is still somewhat manageable. What is even more complicated is the various SCADA configuration software packages, because they include databases and many other components, making both installation and use very inconvenient. If your work requires you to switch frequently between software from different vendors, potential software conflicts and incompatibilities can make the simple act of installing software much more difficult.

In most cases, software problems are often caused by reasons that are hard to clearly identify. Broadly speaking, they can be categorized as hardware incompatibility, insufficient hardware performance, operating system incompatibility, resource conflicts with other software, and internal software defects or bugs. But each of these categories can be a deep and frustrating pit. For convenience, I recommend installing industrial software in the following ways whenever possible.

1. Install industrial software on a separate, clean operating system whenever possible. If conditions allow, it is best to dedicate one computer to the industrial software of a single vendor and use it only for debugging and engineering work. Of course, most engineers may not have that luxury, so installing a dual-boot or multi-boot system is a relatively good alternative. One system can be used for office work and other daily software, while another system can be used for industrial control software (at most with Office and communication tools added for convenience). Ideally, each vendor's industrial control software should have its own system. This not only helps ensure compatibility between the system and the software, but also avoids situations where industrial software causes poor computer performance and makes daily use difficult. Anyone who has used Siemens WinCC or TIA will probably understand this. No matter how powerful your computer is, under current conditions, it is not recommended to install all software into the same operating system. The cost of using multiple systems is some wasted disk space, but that tradeoff is worthwhile because it improves efficiency.

   Another alternative strategy is to use virtual machines. Microsoft Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and VMware all provide virtualization solutions. If your computer is powerful enough—at least a 7th-generation i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM or more, and an SSD—you can consider a virtual machine approach. However, in general, running virtual machines can cause performance to drop sharply, and may also introduce more unknown compatibility issues for industrial software. Therefore, unless it has been tested successfully in advance, this approach is generally not recommended.

2. Strictly follow the compatibility guidelines and installation steps provided by the software vendor. Part of the reason for recommending multiple operating systems in the previous section is compatibility. Generally speaking, industrial software is more thoroughly tested on the operating systems listed in the official compatibility guide. Strictly meeting the required operating system version—including service packs and patch levels—as well as the recommended hardware specifications, can usually reduce the risk of incompatibility. Note that you should follow the recommended hardware requirements, not the minimum requirements. You should absolutely not size your hardware based only on the minimum specification. Also, unless you are already very familiar with installing the software in question, it is best to follow the installation manual step by step. These are all effective ways to reduce problems.

3. Check and analyze typical problems. Although most software problems are not easy to solve, there are still some issues that are common and recurring. On the support websites of major industrial software vendors, there are usually solutions for typical installation and compatibility problems. You can often also find targeted solutions online. In many cases, simply searching for the exact error message will lead you to an answer. In the past, common problems included foreign software being unable to install into Chinese-language directories, or path names not being allowed to contain spaces. These issues are somewhat less common nowadays, but there are still similar broadly shared problems that continue to appear.

4. Use comparative installation when troubleshooting. This is a strategy for dealing with installation or runtime failures. If the software cannot be installed or cannot run properly, then you need to consider a comparative installation approach. This may involve using another computer, another operating system image, or another set of installation files. Sometimes you need to perform the same installation on a different computer to rule out hidden software incompatibilities. Sometimes you need a different operating system image to avoid OS compatibility problems. It is best to use an original Microsoft installation image whenever possible, so that you do not run into issues caused by customized system builds that simplify or remove system files and features. In some cases, you may also need another copy or another version of the software to rule out problems caused by damaged, incomplete, or defective installation files.

A good start is half the battle won, and with industrial software, proper use begins with proper installation.