Upgrading Rslogix 5 to Newer Windows

Dear All,

We use AB PLC5 with Rs logix 5 for programming & Rsview 32 for display. The HMI is using windows 2000. Now we have difficulties in finding spare for computer. The computer still use Hardisk IDE and power supply AT. Are there any method to convert the HMI included Rslogix 5 & rsview 32 to newer version of windows? of course without upgrade the PLC 5, because we still have many spares for PLC 5.

Thanks
 
D

David Ferguson

We have systems that are running Logix 5 and RSView 32 on Windows 7, so yes it can be done. Am converting them over to controllogix and Factorytalk View SE so cannot answer running on Windows 10.

ANother option is virtualization (IE VMware) and staying in Windows 2000 on a virtual box, this world also but I would at least switch to Windows 7 (relatively painless).

Dave Ferguson
Control Systems Engineer
 
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Bob Peterson

Rslogix 5000 and RSV 32 both work fine in Windows 7. However there are a couple of caveats. For one thing at least a few of the data Highway plus drivers don't work in Windows 7 at all. If you are using data Highway and an IDE card to interface data Highway plus you are out of luck. I have been told that the serial driver for data Highway Plus to a KF module still works but I have not tried that.

There are also some issues in rsview32. Certain VBA functions and DDE functions no longer work at all in Windows 7. For instance you cannot use the DDE server built into rsview32. You can still use the DDE server built in rslinx

I have found that some of the functions built into rsview32 VBA no longer work correctly either or no longer work at all. There does not seem to be a list anywhere of what functions work and what functions do not. One thing I have found does not work at all as best I can tell is the appstart function in VBA in rsview32. I don't know if it does not work with the applications I have tried it with or does not work in general but it just doesn't work for what I have tried it to work with. If you decide to convert two Windows 7 for your rsview32 application you will probably have to do some serious testing to make sure everything still works and it seems likely to me that you will have to modify it at least in some respects to get it to work.
 
Dear All,

Thanks for your replies. Windows XP is already discontinued too. so I will not use the windows XP. We use DH+ via serial (DB25) using prosoft 3100. I also think to use VM Ware, but I think the communication will be the problem. So I will try to install on windows 7 or use VM. We have the image file to make VM. But I think we must convert DB25 to USB using converter to accommodate newer PC.
 
You should implement a Virtual PC. This is a virtual computer that runs within a newer computer with a newer operating system. The virtual PC OS can be anything you want, every Windows there is and has been. You have to try it for yourself, but I have run successfully everything from DOS to win98, win2K, winXP and win7 under windows 10. Some programs do not work correctly, but every Rockwell Automation program does. In the past, Rockwell suggested the use of VMWare, but there are other alternatives as Oracle. The windows virtual XP by microsoft performance is very basic and I do not recommend that.
VMWare has a migrate-to-virtual PC tool that works well in most cases. I hope this helps.
 
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Bob Peterson

I think you will have relatively easy upgrade of rslogix 5 to work under
Windows 7. There may be some Hardware challenges to work through but there are probably ways around it that are relatively straightforward. If nothing else you can get the df1 to ethernet adapter that Allen-Bradley will be happy to sell you.

Migrating rsview32 two Windows 7 Maybe more of a headache but it can be done. How much of a headache it is depends on how the program is structured now. If it uses a lot of VBA functionality it's a good bet that there will be some things that don't work very well without being modified.
 
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