\# PCS7 OS Download stuck in a loop — "in access on another application" + CCProjectMgr.exe won't die (Access Denied) — need experienced eyes

Hi all — hoping someone who's fought PCS7/WinCC on a VM lab setup before can sanity-check my diagnosis. Long post, but I've tried to make it skimmable with the key facts up top.

\*\*TL;DR:\*\* OS(1) download from ES to a separate OS PC station consistently fails \~5 min in with a SQL "in access on another application" error. Root cause appears to be two things: (1) a stuck \`CCProjectMgr.exe\` process/service running an infinite \`OpenProject\` retry loop that I can't kill or disable, and (2) \`S7tgtopx.exe\` crashing with an access violation in \`mfc140.dll\` and leaving orphaned SQL sessions behind. Looking for the correct service name / disable method for #1, and whether #2 is a known STEP7 issue.

\## Setup

\- PCS7/STEP7 + WinCC, SCE-style educ\_tanks project, AS + separate OS station

\- Both ES and OS on separate VMware Workstation 17 VMs, bridged network, static IPs, workgroup (no domain)

\- Windows 10 Pro (19045), SQL Server 2019 (multiple named instances: WINCC, HISTORIAN, INFSERVER)

\- S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 for the CPU 414-3 DP simulation

\## The core error (WinCCOM log, every attempt)

\`\`\`

In CWiOMData::OMDBDeleteDataSource

Caution: Deletion of DSN '<name>' from registry failed!

...

Caution: database '...\\<project>.mdf' with DSN '<name>' is in access on another application!

Caution: DmGDO::CopyProjectRTOS\_DeleteScripts failed.

...

Caution: Connect failed: DBDll::Connect: CreateConnection failed. hr = 80004005

\`\`\`

Same pattern regardless of project path (moved from Documents to C:\\Test — no change), regardless of which auto-generated staging DB is involved, and after fixing: network profile, NTFS/share perms, SCE station config, IE General subnet assignment, ODBC/SQL orphan cleanup (repeatedly — they keep coming back).

\## Root cause #1: stuck ProjectManager service/process

Event Viewer shows this repeating \*\*continuously for hours\*\*, every \~16 sec:

\`\`\`

Source: SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager

Failure in OpenProject (InternalGetAso): 8004620f, retry count: 0..29

User: SYSTEM

\`\`\`

\`sp\_who2\` confirms \`S7tgtopx.exe\` sessions sitting live against the exact staging DBs involved in the failures — this loop is fighting the manual download for the same resources every time.

Tried to kill/disable it:

\- \`sc query "SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager"\` → \*\*Error 1060, service does not exist\*\* (so that's not the real registered name)

\- \`taskkill /F /IM CCProjectMgr.exe\` (found PID) → \*\*Access is denied\*\*, even from what I thought was an elevated prompt

Anyone know the actual service name behind \`CCProjectMgr.exe\`, or where its "last project" autostart reference lives in the registry so I can clear it properly?

\## Root cause #2: S7tgtopx.exe crashing

Windows Error Reporting shows repeated crashes/hangs:

\`\`\`

APPCRASH: S7tgtopx.exe 507.202.1601.1 | mfc140.dll 14.42.34433.0 | c0000005 (access violation)

AppHangB1: S7tgtopx.exe (multiple)

BEX: CCDBUtils.exe crashing in ucrtbase.dll

\`\`\`

This is the SIMATIC Manager target-download engine — when it crashes mid-transfer it apparently doesn't release its SQL connection cleanly, which is exactly what shows up as "in access on another application" on the next attempt.

Tried: full uninstall/reinstall of VC++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86+x64) + reboot. Not confirmed effective yet since #1 above keeps re-poisoning the environment before I can get a clean test run.

\## Other things already fixed/ruled out along the way (so replies don't have to re-suggest them)

\- SCE Station Configuration Editor / PC station comms — working

\- PG/PC Interface + PLCSIM — CPU downloads succeed fine, only OS(1) fails

\- Network profile Public→Private, SMB/NetBIOS resolution, IPv6 disabled

\- File share NTFS+Share permissions, \`LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy\` registry fix for workgroup auth

\- IE General subnet assignment in HW Config (was missing, fixed)

\- Multiple orphaned SQL databases + stale ODBC DSNs manually dropped via sqlcmd/odbcad32

\- Controlled Folder Access / Documents folder path — ruled out, moved project to C:\\Test

\- SQL Server itself is healthy — connects instantly via sqlcmd every time

\## What I'm hoping someone can answer

1. Real service name for \`CCProjectMgr.exe\`'s background process, and the supported way to fully disable it (not just Autostart tool, which shows nothing to remove)

2. Is the \`mfc140.dll\` crash in \`S7tgtopx.exe\` a known issue for this STEP7 build (507.202.1601.1)? Repair install the right call, or something more specific?

3. Any known bad interaction between S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 and this WinCC version that could explain this?

Happy to post full logs (WinCCOM, SQL ERRORLOG, Event Viewer exports) if useful. Thanks in advance to anyone who's been through this.

Best regards BELKHADRIA Ihab eddine

#

Hi all — hoping someone who's fought PCS7/WinCC on a VM lab setup before can sanity-check my diagnosis. Long post, but I've tried to make it skimmable with the key facts up top.

**TL;DR:** OS(1) download from ES to a separate OS PC station consistently fails ~5 min in with a SQL "in access on another application" error. Root cause appears to be two things: (1) a stuck `CCProjectMgr.exe` process/service running an infinite `OpenProject` retry loop that I can't kill or disable, and (2) `S7tgtopx.exe` crashing with an access violation in `mfc140.dll` and leaving orphaned SQL sessions behind. Looking for the correct service name / disable method for #1, and whether #2 is a known STEP7 issue.

## Setup

- PCS7/STEP7 + WinCC, SCE-style educ_tanks project, AS + separate OS station

- Both ES and OS on separate VMware Workstation 17 VMs, bridged network, static IPs, workgroup (no domain)

- Windows 10 Pro (19045), SQL Server 2019 (multiple named instances: WINCC, HISTORIAN, INFSERVER)

- S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 for the CPU 414-3 DP simulation

## The core error (WinCCOM log, every attempt)

```

In CWiOMData::OMDBDeleteDataSource

Caution: Deletion of DSN '<name>' from registry failed!

...

Caution: database '...\<project>.mdf' with DSN '<name>' is in access on another application!

Caution: DmGDO::CopyProjectRTOS_DeleteScripts failed.

...

Caution: Connect failed: DBDll::Connect: CreateConnection failed. hr = 80004005

```

Same pattern regardless of project path (moved from Documents to C:\Test — no change), regardless of which auto-generated staging DB is involved, and after fixing: network profile, NTFS/share perms, SCE station config, IE General subnet assignment, ODBC/SQL orphan cleanup (repeatedly — they keep coming back).

## Root cause #1: stuck ProjectManager service/process

Event Viewer shows this repeating **continuously for hours**, every ~16 sec:

```

Source: SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager

Failure in OpenProject (InternalGetAso): 8004620f, retry count: 0..29

User: SYSTEM

```

`sp_who2` confirms `S7tgtopx.exe` sessions sitting live against the exact staging DBs involved in the failures — this loop is fighting the manual download for the same resources every time.

Tried to kill/disable it:

- `sc query "SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager"` → **Error 1060, service does not exist** (so that's not the real registered name)

- `taskkill /F /IM CCProjectMgr.exe` (found PID) → **Access is denied**, even from what I thought was an elevated prompt

Anyone know the actual service name behind `CCProjectMgr.exe`, or where its "last project" autostart reference lives in the registry so I can clear it properly?

## Root cause #2: S7tgtopx.exe crashing

Windows Error Reporting shows repeated crashes/hangs:

```

APPCRASH: S7tgtopx.exe 507.202.1601.1 | mfc140.dll 14.42.34433.0 | c0000005 (access violation)

AppHangB1: S7tgtopx.exe (multiple)

BEX: CCDBUtils.exe crashing in ucrtbase.dll

```

This is the SIMATIC Manager target-download engine — when it crashes mid-transfer it apparently doesn't release its SQL connection cleanly, which is exactly what shows up as "in access on another application" on the next attempt.

Tried: full uninstall/reinstall of VC++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86+x64) + reboot. Not confirmed effective yet since #1 above keeps re-poisoning the environment before I can get a clean test run.

## Other things already fixed/ruled out along the way (so replies don't have to re-suggest them)

- SCE Station Configuration Editor / PC station comms — working

- PG/PC Interface + PLCSIM — CPU downloads succeed fine, only OS(1) fails

- Network profile Public→Private, SMB/NetBIOS resolution, IPv6 disabled

- File share NTFS+Share permissions, `LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy` registry fix for workgroup auth

- IE General subnet assignment in HW Config (was missing, fixed)

- Multiple orphaned SQL databases + stale ODBC DSNs manually dropped via sqlcmd/odbcad32

- Controlled Folder Access / Documents folder path — ruled out, moved project to C:\Test

- SQL Server itself is healthy — connects instantly via sqlcmd every time

## What I'm hoping someone can answer

1. Real service name for `CCProjectMgr.exe`'s background process, and the supported way to fully disable it (not just Autostart tool, which shows nothing to remove)

2. Is the `mfc140.dll` crash in `S7tgtopx.exe` a known issue for this STEP7 build (507.202.1601.1)? Repair install the right call, or something more specific?

3. Any known bad interaction between S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 and this WinCC version that could explain this?

Happy to post full logs (WinCCOM, SQL ERRORLOG, Event Viewer exports) if useful. Thanks in advance to anyone who's been through this.

Best regards

BELKHADRIA IHAB EDDINE

# PCS7 OS Download stuck in a loop — "in access on another application" + CCProjectMgr.exe won't die (Access Denied) — need experienced eyes

Hi all — hoping someone who's fought PCS7/WinCC on a VM lab setup before can sanity-check my diagnosis. Long post, but I've tried to make it skimmable with the key facts up top.

**TL;DR:** OS(1) download from ES to a separate OS PC station consistently fails ~5 min in with a SQL "in access on another application" error. Root cause appears to be two things: (1) a stuck `CCProjectMgr.exe` process/service running an infinite `OpenProject` retry loop that I can't kill or disable, and (2) `S7tgtopx.exe` crashing with an access violation in `mfc140.dll` and leaving orphaned SQL sessions behind. Looking for the correct service name / disable method for #1, and whether #2 is a known STEP7 issue.

## Setup

- PCS7/STEP7 + WinCC, SCE-style educ_tanks project, AS + separate OS station

- Both ES and OS on separate VMware Workstation 17 VMs, bridged network, static IPs, workgroup (no domain)

- Windows 10 Pro (19045), SQL Server 2019 (multiple named instances: WINCC, HISTORIAN, INFSERVER)

- S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 for the CPU 414-3 DP simulation

## The core error (WinCCOM log, every attempt)

```

In CWiOMData::OMDBDeleteDataSource

Caution: Deletion of DSN '<name>' from registry failed!

...

Caution: database '...\<project>.mdf' with DSN '<name>' is in access on another application!

Caution: DmGDO::CopyProjectRTOS_DeleteScripts failed.

...

Caution: Connect failed: DBDll::Connect: CreateConnection failed. hr = 80004005

```

Same pattern regardless of project path (moved from Documents to C:\Test — no change), regardless of which auto-generated staging DB is involved, and after fixing: network profile, NTFS/share perms, SCE station config, IE General subnet assignment, ODBC/SQL orphan cleanup (repeatedly — they keep coming back).

## Root cause #1: stuck ProjectManager service/process

Event Viewer shows this repeating **continuously for hours**, every ~16 sec:

```

Source: SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager

Failure in OpenProject (InternalGetAso): 8004620f, retry count: 0..29

User: SYSTEM

```

`sp_who2` confirms `S7tgtopx.exe` sessions sitting live against the exact staging DBs involved in the failures — this loop is fighting the manual download for the same resources every time.

Tried to kill/disable it:

- `sc query "SIMATIC WinCC ProjectManager"` → **Error 1060, service does not exist** (so that's not the real registered name)

- `taskkill /F /IM CCProjectMgr.exe` (found PID) → **Access is denied**, even from what I thought was an elevated prompt

Anyone know the actual service name behind `CCProjectMgr.exe`, or where its "last project" autostart reference lives in the registry so I can clear it properly?

## Root cause #2: S7tgtopx.exe crashing

Windows Error Reporting shows repeated crashes/hangs:

```

APPCRASH: S7tgtopx.exe 507.202.1601.1 | mfc140.dll 14.42.34433.0 | c0000005 (access violation)

AppHangB1: S7tgtopx.exe (multiple)

BEX: CCDBUtils.exe crashing in ucrtbase.dll

```

This is the SIMATIC Manager target-download engine — when it crashes mid-transfer it apparently doesn't release its SQL connection cleanly, which is exactly what shows up as "in access on another application" on the next attempt.

Tried: full uninstall/reinstall of VC++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86+x64) + reboot. Not confirmed effective yet since #1 above keeps re-poisoning the environment before I can get a clean test run.

## Other things already fixed/ruled out along the way (so replies don't have to re-suggest them)

- SCE Station Configuration Editor / PC station comms — working

- PG/PC Interface + PLCSIM — CPU downloads succeed fine, only OS(1) fails

- Network profile Public→Private, SMB/NetBIOS resolution, IPv6 disabled

- File share NTFS+Share permissions, `LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy` registry fix for workgroup auth

- IE General subnet assignment in HW Config (was missing, fixed)

- Multiple orphaned SQL databases + stale ODBC DSNs manually dropped via sqlcmd/odbcad32

- Controlled Folder Access / Documents folder path — ruled out, moved project to C:\Test

- SQL Server itself is healthy — connects instantly via sqlcmd every time

## What I'm hoping someone can answer

1. Real service name for `CCProjectMgr.exe`'s background process, and the supported way to fully disable it (not just Autostart tool, which shows nothing to remove)

2. Is the `mfc140.dll` crash in `S7tgtopx.exe` a known issue for this STEP7 build (507.202.1601.1)? Repair install the right call, or something more specific?

3. Any known bad interaction between S7-PLCSIM v5.4 SP8 and this WinCC version that could explain this?

Happy to post full logs (WinCCOM, SQL ERRORLOG, Event Viewer exports) if useful. Thanks in advance to anyone who's been through this.

Best regards BELKHADRIA Ihab eddine

Hi,

I am troubleshooting a PCS 7 V10 project where the OS download from the ES to a remote OS fails.

System:

• PCS 7 V10
• ES VM: DESKTOP-23KFVTG
• Target OS VM: DESKTOP-BVUKCPK
• ES and OS are on separate PCs, connected to the same network
• Both use the same PCS 7 installation/ISO
• Target OS is configured as a Single Station
• Remote download is performed through SIMATIC PC Station → Compile and Download
• Windows user: desktop-bvukcpk\ihebb
• User is member of Administrators and SIMATIC HMI

The project compiles, but the problem occurs during the ES → OS transfer.

Main errors observed

The WinCCOM/ERRORLOG messages include errors related to the WinCC SQL databases, for example:

CC_WINCCOMSQL.mdf
DESKTOP-BVUKCPK.mdf

These databases were reported as being in use/accessed by another application.

There was also an error deleting the DSN:

CC_OM_DESKTOP-BVUKCPK

Other relevant messages included:

DmGDO::CopyProjectRTOS_DeleteScripts failed

and:

DBDll::Connect: CreateConnection failed. hr = 80004005

There was also a WinCCOM error involving:

CopyProjectRTOS_ChangeComputerNameInUserAdminData

During the troubleshooting, approximately 15 CC_* SQL databases had accumulated on the target OS, and several appeared to be in:

RECOVERY_PENDING

The corresponding .mdf files could not always be deleted because they were still locked by another process.

I tried cleaning the old project repository manually, but the SQL database files remained in use.

I also checked for WinCC user files:

dir /s *.usr

which returned:

File Not Found

The project contains the normal WinCC user-management graphics, e.g.:

.PDL
.pdl
u/User.bmp

and WinCC User Administrator shows:

User Administrator
└── Administrator-Group
    └── Administrator

The GraCS\UserData directory exists but contains only:

CustomWebControls

with no files.

Question

Has anyone encountered this WinCCOM / SQL database / CopyProjectRTOS_* problem when downloading a PCS 7 V10 OS project from an ES to a remote OS?

In particular, I would like to understand:

• Why CC_WINCCOMSQL.mdf and DESKTOP-BVUKCPK.mdf remain locked.
• What causes DBDll::Connect: CreateConnection failed. hr = 80004005.
• Why CC_OM_DESKTOP-BVUKCPK cannot be deleted.
• What DmGDO::CopyProjectRTOS_DeleteScripts and CopyProjectRTOS_ChangeComputerNameInUserAdminData indicate.
• Whether the RECOVERY_PENDING SQL databases are a consequence of the failed downloads or the actual cause.
• What is the correct Siemens procedure to completely clean the target OS before retrying the download.

Important: The later error saying that the target OS is open/running occurred after I retried the transfer. I am specifically looking for help with the original WinCCOM/SQL errors that occurred before that point.

I would appreciate guidance on the correct procedure to bring the PCS 7 V10 OS project into a clean state and successfully perform the ES → OS transfer.

Best regards,

Ihab Eddine Belkhadria