Restore from CF Card - Power Panel 400

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1

Hello,

My customer has a PowerPanel 4PP420.1043-B5.

The program was made (in the past) for another company. I need to modify it.

My customer has sent me a backup made using AS 3.0.9.0.

I am using AS 4.9.

I made a comparison between offline and online and I have observed that there are to programms different (size and date are differents).

So, At least, before make changes, I want to make a backup (an image) from the CompactFlash.

To make safe, If I restore the image to the CF, I need anything els?
After restore CF and power on, the Power Panel starts in Run Mode?

And finally, other question.

Perhaps, my customer could leave me a Virtual Machine with the same version (3.0.9).

What would yo recommend: Use the same version (and not modify RunTime)? or I can update without problems to the 4.9 Runtime version?

Thanks in advance!!!

Edolza

2

Hello,

yep. Probably remanent Variables storing important configuration data could have been used.

You should check this with the AS project and save them via RUC.

After restore CF and power on, the Power Panel starts in Run Mode?

depends on the settings in the project. But anyway you can restart it with AS or RUC

What would yo recommend: Use the same version (and not modify RunTime)

from my side. I would definetely stay with 3.0.90 if there is no need to change.

Even 4.9. is obsolete now, so there is no win.

3

Thanks a lot. Mr. Hilchenbach!!!

You say that “Probably remanent Variables storing important configuration data could have been used.

You should check this with the AS project and save them via RUC.”.
How can I check if, in the project, I am using remanent variables?
How Can I include in the card image, using RUC?

In the PowerPanel I have different images and I suspect there are a “recipe”.
When I make the image backup from the card, all these files (images, recipes, etc) are suitable saved?

Thanks in advance!!!

Eduardo

4

Hello,

no thanks for that, glad we can help.

How can I check if, in the project, I am using remanent variables?

Currently I’ve no better answer than ‘dig into the AS project and find them,

They could be in ‘Cpu.per’ in Configuration View and in all *.var files.

Maybe this old post could also help:

Storing remanent memory values in a file - Ask Questions / Controls & Vision - B&R Community

How Can I include in the card image, using RUC?

you can not include it into the card image but you can use ‘ReadVariable’ before switching of the PLC for imaging:
Runtime Utility Center (Pvi Transfer) Variable functions

When I make the image backup from the card, all these files (images, recipes, etc) are suitable saved?

there was no standard way for saving ‘recipes’ in the old days.

If we have luck they are saved as ‘data modules that ‘normally’ are saved back as modules on CF.

Some programmers used remanent variable arrays though which was not the best way since they are in battery buffered RAM only, not on CF

Images very probably are part of Visual components which modules are on CF, too.

The truth is: we are not very sure that everything is backuped in a proper way.

It is still a somewhat risky operation without knowing the project and the machine.

But let’s wait for some newer ideas by our community members.

Best regards,

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5

Downloads | B&R Industrial Automation

If you have access to the running program, You can try the Service Utility that was developed by @austin.carpenter from B&R NA. It has a functionality to read and log the name, type and value of all variables on the PLC.

Also if you have SDM and can see the software list, or pull it with the service utility you can see if the software datetimestamps match your expectations regarding which is newer.

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6

Hi @Eduardo_Olmos have you found usable solution for you, can you update us?