Hello,

I have problem with STEP7 v5.6 in VM. I searched for some time. I did sugested reinstall of the Step7, and nothing helped.

When I start the check block consistency, it takes roughly 25sec. to do one block. My colleague has roughly 5sec. per block on the very same software and also very same version of Step7 (V5.6 SP2 HF5)

During check block consistency there is very high usage of CPU by Automation License Manager. I updated that one to 6.0 SP11, but nothing changed. This seems to be case only when SCL editor is opening. It seems to me like main problem is the SCL editor. It just hangs while opening for some time. Maybe the 20s that makes the difference, but not sure. Version of SCL is V5.6 + HF1 Professional 2017 SR2

The only difference is, he is running Step7 on the PC directly, and I am running it in VM.

I am using VMWare Worstation 17.0.2 build-21581411, VM has 2 procesors with 8 cores and 16GB of RAM. All drives as NVMe.

The PC is same for both of us. Dell Latttude 5521 with i7 and 64GB RAM and two NVMe SSDs.

All operating systems, Host, VM and the PC of my coleague are running W10 64bit updated to the latest.

Both PC and VM I see as enough hardware to support Step7. In both cases there were also no other user software running.

For antivirus we have both MS Defender Advanced on the PC, VM has the basic preinstalled MS Defender.

Does anybody here please have any thoughts?

Thanks

Vit Soucek

Hello,

thanks for mentioning this. Version of Windows I have is only thing I fullfill. The antivirus i have is not listed and I have newer version of VMware. I will try to downgrade the VM to lover version of the VM compatibility, but thats the only thing I can do.

I cannot change anything regarding the antivirus software and version of VMware workstation as those are given by our company IT policy. I let you know about the VM compatibility, but I doubt it will change much.

EDIT: I tried to make VMWare Player 14 working, but it does not support latest Windows 10. I tried to turn off the power throtteling for the vmware-vmx.exe which helped a little bit for the cost of much higher CPU load on guest OS. But result is marginal maybe 2-3 sec. per block. For sure wort it. I also managed to disable antivirus in VM with no effect other than windows complaining.

The main issue seems to be the SCL editor that for some reason just freezes on opening a block and ALM service then takes full one core of VM for over ten seconds. I doubt this has soemthing to do with VM or antivirus compatibility. It does it even on manual openning of the block or when the Step7 does it on its own ( check block consistency, generate referencies, got to location...)

Best regards

Vit Soucek

Hi

I think you only need enough resourses such as CPU and ram on the host system and adjust it properly for the guest system in the VM. I have used many VM versions and almost all versions are ok. As it was suggested disabling services such as Antivirus will free some of resourses.

So my opinion, Check the resourses in both host and guest systems.

Hi,

on the VM there is minoir usage of CPU and RAM at most times. 16cores and 32GB ram is plenty for anything Step7. I tried to disable antivirus completely and nothing changed. At the time SCL editor is openning the block, there is full one core usage of CPU by ALM service and SCL aditor hangs. This is 6% of CPU. SCL editor and S7Make combined take less than this even in the peaks when actually compiling. Sadly they get to this job after hanging for some long seconds with the ALM taking one core of CPU for some long seconds.

On the host PC I sadly cannot switch off antivirus. The resource use also seems to be low. Only when I disable powerthrotteling for the VMWare it takes 50% of the CPU for the one CPU. Which just makes computer more hot, but it does not affect any other processes in the host. And it is only during short peaks where VMWare itself is more hungry for CPU. Otherwise CPOU usage in host is not that high. The worst on thos is MS Defender Advanced and all its things, but that if post for different thread in different forum.

So I don't think it is a resource problem. My colleague has no problem running Step7 directly in the same host. It is 2 years old Dell Latitude 5512 notebook with i7 and 64GB of RAM and two 1TB SSDs. That just can't be too little resources.

BR

Vit

Hi

Only one more thing from my side, sometimes increasing guest machine resources will make its performance worse! For instance assigning 1 core will work better than 4 cores. so in my opinion try to find optimum resource settings and if it did not work install a fresh windows on a new machine and STEP7 as well and check it (you may just copied vm machine from another computer).