If you cannot find the driver, consider these workarounds:
Replace the adapter:
Slipstream the driver into a custom Windows XP installation CD (advanced):
Use a USB 2.0 PCIe card on a desktop – Microsoft’s generic XP drivers for NEC/Renesas USB controllers work flawlessly.
First, let’s demystify the name. "PC Adapter USB A2" is not a universal standard; it is a generic label often printed on low-cost USB dongles manufactured in the mid-2000s. The "A2" typically refers to a chipset revision or a product batch number.
The most common devices bearing this label fall into three categories:
Crucially, Windows XP does NOT include native drivers for these adapters. Unlike Windows 10 or 11, which often auto-detect and install generic USB drivers, Windows XP relies on third-party drivers provided by the chipset manufacturer.
The primary chipset vendors responsible for “A2” variants include:
Thus, searching for “pc adapter usb a2 driver windows xp” typically leads you to drivers for one of these chipsets.
Introduction
The “PC Adapter USB A2” is a generic name often used for inexpensive USB-to-serial, USB network, or device-specific adapters sold for connecting phones, GPS units, or embedded devices to a PC. On Windows XP (an older OS still used in some legacy setups), installing and troubleshooting drivers for these adapters can be tricky. This post explains what the adapter likely is, how to identify it, how to install drivers, and how to fix common problems.
What the adapter probably is
How to identify your device
Common chipsets and where to get drivers
Step-by-step driver install for Windows XP
Troubleshooting tips
Security & compatibility notes
When to replace the adapter
Short troubleshooting checklist
Conclusion Installing a PC Adapter USB A2 device on Windows XP usually comes down to identifying the adapter’s chipset (VID/PID), getting the correct driver from the chipset vendor, and installing it manually via Device Manager. For stubborn cases, try alternate driver versions, check for counterfeit-chip issues (especially Prolific), use USB 2.0 ports, and consider replacing the adapter if support is unavailable.
Suggested further actions (one-line)
Related search suggestions:
. If you’ve lost your CD, you can often find the download on the Siemens Support Portal or hosted on community sites like PLC ONE. 2. Installation Steps (The "Clean" Method)
To avoid the common "installation stopped" error, follow this sequence:
Run as Administrator: Right-click the Setup.exe from the driver folder and select Run as... then choose the Administrator account.
Install Prerequisites: The setup will install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable first. If you aren't in an Admin session, it may hang here.
Restart First: Once the "Simatic Device Drivers" are installed, restart your PC before plugging in the adapter.
Hardware Wizard: Plug in the USB cable. When the "Found New Hardware Wizard" pops up, select "No, not this time" for Windows Update, then "Install the software automatically". 3. Configuration & Troubleshooting
Set PG/PC Interface: Open your communication settings and ensure "PC Adapter USB A2" is selected.
Virtual Machines: If you're running XP in a VM (like VMware or VirtualBox), make sure your USB controller is set to USB 2.0 compatibility; users have reported that USB 1.1 settings often cause internal errors.
Verify in Device Manager: You should see "Simatic PC Adapter USB A2" listed under Simatic Net without any yellow exclamation marks. pc adapter usb a2 driver windows xp
Are you having trouble with a specific error code, or are you just trying to get the initial connection set up? I can help you look up the specific "PG/PC Interface" settings for MPI or Profibus if you need them. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
PC Adapter USB A2 6GK 1571-0BA00-0AA0 Drivers problem - XP SP3
The red light on the factory machine’s control panel blinked incessantly, a digital scream for help that no one in the modern IT department could understand.
The year was 2024, but inside the maintenance office of the old textile plant, time had stopped somewhere around 2003. Arthur, the plant’s only remaining senior automation engineer, rubbed his temples. He was staring at a beige, brick-like laptop—a Panasonic Toughbook CF-29.
"Artie," the plant manager, Dave, said, leaning against the doorframe with a coffee cup. "Line 4 is down. The servo drive is faulted out. We need that machine running by second shift, or we miss the shipment."
Arthur nodded slowly. "I know, Dave. The logic is corrupted. I need to plug into the PLC to reload the backup. But I can’t get the laptop to talk to the processor."
"Why not?"
"Drivers," Arthur grunted, the word tasting like ash.
Arthur opened his worn toolbox and pulled out the artifact: a Siemens PC Adapter USB A2. It was a small, purple and green dongle, a vital bridge between the ancient RS-485 serial world of the PLC and the USB port of a computer.
The problem was simple and devastating. The Toughbook had been wiped and re-imaged last week by a young intern from the head office. The kid meant well, but he had installed a stripped-down version of Windows XP Professional. He had installed the base OS, but he hadn’t installed the specific, finicky driver required for the PC Adapter USB A2.
Arthur plugged the adapter into the USB port. Windows XP chimed its cheerful, four-note "device connected" jingle.
Then, the nightmare began.
A speech bubble popped up from the system tray: Found New Hardware: PC Adapter USB A2.
Arthur watched the "Found New Hardware Wizard" splash screen appear. He clicked the radio button for Install from a list or specific location (Advanced). He pointed the wizard to the C:\Siemens\Drivers folder, praying the intern had at least copied the installation files.
The wizard whirred. The hard drive clicked.
And then, the dreaded message: "The hardware was not installed because the wizard cannot find the necessary software."
Arthur cursed under his breath. The A2 adapter was notorious for this. It wasn't a standard serial-to-USB converter; it used a proprietary Siemens protocol. Without the exact Simatic Net drivers or the specific A2 driver package, it was nothing but a plastic paperweight.
He tried Windows Update. A futile gesture on an XP machine in 2024, but he tried it anyway. The browser spun and died. The Microsoft support pages for XP were long gone, digital ghosts in the machine.
"Artie?" Dave’s voice came from the door again. "We got corporate on the line. They're asking why we can't just remote in."
"Because this machine was built when people still used pagers, Dave!" Arthur snapped, then softened. "Look, I need ten minutes. I have to dig up the legacy files."
Arthur opened the file cabinet labeled LEGACY SOFTWARE - DO NOT THROW AWAY. He riffled through stacks of 3.5-inch floppies and CD-ROMs labeled Simatic Step 7 v5.4. He found a scratched CD sleeve with Siemens Simatic Net 2008 written on it in Sharpie.
He slid the CD into the drive. It whirred loudly, struggling to read the surface.
Arthur navigated to the Device Manager. He saw the yellow question mark next to Other devices > PC Adapter USB A2. He right-clicked and selected Update Driver.
He selected Don't search. I will choose the driver to install.
He clicked Have Disk.
He browsed to the CD drive, navigating through the labyrinthine folder structure: CD_Drive > Software > Simatic_Net > Drivers > USB.
He saw a list of .inf files. He selected Simatic_USB.inf.
A list of devices populated the window. He scrolled down past the "PC Adapter USB" and found the specific entry: "PC Adapter USB A2".
He highlighted it and clicked Next.
A warning box appeared: "The software you are installing for this hardware has not passed Windows Logo testing..."
This was the classic XP hurdle. In the modern world, signed drivers were mandatory. In the world of industrial automation on Windows XP, "signed" was a luxury they rarely had.
Arthur didn't hesitate. He clicked "Continue Anyway."
The progress bar appeared. Files copied from the CD to the deep, dark corners of the C:\Windows\System32\drivers folder. Arthur watched the bar creep forward, his heart rate synchronizing with the progress bar. If this failed, he would have to drive two hours to his home office to find his backup hard drive.
Copying file: siusbx64.sys... (No, wrong architecture, the wizard skipped it). Copying file: siusbx86.sys... (There it was. The 32-bit driver).
The wizard screen changed. "Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard."
Arthur let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He clicked Finish.
He looked at the Device Manager. The yellow question mark was gone. In its place, under the "Simatic" category, sat the PC Adapter USB A2, solid and recognized.
"Dave," Arthur called out. "I'm in."
He opened the Step 7 programming software. The interface was grey, blocky, and utilitarian. He set the PG/PC Interface to the PC Adapter. He plugged the purple end of the cable into the PLC’s MPI port.
He clicked Connect.
The status bar at the bottom of the screen flickered: Establishing connection to PLC...
Then: Online.
Arthur navigated to the Block folder. He saw the corrupted logic block. He selected his backup file and clicked Download.
Outside the office window, the massive hum of Line 4 starting up vibrated through the floor. The red warning light on the machine turned green.
Dave poked his head back in, looking relieved. "We're moving again. Nice work, Artie. What was it?"
Arthur unplugged the adapter and gently placed it back in its protective case. He looked at the old Windows XP desktop, the Bliss hill wallpaper faded and worn.
"Just a conversation lost in translation, Dave," Arthur said, patting the laptop. "The hardware was screaming, but the software didn't know the language. I just taught them how to talk again."
He closed the laptop lid. The crisis was over, but he knew the adapter and the XP driver would have to do this all again tomorrow. That was the life of a bridge builder between the old world and the new.
Siemens SIMATIC PC Adapter USB A2 6GK1571-0BA00-0AA0 compatible with Windows XP SP2 and higher
. To ensure successful communication with SIMATIC S7 systems via MPI or PROFIBUS, follow these installation requirements and steps: Siemens SiePortal 1. Official Driver Download The primary driver for this hardware is the PC Adapter USB A2 Driverdisk V1.0 Siemens SiePortal Official Source: You can download it directly from the Siemens Industry Online Support (SIOS) portal Prerequisite:
It is highly recommended to install a Siemens engineering tool like TIA Portal S7-Micro/WIN
the driver, as these packages often include the necessary foundational communication libraries. Siemens SiePortal 2. Installation Steps for Windows XP Close all programs and ensure you are logged in as an Administrator from the driver package (right-click and select Run as... Administrator if necessary). The installer will typically install Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable first; do not cancel this step. Restart the PC
once the installation of "Simatic Device Drivers" is complete. Plug in the USB A2 adapter. The Found New Hardware Wizard should appear automatically. Select "Install the software automatically" Siemens SiePortal 3. Configuration and Verification Device Manager: Check under SIMATIC NET
; you should see "Simatic PC Adapter USB A2" listed without any error icons. Set PG/PC Interface: Open this utility in the Control Panel and select PC Adapter USB A2 as the interface. Virtual Machine Tip:
If running Windows XP in a virtual machine (like VMware or VirtualBox), ensure the USB 2.0 controller
is enabled in the VM settings to avoid "Internal Error" messages. Siemens SiePortal 4. Key Specifications Protocols: Supports MPI and PROFIBUS baud rates. USB 2.0 (compatible with 1.1 and 3.0). Powered directly via the USB cable from the PC. Are you experiencing a specific error code
in the Device Manager, or is the adapter not appearing in the PG/PC Interface PC Adapter USB A2 Drivers - Siemens SiePortal
Siemens PC Adapter USB A2 (Order Number 6GK 1571-0BA00-0AA0 ) is a professional industrial communication tool used to connect PCs or notebooks to SIMATIC S7 automation systems via If you cannot find the driver, consider these workarounds:
interfaces. This adapter is the direct successor to the original "PC Adapter USB". Driver Compatibility for Windows XP Operating System Support : The USB A2 adapter is officially compatible with Windows XP SP2 and higher (including SP3). Software Integration
: Drivers are typically bundled with Siemens engineering software like STEP 7 (V5.5 and higher) TIA Portal
. If you have these installed, the driver may already be on your system. Stand-alone Driver
: If using older software (Step 7 V5.4 or lower), you must install the standalone driver package, often referred to as the PC Adapter USB A2 Driverdisk V1.0 Siemens SiePortal Installation Steps for Windows XP
To ensure a successful installation on Windows XP, follow this standard procedure: Administrator Rights
: Log in as an Administrator; the installation of required components like the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable will fail without these rights.
from the driver disk or download folder before plugging in the adapter. Hardware Connection : Only plug the USB A2 adapter into the PC the driver installation and a system restart. Hardware Wizard
: When the "Found New Hardware Wizard" appears, select "Install the software automatically". Verification Device Manager . The adapter should appear under SIMATIC NET as "Simatic PC Adapter USB A2". Siemens SiePortal Common Issues & Troubleshooting PC Adapter USB A2 will not Connect - SiePortal
Troubleshooting Siemens PC Adapter USB A2 on Windows XP Getting an older Siemens PC Adapter USB A2 (6GK1571-0BA00-0AA0) to play nice with Windows XP can be a bit of a headache, especially if you’ve misplaced the original driver disk. Whether you’re working on a native XP machine or a virtual machine (VM), here is the breakdown of how to get it running. 1. Where to Get the Drivers
The driver for the A2 model isn't always a standalone download on the Siemens site because it’s usually bundled with their engineering software. Siemens SiePortal Built-in Drivers: If you already have STEP 7 (v5.5 SP4 or later) TIA Portal installed, the drivers are likely already on your system. Official Driver Disk:
If you need the specific standalone installer, you can often find the PC Adapter USB A2 Driverdisk V1.0 on the Siemens SiePortal. Siemens SiePortal 2. Installation Steps for Windows XP
Windows XP requires a specific order of operations to avoid the "Unknown Device" error: Run as Administrator: This is critical. Right-click the from the driver disk and select "Run as..." , then choose the Administrator account. Visual C++ Prerequisite: The installer will typically install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
first. If you aren't running as admin, the install will often hang or fail at this stage. Restart & Plug In: Restart your PC
plugging in the adapter. Once back in Windows, plug it in; the "Found New Hardware Wizard" should appear. Automatic Search:
Select "Yes, this time only" for Windows Update, then "Install the software automatically." It should find the Simatic Device Drivers you just installed. Siemens SiePortal 3. Virtual Machine (VMware/VirtualBox) Tips
If you are running XP in a VM (common for legacy PLC work), check these settings: USB 2.0 Compatibility:
Many users report that the adapter fails if the VM is set to USB 1.1 or 3.0. Ensure your USB Controller settings are set specifically to Host vs. Guest:
Make sure the physical USB device is "disconnected" from the host and "connected" to the guest XP machine via the VM's removable devices menu. Siemens SiePortal 4. Configuring the PG/PC Interface
Once installed, the adapter won't work until you tell your software to use it: "Set PG/PC Interface" in your Control Panel. PC Adapter USB A2 (MPI) (Profibus) If it doesn't appear in the list, use the
button in the "Interfaces" section to manually add it to the active list. Siemens SiePortal
Are you connecting to a specific PLC model like an S7-300 or S7-400? Knowing the hardware helps in choosing the right MPI vs. Profibus PC Adapter USB A2 will not Connect - SiePortal
In an era dominated by Windows 10 and 11, it is easy to forget that millions of industrial machines, legacy gaming rigs, embedded systems, and specialized workstations still run Windows XP. One common peripheral that causes persistent headaches on these older systems is the Bluetooth USB dongle—often labeled on the box or device manager as a "PC Adapter USB A2."
If you have searched for the exact phrase "pc adapter usb a2 driver windows xp" , you have likely just purchased a generic Bluetooth 2.0 or 4.0 USB dongle and discovered that Windows XP does not automatically recognize it. This article will walk you through everything you need: identifying the correct chipset, sourcing safe drivers, performing a manual installation, and troubleshooting the infamous "Code 10" or "Yellow Bang" errors.
The search for the pc adapter usb a2 driver windows xp is a classic example of the challenges of legacy hardware support. In most cases, the solution lies in identifying the chipset (VID_0A12 for CSR) and using either the CSR Harmony stack or the Toshiba Bluetooth Stack. For the stubborn dongles, BlueSoleil remains the last resort.
Do not give up if the first driver fails. Windows XP’s driver model is forgiving but requires precise matching of hardware IDs. By following this guide, you should be able to resurrect your old Bluetooth USB adapter and connect keyboards, mice, headphones, or even transfer files from a modern smartphone to a vintage XP machine.
Final checklist:
Have you successfully installed the driver? Share your exact hardware ID in forums like MSFN or Reddit’s r/windowsxp to help others with the same PC Adapter USB A2 model.
Keywords used naturally: pc adapter usb a2 driver windows xp, CSR Harmony, Windows XP Bluetooth driver, Broadcom Widcomm XP, BlueSoleil XP, USB Bluetooth dongle driver XP.
Write down these codes – they are your golden ticket to the right driver. Replace the adapter :
A small utility from NirSoft that gives exhaustive USB information, even without drivers installed.
Once you have the VID/PID, search Google for “Windows XP driver VID_xxxx PID_yyyy” – this yields specific, safe results.