How to use CarSoft cable with INPA and DIS

[shenecke]

• Start INPA with the shortcut INPA(_.IPO)

• Try and perform a test. ( My car is an E36 328i)

Installed software per instructions using Carsoft cables and when I start INPA I get the screen above but without the selections F2 - F8 and shift +F2 - shift +f8. I only get the options F1, shift + F1, F10 & shift + F10.

Any ideas?

[randomy]

You are using new version of INPA. I've seen this as well. Need to go back to an older version.

[David Mc]

The title bar shows INPA v3.01, but the software has not been loaded properly. I have seen this error occur when INPA loads without any data files or the program has been manually overwritten and does not recognise its internal links. Most common cause of the error is attempting to load the software directly from the desktop rather than burning it to a CD and loading from that, as some files do not self-extract properly when copied from the desktop.

[shenecke]

Ok, I downloaded new files from Rapidshare, INPA/Ediabas, burned a disk and installed per directions. I now get menus but when I tried to run the program nothing woks except the cd player selection on e39 diagnostics menu. When I run that I get information and the two upper left circles on the screen blink as If communication is going on and the botton left key reads running. No other functions seem to work. I never get any comm lights on my carsoft interface. I just get errors. One error is IFH-0003: Datatransmission to interface disturbed, lower left says busy. Program will be stopped! Any ideas?

[David Mc]

If you are using a Carsoft interface, you need to start Carsoft and run a single diagnosis on your DME to establish communication with the interface first. As soon as this has been done, you need to run INPA and quit Carsoft. Seriously, a dedicated INPA interface (which also works with DIS) is so ridiculously cheap these days that I cannot understand why anyone would contemplate using a Carsoft interface with INPA for any reason other than to preview the software.

[joako]

Someone said solder some pins with resistor to +12v and carsoft cable will work fine with INPA... anyone tried?

[David Mc]

In theory, it should be possible, the biggest difference appears to be the serial port pin that controls data flow. Carsoft interfaces use a different method of controlling data than INPA interfaces.

[shenecke]

If you are using a Carsoft interface, you need to start Carsoft and run a single diagnosis on your DME to establish communication with the interface first. As soon as this has been done, you need to run INPA and quit Carsoft. Seriously, a dedicated INPA interface (which also works with DIS) is so ridiculously cheap these days that I cannot understand why anyone would contemplate using a Carsoft interface with INPA for any reason other than to preview the software.

Yes, I start Carsoft read a few modules then shut it down and start INPA. Still not communication. I'll try to re-install the software and try again.

I would like to get the carsoft cable to work to see if INPA will do what I need and if so then by an INPA cable. Do you have a source for a cheap cable? All I have found are from China with a two week wait and from a low of $75 and up.

[IcemanBHE]

Several of us have purchased INPA/OBDII cables via china/HK for about 15 bux plus shipping. Cheap. Dont know what your looking at but I wouldnt pay over $30 unless you nees something specific.

What kind of PC are you trying his with? There is some documented problems with using the CarSoft interface on certain PCs when connecting with INPA.

Anybody reading this....there seems to be some sort of assumption that a CarSoft cable is required to do use INPA. Thats not the case at all. CarSoft interface is for CarSoft. We just figured out how to get it to work (Sometimes)

Its still best to use the correct interface for your car and software requirements.

I personally have 3 interfaces and now require a 4th. So its not just something that works for everything type situation.

[shenecke]

Several of us have purchased INPA/OBDII cables via china/HK for about 15 bux plus shipping. Cheap. Dont know what your looking at but I wouldnt pay over $30 unless you nees something specific.

What kind of PC are you trying his with? There is some documented problems with using the CarSoft interface on certain PCs when connecting with INPA.

Anybody reading this....there seems to be some sort of assumption that a CarSoft cable is required to do use INPA. Thats not the case at all. CarSoft interface is for CarSoft. We just figured out how to get it to work (Sometimes)

Its still best to use the correct interface for your car and software requirements.

I personally have 3 interfaces and now require a 4th. So its not just something that works for everything type situation.

I've got a dell Inspiron laptop with a serial port to a 2000 540 & Carsoft USA cables. What type of cable are you using for INPA?

[IcemanBHE]

Yes....seems the Dells have the hardest time with Carsoft interface for some reason.

Im using the China ebay INPA/OBDII cable. Mine came with a 20pin adapter. I paid like $8 + shipping.

[joako]

In theory, it should be possible, the biggest difference appears to be the serial port pin that controls data flow. Carsoft interfaces use a different method of controlling data than INPA interfaces.

But how does carsoft init the interface? I would like to avoid doing an LCM reading (the fastest process in CarSoft) each time I plug the interface into the car.

[savage4life]

Hey fellas wondering if you can help me troubleshoot a problem i am having with carsoft cables and Easy DIS. Here is a little background. I am able to communicate with both carsoft software and INPA and run diagnostics. No problems there. When i try to run Easy DIS and perform the API Test i get a Net-0009 timeout. I followed the excellent guide provided by Randomy but i must be missing something. Just to confirm i did modify the ediabas.ini file as instructed, i made sure to start ifhsrv32 before launching the VM, I followed the instructions to subnet the VMnet1 adapter to 192.168.68.0. I made sure I only had 1 network adapter assigned to VMNet1 on the GT1 VM. Verified the FIFO buffers are both set to 8. Windows Firewall software is disabled. I have tried reinstalling a couple times and kinda ran out of things to try. I was hoping Randomy or one of the senior members could help me out. The car I am trying to read with Easy DIS is a e36 m3 connected via the 20 pin cable under the hood. A couple things i have not tried that i have seen mentioned in different threads is modding the hosts file, changing settings in the easy-dis configure-matic. Just not sure what to change in there if anything. Also the laptop i am using is a dell latitude 610 with a serial port running Windows XP. As I mentioned before everything works fine with Carsoft and INPA as far as the communication. Thanks again for the help with this one.

[defkom]

Thanks for everyones help on this....got the cable in the mail....IT WORKS!!!

just coded the alarm

[1980e12mpl]

Hey fellas wondering if you can help me troubleshoot a problem i am having with carsoft cables and Easy DIS. Here is a little background. I am able to communicate with both carsoft software and INPA and run diagnostics. No problems there. When i try to run Easy DIS and perform the API Test i get a Net-0009 timeout. I followed the excellent guide provided by Randomy but i must be missing something. Just to confirm i did modify the ediabas.ini file as instructed, i made sure to start ifhsrv32 before launching the VM, I followed the instructions to subnet the VMnet1 adapter to 192.168.68.0. I made sure I only had 1 network adapter assigned to VMNet1 on the GT1 VM. Verified the FIFO buffers are both set to 8. Windows Firewall software is disabled. I have tried reinstalling a couple times and kinda ran out of things to try. I was hoping Randomy or one of the senior members could help me out. The car I am trying to read with Easy DIS is a e36 m3 connected via the 20 pin cable under the hood. A couple things i have not tried that i have seen mentioned in different threads is modding the hosts file, changing settings in the easy-dis configure-matic. Just not sure what to change in there if anything. Also the laptop i am using is a dell latitude 610 with a serial port running Windows XP. As I mentioned before everything works fine with Carsoft and INPA as far as the communication. Thanks again for the help with this one.

meetoo, anyone?

[David Mc]

Joako, I could make a suggestion, but I have a policy of never recommending anything I have not tried personally (as I don't want people blaming me for burned out modules/interfaces/computers or procedures that don't work).

Savage4life & 1980e12mpl, try deleting the default AMD PCNet PC1 adapter (not the loop adapter) in the SCOadmin network, and recreating it as per the procedure in the READ THIS FIRST.pdf.

READ THIS FIRST.pdf

[1980e12mpl]

Savage4life & 1980e12mpl, try deleting the default AMD PCNet PC1 adapter (not the loop adapter) in the SCOadmin network, and recreating it as per the procedure in the READ THIS FIRST.pdf.

Thanks. That worked. I passed the API test.

[darkman]

Thank you randomy for posting such a great guide.

Here's a tip for anyone trying to get the software working under 32-bit Vista: if you run obdsetup and you see errors like Tag Failed, ForceFifoEnable Failed, TXFifo Failed, RxFifo Failed, etc., that means the registry is missing serial-related keys. You can import those keys by following randomy's instructions here:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...80&postcount=5

After I added the missing keys, carsoft and INPA started working.

[1980e12mpl]

Thanks. That worked. I passed the API test.

Good news, finally got DIS running. It is only diagnosing, however, and not coding.
Am I correct that in order to code with DIS, DIS must be able to auto-detect the car?

(i am currently using carsoft cables, but I have ordered the chinese ebay specials I hear so much about).

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE.
EDIT: I have a 2001 325xi touring and a 2004 325ci coupe.
EDIT: SSS PROGMAN up and running now. Coding and diagnosis with the old carsoft cable. Excellent.

[Colonel1981]

Hi guys,

i hope someone can help me! I neet to chance my EDIBAS.INI IP settings at the base, but i stuck with the same problem already announced in post #25.

After pressing Strg Alt F1 at the dis main screen the following appears:

login:

i can enter a login but i can´t enter a password. The keybord does not respnt. Only the "return" key works...

when i type "dis" as login i have the same screen as at post #25 but when i type "su root" the system asks ma again for a password and i cant enter anything... Someone told INIT 6 shold be entered, but i dont know where...

Can someone tell me how to log in step by step please....

Sorry for my english, I´m from Munich...

Thx

Ralf

[Beemer187]

Hi guys,

i hope someone can help me! I neet to chance my EDIBAS.INI IP settings at the base, but i stuck with the same problem already announced in post #25.

After pressing Strg Alt F1 at the dis main screen the following appears:

login:

i can enter a login but i can´t enter a password. The keybord does not respnt. Only the "return" key works...

when i type "dis" as login i have the same screen as at post #25 but when i type "su root" the system asks ma again for a password and i cant enter anything... Someone told INIT 6 shold be entered, but i dont know where...

Can someone tell me how to log in step by step please....

Sorry for my english, I´m from Munich...

Thx

Ralf

Login: root
Password: 12345

(You will not see that you are typing the password, this is normal. Now press Enter, ofcourse the pass could be different).

"init 6" is only for rebooting the DIS system if you are logged in.

[ferrarix99]

can I get this to work if my INPA is running through another virtual machine and not on the actual host?

[MaikelK]

can I get this to work if my INPA is running through another virtual machine and not on the actual host?

+1?

[amazze]

After a long struggle INPA and DIS worked using carsoft cable. Free head shows in DIS. Thanks so much Randomly for your writeup. As joako mentioned it was necessary to remove and add network adaptor in SCO Admin for DIS to work- thank you joako for this tip!

Attached some pictures.

I Really need help, im reading all over the site to make all software working, but i could not make at dis, the api test successfully, and now i just mess around all the ip, internet adapters in dis,and so on... the test of api was always wrong.
I have an china adapter like this,
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-INPA-Ediabas-OBD-ADS-Interface-/200509967468?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item2 eaf534c6c

So i started to install carsoft, and inpa, but, i couldnt connect i assume it was because i configure as ads, because the car its an 525i 90, m50, and obd could work... i haven't tested after that because the car has the motor opened, but i decided to install dis/gt1 and conected it with ediabas, the questions are after the ip for ediabas in ini file its 192.168.68.1, and then assuming the instrucions the vmwarw ip should be 192.168.68.0, but i can not put this ip, its says that the combination between ip and subnetmask 255.255.255.0 its invalid.
So, when in dis, i go to calibrate, and then select option 1 configure ediabas, and then i do an api test, but it fails...
im out of ideas, i tried to configure the protocol translater to fister like some one ear suggested, i tried to enter scoadmin network, but dont know what to do there...
So if some one could give me some direction.... thanks, and im sorry to reply to this post, but it was in the hopping to see a solution because i have tried and read all most every posts related to avoid spam this great tutorial.

[IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Luis%20Vieira/Ambiente%20de%20trabalho/impa.ads.JPG[/IMG]

[ThreeM30s]

If it does, so does the hardware interface, at least to do the functions it is designed to do. Remember older cars require yo to use ADS and a K-Line capable interface, not an ADS>OBD adapter. Maybe the one you have won't be good enough. A member here made one that does it all- get one from him instead of a dodgey chinese copycat.

To check, simply fire up INPA and see if it does. Best to use 6.4.3 FWIK.

Once that reports status and reads the module errors properly, setup your VM networks. Host and DIS must be able to ping each other and resolve each other's hostnames. Set your EDIABAS.ini on the Windows host to ADS and Windows XP. Set the name of the DIS here too.

Then from the DIS (SCO UNIX VM) and check it pings the Windows Host. It needs to talk to IFHSrv.exe. To get this going, run it from the C:\EDIABAS folder and then go back to the DIS>Administration>Calibration and run the APITest. Once that reports a list of options in German (instead of an error), you are ready to exit back to the Diagnostics software and run it.