Confirmation that EDIABAS DOES work with USB - Serial Interface

[flipstar]

Hi all

I don't really post here but I think this is useful information for everyone.

I tried for quite some time to get some sort of diagnostic software to work with my E66 BMW, but it is very confusing and there are so many different programs with complex install procedures.

I chose EDIABAS because it is easier than DIS/GT1. I installed it (correctly, eventually) only to find out on the forums that it wouldn't work with a USB-to-Serial cable. I would like to point out that it does in fact work with such a cable, and thus anyone can use EDIABAS on any computer.

I have an Alienware laptop (which clearly does not have a serial port). I am using EDIABAS 6.5.xxx under a windowsXP Virtual machine. I am using an EBAY Ediabas cable, and EBAY USB-serial converter. Everything was plug and play for me. I cleared all the fault memory on my '02 E66 last night in about 2 minutes. So for all you nay-sayers, take that!

Note for those who wish to try this: Make sure your USB cable is set to COM1 with Baud speeds of 8/8.

Cheers!

[Machschne11]

Wow you really told them.

Doesn't help too much since there are a number of different mfg.s from China all selling cables that may or may not be well made. Maybe you just found a cable that was mfg. better. So.... which one is it?
Same with a USB cable. So....

And how does a windowsXP Virtual machine differ from VMware? Ever think that might be the difference and your "nay sayers" are actually telling the truth?

Eh?

[flipstar]

Yeah! bad nay sayers!

What I am saying is true in general, regardless of either of the things you mentioned. Furthermore, I highly doubt my cables were of superior Chinese quality.. $9.99 for EDIABAS, 4.99$ for USB.

Also, to be clear, "windowsXP virtual machine" = "VMware with windows xp 32bit".

SO again I say that anyone can (and should!) run EDIABAS on their USB-ported laptop. EDIT: If you need help setting it up just post here and I'll do my best.

[ehssan78]

actually I was so happy cuz my $3 USB to serial adapter worked perfectly with the cable that I bought from ebay for $30 , every works great , I bought the adapter from a local shop and I wanted the cheapest because i knew it will work fine with the procede on my E92 335I ,, but great it works on both interfaces now

I have windows 7 ultimate 32bit , I didn't change any settings at all , I only change the com port to 1 ... that's it ...

[jht3]

of course a usb->serial adapter works....many people are using them with OBD2 cables.

where usb->serial adapters are reported to NOT work are when using it with an ADS cable

[Machschne11]

Thanks flipstar, it's good to see things simplified, but...

Also, to be clear, "windowsXP virtual machine" = "VMware with windows xp 32bit".

Hmmm... Microsoft uses the term "windowsXP virtual machine" to mean a windowsXP environment running on Windows 7. (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir...t-started.aspx)

But you're running VMware on a native Windows XP (32bit) OS.

Got it.

I'm guessing that VMware is a shell which allows a Linux operating system to be loaded within a Windows XP PC, and that all this DIS software was written for Linux?

[flipstar]

Thanks flipstar,

Argh, just call me captain unclear!

What I meant to say is that I am running VMware player on Windows 7 64 bit. In VMware, I am running windows XP 32 bit. No Linux, no virtual machines. Very simple setup!

[heyho]

In my very recent experience, the cheapest ebay USB -> serial converter (Prolific PL2303)would not work, and misreported battery and ignition status.

A UK sourced FTDI converter however, worked a treat.

And DIS is a Unix program, which is related to Linux, but not the same.

[randomdude]

I soldered a switched wire from the ODB battery read wire (can't remember which one) to pin-15 on the 20-pin side. It works fine now, I just set the switch to if I am using 20-pin or ODB. You have to expect to do something like that for a $3 Chinese cable.

BTW, I don't recall reading anywhere that USB-serial adapters didn't work.

[Machschne11]

And DIS is a Unix program, which is related to Linux, but not the same.

But isn't Linix a Unix OS "clone"? If DIS runs on Unix, then it ought to also run on Linix, which what I thought VMware provided - a Linix shell on a Windows platform from which to run programs written for the Unix/Linix OS like DIS's GT1.


(Just slowly workin' thru it.)

[TerraPhantm]

I soldered a switched wire from the ODB battery read wire (can't remember which one) to pin-15 on the 20-pin side. It works fine now, I just set the switch to if I am using 20-pin or ODB. You have to expect to do something like that for a $3 Chinese cable.

BTW, I don't recall reading anywhere that USB-serial adapters didn't work.

I've read in a couple places that there are problems w/ USB-serial adapters. While I've never had an issue, I also have always worked on newer cars. I've heard ADS interfaces have issues with USB, and really the only people who'd be using those are the E36 and earlier guys.

[randomdude]

But isn't Linix a Unix OS "clone"? If DIS runs on Unix, then it ought to also run on Linix, which what I thought VMware provided - a Linix shell on a Windows platform from which to run programs written for the Unix/Linix OS like DIS's GT1.


(Just slowly workin' thru it.)

Let me know if you get anywhere with that...I am interested.

[dracon]

But isn't Linix a Unix OS "clone"? If DIS runs on Unix, then it ought to also run on Linix, which what I thought VMware provided - a Linix shell on a Windows platform from which to run programs written for the Unix/Linix OS like DIS's GT1.


(Just slowly workin' thru it.)

That's actually incorrect Linux is not a "clone" it's a completely different operating system (hence GNU meaning "GNU's Not Unix"). They use similar userlands now (shells, utilities, and the like) but the kernels and libraries are vastly different and that's what matters in this case.

Linux is an offshoot of Unix (and there are many, many Unix variants which are very incompatible with each other, i.e. binaries compiled on Sun Solaris won't run on IBM AIX or HP's HP/UX.). Just because it runs on Unix doesn't mean it'll run on Linux.

DIS was developed on SCO UnixWare, which is a System V (AT&T/Bell Labs) variant of the Unix operating system. Without access to the source code, you'd have one hell of a time trying to get DIS to run on Linux, unless you can find a Linux distribution which offers System V compatibility libraries and even then it would be very very iffy.

[Machschne11]

...(hence GNU meaning "GNU's Not Unix").

Where you people come up with stuff like this is just beyond me.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux[/ame]

The GNU Project, started in 1983 by Richard Stallman, had the goal of creating a "complete Unix-compatible software system"

By Unix-compatible, this means the code (whether GNU or Linix) would run programs written for Unix. If it look like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck...?? Fits the definition of clone by any standard. If I had meant to say copy, I would have said copy. Of course it isn't a copy, the guts are different, and of course the same OS application program interface must be coded differently for different hardware platforms. But you how you get "unix-compatible" to mean "Not Unix" ......?

They use similar userlands now ...

Userland? Like Graceland? Or do you mean user space? Userland (or more correctly user space) has nothing to do with shells utilities and the like, but is a designation of memory usage. Utilities typed at a command prompt may comprise part of the User Interface.... but such was similar at the start of Linix. There are quite a divergence of user interfaces now that will run programs compiled for a Unix based system.

Just because it runs on Unix doesn't mean it'll run on Linux.

It's supposed to, and that's the purpose of a clone.

But if you want to give a more detailed description of what is meant here by VMware, by all means, be my guest. I think people might find that helpful.

[Gene Poole]

Wow! Just wow! I don't know where to start. I'm not sure you could cram any more misunderstandings in that many words.

[dracon]

Since you want to quote wikipedia.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux[/ame]

Linux (commonly pronounced /ˈlɪnəks/ LIN-əks in American English,[4][5] also pronounced /ˈlɪnʊks/ LIN-ooks[6] in Europe) refers to the family of Unix-like computer operating systems using the Linux kernel.

Unix-like doesn't mean unix clone. I could say a Kia is BMW-like, but it doesn't make it a BMW.

By Unix-compatible, this means the code (whether GNU or Linix) would run programs written for Unix. If it look like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck...?? Fits the definition of clone by any standard. If I had meant to say copy, I would have said copy. Of course it isn't a copy, the guts are different, and of course the same OS application program interface must be coded differently for different hardware platforms. But you how you get "unix-compatible" to mean "Not Unix" ......?

My company produces software that is run on Linux, doesn't mean I can take the binaries drop them on a Unix system (say Solaris in this case) and it'll just run without recompiling the source code. Unless Solaris has some kind of libraries that translate the linux system calls into equivalent SysV calls to the Solaris kernel.

Userland? Like Graceland? Or do you mean user space? Userland (or more correctly user space) has nothing to do with shells utilities and the like, but is a designation of memory usage. Utilities typed at a command prompt may comprise part of the User Interface.... but such was similar at the start of Linix. There are quite a divergence of user interfaces now that will run programs compiled for a Unix based system.

Again, since you seem to like to quote Wikipedia.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_space"]User_space[/ame]

Similarly, the term userland refers to all application software that runs in user space.[1] Userland usually refers to the various programs and libraries that the operating system uses to interact with the kernel: software that performs input/output, manipulates file system objects, etc.

Hence my statement about similar userlands, Linux and Unix share common userlands, (i.e. ps, grep, awk, sed, cat, more/less, and the like). But they are not drag and droppable between Linux/Unix, the source code must be compiled for a target architecture.

So all of this goes back to my original point that, without access to the DIS source code from BMW, there's little chance you'll ever get it running on a Linux based system. If you had access to the source code, you could (in theory) port it over to a linux system. It would probably require quite a bit of work but it could be done with enough time and effort.

Not all Unix systems are created equal and software which runs on one distribution of unix will not run on another distribution of unix, i.e. software compiled for Solaris will not run on AIX, or Tru64, or HP/UX and the like.

And by the way, my statement about "GNU's Not Unix".

http://www.gnu.org/

The name “GNU” is a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not Unix!”; it is pronounced g-noo, as one syllable with no vowel sound between the g and the n.

[Machschne11]

Wow! Just wow! I don't know where to start. I'm not sure you could cram any more misunderstandings in that many words.

WOW I guess you told me! Too bad you couldn't have the respect to actually cram any understandings in any words.

Unix-like doesn't mean unix clone. I could say a Kia is BMW-like, but it doesn't make it a BMW.

Never said something unix-like was Unix. If you can say a Kia is BMW-like then one can most certainly say the this Kia (your example) is a BMW clone. I find your definition of the word clone too narrow and constricting. A statement asserting that the BMW X-6 is an Aztec clone is a perfectly fine comparison.

So all of this goes back to my original point that, without access to the DIS source code from BMW, there's little chance you'll ever get it running on a Linux based system....software which runs on one distribution of unix will not run on another distribution of unix

Since it would be hard to believe you're saying that GT1 will not run at all on an IBM pc clone, then VMware is emulation for the specific unix-whatever that BMW uses to run their software?

This goes back to my final point,

But if you want to give a more detailed description of what is meant here by VMware, by all means, be my guest. I think people might find that helpful.

Schnell

(PS: I can most certainly understand why the GNU people want to distance themselves from their cloned roots, not wanting to feel like second fiddle to the real thing ;^)

[IcemanBHE]