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Thread: Diagnosing a serial port poblem? ADS interface with INPA/EDIABAS

  1. #1
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    Diagnosing a serial port poblem? ADS interface with INPA/EDIABAS

    Hi Guys,

    I've recently bought an INPA/EDIABAS interface from this ebay seller.

    The software provided is INPA ver 5 and EDIABAS version 6.4.7.

    The instructions provided tell me to set the interface as ADS, I am running the S/W on an old HP laptop with XP and a hardware serial port.

    I am getting the "Create File Error" upon running the software. According to the PDF FAQ I read this means the software cannot access COM1 as it is already in use.

    This is where I am stuck as AFAIK there is nothing else using the serial port. The FAQ describes going into System Information to check if the serial port is busy or not. Well my serial port does not have the entry to say whether it is busy or not, and most of the other info is not available.

    However in Device Manager the port shows to be working ok, is set as COM1 with IRQ 4 and interrupt range 03F8-03FF which I understand from reading elsewhere is all correct.

    So can anyone help me get this S/W working? Am I on the right track thinking the problem is with the serial port, or is it related to the S/W? Would it be a good idea to delete the version provided by the seller and reinstall with the version from the 4shared site?

    Many Thanks for any help you can give.

    Dink

  2. #2
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    FIFO buffer perhaps? They should be set to 8 I believe.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by randomy View Post
    FIFO buffer perhaps? They should be set to 8 I believe.
    Hi, thanks for replying.
    The FIFO buffers are both set to 8.

    I have discovered that if I change the interface to ADS4MOST in ediabas.ini, it will not come up with the same message. The program opens but when I try to connect to a module I get the error SYS-0012: IDENTIFICATION ERROR.

    However my instructions told me to set it to ADS interface. When set to this I get the create file error and the program will not open.

    Any ideas?

  4. #4
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    try setting interface typoe to: OBD

  5. #5
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    That is an OBD interface not ADS.
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  6. #6
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    It is important to know the pedigree of the software you are using as INPA has been hacked, chopped and modded all over the place. Make sure that someone you know has actually successfully run the software you are using as it may even be non-functional. If it came on a CD from China, do yourself a favour and bin it.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Mc View Post
    It is important to know the pedigree of the software you are using as INPA has been hacked, chopped and modded all over the place. Make sure that someone you know has actually successfully run the software you are using as it may even be non-functional. If it came on a CD from China, do yourself a favour and bin it.
    I think this is the root of my problem as the version supplied does not have any OBD drivers in the ediabas/hardware directory. I'm currently in the process of downloading what will hopefully be a full version.


    Quote Originally Posted by IcemanBHE View Post
    That is an OBD interface not ADS.
    Thanks for that, was not sure what interface it was, the instructions provided suggested it is ADS but clearly not.

    Does this mean I will not be able to diagnose older models like E30/E36/E34? What models will this interface work with? The ebay listing stated it covers pretty much everything from E30-E90, if this is not true I may as well return the interface for a refund and get a cheaper VAG-COM USB cable. Wish I'd come across this site before I bought!!

    Update, I've installed a different version now and I'm getting IFH 0003 - data transmission to interface disturbed when I try to connect to most modules. Is this how it should behave with the interface not connected to the car?

    When I try to connect to E36 motronic 1.7 DME I get message IFH 0006 - command not accepted. Is this because the interface is not compatible with that module (ADS required?)

    Thanks for all the help.


    Another update - been out to the only car I have here (1995 E36 compact) and have now successfully read and cleared an error code from the airbag module, which is the only one I can connect to. IFH 0006 when trying to connect to DME. Not happy really as the interface was listed on ebay as working with E30 and E36. May see if I can return it for a refund.
    Last edited by dink; 10-12-2010 at 09:06 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  8. #8
    IcemanBHE's Avatar
    IcemanBHE is offline ¿pǝpɹɐʇǝɹ noʎ ǝɹɐ
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    IIRC you need ADS interface for Pre '95 cars. OBD should work on anything from '95 to like 2004? EXCEPT the Z cars.

    They lied....

    But whats new.

    The Do-it-Auto ADS/OBD switchable is pretty nifty I hear.
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  9. #9
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    Dink, what interface are you using? If it is a switchable unit and you want to use it in ADS mode, you will have to set Interface = ADS in c:\EDIABAS\Bin\ediabas.ini and run the ADS setup in c:\EDIABAS\Hardware. I am also assuming that you have made the necessary path modification in environment variables to allow INPA to run.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by IcemanBHE View Post
    They lied....

    But whats new.
    Haha so true, I've overcome my initial rage now. The interface will be useful so I'll keep it. I mostly have E30's rather than newer stuff so really wanted it to work with them. We can't do the flashing light trick with the brake pedal on euro cars y'see.

    Quote Originally Posted by David Mc View Post
    Dink, what interface are you using? If it is a switchable unit and you want to use it in ADS mode, you will have to set Interface = ADS in c:\EDIABAS\Bin\ediabas.ini and run the ADS setup in c:\EDIABAS\Hardware. I am also assuming that you have made the necessary path modification in environment variables to allow INPA to run.
    I'm using the interface from the ebay link in my OP.
    It's labelled EDIABAS/ODB2 and has no switches.

    ediabas.ini is set to STD:OBD and I have set the environment variable.
    The instructions that came with it said to set it as ADS, but that didn't work. (gave createfile error)

    When set to OBD it seems to work ok but the only car I've been able to test it on is a Jan 1995 build E36, and the only module I could access was the airbag, but if it's an OBD interface am I right in thinking it wouldn't work with the Motronic 1.7 DME in this car?

    I'm inclined to think it's an OBD interface as suggested above. Hopefully I can test it on an E39 or E46 soon to confirm it all works OK.

    Anyone have any pics or links to a real ADS interface so I can compare?

  11. #11
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    If you need one, contact Rv8flyboy via this forum, he makes a switchable ADS/OBD unit, as do do-it auto and Miglenium from bmwecu.org.
    I don't think the Chinese vendors of the interface you bought deliberately lied, they just don't know the difference between their butts and a box of chocolates. The interface you have purchased works well on all OBD2 BMWs, but since it can only read K line signals, it cannot communicate with any of the modules on your car that work through the L line. Strictly speaking, the advertisement should say that this interface provides limited connectivity on pre-2000 cars and will connect to cars from 1990-2006. Interface = STD:OBD is the correct ediabas.ini statement for this device.

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