Maybe this sounds naive but are your connections to the computer and OBDII port secure? The message says "Failed to logon". I have used an older (at least a 5 years old) PC laptop running XP, 1.6 MHz processor, 2 Gb ram, Symantec Enpoint Protection, and Credent Encryption Software and have not had a problem. Maybe I'm just lucky. What does Softronic say?

 

Im not saying a lesser machine cant do the job but the computer i used when i bricked mine was old 1.6 with 2 cache. Anyway, once you've bricked you will know what im talking about. Advice wont mean much then. I since purchased a brand new machine dedicated to the car....very fast processor 3.3 and 4 cache...and the rest of the procedure is also maintained to the T.
Maybe you can offer your "expert advice" if/when the OP bricks his ECU. You could fly to canada to help him out.

 

Definitely better to play it safe especially where you are. Sending your ECU back and forth would cost you a new computer just on Aussie duty taxes. I'm no computer expert but I've not had many problems with XP operating system where the more recent ones seem a lot buggier.

 

Yep its all well and good if you are nice and close to your tuner but even so yanking the ecu is a PITA....and then the ecu gets opened up.
XP and W 7 are much a muchness and you do need to shut off the antivirus software on both anyway. 64 bit is perfectly fine so not sure what Karim is saying there on the 32 bit?. Nothing like a nice fast processor and a fresh machine with plenty of hard drive space though. If and when the fans usually kick in (as they usually do at one point) they really draw hard on the cars battery so the faster the entire flash process can be done the less chance of things going pear shaped. Having been there done with the brick i dont want to ever go there again so to me its really all about risk minimization. These cars are notorious for batteries and how does anyone really know what shape theirs is in. Wise to putting a charger on it first and wait to make sure its got full boot to begin with and leave it connected during the read and/or flash. WIFI would need full strength on the bars but i personally wouldn't chance it. Oops. There i go again with more "noob advice"....i mean what would i know.

 

Thanks - no noob here... :P in addition to many other things I've been a .Net programmer and built many a PC/server over my life, hence the questions, as the error made no sense and in part has implied that the flash application is not stable. WRT my laptop: all my time is spent on number crunching machines, hence my laptops have had no attention and now, maybe are a little outdated But that said, I went through a format and then a clean install of windows 7, fully updated .Net and only program installed there after was softronics flash software.

Disabling UAC is something I will try... didn't occur to me though.

 

LOL... thanks guys...
Well one step at a time. First being to download the info from the ECU. No chance of "bricking" there. Once I get that done I'll be sure to put a charger on it and have everything powered in.

 

Well this noob here only flashed his car with about 10 versions of the Softronic software and helped about 5 friends flash their cars as well, so why should you listen to me?

According to some of the advice you've been given, you can ignore everything we said, or, alternatively, you can follow the advice we gave as it was passed on to us by Scott Slauson, the owner and brains behind Softronic:

--- Quote from email sent to me by Scott Slauson ---

Hello,

... use the 32 bit Op system Win 7.0 with 3 gigs of ram. We just did one yesterday in that fashion and it was OK.


Best,
Scott

--- End Quote ---

 

Thanks k_ddsl!
Well I disabled the UAC and no cigar (fresh win 7 install, 32 bit, 1GB ram)... same error.

Could you PM me he's (scott's) contact details? I've been in contact with Vivid and they seem to be coming up empty handed.

Only option left is grab a more powerful laptop from the office, running 4GB... but it's a 64bit... so let's flip a coin on that one!
...else it's a few days wait and will hit up a buddy over the weekend... man - I tell you, the frustration is setting in.

 

You've got mail bro.

Keep at it. When it's finally in there, you'll realize it's worth the headache

 

I'm not following this noob thing but just curious, why do you think you need a more powerful computer? The file is only 1 Mb or so.

 

Dave,

As explained to me by Scott Slauson, communicating with the DME via ODBII is not super easy. It can be a bit finicky sometimes.

It's not about the power of the PC per se as much as what particular configuration works best.
For example, Scott recommends 3GB RAM, not 2, not 4. That's what worked best.
Obviously 4 GB RAM is greater than 3, but 3 is the ideal recommended by Scott, so it's not about more power.

This does not mean any other configuration will not work. It means that this is the ideal config recommended by Scott.

Scott tried with many different configurations and this is the config he says will lead to the least amount of hassle in most situations:
1- 32-bit windows operating system (and to whoever suggested 64 bit doesn't matter so long as the drivers are present, according to Scott, the Softronic client software is not native 64-bit, thus it does seem to matter)
2- 3 GB RAM
3- No firewall
4- No antivirus
5- Wifi or hard wired internet acces..
6- Computer plugged in
7- car plugged in to battery charger

Other configs work, just not as reliably.
I flashed my car using a Mac booted into windows using bootcamp.
Did it work? Yes.
Is it bulletproof? No.

Hope it clarifies a bit.

 

Just to add to Karims advice above, as you would be aware the Protomotive uses the softronic flash client and cable as does FVD etc. What Karim has advised re the 3 cache being the most desirable environment is not information that is generally offered at time of sale by anyone, along with a few key things, nor is any emphasis placed upon the numerous vulnerabilities when flashing the ecu. Re computers, thats not to say OS variations wont work (such as slow processors and old spec'd machines) but there is always a (likely) chance that things wont go to plan. I've been there done that and definately don't want to go anywhere near that drama again. Even with my new highly spec'd dedicated Laptop must admit i have developed a deep level of respect to what i found out the hard way are necessary disciplines. There are things i have learned that aren't in anyones instructions. Let me tell you TT i still sigh a deep breath of relief after the car starts. So when i hear smart asses inferring sound advice is "noob" then all i can say to the know it alls is go learn through the school of hard knocks and when you are crying in your soup of "logic" and self proclaimed expertise i will simply point toward the tissue box. Logic and computer expertise simply wont amount to a row of beans when your ecu is bricked.

 

It doesn't matter if the program is 64 bit native as long as there are 64 bit drivers. I don't know any of you personally but some advices are too general and almost every time there's a minor issue that's never covered.
I don't see the issue with the RAM, and as someone said, it's a small file and therefore it can't occupy 2GB of RAM.
I believe it to be some other problem and only the OP might know what programs might interfere with the Softronic software.
k_ddsl, what works is the easiest way of doing something, so what Scott recommended is what worked for him, therefore he can guarantee it will work for others.
speed21, if you're referring to my previous "n00b" comments, you're bound to make a mistake in judging a person. Softronic should provide a program that works, it's their fault for making something that doesn't work unless specific computers are used. I wasn't calling anyone a "n00b" (it was more of an expression as to avoid advices like clean up your temp file ), I was just trying to point out that general advices might never work and that there might be a specific issue with the OS/PC configuration that's stopping the program from working.
If it can't read the file then there's something to think about (and reading doesn't require 3GB of RAM, nor a quad-core CPU). Maybe there's some security software interfering with the program or there might be some Windows 7 configuration that's stopping the program from accessing a driver, as to connect to the ECU. Diagnose the problem first, then try to come up with a reasonable array of solutions. That's what I do for myself and I've never bricked anything in my life.
I've found this like here that might help you out. According to the link the DFI cars can't have the ECU flashed unless the PC has 3GB of RAM or more. Why? Doesn't say, but you should use another PC just to avoid the problem (the program might not want to proceed unless 3GB of RAM are installed, so this might be the issue).

 

No harm, no foul, no sweat, F-t-B.

Like I stated above, I have flashed with the Softronic client many times.
The process is fickle. The Softronic client software does not like 64 bit operating systems. Although it may run under a 64 bit system, it is not as reliable as when running under a 32 bit system.

The configuration I gave the OP is the ideal config recommended by Softronic.

This does not mean other configurations will not work.

Besides, his problem could be a faulty cable as others have stated or something else altogether.

At least, we're all trying to be helpful here. Gotta love 6speed.

 

Hello,

You may find it better to contact the source such as Softronic....

You can never "Brick the DME" by reading it out as the OP is doing. The reading never alters any info and is no different than checking for faults. While it used to be possible to damage it when writing years ago that is about impossible now as our software will correct an issue when run again. I can guarantee that the Dealers brick far more DME's as they have no re-write capabilities after a failure. When a write fails with a PIWIS the DME is done in which the fans go to high. Softronic retrieves and fixes many of these for them.

I will respond to your email as per the fault in which looks to be a firmware issue for the cable.

The DFI cars require 3 gigs or more for flashing however the Ops car is not a DFI, Having this config cant hurt though. Porsche's PIWIS testers for flashing use only a specific PC based system and no MAC's along with specific builds to control the process. While there are many different laptops on the market we have to specify what will work as some may only have .5 gig mem etc.

Best Regards,
Scott