Diagnostic Laptop Computer Question
 

Hello,

Although I haven't even purchased one of these SUVs yet, I'm preparing a laptop to run INPA (and the other stuff associated with it). I purchased a refurbished Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 with Windows XP on it, though I've come to find the vendor that seems to have the best version of INPA says I will need Windows 7 or 10. As the hard drive on the CF-30 pops out and can be exchanged as easily as a CD, I'm thinking I can just get another hard drive with Windows 7 on it and then load INPA on to it. Does anyone have any idea that this will work? The vendor for the spare hard drive says it will (of course). Everything else hardware related about this laptop suggests it should work fine. I don't want to wipe or partition the hard drive I have as I need XP for some diagnostic software for a Mercedes and an Audi that I have that require it.

Thank you,

Rick

I would say stick with XP. You can get packages with INPA and all the other stuff that will run under XP.

I've worked with laptops with easily swappable hard drives, and it works great. So yes, if you want one HD configured with XP + Mercedes / Audi software, and a second one with Win7 + INPA, yes that will work just fine. Like two different computers.

That was my original plan, but the software package this vendor is selling appears to have some advantages. When I wrote to them inquiring about XP compatibility he replied:

Hello,

Inpa works on XP but Inpa is old and the most important piece of the software in this package is ISTAD which is what the dealers use now in workshops, it's fully English compared to Inpa, has wiring diagrams included, it will automatically detect the car and all corresponding modules and it will help you troubleshoot each fault code found which Inpa cannot do.

regards!



Here is the link to the software package on E-Bay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-USB-OBD...53.m1438.l2649


I think I will go ahead and just order the hard drive and see what happens. I've gambled more money for less benefit in the past.

Windows 10 Surface 3 (2GB) running Oracle Virtual Box Windows XP Virtual Machine runs INPA and DIS fine for me.

Looks like ISTAD is for newer F,G and I series, not usefull for your E series.

I think it may work. RheingoldUSA sells ISTA/D packages and they list it as applicable to even the oldest pre-OBDII models, though they state the customer must obtain their own 20-pin connector.

or just bridge some pins with a couple pieces of wire

That is the same Romanian seller who I bought my cable from. His self-installer worked very well and he provides good documentation to help you use everything. He even provided me with tech assistance about a year after I bought it. Looks like his price has gone up.

Actually, his price for your link is $79, but he has another one listed for $39 that also shows it has ISTA:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-INPA-K-...IAAOSwpONZTTB0

Seems that ista/d only works on newer models like mentioned. But that package linked above (when you go to the version with software as that link like mentioned is just the cable) comes with inpa to handle the old stuff.