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[Mick_600]

Hi, I have seen many references on the forum to the Tech2 units available on ebay that use the com port on a laptop. It appears that there are issues with some laptops not working with these units. Has anyone got one of these working on a laptop and if so what type of and model of laptop is it working on.

Perhaps, if there are quite a few, it could be worth creating a list.

Thanks
Mike

[Kevin Wood]

Ideally you want one with a genuine serial port on the back. USB to serial adaptors, docking bays containing serial ports and the like rarely work.

I think the hungarian software needs a decent CPU too. I've never got it to work on a sub-1GHz machine.

I've had success with Dell D520s and D620s.

Kevin

[Jimbob]

Works on an IBM T23 here

[The Cambelt Kid]

Do any of these leads do all that a T2 can?

I'm thinking that it's just code read/erase functions.

[Mick_600]

Thanks for the info so far.

In answer to the question about what it will do, if I can get it to work, it will read and clear fault codes, engine, body, g/box etc and also activate Cruise control and other functions.

Whether or not this is less or the same as a real Tech2 I don't know but should cover most of it.

Cheers
Mike

[Kevin Wood]

Not by a long way. Unless you spend hundreds of quid you'll only be able to read and reset codes. Cheapo Tech2 will do this for most systems on the car, most other generic code readers will only do engine, and then further up the range you start to be able to do some monitoring of live variables inside the engine ECU, etc.

With a real Tech 2 you can upgrade firmware in systems, change settings, etc. Personally, even if an alternative system COULD upload firmware, etc. I'm not sure I'd trust it. Your car is comprehensively immobilised if you've managed to knacker the firmware in the ECU.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

The cheapo only just ran on a 2Ghz P4 Tosh using a Prolithic USB to Serial adpater.

[dbug]

Cheapo Tech2 runs ok on Toshiba 4310 (600MHz CPU) with 320Mb RAM.
Tech2 - £17 + P&P off ebay, Laptop £30 + P&P again off ebay

[Mick_600]

Mmmmm ... interesting.

The laptop I tried it on was a Toshiba 4200, I now know of another guy also tried one on a 4200 without success as well. The 4310 is not far away in spec. My neighbour has a 4600 with an 850 chip. I will try and borrow that for a few minutes.

This is why I think a list may be useful to members as the speed issue doesn't seem to be the only one.

Cheers
Mike

[Markjay]

HP/Compaq nx9005 with some AMD rubbish running at 1.4 or so. Cheapo Tech2 works OK with real RS232 port. I keep this laptop just for the reader....