kw1281test: A Free VDS-Pro / VagTacho Alternative

[ekincaid]

Probably the better way to get the SKC is to stay in a hex calculator (the built-in calculator app in both Windows10 and macOS have a "programmer" display where you can work in base16 = hex mode).

So, in one of my clusters: the three pairs bytes starting at 204 (0xCC in hex) are D3 1F D3 1F D3 1F.

Decimal 256 = 0x100 (hex)

So in a hex calculator, simply enter 1F*100+D3 = 0x1FD3 = 8147
This was confirmed by what I got out of VAG-TACHO.

And in case you didn't notice the pattern there, you can actually skip the whole calculator thing: Just flip the two bytes (D3 1F becomes 1FD3) and enter that as a hex number into a HEX2DEC converter (=HEX2DEC(cell) in Excel does the trick, too) and convert to decimal. Done and done!

Mac example:
(Under VIEW menu, choose PROGRAMMER to get this calculator layout):

Interesting.... I haven't worked with hex much. I added the formula to the spreadsheet to calculate the SKU.

 

[Dhawk12]

Does one read/write the eeprom while the car is running or does it matter?

 

[ekincaid]

Does one read/write the eeprom while the car is running or does it matter?

I turned the key to the on position to do this. It wasn't running.

 

[Dhawk12]

I turned the key to the on position to do this. It wasn't running.

Sweet thanks. Any chance of this running on Windows XP 32 bit? I tried running the exe from an elevated command prompt, but no dice. I have an old junker laptop that I would like to run it on because I don't trust the cable I got to not do anything nefarious to my good laptop.

 

[ekincaid]

I'm not sure. @gmenounos will probably know. He's the brains behind all this.

 

[IJskonijn]

Sweet thanks. Any chance of this running on Windows XP 32 bit? I tried running the exe from an elevated command prompt, but no dice. I have an old junker laptop that I would like to run it on because I don't trust the cable I got to not do anything nefarious to my good laptop.

I don't think so, because it's built with .net Core.
.net Core is "too new" for an old Windows version like XP

 

[Dhawk12]

I don't think so, because it's built with .net Core.
.net Core is "too new" for an old Windows version like XP

Yeah I was looking at it last night with a programmer friend. Although I think he did say that the same API for accessing the cable was available in .net framework 4.0. So it may be possible. Although he said it would probably be easier for me to compile it for Linux and install that on the laptop lol.

 

[BobnOH]

You would need the source code, a compiler and the necessary knowledge. I don't see how the cable could damage your newer laptop, but I guess anything is possible. Guessing you would need a USB to com port adapter, not all of those work (most do).

 

[Dhawk12]

You would need the source code, a compiler and the necessary knowledge. I don't see how the cable could damage your newer laptop, but I guess anything is possible. Guessing you would need a USB to com port adapter, not all of those work (most do).

Well the op has provided the source code, and the compiler is fairly easy to get.

The cable has access to do anything that a USB device can do, so it can easily do damage if maliciously or even sloppily designed. That isn't taking into account that there could easily be something loaded in the cable's memory that installs itself on your computer. Are either of those scenarios likely? Probably not, but I don't really want to risk a $700 laptop with a $20 cable.

It's a shame that my VCDS cable doesnt support the emulation.

 

[turbotec]

buy a cheapo $100 x64 laptop on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist.

Well the op has provided the source code, and the compiler is fairly easy to get.

The cable has access to do anything that a USB device can do, so it can easily do damage if maliciously or even sloppily designed. That isn't taking into account that there could easily be something loaded in the cable's memory that installs itself on your computer. Are either of those scenarios likely? Probably not, but I don't really want to risk a $700 laptop with a $20 cable.

It's a shame that my VCDS cable doesnt support the emulation.

 

[Dhawk12]

buy a cheapo $100 x64 laptop on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist.

Haha but spending 4 hours installing Linux on this old x86 laptop and trying to compile the program only to find out that .netCore doesn't support x86 has been sooooooo much fun lol.

 

[IJskonijn]

Haha but spending 4 hours installing Linux on this old x86 laptop and trying to compile the program only to find out that .netCore doesn't support x86 has been sooooooo much fun lol.

Just use virtualbox with a Windows 10 virtual machine on your newer laptop if you're afraid of virusses.
Otherwise, get a cheap laptop and dedicate it to automotive software

 

[BobnOH]

Well the op has provided the source code, and the compiler is fairly easy to get.

The cable has access to do anything that a USB device can do, so it can easily do damage if maliciously or even sloppily designed. That isn't taking into account that there could easily be something loaded in the cable's memory that installs itself on your computer. Are either of those scenarios likely? Probably not, but I don't really want to risk a $700 laptop with a $20 cable.

It's a shame that my VCDS cable doesnt support the emulation.

Not likely, but possible. Some devices do contain firmware. Been using PCs since inception, I would rate the risk factor extremely low.

 

[Dhawk12]

Just use virtualbox with a Windows 10 virtual machine on your newer laptop if you're afraid of virusses.
Otherwise, get a cheap laptop and dedicate it to automotive software

Again, what's the fun in that.

Status: Got the program compiled and running in linux using a kkl cable from amazon. However, now I am having issues with the baud rate. It seems that either on linux 10400 is not an acceptable baud rate (which it seems like it is not a standard baud rate at all), or the cable doesn't support it. Just bench testing the program, if I try and use the 10400 baud rate it errors out right after accessing the serial port. If I change the baud rate to 9600 the program runs fine until it times out because it doesn't receive a response from the car. Any ideas?

 

[wonneber]

Maybe a typo for 14400 baud?

 

[ekincaid]

Using Windows 10 10,400 baud worked exactly as he said.

 

[Nuje]

Maybe a typo for 14400 baud?

No, having looked at VDS-PRO, it's definitely 10400 - lots of oddball stuff in there.

 

[Dhawk12]

No, having looked at VDS-PRO, it's definitely 10400 - lots of oddball stuff in there.

Yeah after doing more research (and even reading what @gmenounos wrote here) 10400 is the baud rate that the cluster uses, though that is not a "standard" baud rate. The CCM uses the more conventional 9600 baud rate.

If anyone is interested, in my research I did find this:
https://www.stryder-it.de/vagcom.php?lang=en

It talks about the baud rate issue (and how to possibly get around it by reconfiguring the driver) using cheap cables with VCDS.

That being said I never could get the program to read from even the CCM using the compiled linux program. For anyone that cares, if you compile the program for linux you have to specify the port for the cable using this command (or maybe not? who knows, I only know enough coding to be dangerous haha):

./kw1281test /dev/ttyUSB0 9600 46 ReadEeprom 04361

Where ttyUSB0 is whatever your system designates the cable as.

When I run that it accesses the com port and sends the wakeup command but then times out before it gets a response and throws an uncaught exception.

If you try and run this:

./kw1281test /dev/ttyUSB0 10400 17 ReadSoftwareVersion

It immediately throws an error trying to access the com port as it doesn't recognize 10400 as a valid baud rate.

Long story sort I got frustrated and just hooked the cable to my Win 10 laptop and now my windows go up and down with the fob. But if anyone wants to take up my linux struggle, feel free lol!

 

[gmenounos]

Oops, didn't see this Windows XP discussion until today. (I usually get email notifications when something's posted here but this time I did not.)
I was able to build a .NET 4.0 version of this tool today by changing just 3 lines of code. I was surprised that it didn't need more changes. I have no idea if it would work though as I'm not running Windows XP any more. If anyone else is dying for a Windows XP version, let me know.

 

[gmenounos]

Also, I probably should have given this thing a snazzier name. GregTacho? (but it also talks to CCMs and radios so that name might be misleading)

 

[ekincaid]

Do you have any additional plans for it? Just curious. I don't have any ideas.

 

[Dhawk12]

Oops, didn't see this Windows XP discussion until today. (I usually get email notifications when something's posted here but this time I did not.)
I was able to build a .NET 4.0 version of this tool today by changing just 3 lines of code. I was surprised that it didn't need more changes. I have no idea if it would work though as I'm not running Windows XP any more. If anyone else is dying for a Windows XP version, let me know.

Haha dang, in my process of trying to get it to run I wiped my Xp laptop to put Linux on it, or I would totally test it for you. Maybe I will see if I can find an old Xp install disc.

Did you add the x86 .netframework 4.0 version to the github?

As for naming, OperationVWFreedom? Autocomputerprogrammierer? VWAutomodifikator?

 

[Nuje]

GregModder
You're welcome.

 

[mjydrafter]

Oops, didn't see this Windows XP discussion until today. (I usually get email notifications when something's posted here but this time I did not.)
I was able to build a .NET 4.0 version of this tool today by changing just 3 lines of code. I was surprised that it didn't need more changes. I have no idea if it would work though as I'm not running Windows XP any more. If anyone else is dying for a Windows XP version, let me know.

My VCDS machine is an old netbook with XP. I have a couple of cars to do (SKC's on an '03 & '04) and I will let you know if I can get it to work. It might take me a little bit, so be patient. Also, I'm probably about computer literate enough to be a danger to myself and those around me. Although I was able to fumble my way through getting my wifes '04 Passat SKC a few years ago.

 

[Nuje]

I kinda buried it in my post above, but if you can read the EEPROM, it's super-quick/easy to figure out the SKC (at least on the VDO NEW clusters):
Look at the three pairs of bytes that repeat themselves, starting at byte 204 (byte 0xCC), flip the order of the two bytes, then convert that four-digit pair of bytes to decimal.

Example:
bytes 204 205 206 are 01 23 01 23 01 23
Flip the order of one pair: 23 01
Convert 0x2301 to decimal: 8961

SKC / Login PIN for 17-Instruments is 08961

 

[gmenounos]

I just uploaded a Windows XP compatible version here: https://github.com/gmenounos/kw1281test/releases/tag/v0.20-beta
It's in the kw1281testXP.zip file. No idea if it actually works but you're welcome to try it out.

 

[gmenounos]

Would the process be any different on a 2003 cluster? Specifically, a Bosch RB8 (not the VDO that I'm used to dealing with)?>

It's highly unlikely that my program will even work with a Bosch RB8. The commands it uses to unlock the cluster for reading/writing the EEPROM probably only work on VDO clusters. And even if they worked, the EEPROM is much smaller and the SKC is almost certainly in a different location.

Ok, I think I got it working with the RB8. Totally different than the VDO but I learned a lot figuring out how to unlock it. I haven't published the changes yet but when I do, it'd be helpful if you could test it out.

 

[Nuje]

Oh wow - that'd be great, Greg! Not my car (with the RB8 cluster), so I'll have to wait until the owner brings it by again (he has a shopping list of things to get done in the next few months).

 

[locarno]

Do you plan to add GUI interface ?

 

[gmenounos]

Do you plan to add GUI interface ?

Not anytime soon. For now, I would rather spend the time adding more functionality. But it's open source so anyone could make a version that has a GUI instead of command line.