|
Yes, ignition has to be on for most, if not all.
I like the "selective unlocking" idea. I think I'll hit that next time I'm in there.
DIS is a little less "user friendly". One of the first things it asks you to do is "Run a quick test!". (Yes, with the exclamation point.)
It is pretty quick and worth it, but don't freak when each module comes back with an exclamation point. Exclamation points are good, x's are bad.
It will then give you pretty cryptic reads on all of the errors it found. The units remember every time you burned out a bulb, the radio had a brain fart, etc. It gets particularly busy after you get smogged. It thinks the wheel speed sensors are broke, the ABS is broke, the DSC is broke...
Most of the time it says "fault no longer present", but unfortunately it doesn't have time/date stamps, so you can't know when it had the fault.
The only trouble I have with it, besides being somewhat confusing to use, is the mouse cursor goes wacky after using it for about 10-15 minutes.
NCSExpert won't run on Win-7 64 bit, which is what I have, too. I got it running using Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode, but couldn't get EDIBAS to grab the serial port. It was late so I quit while I was behind and haven't gotten back to it. I'm sure it can be made to work, but it'll take some futzing.
I think I'm going to buy the wife a new laptop for Christmas and bag her current one as a dedicated Bimmer terminal.
|