04-09-2021, 03:48 PM | #1 |
195
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,593
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Windows Laptop
OK, I need a Windows laptop to do some trouble shooting/remote coding with this new headunit install for the BMW. I do not have a Windows laptop or any other kind of windows machine at this point other than my work laptop, which is obviously locked down tight.
What is the easiest and/or cheapest way around this dumb and extremely annoying problem? Boot camp on the Mac, I guess, but that would mean buying a copy of Windows? I don't really want to spend the money to do that. Nor do I want to buy a new laptop just for this one task. What a pain in the ass. EDIT: Should I just buy something like this and take it back when I'm done? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-14-l...?skuId=6450167 |
04-09-2021, 03:49 PM | #2 |
redefined
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,884
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find a friend with a windows laptop...and/or...someone's kid surely has one for online school?
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"There's a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas." -Willie |
04-09-2021, 04:05 PM | #3 |
Hello.
Join Date: Mar 2004
Carmudgeonly Ride: '09 X3, '11 328xiT, '11 135i C, '17 c2, '19 X5
Location: Downingtown, PA
Posts: 5,514
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what dan said, or jump on ebay and get a used one for $200 or less. Or check out the bimmercode or Carly app for your Iphone w/ an OBD dongle and see if either of them will do the codin you need.
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Josh (PA) - '19 X5 '17 991.2 C2 Cab '11 135i Convertible '11 328xiT '09 X3 |
04-09-2021, 05:43 PM | #4 |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
Location: Glenwood, MD
Posts: 14,753
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I bought a Windows laptop off eBay for a similar purpose. 1) Running the tuning software for the RX-8 and 2) running the Durametric tool for the Boxster.
There are a few extremely highly rated sellers that basically re-sell corporate lease laptops. I think I paid $180 or so and it's been rock solid. |
04-09-2021, 05:55 PM | #5 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: A very fast golf cart
Location: The Valley of the Sun
Posts: 12,821
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What about running Windows in VMWare Fusion?
Fusion is now a free license for personal use (requires registration, but no cost). MS has a Win10 image you can download to install in Fusion... It will require activation, but not immediately. Should let you run in trial mode for at least a few days. The software won’t know you are on a VM, and you can attach USB devises to the VM. I reinstalled Win10 in a VM like that last year - and didn’t activate it immediately and it ran fine... Edit: even better - here’s a link to a VM image to download. Run that in Fusion. Image is valid until mid-May... https://developer.microsoft.com/en-u...tual-machines/
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ZBB |
04-10-2021, 08:11 AM | #6 | |
older fart than ZBB
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: On the road again
Posts: 8,887
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Quote:
We were going to donate it, so shipping cost (it is in its original HP packaging) and it is yours It was my wife's until about 5 months ago. I would not call it a "fast" machine
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2017 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 2020 Fusion Titanium |
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04-10-2021, 08:39 AM | #7 |
195
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,593
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Thanks, all! I think I found one to borrow locally.
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04-10-2021, 02:40 PM | #8 | ||
There and back again
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: 2003 BMW 325xiT; looking for a new fun car
Location: New York
Posts: 2,939
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I saw that you solved the problem locally, but I'll answer this here in case anyone else refers to the thread in the future.
Quote:
Coding software may have copy protection that doesn't work properly in a virtualized environment or for other reasons (for example, the older Autoenginuity dongles need a 2nd USB port for their copy-protection thingy, so a system with a single USB port would have problems). Quote:
eBay systems can be hit-or-miss, and most sellers don't provide detailed specs on the system (like screen resolution) to make an informed decision. A lot of them seem to come with pirated copies of Windows 10 - this seems quite common on systems that were sold with an earlier Windows versions, and the seller used a stock cracked image instead of installing the Windows that the license sticker was good for and then doing the "free upgrade" thing to get a legitimate serial number. I've been buying Studio 1558s on eBay for $50-$100 and putting new SSDs in them. That's a 10-year-old model which is actually still competitive today, if upgraded to a top-spec configuration. I then sell them to friends at cost. This is not something you should try yourself unless you're comfortable tearing a system down to a set of individual pieces. I've documented some of what I do on my blog. |
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04-10-2021, 04:37 PM | #9 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,438
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I like old thinkpads for this kind of use.
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2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo |
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