[redhatcode29]

Hi guys whilst i am trying to code my battery replacement, i came across this video, is this an established fact ? That if the black box at the negative terminal is not present, the car does not have an IBS.

Watch from 4.01
https://youtu.be/DnEqHfa747A?si=gpo_l-fZJnxZgiXB

[The Nightman]

Registering and coding new batteries are only required if the car has IBS. As far as I know, all E90s with idrive or BMW Assist should have IBS

[marvinstockman]

If you replace your battery with basically the same battery, you can get away with not coding, but if you can code, code.

[oVeRdOsE.]

Originally Posted by marvinstockman

If you replace your battery with basically the same battery, you can get away with not coding, but if you can code, code.

exact.

The previous owner did put a new battery in my f25, no registration, and the car trow low battery code when cold outside and the car crank very strong.

while I had the exact same opposite on my E91, slow to no crank when cold, and did not have low battery warning.

having a k+dcan cable is a ''investment'' with those cars.

[Tambohamilton]

It's decent practice to register the new battery even if there is no IBS. But if there is an IBS it's important to do it. Coding is only necessary if you need to update the capacity and type of battery.

Coding - tell the car what battery (type/capacity) is installed.
Register - tell the car it has a new battery.

[tinkerman]

Originally Posted by redhatcode29

Hi guys whilst i am trying to code my battery replacement, i came across this video, is this an established fact ? That if the black box at the negative terminal is not present, the car does not have an IBS. ...

If your battery's negative terminal socket looks like the one in the video - without any small rectangular 'device' & thin wire(not the thick negative cable) coming out of it, you do not have IBS, and don't need to code for/register the new battery.

If your battery's negative terminal socket looks unlike the one in the video and has a small rectangular 'device' & thin wire(not the thick negative cable) coming out of it, then you need to code for the new battery only if the new battery's "type" and/or "Ah"(Amp Hour) rating is changing from that which is already coded in the car (e.g. the current coding is for a 60Ah battery but the new battery is 90Ah etc.). If the new battery's type and Ah rating are the same as the current coding, then coding is not necessary, but you still need to register the new battery (so that the car's systems will charge the new battery accordingly). If the new battery is not registered(i.e. car still thinks there's an old battery) then it could be charged as if it were an old battery, possibly stressing the new battery and likely reducing its lifespan.

If you need to code/register the battery and you want to DIY, you need at least a good K+DCAN cable such as the one from 'One-stop-electronics' (https://www.one-stop-electronics.com...usb-interface/)
Don't get the cheapest cable for it is likely to be faulty and you'll surely "go duh hale"(like I did) troubleshooting(for ages) issues in the NCS Expert(or INPA, ISTA etc.) software when in fact the issues are related to not having sound connection with the car's ECUs through the OBD port.

Also, in the other forum check out the following:
"NCS Dummy - Taking the expert out of NCS Expert"

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by tinkerman

If your battery's negative terminal socket looks like the one in the video - without any small rectangular 'device' & thin wire(not the thick negative cable) coming out of it, you do not have IBS, and don't need to code for/register the new battery.

If your battery's negative terminal socket looks unlike the one in the video and has a small rectangular 'device' & thin wire(not the thick negative cable) coming out of it, then you need to code for the new battery only if the new battery's "type" and/or "Ah"(Amp Hour) rating is changing from that which is already coded in the car (e.g. the current coding is for a 60Ah battery but the new battery is 90Ah etc.). If the new battery's type and Ah rating are the same as the current coding, then coding is not necessary, but you still need to register the new battery (so that the car's systems will charge the new battery accordingly). If the new battery is not registered(i.e. car still thinks there's an old battery) then it could be charged as if it were an old battery, possibly stressing the new battery and likely reducing its lifespan.

If you need to code/register the battery and you want to DIY, you need at least a good K+DCAN cable such as the one from 'One-stop-electronics' (https://www.one-stop-electronics.com...usb-interface/)
Don't get the cheapest cable for it is likely to be faulty and you'll surely "go duh hale"(like I did) troubleshooting(for ages) issues in the NCS Expert(or INPA, ISTA etc.) software when in fact the issues are related to not having sound connection with the car's ECUs through the OBD port.

Also, in the other forum check out the following:
"NCS Dummy - Taking the expert out of NCS Expert"

Thank you for your detailed explanation. My car has the rectangle box and there is a wire from it, so its IBS i assume.

I have registered my battery, have yet to code it. Do you have any experience with the OBD tool - Ancel Bm700 ? I have been unsuccessful with the coding.

[tinkerman]

I don't have experience with non-BMW diagnostic tools. Ancel BM700 seems to be a general diagnostics tool. Since it has a 'Battery Registration' function, check if there is a function that allows to retrieve either the car's battery related information (such as battery type and Ah rating) or the full information about the car(and check to see if there is any info that reveals the battery type and Ah rating already input into the car's memory).

In BMW's official softwares such info related to the battery would look something like the following:

"B" represents wet-cell (lead acid), while "A" represents AGM (glass mat) in the "VO" - Vehicle Order (Options).
E B046 BATT_46AH //46 Ah-Batterie
E B055 BATT_55AH //55 Ah-Batterie
E B070 BATT_70AH //70 Ah-Batterie
E B080 BATT_80AH //80 Ah-Batterie
E B090 BATT_90AH //90 Ah-Batterie
E A070 BATT_AGM_70AH //70 Ah-AGM Batterie
E A080 BATT_AGM_80AH //80 Ah-AGM Batterie
E A090 BATT_AGM_90AH //90 Ah-AGM Batterie

*Update: I just read your other thread about the Ancel BM700 tool and watched the video about coding a different type of battery with the 'Bimmer Code' app then registering with the BM700 tool. As the video mentions, the comment about the terminal change etc. seems to be saying that "recoding" is first needed before registering a new different type/Ah battery. If your Ancel BM700 unit does not support the coding even with a software update, then perhaps you may follow along with that video's 'Bimmer Code' option as it seems a lot simpler(at least in terms of initial install and familiarization) than the official BMW ISTA-D/ISTA-P software or BMW Standard Tools options I mention below. But beware that my suggestions below are related to the official BMW factory/dealer level software, whereas the other tools you are looking at are 3rd party tools that may not provide full access to all features of your car's ECUs.

If the new battery's type and Ah rating are the same as the current setting(currently coded into the car's memory) then you do not have to "code" anything new. It is only when the new battery's type and/or Ah rating has changed with respect to that set in memory, that you need to "recode" the battery's specs into the car's memory.

If you need to "recode", then check if the Ancel BM700 has coding features, if not and you would like to try official BMW software, consider ISTA-D/ISTA-P or BMW Standard Tools bundle (these can be downloaded from sites like Car Technology's BMW threads). There are many many helpful threads on the topic such as "DIY: Register and Code a New Battery (comprehensive guide)" here in this forum.
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...y+registration

If you are truly interested in learning how BMWs are set up, maintained, and tuned, then BMW's official tools are the way to go, even with the steep learning curve in the beginning, it is well worth your time.

ISTA-D / ISTA-P (BMW's dealer/service center level diagnostic/programming software) is huge - like 60~300GB depending on one's installation (D/P inclusive or individual/partial installs and how many car models' data are loaded). As a dealer/service center level software, it has a more 'user friendly' interface (although it can be more tedious/more steps just to find the features within the vast software). In ISTA you do not have to "code" in anything, just select from a menu and click OK so to speak (ISTA runs all the coding to various ECUs at once for you).

BMW Standard Tools includes tools like INPA, Toolset32, NCS Expert which are BMW factory level software tools and is by default in German and BMW's technical lingo, hence the handiness of an intermediate 'translating tool' such as NCS Dummy prior to running NCS Expert. 'BMW Standard Tools' is a very compact yet powerful factory level software bundle. It is not as 'user friendly' as ISTA but it is light(does not take up much space on computer's drive) and is fast. They are simply AWESOME!

You will need a K+DCAN cable to connect a laptop PC(running the BMW software) to the car via the OBD port. Again, DON'T GET THE CHEAPEST CABLE, they are made by bitches of SATAN! Note my previous post and its recommended cable supplier.

Believe it or not I run the BMW software(all of them) in a VM(virtual machine - virtual PC like Windows 7 in my case, running within a hardware running Windows 10) on a 2011 MacBook Air running Windows 10. If you are not familiar with VMs look into VMware Workstation software for creating/running VMs. The VM method is not absolutely necessary but highly recommended as you can use it as a 'sandbox' (for security) when installing / troubleshooting the software, as well as (backup then) delete the entire virtual 'system' to regain the 60~300GB(in the case of ISTA-D/ISTA-P of drive space if needed when not using the BMW software tools. If you are only using 'BMW Standard Tools, then drive space is not a concern as the software package is relatively very small. Still, you may want to run any BMW software within a VM for security and convenience (for example, I installed my BMW software into a VM during the Windows 7 days, and now that Windows 10 is standard, my MacBook Air is running on Windows 10, while the VM is still running fine in its Window 7 VM. I can even run old Windows XP based VMs without any problems, and just delete the VM off of desktop when I'm done, as it is backed up in an external drive.) You can make a VM with whatever OS you prefer or whatever the version of VMware Workstation supports of course, it does not have to be Windows 7, that was just what I used as it was the main OS at the time.
The reason I highly recommend VMs is that while learning the BMW software you will run into a lot of troubleshooting settings, re-installs etc., and by using VMs, you can keep your basic OS untouched(unaffected by BMW software, drivers etc. for daily use of your PC).

There should be plenty of good threads in this forum and others to help you. For the software, I'd check Car Technology's BMW threads. If you go this route of DIY with BMW software, patience and mindset with 'joy of learning' is a MUST. 'Hope you have fun like I did!

Cheers.

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by tinkerman

I don't have experience with non-BMW diagnostic tools. Ancel BM700 seems to be a general diagnostics tool. Since it has a 'Battery Registration' function, check if there is a function that allows to retrieve either the car's battery related information (such as battery type and Ah rating) or the full information about the car(and check to see if there is any info that reveals the battery type and Ah rating already input into the car's memory).

In BMW's official softwares such info related to the battery would look something like the following:

"B" represents wet-cell (lead acid), while "A" represents AGM (glass mat) in the "VO" - Vehicle Order (Options).
E B046 BATT_46AH //46 Ah-Batterie
E B055 BATT_55AH //55 Ah-Batterie
E B070 BATT_70AH //70 Ah-Batterie
E B080 BATT_80AH //80 Ah-Batterie
E B090 BATT_90AH //90 Ah-Batterie
E A070 BATT_AGM_70AH //70 Ah-AGM Batterie
E A080 BATT_AGM_80AH //80 Ah-AGM Batterie
E A090 BATT_AGM_90AH //90 Ah-AGM Batterie

*Update: I just read your other thread about the Ancel BM700 tool and watched the video about coding a different type of battery with the 'Bimmer Code' app then registering with the BM700 tool. As the video mentions, the comment about the terminal change etc. seems to be saying that "recoding" is first needed before registering a new different type/Ah battery. If your Ancel BM700 unit does not support the coding even with a software update, then perhaps you may follow along with that video's 'Bimmer Code' option as it seems a lot simpler(at least in terms of initial install and familiarization) than the official BMW ISTA-D/ISTA-P software or BMW Standard Tools options I mention below. But beware that my suggestions below are related to the official BMW factory/dealer level software, whereas the other tools you are looking at are 3rd party tools that may not provide full access to all features of your car's ECUs.

If the new battery's type and Ah rating are the same as the current setting(currently coded into the car's memory) then you do not have to "code" anything new. It is only when the new battery's type and/or Ah rating has changed with respect to that set in memory, that you need to "recode" the battery's specs into the car's memory.

If you need to "recode", then check if the Ancel BM700 has coding features, if not and you would like to try official BMW software, consider ISTA-D/ISTA-P or BMW Standard Tools bundle (these can be downloaded from sites like Car Technology's BMW threads). There are many many helpful threads on the topic such as "DIY: Register and Code a New Battery (comprehensive guide)" here in this forum.
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...y+registration

If you are truly interested in learning how BMWs are set up, maintained, and tuned, then BMW's official tools are the way to go, even with the steep learning curve in the beginning, it is well worth your time.

ISTA-D / ISTA-P (BMW's dealer/service center level diagnostic/programming software) is huge - like 60~300GB depending on one's installation (D/P inclusive or individual/partial installs and how many car models' data are loaded). As a dealer/service center level software, it has a more 'user friendly' interface (although it can be more tedious/more steps just to find the features within the vast software). In ISTA you do not have to "code" in anything, just select from a menu and click OK so to speak (ISTA runs all the coding to various ECUs at once for you).

BMW Standard Tools includes tools like INPA, Tool32, NCS Expert which are BMW factory level software tools and is by default in German and BMW's technical lingo, hence the handiness of an intermediate 'translating tool' such as NCS Dummy prior to running NCS Expert. 'BMW Standard Tools' is a very compact yet powerful factory level software bundle. It is not as 'user friendly' as ISTA but it is light(does not take up much space on computer's drive) and is fast. They are simply AWESOME!

You will need a K+DCAN cable to connect a laptop PC(running the BMW software) to the car via the OBD port. Again, DON'T GET THE CHEAPEST CABLE, they are made by bitches of SATAN! Note my previous post and its recommended cable supplier.

Believe it or not I run the BMW software(all of them) in a VM(virtual machine - virtual PC like Windows 7 in my case, running within a hardware running Windows 10) on a 2011 MacBook Air running Windows 10. If you are not familiar with VMs look into VMware Workstation software for creating/running VMs. The VM method is not absolutely necessary but highly recommended as you can use it as a 'sandbox' (for security) when installing / troubleshooting the software, as well as (backup then) delete the entire virtual 'system' to regain the 60~300GB(in the case of ISTA-D/ISTA-P of drive space if needed when not using the BMW software tools. If you are only using 'BMW Standard Tools, then drive space is not a concern as the software package is relatively very small. Still, you may want to run any BMW software within a VM for security and convenience (for example, I installed my BMW software into a VM during the Windows 7 days, and now that Windows 10 is standard, my MacBook Air is running on Windows 10, while the VM is still running fine in its Window 7 VM. I can even run old Windows XP based VMs without any problems, and just delete the VM off of desktop when I'm done, as it is backed up in an external drive.) You can make a VM with whatever OS you prefer or whatever the version of VMware Workstation supports of course, it does not have to be Windows 7, that was just what I used as it was the main OS at the time.
The reason I highly recommend VMs is that while learning the BMW software you will run into a lot of troubleshooting settings, re-installs etc., and by using VMs, you can keep your basic OS untouched(unaffected by BMW software, drivers etc. for daily use of your PC).

There should be plenty of good threads in this forum and others to help you. For the software, I'd check Car Technology's BMW threads. If you go this route of DIY with BMW software, patience and mindset with 'joy of learning' is a MUST. 'Hope you have fun like I did!

Cheers.

I truly appreciate the time you have taken to explain the above. Thank you.You rock

I certainly have to code it as my old battery was 95AH, the current one is 115AH.


About the tutorial in my other thread, I think what you are saying may be the case - I have to code the battery first before being able to use the tool to view the AH details, which means probably this tool can't code, only view. This means that the tool is redundant when it comes to coding - I mean if I need another tool to code it and only then I have options in the Ancel!

As I was looking for answers I came across an Amazon user's feedback in that this tool does not allow to change the AH rating. I also just got a reply in the other thread mentioning that this tool can't code.

I have emailed customer support to see if there is any reply, which I believe is not going to be a favourable reply.

I was wondering about the NCS and INPA, it was just that I had no experience and did not have the cable or a windows laptop. I was thniking of creating a dual boot or bootcamp in my MacBook. But all this meant more time before I could code and drive the car properly before the new battery losses power due to very low usage.

Further from your feedback, I now face bars in attempting to use those softwares:
i) ISTA takes up very huge disk space, which I can't spare
ii) NCS and INPA are in German - that's gonna be tough

THANKS FOR MENTIONING THE space that ISTA will take on a disk - no one has ever mentioned it (as far as I have seen) Only that it is a good software. I would have gone to download it and then would have had a shocker !!


As for the VM Ware, I was running it in my ancient Hackintosh, which was running on Mavericks. You are certainly right about having the virtual machine running in a Mac as there were times I needed to run windows ware. A salute to you for running those wares in a virtual machine

Coming from a background of love for computers, it really interests me try those softwares, but time is not in my favour.

I have to either:

- run windows on my macbook and try ISTA
- or get the Bimmercode and the Bluetooth OBD2 connector
- or take it to a Workshop to code it (which takes the satisfaction of one dealing with ones car)

The tool seems to have been a waste, I could have bought a cheap laptop and a cable for that amount money, which I spent.

I truly enjoy having guys like you reply and sharing knowledge, which is so rare these days. Your post helped me mate

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by tinkerman

You will need a K+DCAN cable to connect a laptop PC(running the BMW software) to the car via the OBD port. Again, DON'T GET THE CHEAPEST CABLE, they are made by bitches of SATAN! Note my previous post and its recommended cable supplier.

B
Cheers.

Haha I can't stop laughing, yeah I already have a few telling me to get a good cable

[redhatcode29]

I need to find out the actual size of ISTA, i could externally boot windows ��

[tinkerman]

Assuming your battery type(lead acid or AGM) is the SAME as before, and since your new battery's rating is higher, but not drastically higher, you should be fine driving around for a while. I think the real problem would be if the new battery were much lower rated Ah or different type because then the new battery could be overcharged or not charge at all causing stress/heat or car ignition going off due to loss of minimum voltage, but in your case the new battery will just not be charged as close to full as if it were coded for the right Ah rating, that's all.

One thing that might be a problem is if your battery's Ah rating does NOT show up in the menus during coding. If I recall correctly the battery's Ah and the coded Ah need to be the same. If your software menu does NOT show the same Ah rating for selection, you'll have to find out what the best course of action is. I'll update if I can. Usually, folks are advised to install a battery with Ah rating that DOES show up in the menus. 'Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in on this matter.

Don't be discouraged by the default German in BMW Standard Tools, some of the software will have the option of English installation. It's just certain tools like Toolset32 and NCS Expert that are German predominantly. INPA will be a mixed bag of English/German depending on the version of BMW Standard Tools and its included file versions (that you happen to get your hands on - some clever folks have tweaked certain files so the menus etc. show up in English or preferred languages). The online guides in forums for using these programs will predominantly be in English and Google Translate is on your mobile if you need. Don't forget NCS Dummy which basically translates NCS Expert generated ".TRC"(Trace) files into English for viewing/editing, and saves the file in German when saving as ".MAN"(Manipulate) files.

I reviewed the "DIY: Register and Code a New Battery (comprehensive guide)" in this forum
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...y+registration
again in more detail, and its OP definitely explained well in detail, step by step. When I did this process myself, I essentially did the equivalent of this guide's "Option 5" (the "proper method to manually code for changes to the battery") using NCS Expert, NCS Dummy, and Toolset32, although I followed advice from another source.

"Coding" related to battery registration is not that complicated, just need to follow the instructions step by step. It's not really "coding" like software programming in C++ or HTML etc., it's more like using BMW's lingo to update a text file then 'saving' the edited settings into the appropriate ECUs [CAS (Car Access System), NFRM/FRM(footwell module)] using NCS Expert (& NCS Dummy), then registering the new battery in the DME(Digital Motor Electronics) using Toolset32.

"Option 5" starts with a very important point about editing the VO - Vehicle Order(Options) in the very first two paragraphs. The VO includes ALL the significant options(set at the factory initially) of a BMW car, including battery type/Ah rating. ISTA (the dealer/service center level software) references the VO at the very beginning of connection with the vehicle, and bases any further programming/coding based on the information in this VO. The VO is so important, it is redundantly saved on two ECUs - the CAS (Car Access System), and NFRM/FRM(footwell module).

The 'battery class' information is also saved on these ECUs. Changing(recoding) the VO's battery information does not automatically update the 'battery class' information, nor does coding one ECU automatically update the other. So in theory, one could update the battery class in the CAS and FRM but leave the VO unchanged. The problem could be if the car is brought to a dealer/service center for general programming updates and the reprogramming is done based on the unchanged VO with a conflicting battery information than the actual battery that is installed. Then the CAS and FRM would also be recoded with the 'wrong' battery class, and the battery would not be charged optimally, or not at all. It's a good idea to have both 'battery option' info in the VO and 'battery class' info BOTH set correctly in the CAS and NFRM/FRM to avoid any possibility of issues down the line. That's why "Option 5" is "the proper method to manually code changes to the battery."

In my case, getting started with BMW Standard Tools was very frustrating because:
1. I had initially bought a cable made by bitches of SATAN!
2. My engine is a relatively less popular '2 liter'(1995cc) N46TÜ2.*
* When using INPA or Toolset32 and you need to access the DME, you have to select the proper engine from a menu, but all the software versions I'd installed did not show my engine in the menu item. So I selected the closest one up for example, but would be given a "BONK!" with an error message saying something like "FAILURE! Flunken Not Gruven!"

Luckily, I found on babybmw.net (https://www.babybmw.net/threads/addi...to-inpa.45966/) information indicating that to access my engine, a new menu item could be added to access certain driver/initialization files already in the software. For example in INPA, by adding the following menu item(text):

"ENTRY= ME17R4 ,ME17.2.1 / MEV17.2.1 für N45TÜ/ N46TÜ2 ,"

in the appropriate menu file, it would allow selection of the following driver/initialization files in INPA>SGDAT folder:
me17r4.ipo (modified date 2008-05-14)
ME17R4.ini (modified date 2008-05-05)

Once the adjustment was made I could access the DME which allowed some amazing realtime monitoring of the engine(among many cool features)!

I add this pointer just in case you encounter a similar issue when trying to access your DME or other ECUs. If your engine model shows up in the menus then you do not have to worry about this.

[Tambohamilton]

I had some fun like that with INPA and an N47. Had to hunt down some obscure config file from the bowels of the internet. Took ages to figure it out. Protool didn't work with it either, but they fixed it after poking around in my car with INPA/NCS.

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by tinkerman

Assuming your battery type(lead acid or AGM) is the SAME as before, and since your new battery's rating is higher, but not drastically higher, you should be fine driving around for a while. I think the real problem would be if the new battery were much lower rated Ah or different type because then the new battery could be overcharged or not charge at all causing stress/heat or car ignition going off due to loss of minimum voltage, but in your case the new battery will just not be charged as close to full as if it were coded for the right Ah rating, that's all.

One thing that might be a problem is if your battery's Ah rating does NOT show up in the menus during coding. If I recall correctly the battery's Ah and the coded Ah need to be the same. If your software menu does NOT show the same Ah rating for selection, you'll have to find out what the best course of action is. I'll update if I can. Usually, folks are advised to install a battery with Ah rating that DOES show up in the menus. 'Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in on this matter.

Don't be discouraged by the default German in BMW Standard Tools, some of the software will have the option of English installation. It's just certain tools like Toolset32 and NCS Expert that are German predominantly. INPA will be a mixed bag of English/German depending on the version of BMW Standard Tools and its included file versions (that you happen to get your hands on - some clever folks have tweaked certain files so the menus etc. show up in English or preferred languages). The online guides in forums for using these programs will predominantly be in English and Google Translate is on your mobile if you need. Don't forget NCS Dummy which basically translates NCS Expert generated ".TRC"(Trace) files into English for viewing/editing, and saves the file in German when saving as ".MAN"(Manipulate) files.

I reviewed the "DIY: Register and Code a New Battery (comprehensive guide)" in this forum
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...y+registration
again in more detail, and its OP definitely explained well in detail, step by step. When I did this process myself, I essentially did the equivalent of this guide's "Option 5" (the "proper method to manually code for changes to the battery") using NCS Expert, NCS Dummy, and Toolset32, although I followed advice from another source.

"Coding" related to battery registration is not that complicated, just need to follow the instructions step by step. It's not really "coding" like software programming in C++ or HTML etc., it's more like using BMW's lingo to update a text file then 'saving' the edited settings into the appropriate ECUs [CAS (Car Access System), NFRM/FRM(footwell module)] using NCS Expert (& NCS Dummy), then registering the new battery in the DME(Digital Motor Electronics) using Toolset32.

"Option 5" starts with a very important point about editing the VO - Vehicle Order(Options) in the very first two paragraphs. The VO includes ALL the significant options(set at the factory initially) of a BMW car, including battery type/Ah rating. ISTA (the dealer/service center level software) references the VO at the very beginning of connection with the vehicle, and bases any further programming/coding based on the information in this VO. The VO is so important, it is redundantly saved on two ECUs - the CAS (Car Access System), and NFRM/FRM(footwell module).

The 'battery class' information is also saved on these ECUs. Changing(recoding) the VO's battery information does not automatically update the 'battery class' information, nor does coding one ECU automatically update the other. So in theory, one could update the battery class in the CAS and FRM but leave the VO unchanged. The problem could be if the car is brought to a dealer/service center for general programming updates and the reprogramming is done based on the unchanged VO with a conflicting battery information than the actual battery that is installed. Then the CAS and FRM would also be recoded with the 'wrong' battery class, and the battery would not be charged optimally, or not at all. It's a good idea to have both 'battery option' info in the VO and 'battery class' info BOTH set correctly in the CAS and NFRM/FRM to avoid any possibility of issues down the line. That's why "Option 5" is "the proper method to manually code changes to the battery."

In my case, getting started with BMW Standard Tools was very frustrating because:
1. I had initially bought a cable made by bitches of SATAN!
2. My engine is a relatively less popular '2 liter'(1995cc) N46TÜ2.*
* When using INPA or Toolset32 and you need to access the DME, you have to select the proper engine from a menu, but all the software versions I'd installed did not show my engine in the menu item. So I selected the closest one up for example, but would be given a "BONK!" with an error message saying something like "FAILURE! Flunken Not Gruven!"

Luckily, I found on babybmw.net (https://www.babybmw.net/threads/addi...to-inpa.45966/) information indicating that to access my engine, a new menu item could be added to access certain driver/initialization files already in the software. For example in INPA, by adding the following menu item(text):

"ENTRY= ME17R4 ,ME17.2.1 / MEV17.2.1 für N45TÜ/ N46TÜ2 ,"

in the appropriate menu file, it would allow selection of the following driver/initialization files in INPA>SGDAT folder:
me17r4.ipo (modified date 2008-05-14)
ME17R4.ini (modified date 2008-05-05)

Once the adjustment was made I could access the DME which allowed some amazing realtime monitoring of the engine(among many cool features)!

I add this pointer just in case you encounter a similar issue when trying to access your DME or other ECUs. If your engine model shows up in the menus then you do not have to worry about this.

That was my thought as well - the battery which i changed being a higher capacity, that it should be fine for a short while and very short trips. Both batteries are AGM, so iam safe in that sense, still it bugs me !


In another thread of mine, i was actually advised that when i code the new battery, i should code it about 5AH less than the capacity of the new battery, i have not researched on this. What ican think of is that it is a way of not allowing the system to over charge the new battery. Good of you to inform of this possibility of the intended AH not showing up in the menu.


It should be learn-able, if i keep tweaking the software often, its just that me being new and needing code something immediately may end up facing a few challenges. I think i am not going to touch NCS at the moment, i am going to look up tutorials for ISTA - for a start. Time a aproblem for me !

I appreacite the link you provided on how to code, will check it out.

I can see that you have overcome many challenges due to yours being N46, you still managed it I should not have this issue i believe as mine is N52, but you never know !

I will put in a link here to get some advice if the cable i am looking at should be fine - i see adverts that some have switches.

I understand that coding a battery is not all that of a big hype, thanks for the encouragement. i will see how this goes and will check with you again. Thanks.

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

I had some fun like that with INPA and an N47. Had to hunt down some obscure config file from the bowels of the internet. Took ages to figure it out. Protool didn't work with it either, but they fixed it after poking around in my car with INPA/NCS.

You guys are so experienced, i have a lot to learn !

[chaltau]

When my battery died 4 or 5 years back, I bought a new one from Costco. I believe the AH was same as original, but the type was AGM whereas original was standard lead-acid.

I remembered reading some comments on internet that you have to code the battery in a BMW. I used to think it was meant as a joke. Then I searched again and realized it's a real thing!

I tried at that time to install BMW standard tools but was not successful, so I gave up and forgot about it.

Battery is still running fine after all those years and I live in horrible winter weather of New England and park my car outside.

I can't believe there isn't a rudimentary charge circuit which monitors amps etc. just like any other car on the road.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by redhatcode29

You guys are so experienced, i have a lot to learn !

We all have a lot to learn

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by chaltau

I can't believe there isn't a rudimentary charge circuit which monitors amps etc. just like any other car on the road.

That's exactly what the IBS is; an ammeter. Alternator sets the voltage output, IBS counts amps in and out of the battery. Between them the car can reasonably accurately infer the state of charge and health of the battery, so long as it also knows the battery size and type.

Without the IBS, or with incorrectly set parameters it'll still charge the battery between reasonable limits, but it can't optimise anything.

In your case, putting an AGM in a car set for SLA, it's probably the 'safer' way around; AGM would allow a higher charging voltage (and current), which would likely degrade an SLA faster. Basically what you've got is an expensive battery without any of the benefits.

[tinkerman]

Originally Posted by redhatcode29

...Coming from a background of love for computers, it really interests me try those softwares, but time is not in my favour. ...

Since you are a computer enthusiast, with interest in using the various software, with limited time and drive space, I HIGHLY recommend you used the BMW Standard Tools (NCS Expert and Toolset32 for coding/registering battery, and INPA for diagnostics later). Installation time, space on drive, and time to open each software are WAY more efficient than ISTA-D/P.

ISTA-D/P install(data) files are in the roughly 20/50 GB range respectively, and these are fluffed up enormously to like 130~150GB EACH, so you would need roughly 300GB of free drive space for initial install of both ISTA-D and ISTA-P. Installation takes a LONG TIME. Boot up takes a long time. Connection with the car takes a long time. You could reduce the size of the software on disk by deleting the "daten"(data associated with particular models) that you don't need(i.e. my VM of ISTA-D only contains E90 daten and its size can be shrunk to about 63GB initially).

BMW Standard Tools on the other hand is VERY light on size, drive space requirements, fast, and VERY POWERFUL. The installer(version 2.12 for example) is like 33MB! Albeit, you will need to update/install "daten" files* for your vehicle of interest.
* Download the latest SP-Daten files (for E Series currently I think it's v.71) and 'BMW Coding Tool' for the semi-automatic updating/installation of all the 'new' daten files into the BMW Standard Tools installation folders. There are YouTube videos showing the process of updating datens using BMW Coding Tools, they should get you up to speed.

This "SP-Daten" you need to download/decompress and copy/paste into the appropriate folders(using 'BMW Coding Tool') as BMW Standard Tools installation usually only installs a "bare bone" structure in the C: drive with daten that are not up to date nor comprehensive. The downloading of the "daten" files may be considerably large, but nowhere near as large as the entire ISTA installation packages, as the daten are only a fraction of the package.

You seem to want to get this matter resolved soon. Use BMW Standard Tools (NCS, Toolset32... etc.). You can deal with ISTA later when you can spare more time.

[redhatcode29]

Originally Posted by tinkerman

Since you are a computer enthusiast, with interest in using the various software, with limited time and drive space, I HIGHLY recommend you used the BMW Standard Tools (NCS Expert and Toolset32 for coding/registering battery, and INPA for diagnostics later). Installation time, space on drive, and time to open each software are WAY more efficient than ISTA-D/P.

ISTA-D/P install(data) files are in the roughly 20/50 GB range respectively, and these are fluffed up enormously to like 130~150GB EACH, so you would need roughly 300GB of free drive space for initial install of both ISTA-D and ISTA-P. Installation takes a LONG TIME. Boot up takes a long time. Connection with the car takes a long time. You could reduce the size of the software on disk by deleting the "daten"(data associated with particular models) that you don't need(i.e. my VM of ISTA-D only contains E90 daten and its size can be shrunk to about 63GB initially).

BMW Standard Tools on the other hand is VERY light on size, drive space requirements, fast, and VERY POWERFUL. The installer(version 2.12 for example) is like 33MB! Albeit, you will need to update/install "daten" files for your vehicle of interest*.
* In C: > EC-APPS > NFS > DATA folder, 11GB or more as needed of core daten updating,
and ".PRG" program files updating into the C: > EDIABAS > Ecu folder ~1GB or as needed (and a few other folders/files may need updating, but are negligible in size).

This "daten" you need to download/decompress and copy/paste into the appropriate folders as BMW Standard Tools installation usually only installs a "bare bone" structure in the C: drive with daten that are not up to date nor comprehensive. The downloading of the "daten" files may be considerably large, but nowhere near as large as the entire ISTA installation packages, as the daten are only a fraction of the package.

You seem to want to get this matter resolved soon. Use BMW Standard Tools (NCS, Toolset32... etc.). You can deal with ISTA later when you can spare more time.

I have a few:

- Google says that Ista/D does not work with E series. Do i have to worry about this as i read that registering battery fall under ista/d and not ista/p.

- INPA is not a standalone ware, it has to work with Ncs, and it only works on 32bit.


I am trying to go with Ista because its fool proof ! Anway i downloaded a version if it from jack sparrow . Its about 35Gb

I tried to get a version from Bimmerfset, but its uploaded into Mega, which tells me that i cant download it without a Mega ‘paid’ account. I might as well pay for bimmercode if i was going to pay for Mega. Its 135gb.

I attach a screenshot below, does this look complete or you think that these are only bare files and that i have to get more specific folders/ files.

I also got a version of INPA.

Does the ista/p look complete ? I know that you cant guarantee, but at a glance ?

[tinkerman]

I've copied your previous post below as reference(in Italics) and my comments are in color (blue).

- Google says that Ista/D does not work with E series. Do i have to worry about this as i read that registering battery fall under ista/d and not ista/p.
ISTA certainly works with E series. If I recall correctly, you would start the process with with ISTA-D and when it comes time for the actual "recoding" ISTA-P will be launched to "program"("code") the pertinent ECUs.

- INPA is not a standalone ware, it has to work with Ncs, and it only works on 32bit.
INPA is part of the BWM Standard Tools package which also includes NCS Expert, Toolset32, WinKFP etc.. 32bit software will run fine on 64bit OS.

I am trying to go with Ista because its fool proof ! Anway i downloaded a version if it from jack sparrow . Its about 35Gb
Running an up and well running ISTA-D/P setup can be "fool proof", but getting ISTA or BMW Standard Tools setup properly by a newb takes much effort (trouble shooting, asking online forums for help, and most of all having patience), there is no easier option of the two in that regard.

I tried to get a version from Bimmerfset, but its uploaded into Mega, which tells me that i cant download it without a Mega ‘paid’ account. I might as well pay for bimmercode if i was going to pay for Mega. Its 135gb.
xxxxx
*Update: I just realized (after uploading most of this post initially) that Car Technology forum is now charging a 30euro registration fee?! WTF?!
Auto Professionals (similar to Car Technology) also seems to be requiring re-registration of previous members too, although it is not clearly stated if a "registration fee" is charged.WTF?!
Oh well, I cannot recommend those sites any longer, they've bit the corn dog!

*Note: For the software search "Rheingold" is another name for ISTA-D (does not include ISTA-P necessarily).

I searched for "BMW ISTA download" and found many potential leads for the software, and a good example is:

BIMMERSCENE.COM
For example for ISTA-D 4.39.20 standalone
https://www.bimmerscene.com/showthread.php?tid=5132
The associated MEGA link did not require login or any fee, at least on initial test. Perhaps this changes as the files sizes increase? At any rate, this site seems pretty new(? still free) and active, there seems to be separate threads for ISTA-P with different version numbers than ISTA-D. I recommend first downloading the "read me" / "installation notes" / "installation requirement" files first before downloading any large data packages, so you can get ISTA-D and ISTA-P versions that are compatible.

The main page for E series software tools:
BMW E Series Coding & Retrofits & Diagnostics
https://www.bimmerscene.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=2

I see all sorts of goodies there!

If MEGA or other cloud site tries to pick your wallet, just determine what versions of ISTA-D & P you'd like to get and do a torrent search on say btdig.com.


I attach a screenshot below, does this look complete or you think that these are only bare files and that i have to get more specific folders/ files.
It seems you only got ISTA-P, and it seems to be a relatively old version too. The current version of ISTA-D is 4.3X..XX or later (my ISTA VMs are kinda old but fine for E90s - ISTA-D 3.54... & ISTA-P 3.58... from around 2016~17). You don't need the very latest versions for E90s, but you might want to check what your actual version is when installed(before you install it if you can, so you don't waste a lot of time).

I also got a version of INPA.
If you just want to use ISTA for now, there's no need to install INPA. But if you want to use it eventually you don't want to just install INPA. You should install via BMW Standard Tools installer which will install INPA along with all the others together (ISTA not included of course).

Does the ista/p look complete ? I know that you cant guarantee, but at a glance ?
Note my comments above about versions. BTW, you can think of an ICOM (NEXT) as the official BMW interface between computer and OBD port, and fancier than a K+D-CAN cable in that the ICOM also has a MOST(optical) cable as well as ethernet/wifi capability. It is considerably more expensive, and only necessary if you need to replace/program a new entertainment system etc. or ECUs on the MOST communication lines (Not necessary for battery registration). But note that the original ISTA software expects this ICOM hardware between your computer and the car, so 'unofficial' versions of ISTA used to require(a while back) an "ICOM Emulator"(work around solution) on a USB dongle, but more recently as in my VMs this "ICOM Emulator" has become just part of the initial installation so it's no longer even a concern. If you install the latest that I've suggested from a site, as I've not actually tried installing it, you will have to just pick the brains of those that are on that thread or related threads elsewhere. Apologies in advance for I will not be able to walk you through the installation & trouble shooting as the software requirements and quirks will have all changed from around 2016~2017 when I discontinued updating my VMs.

You will be best off from this point on following the various "read me"s / "installation notes" of the software packages, and ask related installation / troubleshooting questions on the forums/threads from which the software are supplied and discussed, not here in this thread. Better to pick the brains that set them up, tested them, and received tons of help request already. The uploaded software sources and their respective threads will reveal a LOT of tips for installation, so read up, ALL of them, try installing(in VMs if possible so you don't screw your every day computer), and if things get wonky ask the guy that uploaded the software as he will have an answer. But keep in mind, you should do your homework so to speak (read all the posts as many as there are even if there are a ton of pages, as they will bring you up to speed and current, sparing you hopefully from asking questions that may have been already answered multiple times - you don't want to bug the 'ultra man' that is setting you up. LOL. Have FUN!

[crashoverride]

Originally Posted by marvinstockman

If you replace your battery with basically the same battery, you can get away with not coding, but if you can code, code.

The way I understand it is the car learns and conforms to a batteries degradation. As the battery gets older it doesn't take the full max charge of a new battery and thus to prevent overcharging it reduces charging levels.

Thus you have to register a new battery so that it goes back to charging at new battery levels.

Even if it's a similar/same battery being used in replacing. Obviously things will work even if you don't register a new battery but you won't get the most.

(Although I've always questioned the need to pay the dealership for registering. It seems for the price of registering you could just get another...nother new battery for similiar cost).