VAG-COM/VCDS EVERYTHING

**JBG2** · 27th March, 2019, 11:20 PM

Hello all,

I have read through this thread and on page 523 about a cable to buy a "cheap" and "better" quality clone. I have never used VCDS before or a clone cable so I have a few questions:

Can you brick your car using a fake cable? - I have never bought the original because in the UK it costs £450 for an unlimited license!
What is the difference between the original cable and clone cables?
After experience would you use a clone cable over an original cable?
Im technically minded so having to flash the cable etc or cutting a trace (after reading you might need to do this to update certain cables). - Is there anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks

**Roma77** · 28th March, 2019, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by JBG2

Hello all,

I have read through this thread and on page 523 about a cable to buy a "cheap" and "better" quality clone. I have never used VCDS before or a clone cable so I have a few questions:

Can you brick your car using a fake cable? - I have never bought the original because in the UK it costs £450 for an unlimited license!
What is the difference between the original cable and clone cables?
After experience would you use a clone cable over an original cable?
Im technically minded so having to flash the cable etc or cutting a trace (after reading you might need to do this to update certain cables). - Is there anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks

Pre-sale clone technical support лол
Know all the reward that awaits you when buying a clone, do you have fortune tellers in the city? for sure their services are cheaper than 450 pounds.
A good clone costs about 23 pounds and you are still in doubt. In my country with an average salary of 250 pounds, no one doubts

**tucano79** · 28th March, 2019, 09:09 AM

Hi guys. I know how to program vag. I had program my vag to 18.9 with loader 7.2 but then my pc doesn’t recognize the cable. It seems to be driver do not installed so windows show the yellow cartoon “unknown device” so when I do the test port I have message “interface non found” and Red Cross image. I tried to reprogram the cable but the result doesn’t change. Program succesfully, the green led turn on, but cable doesn’t works. The vcds is correctly installed on pc infact another my vag 18.9 works perfectly. So I think that cable is damage. Witch component of the cable should be damage?

**kaalis** · 28th March, 2019, 04:41 PM

What VID and PID do you have for it in device manager?

**Volki** · 28th March, 2019, 06:32 PM

Hello,

I have the following problem:
Originally my cable was recognized as serial-interface. I had to reflash with MProg to get the proper name in device manager: Ross-Tech HEX or KEY USB Interface.
I reflashed the Atmega succesfully, but in VCDS I get Unkown firmware message, and VCDS can not update. Also VAGCOM_HWType not recognize it anymore.
I know that my flash file is ok because it was worked with an other cable. I used ProgISP and the corresponding project file.

Can anybody help?

Thank You

**Novica** · 28th March, 2019, 08:04 PM

@bg17aw
I did not make any soldering to interface, I was using method without programmer, connecting interface to car and to laptop via usb only.
Everything goes well.

**bg17aw** · 28th March, 2019, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by tucano79

Hi guys. I know how to program vag. I had program my vag to 18.9 with loader 7.2 but then my pc doesn’t recognize the cable. It seems to be driver do not installed so windows show the yellow cartoon “unknown device” so when I do the test port I have message “interface non found” and Red Cross image. I tried to reprogram the cable but the result doesn’t change. Program succesfully, the green led turn on, but cable doesn’t works. The vcds is correctly installed on pc infact another my vag 18.9 works perfectly. So I think that cable is damage. Witch component of the cable should be damage?

Follow the following steps:

- uninstall VCDS and make sure to check to uninstall drivers as well
- reconnect cable to usb port and check in Device Manager, if it appears there (with a yellow exclamation mark or not) right-click and choose "uninstall" and make sure to check "Delete driver"
- at this point, remove cable from usb port
- re-install VCDS 18.9.0
- reconnect cable to usb port and check in Device Manager
- your cable should now be installed correctly, no yellow exclamation mark

**bg17aw** · 28th March, 2019, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Novica

@bg17aw
I did not make any soldering to interface, I was using method without programmer, connecting interface to car and to laptop via usb only.
Everything goes well.

That means you bootloader was unlocked. Unfortunately, you didn't use the correct version of HWType, as it would have shown the bootloader status as well.

You were lucky.

**julez01** · 28th March, 2019, 10:28 PM

20190320_230413x.jpg 20190320_230420x.jpg

Originally Posted by julez01

Hi, im having problems with my newly received hex v2 clone from aliexpress. It is not possible for me to get it working. Windows recognises the cable sometimes but vcds is not able to establish a connection, it freezes then inside test option. But mostly it does not get recognised by windows, instead it is shown as "unknown device" inside device manager. I was never able to get it working, tried at 3 PCs now... I attached a screenshot from device manager and pics from inside the dongle. maybe you can advise me .. thx
I tested it on my android phone and as soon as i plug it in, it gets recognised and iam offered to open it with torque. Inside torque it is showing me values. Sometimes my phone recognises it as "null" and sometimes it is recognised as " Ross-Tech HEX-USB"
Dont know if it is faulty hardware and I return it to the seller or if there is a way to get it working.

What can I can do to get this thing running? Is there a chance to get it working? Can you give me a starting point ...? At least all basic things been done: changed the cable, soldered a new usb socket, re-installed the drivers a hundred times, tried different drivers but no luck at all.

Attached a pic of inside device manager. The first message says: the driver could not be loaded and it may be damaged or it is non existent. (Code 39) and the second message says: (unknown Bild) %hs is whether not intended to be executed on windows or it contains errors.
IMHO is it a driver problem, maybe because of ftdi-clone chip.. but what do you mean
(btw have a look at the fritzbox. I connected the clone on my fritzbox, to connect it via fritz usb remote connection to my pc, which gave me the same errors...Since that it shows the same error messages like the clone?! Also USB devices are now not available via usb remote connection)
I know its a bad clone but may it be possible to get it working?

hex v2 device mgr err.jpg

**Furax** · 28th March, 2019, 11:10 PM

Do the 18.9 leads still have the capability to brick themselves? My 11.11 lead is dead due to connecting with the internet enabled, i want to upgrade rather than repair so am going to buy a new lead.

**hid3** · 29th March, 2019, 09:23 AM

For those buying cheap crap at Ali - get normal quality cable (from Obd2CarTool recommended) or go away. Those cheap crappy cables are impossible to repair, period.

**kaalis** · 29th March, 2019, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Furax

i want to upgrade rather than repair so am going to buy a new lead.

So, you can't choose between choice #1 and choice #2. That's why you do choice #3. Why we need to know it?

Better post normal quality pictures of your PCB.

**Furax** · 29th March, 2019, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by kaalis

So, you can't choose between choice #1 and choice #2. That's why you do choice #3. Why we need to know it?

Better post normal quality pictures of your PCB.

Apologies, I don't think i explained myself properly.

I trashed my old lead, so ive bought a new good quality one that is on its way (https://www.obd2cartool.com/atmega-v...hipping-p-1554)

What I was asking is. Does 18.9 VCDS work the same way as 11.11 by trashing the lead if it detects it as a clone. What precautions should I take with the new version when using it (if any?). Never connect to the internet on that laptop or is disconnecting when VCDS is open enough?

Thanks

**kaalis** · 29th March, 2019, 11:30 PM

If using loader properly, you can leave internet connection ON and use it together with vcds. Read or re-read info.pdf from loader archive.

**Jerak** · 30th March, 2019, 04:11 PM

I bought the recommended interface from OBD2Cartool.com and it looks exactly like the picture in Info.pdf (VCDSLoader v6.3).
It is supposed to have the bootloader enabled but I get "Not in bootloader mode" running VAGCOM_EEWriteLang.exe.
I tried with the jumpers off and on.
Info.pdf says that it is supposed to be HW type 0x44 but VAGCOM_HWType.exe reports that it is FW 1.96 and HW 0x46.
Note I had to have jumpers on for VAGCOM_HWType.exe to read this.

I didn't cut any traces though because it doesn't have the STC chip, is this correct?

Help please. Thank you.