Need guidance on coding. New to ISTA

ThatWhiteM3 · 03-19-2018, 04:04 AM

Hello, I heard ISTA is the best program to read codes as well as programming. I have e92 M3 and I want to get into coding. I been doing all mechanical stuff myself but I want to get into programming as well as resetting stuff for TPMS and other stuff that require coding. What’s the best way to start with downloading instructions as well as right cable to buy for my model and may be diy instructions? May be if anyone local could help me in DMV area? Thank you in advance!

Scrippy · 03-24-2018, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWhiteM3

Hello, I heard ISTA is the best program to read codes as well as programming. I have e92 M3 and I want to get into coding. I been doing all mechanical stuff myself but I want to get into programming as well as resetting stuff for TPMS and other stuff that require coding. WhatÂ’s the best way to start with downloading instructions as well as right cable to buy for my model and may be diy instructions? May be if anyone local could help me in DMV area? Thank you in advance!

From the little I know about ISTA it's cool but you cannot deviate from the OEM setup. Meaning you can't code new things thought inappropriate per your VIN. I'm probably wrong though.

dpaul · 03-24-2018, 05:28 AM

Not quite sure what you'd like to accomplish. But it seems likely your needs would be best met using BMW standard tools (INPA for diagnostics, NCSExpert for coding; example being eliminating warning screen on CIC startup, WinKFP for programming, example being updating the DME program code to the latest version from BMW).

Search for "Bimmergeeks". You can download the complete standard tools package from their website. Highly recommend you buying their "Pro" cable as well. If you try to update your DME using a typical DCAN cable you will brick it.

himelsphere · 08-12-2018, 12:57 PM

Ista p is what you need along with a icom box W/enet connection +most connection and the real important one is 14v power supply made for coding so you end up spending 1000 bucks to code program right. also istad is for diagnostics

dpaul · 08-12-2018, 01:31 PM

Perhaps it is well known to the original poster but just for the sake of clarity, there are two different ISTA tools; ISTA/D (aka "Rheingold") which is very nice for making diagnosis and looking up information related to repair of your specific chassis, and ISTA/P which is for programming/coding i.e. "updating" modules to current factory standardsl

ISTA/P is far from the best or easiest way to make small coding changes in individual modules. ISTA/P is not optimized for hobbyist fucking around. It is quite difficult to get it to make individual module changes. It reads all modules, makes a plan that includes all updates to all modules to make the car current with whatever the latest daten is. Then it executes all those changes. There are some versions that allow limited choice about the range of updates that will be executed but I can assure you, they are not very robust and they are quite slow to boot.

Finally, you do not need MOST access for any coding changes to any module or for programming changes to most modules. You will need a MOST adapter (ICOM B) if you want to update program files in the CIC/CCC. I don't think any other module really needs it. IMHO ISTA/P is slow and clumsy compared to the standard BMW tools. Your MOST adapter can be used just as easily (or perhaps better to say with just as much difficulty) with WinKFP as with ISTA/P

Again, your best choice depends on what you really want/need to do.

03-19-2018, 04:04 AM	#1
ThatWhiteM3 Private First Class 33 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 E92 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Woodbridge, VA iTrader: (0)	Need guidance on coding. New to ISTA Hello, I heard ISTA is the best program to read codes as well as programming. I have e92 M3 and I want to get into coding. I been doing all mechanical stuff myself but I want to get into programming as well as resetting stuff for TPMS and other stuff that require coding. What’s the best way to start with downloading instructions as well as right cable to buy for my model and may be diy instructions? May be if anyone local could help me in DMV area? Thank you in advance!
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03-24-2018, 05:28 AM	#3
dpaul Lieutenant Colonel 654 Rep 1,893 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 335xi, 2011 E93 M3 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Boston iTrader: (3)	Not quite sure what you'd like to accomplish. But it seems likely your needs would be best met using BMW standard tools (INPA for diagnostics, NCSExpert for coding; example being eliminating warning screen on CIC startup, WinKFP for programming, example being updating the DME program code to the latest version from BMW). Search for "Bimmergeeks". You can download the complete standard tools package from their website. Highly recommend you buying their "Pro" cable as well. If you try to update your DME using a typical DCAN cable you will brick it.
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08-12-2018, 12:57 PM	#4
himelsphere Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 2008 m3 hardtop convt Join Date: May 2017 Location: bay area Cali iTrader: (0)	tools to code program Ista p is what you need along with a icom box W/enet connection +most connection and the real important one is 14v power supply made for coding so you end up spending 1000 bucks to code program right. also istad is for diagnostics
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08-12-2018, 01:31 PM	#5
dpaul Lieutenant Colonel 654 Rep 1,893 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 335xi, 2011 E93 M3 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Boston iTrader: (3)	Perhaps it is well known to the original poster but just for the sake of clarity, there are two different ISTA tools; ISTA/D (aka "Rheingold") which is very nice for making diagnosis and looking up information related to repair of your specific chassis, and ISTA/P which is for programming/coding i.e. "updating" modules to current factory standardsl ISTA/P is far from the best or easiest way to make small coding changes in individual modules. ISTA/P is not optimized for hobbyist fucking around. It is quite difficult to get it to make individual module changes. It reads all modules, makes a plan that includes all updates to all modules to make the car current with whatever the latest daten is. Then it executes all those changes. There are some versions that allow limited choice about the range of updates that will be executed but I can assure you, they are not very robust and they are quite slow to boot. Finally, you do not need MOST access for any coding changes to any module or for programming changes to most modules. You will need a MOST adapter (ICOM B) if you want to update program files in the CIC/CCC. I don't think any other module really needs it. IMHO ISTA/P is slow and clumsy compared to the standard BMW tools. Your MOST adapter can be used just as easily (or perhaps better to say with just as much difficulty) with WinKFP as with ISTA/P Again, your best choice depends on what you really want/need to do. Last edited by dpaul; 08-12-2018 at 03:04 PM..
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