Vcds Beginner Advice - which system?

[Rg_]

Evening guys, I work on vehicles but have never used VCDS and currently don't have it.

Where is the best place to get it? Does it work on Windows 10 fine?

Is it easy enough to use? I have always seen things about coding for retrofits which I would like to do but sounds complicated. Anywhere I can learn about how to use it or should I just get it and have a play?

Thanks

 

[Salty Spuds]

Evening guys, I work on vehicles but have never used VCDS and currently don't have it.

Where is the best place to get it? Does it work on Windows 10 fine?

Is it easy enough to use? I have always seen things about coding for retrofits which I would like to do but sounds complicated. Anywhere I can learn about how to use it or should I just get it and have a play?

Thanks

Buy from a reputable source, there’re loads of counterfeit ones out there on eBay & FB. I got mine from Gendan. It works fine on Windows 10. I was/am a complete novice & have only touched on its capabilities. Softly softly catchee monkee

 

[The Ham]

also only a novice, agree with salty, I'm a mac user but have a really old toshiba which I use for my road bikes and also use it for vcds, I think it's only got windows 7

 

[Mooncat]

I run it on an old robust Toshiba with Windows XP and it's completely stable.

 

[sippe]

I run it on a Windows 10 under Virtualbox on a Mac, works fine, connects ok, no problems reading/writing ;-)

 

[Jules_UK]

working on windows 10 laptop, got mine from;

Ross-Tech Archives - Marshalls Industrial

www.mi-uk.com

still trying to get use to, although i have a T5.1 sorry guys, but i have found this site, and folks very helpful, so thank you.

John.

 

[Loz]

also only a novice, agree with salty, I'm a mac user but have a really old toshiba which I use for my road bikes and also use it for vcds, I think it's only got windows 7

I run my VCDS on a virtual PC running under VMware Fusion on my macbook pro.

 

[BrenR]

I run my VCDS on a virtual PC running under VMware Fusion on my macbook pro.

@Loz is this easy to do / cost effective? I have a MacBook and would like to get VCDS but don't really want to buy another laptop.

 

[Loz]

Yes very easy, vmware fusion is a paid-for app though. You could also do a Boot Camp version of windows and boot up into windows instead of running windows virtually.
The nice thing about vmware is I can virtualise an existing old windows pc.

 

[sippe]

I also run a windows 10 virtual machine on a mac, and I'm using Virtualbox. The Virtualbox app is quite easy to work with, and free. Of course, you need a Windows 10 copy, which will cost you some money, but after that, it works without problems here (Macbook Pro 2010, Intel I7, SSD, 8GB RAM).

Also, you can decide how much RAM/Video memory etc. you want to allocate to your Windows machine.

If any questions about how to set it up, I can help you there.

 

[BrenR]

I also run a windows 10 virtual machine on a mac, and I'm using Virtualbox. The Virtualbox app is quite easy to work with, and free. Of course, you need a Windows 10 copy, which will cost you some money, but after that, it works without problems here (Macbook Pro 2010, Intel I7, SSD, 8GB RAM).

Also, you can decide how much RAM/Video memory etc. you want to allocate to your Windows machine.

If any questions about how to set it up, I can help you there.

Thanks. Cost wise and ease I am seriously considering a second hand laptop with windows 10.

 

[sippe]

In terms of ease I definitely wouldn't be afraid of the Virtualbox thing. You just install the app and the plugins, after that you 'make' a new machine (press button 'make a new machine'), start it (it simulates starting a real computer), and then you can use either a DVD or a downloaded .iso file to install Windows the usual way. After that you have a normal working Windows machine, but it is working within your Mac Os, meaning you can switch desktops while you're on it. On the Windows machine you can access internet exactly the same as you would on any other computer, so downloading/updating/connecting to the car is exactly the same, cable works in the same plug&play style. So actually, nothing really changes. Only thing that's different is the download and install of the program and the plugins (just like any other application).

So, up to you. The cost of a laptop can probably be the cost of quite a bit of beer for the holidays, and for the amount of times you'll need it it will get quite dusty... ;-)

could do a Zoom style tutorial (with screen sharing) if necessary

 

[BrenR]

In terms of ease I definitely wouldn't be afraid of the Virtualbox thing. You just install the app and the plugins, after that you 'make' a new machine (press button 'make a new machine'), start it (it simulates starting a real computer), and then you can use either a DVD or a downloaded .iso file to install Windows the usual way. After that you have a normal working Windows machine, but it is working within your Mac Os, meaning you can switch desktops while you're on it. On the Windows machine you can access internet exactly the same as you would on any other computer, so downloading/updating/connecting to the car is exactly the same, cable works in the same plug&play style. So actually, nothing really changes. Only thing that's different is the download and install of the program and the plugins (just like any other application).

So, up to you. The cost of a laptop can probably be the cost of quite a bit of beer for the holidays, and for the amount of times you'll need it it will get quite dusty... ;-)

could do a Zoom style tutorial (with screen sharing) if necessary

Thats a very kind offer, thank you. I will look into the Windows 10 costs etc and likely to take you up on it.

 

[sippe]

just quickly read diagonally, but might be insteresting:

How to Get Windows 10 for Free (or Under $30)

If you need Windows for a PC build, Microsoft charges a whopping $139. But there are ways to get the OS for a lot less or even for free.

www.tomshardware.com

.

 

[DXX]

It’s possible to fully install Windows 10 on a Mac.
I’m a novice but my lady is a bit of an expert, I believe this is not a virtual installation. She used UNetbootin as we didn’t have a DVD drive so used a USB stick.
We didn’t buy Windows 10 or the Key, all available free online.

Finally managed to install Windows 10 on the Macbook by downloading a free copy of Windows 10 on to a USB stick using UNetbootin software which made the USB loadable instead of using DVD R.
The internal HD was partitioned for Windows using format Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
Mac rebooted with Alt key, select EFI boot (USB) and starts Windows 10 installation. Select partition for installation and Delete it as the format is incorrect for Windows. This will replace the partition with the correct format for Windows 10.
Select the partition and install Windows 10.
This leaves Windows 10 installed on Macbook without the need for Bootcamp. In my case the Macbook was so old Bootcamp would only support Windows 7 or 8,

 

[BrenR]

In terms of ease I definitely wouldn't be afraid of the Virtualbox thing. You just install the app and the plugins, after that you 'make' a new machine (press button 'make a new machine'), start it (it simulates starting a real computer), and then you can use either a DVD or a downloaded .iso file to install Windows the usual way. After that you have a normal working Windows machine, but it is working within your Mac Os, meaning you can switch desktops while you're on it. On the Windows machine you can access internet exactly the same as you would on any other computer, so downloading/updating/connecting to the car is exactly the same, cable works in the same plug&play style. So actually, nothing really changes. Only thing that's different is the download and install of the program and the plugins (just like any other application).

So, up to you. The cost of a laptop can probably be the cost of quite a bit of beer for the holidays, and for the amount of times you'll need it it will get quite dusty... ;-)

could do a Zoom style tutorial (with screen sharing) if necessary

I have downloaded Virtual box and windows 10 onto a hard drive but I can't seem to work out how to load the windows 10 onto the virtual box if that makes sense?

 

[sippe]

ok, normally the Windows 10, if you download it, it comes as some kind of file (.iso or .vdi or something like that)

you install Virtual Box (and make sure you already download the "Guest addons" from the Virtual box website (this emulates video drivers etc. so you can have your Windows running under the same screen resolution as your mac)

after that, open VB, and click on "new" (or in the top menu click on Machine -> New, or just press CMD - N)
you'll get to this screen:

Same in English as in Dutch...

Give it a name, whatever you want, for example Windows 10, or Doors 11, or whatever
Machine folder is where the machine is stored, this you can leave as it is.
Type: Microsoft Windows
Version: Windows 10, 64 bits (normally you have downloaded this one)
Memory size (RAM): the allocated RAM... the bigger, the faster the Windows will work, but of course this takes resources from the rest... But definitely take enough (I took 4 GB I believe)
Then, the last thing: just choose 'Make new virtual HD now'

You'll arrive at the next screen:

Next thing is location of your vdi file that VB will make, you can leave as is or change if you want.
File allocation size = size of your virtual HD (big enough for what you use it for, no need for exaggerating)
File type: VDI is ok
Dynamically allocated, so if it's too small you can still make it bigger.

click MAKE or whatever it says in English

Then you have this (but without the other machines, they're the ones I have at the moment)


You can click on SETTINGS, here you can play around with some settings, for example Video memory, RAM memory, 3D video drivers etc. of your machine (you can make it more or less powerful, depending on what you want to keep running next to it). Also, you can believe what you want to share between Mac and Virtual Machine, like folders etc... Save with OK, otherwise Cancel.

Now START the machine.

You'll get an option to select the startup disk. This is where your downloaded Windows 10 file comes in place. If you skip it per accident, next time you boot it up, you'll shortly get the option to press F12 to select boot device, you can still do it then...

(powering off machines: different options, under which just close with the normal closing buttons, it will ask what you want it to do)

After that, just install Windows the normal way...

When it's installed, your screen, sound etc. won't be setup yet. For that you need the "Guest box additions" that you downloaded. To install those, in your machine you go to the top menu (of your Mac), select "Devices -> install guest additions CD image", and then install the guest addons.

After this, not sure anymore if you need to reboot the Windows or not, you'll have proper resolutions etc..

Now, use your Windows as normal, install VCDS etc., and when you had enough of Windows, just close it, and go back to a proper OS

Have a nice weekend!



Jan

 

[BrenR]

ok, normally the Windows 10, if you download it, it comes as some kind of file (.iso or .vdi or something like that.

Now START the machine.

You'll get an option to select the startup disk. This is where your downloaded Windows 10 file comes in place. If you skip it per accident, next time you boot it up, you'll shortly get the option to press F12 to select boot device, you can still do it then...

(powering off machines: different options, under which just close with the normal closing buttons, it will ask what you want it to do)

After that, just install Windows the normal way...

When it's installed, your screen, sound etc. won't be setup yet. For that you need the "Guest box additions" that you downloaded. To install those, in your machine you go to the top menu (of your Mac), select "Devices -> install guest additions CD image", and then install the guest addons.

After this, not sure anymore if you need to reboot the Windows or not, you'll have proper resolutions etc..

Now, use your Windows as normal, install VCDS etc., and when you had enough of Windows, just close it, and go back to a proper OS

I have it downloaded and windows 10. I click start but I just get FATAL no bootable medium found.

Tried pressing F12, but nothing.

I am not sure I downloaded add on though.

 

[sippe]

What you could try is delete the virtual machine (it's virtual anyway), make a new one and start again. Once you start it the first time you should be able to get it going.

So once you installed the new machine, start it up for the first time, and look at the screen, it will ask where the install disk is. Make sure you have a Windows 10 iso, and select where.

if too late, normally F12 does the trick, but know that the F-buttons are assigned to your sound, brightness etc, so you have to use FN-F12 ;-)

 

[BrenR]

Really appreciate your replies Jan. Thank you.

Yes Fn-F12 wasn’t working APC I deleted and started again.

Now got further, but saying partition not big enough? I tried but delete again make making things bigger but hasn’t helped. Any thoughts please?