I just bought a refubished IBM T30 Laptop and the PIWIS cable/module to run diagnostics/coding on a couple cars. We ordered a harddrive that was advertised to fit into the T30 with the V29 Porsche software.

This is where things get tricky - The company sent us the software loaded on a SATA hard drive, which doesn't fit into the T30. The T30 laptop is only capable of using the older style IDE hard drive.

My question is what are my options? What would work best?:

a) Buy a newer laptop with the SATA hard drive that I can swap the hard drive into. Why does everyone use/advertise the T30 for this application? Is there any specific reason I couldn't use a different laptop?

b) Buy a SATA hard drive caddy and try to boot from the external adapter?

c) We gave both the hard drives to a local computer guru and told him to mirror the V29 software onto the older hard drive. He said it might work for a week before it quits. So this option is pretty much out.

d) ...

Thanks!

 

Hmmm....you realize you are posting on a turbo porsche site? Perhaps you should post this on a SCSI site...

Sounds like the software is pirated as the PIWIS system software will run you about $18K...per year.

 

Yes, I posted in the 996 turbo forum since v29 covers the 996 and I figured you all would have some experience with the DME and computers since the 996TT is a very tuneable platform.

PIWIS I V29 is no longer supported by Porsche and doesn't have coding to disintegrate. PIWIS II requires the yearly subscription you mentioned.

 

Why would a disk image on an IDE drive last only a week? Put the SATA drive in an external hard drive enclosure. Plug it into a computer. Create a disk image. Put a new IDE hard drive in an external hard drive enclosure. Plug it into the computer. Decompress the disk image onto the IDE drive. Should work fine.

 

You could also consider a Dell D630. IIRC, it uses a SATA controller and should be compatible with the data. I believe the hacked PIWIS programs work with both the T30 and D630.

 

I just got off the phone with my computer tech - He said that was the first thing he did and it worked. The problem was when he tried to clone to the IDE. He had problems with the chipset drivers and apparently XP is hard to deal with this aspect. He said it just throws a blue screen. This software is supposedly incorporated with windows, and besides running V29, it won't allow the laptop to do any other processes... So I am told.

He was able to boot the SATA on a desktop and open up the file(plugging directly into his motherboard). Seems to work fine and isn't corrupt. He also just mentioned that the device was most likely formatted on a D630 since that is the name of the disk. When I asked whether it would be plausible to boot from the external adapter, he said it might be, but it would be painfully slow. Seems like the answer is to just buy a D630 and be done with it.

Thanks for the response, it was helpful!

 

I think I see the problem - the original image on the SATA drive was probably burned from a D630. I don't think T30s ever had SATA. The chipset drivers are completely different for both motherboards. It may work temporarily, but will ultimately crash and burn on a T30.

 

Just convert to VMware and then you can run it from any PC. I'm running PIWIS this way on my Macbook Pro.....

 

Correct - that is the way that it was described to me.
This was an option that I asked about. Tech told me that it would also be really slow and that I would most likely have trouble getting the drivers installed for the USB interface... I'll be the first to admit that i'm no computer guru, so I just took his word for it. No reason not to I guess; he's not trying to sell me anything. I already ordered a refurb D630 for $200, but it's nice to hear that I could potentially run it on my MB Pro. You using paralells?

 

VMware fusion and it runs faster as on the my original IBM T30. Remember it is an old XP program and only need 512mb memory. Guess you are using an KTS520 interface, is it configured for PIWIS?

 

Yes, using a KTS520 configured for PIWIS. The dell should get here in a couple days. If we can't get it running with the HD, I might have a couple more questions about how you set up VM. Thanks!