Alex Peper OBD-2 scan tool update

[ssolomo]

I'm posting since I know a bunch of folks on here have the Alex Peper OBD-2 scan tool (I bought mine through a group buy on the forums years ago). I had to update my scanner with a serial to USB converter ($10 at Microcenter) and it had some reliability problems with Windows XP (blue screen of death). I think it was a driver issue with the converter.

I just got a new laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and the thing won't work. Evidently Home Premium doesn't have a true XP compatibility mode so the 16 bit software / communications won't work with this version of Windows. You either have to upgrade your Windows 7 to Pro or Ultimate and put it in XP emulation mode to get it to work. Alex also said he is working on a 64 bit version of the software, which he hopes to have out in a few months.

Hope that helps anyone thinking of upgrading computers and using Alex's tool.

 

[striker2]

its not that home premium doesnt have an XP mode, but that you are trying to run 16 bit software on a 64 bit OS (this would be the case with 64 bit pro as well as even XP 64 bit). some quick google searches would have revealed this. What you can do though is to install Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 (yes i know it says its not for 7 but it works just fine, im using it right now on my 7 home premium 64 bit without any issues). the issue with doing that is im not sure that it can see a USB to serial converter so that may not work either but im not sure and i have no way to test that.

basically, all programs must be either 32 or 64 bit in order to run on a 64 bit OS. 16 bit programs will only run on a 32 bit OS at the highest.