Using DIS & INPA Service/Test Features?

[duracellttu]

I wanted to start a single thread to help those of us learning how to use DIS (or INPA) service test features. Share what you have learned in DIS and how to navigate to different service screens for various DIY jobs. There are some common ones like activating ABS for brake fluid flushes, VANOS test, etc. that we should document here. Let’s consolidate our knowledge here.

I’m trying to figure out how to activate the throttle body actuator for synchronizing the throttle bodies. Can anybody help?

[bigjae46]

I have INPA...I'd love to find a copy of DIS.

[Cubieman]

DIS is a bitch to setup, I used Mario @ pss-autosoft.net.

Only used it for a VANOS test, what would be easier to get a chicom ICOM and use ISTA as you don't have all the issues of having to run a VM etc.

That said I would love to see more DIS tutorials, but again ISTA is where it's at.

[duracellttu]

DIS is a bitch to setup, I used Mario @ pss-autosoft.net.

Only used it for a VANOS test, what would be easier to get a chicom ICOM and use ISTA as you don't have all the issues of having to run a VM etc.

That said I would love to see more DIS tutorials, but again ISTA is where it's at.

I agree that ISTA would have been much easier to setup, but that being said I’ve already gotten DIS installed using VMs.

I have used ISTA at all. Are the screens and user interface the same? I’m not opposed to biting the bullet and buying a new software package if it gives me more features or makes executing service tests easier.

[bmwfnatic]

I have spent countless hours messing with the SCO operating system to get DIS to run perfectly on a modern laptop, in 1080p, without crashing.

I own the genuine Siemens GT1 diagnostic system which runs DIS.

I have ISTA setup and have a genuine ICOM.

And all of it is absolutely useless, slow and overcomplicated.
DIS takes ages to boot, on the original hardware too, then ages to gather information about the car before you can actually do anything. Same thing for ISTA minus the booting part.

INPA and NCS Expert work instantly, and you will be done before DIS or ISTA would even have had the chance to load.

[duracellttu]

I have spent countless hours messing with the SCO operating system to get DIS to run perfectly on a modern laptop, in 1080p, without crashing.

I own the genuine Siemens GT1 diagnostic system which runs DIS.

I have ISTA setup and have a genuine ICOM.

And all of it is absolutely useless, slow and overcomplicated.
DIS takes ages to boot, on the original hardware too, then ages to gather information about the car before you can actually do anything. Same thing for ISTA minus the booting part.

INPA and NCS Expert work instantly, and you will be done before DIS or ISTA would even have had the chance to load.

Can you walk me through which screens I need to navigate to get to the throttle body activation area? I’m trying to synchronize my TBs. TIA!

[bigjae46]

ISTA is a little better than DIS as far as ease of use. The biggest advantage is you can get factory updates to the test plans and programming with ISTA.

[Slideways]

Is there a way to install a VM with DIS and have it perform the VANOS test with the k+d-can USB cable? Unless someone already has this and can link it

I guess the easiest thing to do is to install ISTA-d on Win 10 and buy an ICOM cable.

[heinzboehmer]

Is there a way to install a VM with DIS and have it perform the VANOS test with the k+d-can USB cable? Unless someone already has this and can link it

Yep, the thing Cubieman linked is exactly that.

[bmwfnatic]

Is there a way to install a VM with DIS and have it perform the VANOS test with the k+d-can USB cable? Unless someone already has this and can link it

I guess the easiest thing to do is to install ISTA-d on Win 10 and buy an ICOM cable.

The easiest is going into the coding section here and downloading the file someone made to do the VANOS test using Tool32, instead of installing DIS for that sole purpose.

[JakeM346]

DIS is a bitch to setup, I used Mario @ pss-autosoft.net.

Only used it for a VANOS test, what would be easier to get a chicom ICOM and use ISTA as you don't have all the issues of having to run a VM etc.

That said I would love to see more DIS tutorials, but again ISTA is where it's at.

Thanks so much mate I still need dis to Programm in my new modules. Also coding with Ista is nearly impossible without the original ICOM and you can only Code the e46 with ista d and not ista+

[Cubieman]

Thanks so much mate I still need dis to Programm in my new modules. Also coding with Ista is nearly impossible without the original ICOM and you can only Code the e46 with ista d and not ista+

I am going to spring for a real ICOM at some point, at out little shop every so often the Chinese copy can't get it done. On most newer cars ISTA plus the yellow ethernet cable gets things done but older stuff sometimes needs the ICOM. Luckily we have a good remote coder but I need to figure this stuff out to some degree.

[Arith2]

There's this weird anomaly where ISTA takes much longer on older cars, pretty much 2006 and lower. E90s and up load quicker. This is on identifying and connecting to the vehicle those. Newer vehicle like a G07 take forever on the vehicle test due to the million modules but ISTA is very smooth running. Now these unofficial versions may run worse but I only use the actual ISTA. ISTA is very easy to use and quite user friendly. Even the wiring diagrams are set up decently so. As everything it will take practice but ISTA does not take long to learn and is somewhat set up efficiently. I'll pull my car in and check through the ABLs to see if there is anything related to throttle bodies. American software may not function properly on a CSL tuned DME either.

[WoGGo]

I have spent countless hours messing with the SCO operating system to get DIS to run perfectly on a modern laptop, in 1080p, without crashing.

I own the genuine Siemens GT1 diagnostic system which runs DIS.

I have ISTA setup and have a genuine ICOM.

And all of it is absolutely useless, slow and overcomplicated.
DIS takes ages to boot, on the original hardware too, then ages to gather information about the car before you can actually do anything. Same thing for ISTA minus the booting part.

INPA and NCS Expert work instantly, and you will be done before DIS or ISTA would even have had the chance to load.

What's the minimum spec laptop (hardware and Win OS version) you would recommend for INPA, NCS Expert and even ISTA?

Also, how much drive space do these three programs require?

[bmwfnatic]

What's the minimum spec laptop (hardware and Win OS version) you would recommend for INPA, NCS Expert and even ISTA?

Also, how much drive space do these three programs require?

INPA and NCS Expert run pretty much on anything, they require very little computing power, the program itself is relatively small, and you can save space by only installing E46 DATEN files.

ISTA on the other hand is quite a large program, it contains a lot of information about pretty much all modern BMW’s. I have a diagnostics only installation of it which is around 60 GB on disk right now. I believe however if you choose to install the programming aspect of it too (Only for F/G series cars) it grows by like 100 GB.

ISTA is made for Windows 10, that is the OS you want. And pretty much any laptop made in the last 5 years or so will run it perfectly fine.