Troubleshooting BMW OBD2 Software on Windows 10: A Compatibility Guide

Are you struggling to get your BMW OBD2 software, specifically BMW Scanner 1.4 (also known as P.A. Soft), to function correctly on your Windows 10 computer? You’re not alone. Many BMW enthusiasts and DIY mechanics have encountered compatibility issues, particularly after Windows updates. This guide will walk you through the common problems and provide solutions to ensure your BMW diagnostic tools work seamlessly with Windows 10.

Understanding the Windows 10 Compatibility Challenge

The core of the issue lies in the drivers required for the OBD2 cable to communicate effectively with your Windows 10 system. BMW Scanner 1.4 relies on FTDI drivers, which act as the crucial intermediary for data transmission between your car’s diagnostic port and your computer.

Recent Windows 10 updates, most notably the versions released after Update 2004 (May 2020 Update), introduced changes that disrupted the traditional methods of installing these FTDI drivers. This update effectively broke the established driver installation process, leaving many users unable to connect their BMW Scanner to their vehicles.

Visual representation of virtual machines used for testing Windows 10 compatibility with BMW Scanner software, highlighting the investigative process to pinpoint update-related issues.

To pinpoint the culprit update, extensive testing across various Windows 10 versions was conducted using virtual machines. This rigorous process revealed that driver installation remained smooth on Windows 10 versions up to and including Update 1909. However, the problems began surfacing with Update 2004 and subsequent releases. This means if you updated your Windows 10 past version 1909, you might be facing these driver compatibility issues.

The Solution: Installing Compatible Drivers on Windows 10

Fortunately, there’s now a viable solution to get your BMW Scanner 1.4 working even on the latest versions of Windows 10. A method has been developed to successfully install the necessary drivers, overcoming the obstacles introduced by Windows updates.

Note: While older versions of Windows like Windows 7 or XP might seem like alternatives, they are no longer recommended due to security vulnerabilities and lack of modern features. Windows 10 remains the preferred operating system for compatibility and security.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to installing the drivers for BMW Scanner 1.4 on Windows 10:

Before You Begin:

Ensure you have the following files downloaded and readily accessible:

• BMW Scanner 1.4 Software: You’ll need the installation files for the BMW Scanner 1.4 software itself.
• FTDI Drivers: Download the correct FTDI drivers compatible with Windows 10. Ensure you choose the drivers appropriate for your system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).

Installation Steps:

1. Install BMW Scanner 1.4 Software:

   • Locate your downloaded BMW Scanner 1.4 software (usually a ZIP file).
   • Extract the contents of the ZIP file to a folder on your computer.
   • Run the BMW Scanner v140 Install.exe file found within the extracted folder.
   • Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. You can accept the default installation location and choose to create a desktop shortcut for easy access.

2. Install FTDI Drivers:

   • Extract the downloaded FTDI driver ZIP file to a dedicated folder. Remember the location of this folder as you’ll need to navigate to it later.
   • Open Device Manager. You can quickly access it by right-clicking on the Windows Start Menu icon and selecting “Device Manager.”
   • Connect your BMW Scanner OBD2 cable to your computer’s USB port. Do not connect it to your car yet.
   • Device Manager should refresh, and you should see a new device listed under “Other devices,” typically labeled as “BMW Scanner V14x” or similar, possibly with a warning icon.
   • Right-click on the “BMW Scanner V14x” device and select “Update driver.”
   • In the driver update window, choose “Browse my computer for driver software.”
   • Click “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.”
   • Click the “Have Disk…” button.
   • In the “Insert Disk” dialog, click “Browse…”
   • Navigate to the folder where you extracted the FTDI drivers in step 2a.
   • Locate and double-click the ftdibus.inf file.
   • Click “OK.”
   • From the list of drivers, select “USB Serial Converter A” and click “Next.”
   • A driver update warning message might appear. Click “Yes” to proceed with the installation.
   • Windows should confirm successful driver installation. Click “Close.”

3. Install USB Serial Port Driver:

   • After completing the previous steps, check Device Manager again. You should now see:
     • “USB Serial Converter A” under “Universal Serial Bus controllers.”
     • “USB Serial Port” under “Other devices,” potentially with an error icon.
   • Right-click on the “USB Serial Port” device and select “Update driver.”
   • Choose “Browse my computer for driver software” again.
   • Click “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.”
   • Click “Have Disk…”
   • Click “Browse…” and navigate back to the FTDI driver folder.
   • This time, double-click the ftdiport.inf file (ensure you select ftdiport.inf and not ftdibus.inf).
   • Click “OK.”
   • Select “USB Serial Port” from the list (scroll to the bottom if needed) and click “Next.”
   • A driver update warning might reappear. Click “Yes” to continue.
   • Windows should confirm successful driver installation. Click “Close.”

Final Steps:

Once you have completed these steps, the drivers for your BMW Scanner 1.4 should be correctly installed on your Windows 10 system. You can now connect the OBD2 cable to your BMW and launch the BMW Scanner 1.4 software. It should now communicate with your vehicle without issues.

Troubleshooting Tip:

In some cases, particularly with certain BMW models, BMW Scanner 1.4 might not detect the DME (Digital Motor Electronics) or EGS (Electronic Gearbox System). If you encounter this, a common fix involves soldering pins 7 and 8 together on the car-end connector of your OBD2 cable. Numerous online guides and forums provide detailed instructions on this modification.

By following these steps, you should be able to effectively use your BMW OBD2 software, BMW Scanner 1.4, on your Windows 10 computer and perform essential diagnostics and coding tasks on your BMW.