Finally bit the bullet...

[Stempy]

...and bought a Lexia thingy. So far have managed to get it to tell me the VIN number and that's about it. Will need to go through the trouble shooting guides. Using Virtual PC XP mode on a 64 bit Windows 7 laptop with Diagbox 7.02 installed. Wish me luck

[vborovic]

Wishing ... ... I've decided on the Win 7 32-bit installation on a Tablet PC (real tablet, not those iPad and similar boxes) when I've received mine a few months back, and I'm running DiagBox v7.44 on it with no problems so far, didn't want to bother with the Virtual PC ...

[Stempy]

Well after a bit of faffing about got communication going and read the fault codes. I seem to have a permanent error with the aerial input on the radio!

[osx]

Where about are you Stempy and which Lexia did you get? I am a bit confused with all the versions.

[Stempy]

I'm in Surrey. I got mine from JJ Diagnostics, its a Lexia 3.

Had a bit of a play, cleared some error codes and looked and a few of the parameters that can be set. Not tried Scantool yet so don't know what that does at the moment.

It flattens my laptop battery in no time flat though. Will have to drag a mains lead outside for the next stint.

[Mandrake]

The scantool option is pretty much redundant on a C5, (or a Xantia for that matter) you won't find anything of interest in there. Everything you should need for an early C5 should be under Lexia.

[osx]

Wishing ... ... I've decided on the Win 7 32-bit installation on a Tablet PC (real tablet, not those iPad and similar boxes) when I've received mine a few months back, and I'm running DiagBox v7.44 on it with no problems so far, didn't want to bother with the Virtual PC ...

So does it work fine with your X7? Do you have a link by any chance so I don't buy the wrong one What is the Diagbox Version that will work with the X7?

[vborovic]

I didn't do any advanced diagnostics so far, just checking out the electronics components/computers, and some programming of the BSI, navigation and some other feats... no problems that I'm aware, and the car runs fine after every session ... so I guess I haven't messed up anything yet ... ... the one I've ordered was this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEXIA-3-PEUGEOT ... 1439991639" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I know I've read somewhere the minimum version that is compatible with the X7, can't remember which it was, but as it is fairly easy to update by yourself to the latest (if you know where to get them, v7.44 currently), you don't have to worry about that.

[Stempy]

The version I have is 7.02 and include the X7 in the list of available vehicles. It really is geek heaven!

[Mandrake]

7.02 is a little over a year old Stempy, I don't bother to upgrade past 7.02 when I reinstall anymore, for a Xantia at least it makes no difference! (Probably for a C5 Mk1 too)

I did have updates to 7.15 but I lost access to the forum where updates are (*ahem*) obtained after that, (my account was automatically deleted due to inactivity and new signups aren't allowed anymore ) so I've given up trying to get updates. Unless I was plugging into a post 2013 car or trying to download just released ECU firmware updates to a relatively recent car later versions are not really needed.

New versions generally don't add any functionality for existing cars - only ECU firmware updates (very rare for older models) and support for new models of car.

[Stempy]

Well as mine works I will be leaving well alone. Don't think I would dare try updating any firmware.

I did update the Sat Nav but that was via the CD Rom player in the car. Looking at the Lexia it seems very powerful and I'd imagine it would be very easy to cause brain death if you weren't too careful.

[Mandrake]

Perhaps foolishly I updated the firmware for my gearbox ECU after I started having trouble with the gearbox on the slim hope that it might help and all I achieved by doing so was adding the very annoying cold start cat warmup mode - where it holds first gear until 3200 rpm during the first 2 minutes of driving...

I HATE that behaviour (yes it's designed that way and later ECU's probably shipped with that version) but its impossible for me to downgrade the firmware to get rid of it...(not only does Diagbox not contain the older firmware images, it doesn't allow downgrades or even reflashing the same version - so upgrading is strictly a one way process)

Consider it like a BIOS update on earlier PC's - something you only did if there was a specific reason, not just for the fun of it...(and with a chance of bricking it if it went wrong)