Need help with choosing diognostic software and computer operating system

[Markyt1980]

Hey there everyone, I have a Citroen C4 Geand Picasso 1.6 diesel with the EGS gear system. And it’s showing faults.

I am pretty tech savvy when it comes to computers but trying to figure out which version of software I need is a mind field.

My previous car was a ford and this was easy with forscan.

Could anyone please enlighten me as to what I need for a 2007 Citroen c4 grand Picasso of 2007. Is it Lexus or diagbox. And which version is best.

Do I need to use a computer using XP or can a newer operating system be used if it’s a 32 bit version?
Also any recommendations on the sellers for the odb2 cables. Is there anything else I need? Many thanks in advance

[GiveMeABreak]

No not Lexus, that's a car.

I think you're referring to a Lexia 3 VCI kit with Diagbox software that also includes the Lexia (Citroen) and PP2000 (Peugeot) software for earlier vehicles prior to approx. 2008.

This requires a dedicated laptop running Windows 7 / 10 and is quite a messy installation (hence the need for a dedicated laptop).

This is the probably the best hardware for PSA vehicles as it's a almost a clone of the original used by the dealerships. Be aware, there are cheap kits that do not have all the hardware and this causes problems when communicating with later vehicles as they often won't be able to communicate with all the systems.

Have a chat with Jim at Easydiagnostics for advice.

[Markyt1980]

Haha oh I just noticed that. Stupid auto correct on my phone . Ahh thank you very much for your reply much appreciated

[silientshy]

I also agree with Marc about Lexia with Diagbox.

Just to add about multiple versions of said interface, the best will be "gold", "gold full chip", etc. Preferably, look for listings with a board view, as you can tell if it is indeed a full version. Cheaper ones should be listed as lite/silver.
Boards look different, as in most cases, gold has a gold line around the edges of the PCB and has 7 phototransistor optocouplers. I have a comparison of the board views of these versions (alongside OE). If needed, I could arrange a graphic with these, as I don't own rights to this exact image. 

About Diagbox there is always an option of Virtual Machine - laptop will be much cleaner that way. Many people from my local groups prefer this way (including me).

If you don't have a verified listing, I also suggest contacting a person with know-how.

[Markyt1980]

Ahh thank you very much. And yes I would really appreciate that graphic. I am definitely thinking of using a virtual machine so it is a safe clean install. This is really good info. Thank you very much

[silientshy]

I quickly arranged a graphic - differences should be visible.

Short summary below is for C5 X7:

• J2534 is not recommended as it is known to work incorrectly.
• Lite with one phototransistor optocoupler - is a "rare" find and I don't know how it behaves.
• Silver/Lite with two phototransistor optocouplers - should work just fine. People recommend it for only sporadic/rare use.
• Gold - works fine, recommended by people for often use. The biggest difference is in protection against overvoltage, as far as I know.

As a warning, there were cases that gold/silver couldn't connect to some calculators (most notably hydraulic suspension/css). It should also be noted that these clones may have quality control issues, and even the more expensive gold version may not have worked out of the box or stopped working after some time. Sometimes you may come across a dishonest seller that can ship you another version than listed and tearing it down to see board, effectively deprive you of the possibility of a refund.

Therefore, it is strongly advised to contact a person with know-how or buy from verified seller/listing (preferably recommended from some local groups).

First of all, I recommend doing as Marc said:

Have a chat with Jim at Easydiagnostics for advice.

[Markyt1980]

Thank you so much for sending this it is a massive help. You and Marc have been really helpful