Laptop for Forscan Advice

[Jmav2152]

So all i want to do is give my Fx4 the eco and sport mode back. I have a desktop so i tried using my GFs mac running parralel to use forscan. got it all gtg to then find out her mac cant detect the USB/OBD device.

so i just want a cheap laptop to run forscan for literally a day and get those modes back. im looking at this one from besbuy to just use for a day and then return it after wiping it.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-1...oc=Narrativ&mpid=376373&ref=198&skuId=6469400

any thoughts or ideas?

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[earlyre]

As long as it runs windows. That's all that's really needed.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

So all i want to do is give my Fx4 the eco and sport mode back. I have a desktop so i tried using my GFs mac running parralel to use forscan. got it all gtg to then find out her mac cant detect the USB/OBD device.

so i just want a cheap laptop to run forscan for literally a day and get those modes back. im looking at this one from besbuy to just use for a day and then return it after wiping it.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-1...oc=Narrativ&mpid=376373&ref=198&skuId=6469400

any thoughts or ideas?

If you have a copy of windows 7 or 10 try running it through that on her Mac in a virtual machine using something like virtualbox. As long as the guest os which in this case will be windows has access to the usb port it should be able to detect the cable within the windows os instead.

 

[Jmav2152]

If you have a copy of windows 7 or 10 try running it through that on her Mac in a virtual machine using something like virtualbox. As long as the guest os which in this case will be windows has access to the usb port it should be able to detect the cable within the windows os instead.

Thats what i did at first. had no issue getting forscan setup and working but her macbook air would not dectect the OBD2 device. my pc and another really old laptop detected it no problem. even after downloading drivers nothing and that was on the virtual windows and just the macbook.

 

[Rojo]

Why not just get it for Android or iOS?

 

[Maverick2022XL]

Thats what i did at first. had no issue getting forscan setup and working but her macbook air would not dectect the OBD2 device. my pc and another really old laptop detected it no problem. even after downloading drivers nothing and that was on the virtual windows and just the macbook.

What virtualization program did you use?

 

[Maverick2022XL]

Why not just get it for Android or iOS?

You can't change settings with the ios or android versions.

 

[J.C.23]

Thats what i did at first. had no issue getting forscan setup and working but her macbook air would not dectect the OBD2 device. my pc and another really old laptop detected it no problem. even after downloading drivers nothing and that was on the virtual windows and just the macbook.

Interesting. I had no issue with my 2015 era MacBook Air but I was running windows off an external hard drive. Do you have a spare hard drive you could set up? I think I had a similar issue with parallels years ago not picking up something. Can’t remember but for some reason I setup windows and Linux on external drives and have been able to do everything I needed with the laptop since. Or maybe try a different vm. Sorry not sure if this helps. Just a couple ideas that might be easier then buying and returning a laptop. And then you can make sure you have your backups on the external drive.

 

[Rojo]

I would just get a cheap one and keep it, what if you need to change settings down the line for some reason, will you go buy another laptop, set it up, use it, wipe it, and return it again? What if you make the discovery that something is wrong like the day after you return that laptop? That could quickly become a huge hassle.

Walmart currently has a cheap 11" laptop for $150, it won't play games or edit video but it should work for what you need.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gateway-...ersonal-1-Year-Include/411238857?athbdg=L1300

 

[Jmav2152]

I would just get a cheap one and keep it, what if you need to change settings down the line for some reason, will you go buy another laptop, set it up, use it, wipe it, and return it again? What if you make the discovery that something is wrong like the day after you return that laptop? That could quickly become a huge hassle.

Walmart currently has a cheap 11" laptop for $150, it won't play games or edit video but it should work for what you need.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gateway-...ersonal-1-Year-Include/411238857?athbdg=L1300

Keeping it isn't bad advice and I'm open it.


Only issue with that model is that it has the down graded windows that locks you to only Microsoft store apps.

 

[Jmav2152]

What virtualization program did you use?

I used parallel and everything worked up until I couldn't get the Mac or the virtual widows to discover the device.

 

[Rojo]

Keeping it isn't bad advice and I'm open it.


Only issue with that model is that it has the down graded windows that locks you to only Microsoft store apps.

That is fairly easy to get around, windows has a built in way to do it buried under the Update section somewhere. It is one way though, once you switch out of S mode you cannot go back. Worst case scenario, get a windows 10 key of a gray market site for 10 bucks and switch it to pro.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

I used parallel and everything worked up until I couldn't get the Mac or the virtual widows to discover the device.

Check your configuration for the virtual machine. You have to go into edit when it is shut down and check the usb controller option. See if autoconnect is set to always on and if the device status is enabled. If that all checks out then make sure the connect options are set to connect the guest os aka windows virtual machine. I

You can also check the devices tab and see if it showing up when you connect the obd cable up to laptop. If it is but MacOS is taking control of the device, it may show up as unknown but it knows something is there still you can check it there so parallels put control of the device to your guest os aka the windows virtual machine. If you get this far and it still isn't automatically installing the drivers in the windows os then you need to manually install them.

If I missed it I am assuming you have the OBDlink Ex cable and from looking the adaptor doesn't have macos drivers for it either so you have to use this cable with windows, in a virtual machine on non windows machines or Wine.

https://www.obdlink.com/windows_qsg_ex/

STEP 2: CONNECT EX TO THE PC
The LED will turn yellow when you connect EX to the PC's USB port.

Red LED? Drivers were not installed properly.


Note: If the drivers for EX do not install automatically, click on the link below to download the driver.

Windows Driver

 

[mspmms]

im looking at this one from besbuy to just use for a day and then return it after wiping it.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-1...oc=Narrativ&mpid=376373&ref=198&skuId=6469400

any thoughts or ideas?

Find one or similar to it at Best Buy as an open box - cheaper and easier to return.

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