Bypass AVIC-Z2

[ltl2007]

DB, just a side note of your last post. I did the HD swap between the Z1 and Z2. I couldnt get the Z2 witht he Z1 HD in it to bypass. But I could get the Z1 with the Z2 HD to bypass. thats why i was thinking it was in the flash memory. but if someone has gotten the Z2 with a Z1 HD to bypass them im glad that someone has gotten more research done on this subject. Also, like i was saying in my other posts, i have a Z1 and a Z2 at my shop. If someone has a way to get into the flash memory i can look at all the different files on both the HD and flash memory on both units, and hopefully i can find either a file to edit/replace, or maybe a DIY update cd that can be distributed. Let me know of your ideas everybody!!!

[brikkman1]

Side thought, anyone know of any markets that sell the z2 already bypassed as it is not a law in their country?

Maybe we can purchase them from there, lol.

Not likely all that will work out though, we need us maps and english, but it was just a thought.

[ducatiboy]

DB, just a side note of your last post. I did the HD swap between the Z1 and Z2. I couldnt get the Z2 witht he Z1 HD in it to bypass. But I could get the Z1 with the Z2 HD to bypass. thats why i was thinking it was in the flash memory. but if someone has gotten the Z2 with a Z1 HD to bypass them im glad that someone has gotten more research done on this subject.

 

From:

http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 4&start=15

 

ok guys heres the deal i swapped hard drives between the z1 and z2 if i have the z1 hard drive in my z2 i can watch tv while driving with the new bypass the moment i put the z2 hard drive in the z1 it updates i cannot watch tv so i put the z1 hard drive back in then it updated again or should i say downgraded and watching tv was possible again so now we know theres 1 file that needs to be switched or modified some how

 

I don't know if that's true or not, but sounded like it worked.

 

Also, like i was saying in my other posts, i have a Z1 and a Z2 at my shop. If someone has a way to get into the flash memory i can look at all the different files on both the HD and flash memory on both units, and hopefully i can find either a file to edit/replace, or maybe a DIY update cd that can be distributed. Let me know of your ideas everybody!!!

 

The update CD is pretty tricky. I took a look at that when it came out and it's not just a CD of files. It looks like there might be some smarts to it and some file which dictates whether or not it installs, then the files names are appended with .000 or something like that. If we have a file we need to load on the hard drive, I don't believe it's a trivial thing to just put that file on a CD for people to put into their Avics for an update. I never tried making an update disk but I don't think it will be easy.

[cbyte]

according to this ebay auction the avic-z2 bypass has been figured out!?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/AVIC-Z2-Video-Lockout-Bypass_W0QQitemZ150111201309QQihZ005QQcategoryZ47103QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

anyone know if this is true?

[ducatiboy]

That's just for a switch to remotely switch in and out the GPS antenna, VSS wire and ground the parking brake, this works for a short while and will then eventually fail. It's not a solution and pretty much a scam. People tried selling this for the Z1 and it does not work reliably.

[cbyte]

the ebay guy says to ground the parking brake and put a switch to turn of the GPS att. Popups still let you know it's a bad install. no nav this way.

[Hyperite]

I have an early model Z1 (not updated for bluetooth). Here's what I'm thinking...

 

1- Unlock HDD, make a backup image

2- Upgrade Bluetooth, make another image

3- Load Z2 image on HDD.

 

Do a file difference mapping between the three images to see what changed between 1 and 2 and again in 3. Then with either the Z1->Z2 upgrade disc (which I fully intend to purchase anyway) or the bluetooth disc, see if there is a script that can be modified to load the file of our choosing (probably from 2, sorry DB) and send out that bypass image to the masses (shouldn't be more than a few megs, I assume). Figuring out which file to replace is a major part of the battle though.

 

I'm willing to undertake this project, as much as I hate to rip out my unit and bench test when everything is working pretty well right now. One thing I'm going to need from the community is an unadulterated Z2 image. If a current owner could send that to me (PM me and we can work out a large file transfer), I'll get to work on this. I have a lot of free time as of late

[ltl2007]

Hyperite, I will try to make a image of the Z2 i have tomorrow. If i can get it unlocked and working i will post tomorrow.

[Hyperite]

deleted post

[murzik]

See if nav.exe is same file in each image (file size, check sum), if it is not same file, then I would assume that everything is encoded in nav. exe file. And don't worry about flash memory, it must contain OS only.

[Hyperite]

Just to be sure, has anybody had an issue running a restored backup image on the ORIGINAL hard drive? I know there have been problems restoring to a new drive.

[8AxleEd]

And don't worry about flash memory, it must contain OS only.

 

Wrong answer! Wasn't it ltl2007, or ducatiboy that said a couple of days ago that you could run the unit without the hard drive??

 

That means that the flash memory has more than just the O.S. on it. It also has the navigation software on it. If it didn't have navigation software on it, then the unit wouldn't show your position if the hard drive was removed. It would only be able to boot the O.S.. The hard drive is for user preferences and log files, and music storage.

[8AxleEd]

A few of you have some good ideas about where the problem lies, but, unfortunately, you are making a few assumptions about the system that will hinder your progress. Consider these to points, they counter the false assumptions I see being made here.

 

1. You can't just look at the hard drive, and not the flash memory module. The flash memory has the OS, and the Navigation application on it.

 

2. Don't assume that the preferences haven't changed along with the navigation software.

 

The Z1 hack changed with software updates. It was the flashing light method, then it was grounding some wires, etc.. Why do you think that there was a preference that has always been there that *enabled* DVD playing while driving? If you are going back to looking at what user files changed, then that is in essence what you are doing. You are assuming that in addition to the flashing lights, or the pull-up resistors, that there was also a preference or something enabling those other hardware hacks to work. I would guess is that some sort of preference that hasn't been around before needs to be *added* to a user preference file or something similar.

 

If you don't swap the flash memory, you will not be swapping the navigation software, and your hard drive experiments will not bear fruit because you are working on a hack for the Z1 navigation software.

[bobmun]

And don't worry about flash memory, it must contain OS only.

 

Wrong answer! Wasn't it ltl2007, or ducatiboy that said a couple of days ago that you could run the unit without the hard drive??

 

That means that the flash memory has more than just the O.S. on it. It also has the navigation software on it. If it didn't have navigation software on it, then the unit wouldn't show your position if the hard drive was removed. It would only be able to boot the O.S.. The hard drive is for user preferences and log files, and music storage.

 

only the radio and back up camera work with no hard drive, if I remember correctly.

[8AxleEd]

Can anyone out there unlock the Z2 hard drive and view its contents??

 

Someone said it has log files in there.

 

Looking at a log file can give clues as to how to get what we want out of the system.

 

Can someone start playing a DVD with the following conditions:

1 The engine running,

2 The Parking Brake on

3 The car is outside with a clear view of the sky and is calculating a position of the automobile.

 

Next Let out the parking brake.

Wait for 30 to 60 seconds.

Next, put the car in gear, and drive slowly down the street at less than 5mph.

Next, after doing this for 30 to 60 seconds, accelerate to normal speeds.

 

After a minute or two, power down the AVIC Z2.

 

Next, remove the hard drive, and unlock it.

 

Show us the log files.

 

I want to hopefully see a log file entry saying something like, "DVD Playing". "Parking Brake disengaged", "Speed, 2 mph", "Speed 25mph", etc.. I also want to see at what point the log file might say something like, "Conflict, vehicle in motion, lockoutOverride=false, switching to Navigation mode only."

 

If we can see any kind of logic from the log file, we might learn something. That logic might also give us a clue to what we need to change to make things work. For instance, if it really says something like, "lockoutOverride=false", then it might be worth trying to put a line like, "lockoutOverride=true" in the preference file.

 

I'm making an assumption that might not be true but I hope it is, that the software hack should be somthing that is easy to set.

 

It seems that we don't have enough information yet as to where this hack needs to be.

 

The hack can be in one of two places:

 

1. In the navigation software on the flash memory

2. On the hard drive in a user preference file.

 

If it is in the Navigation software, then that is going to be a very difficult thing to patch.

 

I'm assuming and hoping it is in a preference file on the hard drive.

 

To do that, I would like to see someone post one of those preference files on from the hard drive to this board.

 

There is no need at this point to be swapping images and file between the Z1 and Z2. We don't have enough visibility yet as to what the solution is.

 

If someone can post some of what is on the Z2 hard drive, that would be very useful!