After some more reading, I found the (Testmode.zip) with the 2 additional folders needed to boot up in winCE mode. (so total of 4 folders needed on the SD card).

I'm not going to mess with it tonight, but can some one tell me if I'm no the right tract...

All you have to do is open 2 explorer windows. In the first window browse to the file you want (example: disk\alp2\igo\filname) highlight that file then click on the very lower right hand icon and enable the keyboard. Once this is up, click on CTRL - then click C.. Then click on the other explorer window and on the keyboard click CTRL - V to paste in the folder you want it in. I had to do it this way as I had the same problem with the buttons.

I have spent sometime reading and searching, ..

but can some one tell me where is data.zip ?

I booted with the SD card, and can browsed around, .... looking for /project_config/pioneer.ini

is this "data.zip" the backup of the entire flash?

cheers

Kaveh

found it in the pioneer update image:

..F-Series Firmware Update\LPUE080\APL2\iGo

I will check it on the headunit flash.

Kaveh

Another grateful user confirming that this software bypass does indeed work. To all newcomers, I highly suggest reading through this entire thread before posting that it doesn't work and/or asking why it didn't for you. (Too bad they won't read this unless they read everything, stupid catch 22.)

To the OP: please edit your post and add that for this to work, you must also have the parking brake line grounded out. That threw me for a bit, until I read a few more pages. Oh, and thanks!

...edit

I don't have the unit yet, so here's what I did.

I was able to download the update from Pioneer, checked that out, and located the pioneer.ini file and changed the value to 256.0

So I should be able to put that whole modified update on an SD card and upload it to the NAV with the modified ini file, correct?

If the unit I get already has the latest on it, will this still replace everything and update?

Can anyone confirm that since my unit has the blue dot, it is already updated, and will it accept my modified update file that is inserted into the Pioneer update?

I tried modifying the file and injecting it back into the data.zip file but no matter what I tried, applying the update would result in a data.zip file check error and the update could not be applied.

I applied the unmodified update from pioneer....

I think - and someone please correct me if I'm wrong - but you have to apply the stock update, then put wince on a SD card, boot into the headunit and modify it right on the HU itself, or put the modified file on the SD card with wince and copy it to the HU (ensure you make a backup of the original on the unit, of course).

I don't have access to an SD card reader at the moment so I can't do this myself.

Anyone who has successfully pulled this mod off, would you be so kind as to explain how you performed it? Modifying the update file from pioneer and trying to flash the unit certainly doesn't work (not for me anyway).

I also couldn't flash the unit with the newest update. In the disclaimer on the Pioneer Update page you'll see that it says under troubleshooting, "Check to see if you already have the latest update" and you've probably seen this in this forum as well. I had received my f90 with the latest update so, I backed up my (DATA) file and replaced it with the mod file.

I haven't seen any huge problems yet. Always checking though.

It's funny, when new to moding nav systems, it may seem to some that your questions are stupid and very novice, but when you've never done this, you just want to know if your on the right track or not.

(I could have sumed this up by just replying "YES")... Good Luck!

I also couldn't flash the unit with the newest update. In the disclaimer on the Pioneer Update page you'll see that it says under troubleshooting, "Check to see if you already have the latest update" and you've probably seen this in this forum as well. I had received my f90 with the latest update so, I backed up my (DATA) file and replaced it with the mod file.

 

I haven't seen any huge problems yet. Always checking though.

 

It's funny, when new to moding nav systems, it may seem to some that your questions are stupid and very novice, but when you've never done this, you just want to know if your on the right track or not.

 

(I could have sumed this up by just replying "YES")... Good Luck!

OK Mercury, so you booted into test mode with test.zip, went to the appropriate directory and backed up your data.zip file onto the SD card, modified it, and replaced the original data.zip on the unit with your modifed one?

doesn't the data.zip file decompress itself onto the HU? So it's only a matter of editing an .ini file, not decompressing a .zip and then recompressing it.

I'm unable to test this myself at this moment in time, so someone else will have to confirm that.

No, DATA.ZIP is used as is. iGO uncompresses it as needed.

Now, files in ui_pioneer can be put on the unit, in the iGO directory (iGO/ui_pioneer/<800_480 OR common>/). Not sure if it will work for pioneer.ini but worth trying...

I also couldn't flash the unit with the newest update. In the disclaimer on the Pioneer Update page you'll see that it says under troubleshooting, "Check to see if you already have the latest update" and you've probably seen this in this forum as well. I had received my f90 with the latest update so, I backed up my (DATA) file and replaced it with the mod file.

 

I haven't seen any huge problems yet. Always checking though.

 

It's funny, when new to moding nav systems, it may seem to some that your questions are stupid and very novice, but when you've never done this, you just want to know if your on the right track or not.

 

(I could have sumed this up by just replying "YES")... Good Luck!

 

OK Mercury, so you booted into test mode with test.zip, went to the appropriate directory and backed up your data.zip file onto the SD card, modified it, and replaced the original data.zip on the unit with your modifed one?

That's exactly what I did. I couldn't think of anything else.

When I couldn't update my firmware, I thought it was a bad SD card at first. But, I tried a 1gb PNY and 2gb SD, my unit never booted-up in "Update Mode". But the unit read each card, with no problems.

I use WinRar, always have. I actually never decompressed, sorry never extracted the file. Just browsed the DATA.zip, modded with notepad, and closed the note pad. I let it save it automatically. WinRar processed and updated the (modded*.zip) file for me. Saved on the SD, browsed to the proper location on the unit, and pasted (over-wrote the orginal DATA.zip.)

Then re-boot.

I backed up, ALWAYS! just in case...

I backed up, ALWAYS! just in case...

Cool man. I am probably going to do that tomorrow after they install the unit. I did the mute wire bypass too, and I'm going to tell them to ground it anyway with the parking brake wire.

I figure can't go wrong doing it both ways right? LOL.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere if your unit has the blue dot on the box (mine does) that it already has the latest firmware update. If it's like the Z2 which I had before, it wouldn't update the firmware if the version on the unit was the one you were trying to "update" to.

Let us know if you notice any glitches after the process. You may want to start a new thread "manually updating you firmware". Or something to that affect.

I do know that I used mine stock for a couple of weeks, just so that I can get a baseline of how it acts. So that later on after you start modding you'll be able to know if it's acting funny or not. Something you may consider...

Peace Out!

Let us know if you notice any glitches after the process. You may want to start a new thread "manually updating you firmware". Or something to that affect.

 

 

I do know that I used mine stock for a couple of weeks, just so that I can get a baseline of how it acts. So that later on after you start modding you'll be able to know if it's acting funny or not. Something you may consider...

 

 

Peace Out!

I'm not going to update the firmware, just copy the data.zip file over like you did.

Hey Guys-

I've read this thread a couple of times over, starting out with zero knowledge of even how to make mods. but i've come a lil' ways. Trying to make the change to the "pioneer.ini" file so the video will work while driving. here's my process, and result. anybody see my mistake???

After copying "My Flash Disk" from the HU, of course.

1) Navigated to "My Flash Disk\APL2\iGo".

2) Copied the "DATA.zip" file.

3) Put it elsewhere to work with it.

4) Double-clicked it, viewing its content in WinZip.

5) right-clicked on the "pioneer.ini" file, and selected "view" which opens it in Notepad.

6) Make the change from 16.0 to 128.0 on the line: "parking_break_speed=".

7) "File", "Save", X out of Notepad.

Window prompt comes up saying: that the pioneer.ini file "has been changed since it was extracted. Update archive with this file?" - to which I select "Yes".

9) It updates the "DATA.zip" archive and i close the Winzip window.

10) Copy the modified "DATA.zip" file to the SD card and out to the car.

11) Boot the HU in WinCE, and navigate to "My Flash Disk\APL2\iGo".

12) Rename the "DATA.zip" file in there to "DATA-bak" (of course, still maintaining its ".zip" extenstion).

13) Copy the modified "DATA.zip" file from my SD card and paste it there, along side the "DATA-bak.zip" file.

14) Close out of all that, turn off the car, take out the SD card, turn the car back on.

15) Go for a spin. After hitting approx 10mph the video feed from the DVD that's in there blacks out with the "Viewing of front seat video source while driving is strictly prohibited".

'preciate all yalls' time!

Hey Guys-

I've read this post a couple of times over, starting out with zero knowledge of even how to make mods. but i've come a lil' ways. Trying to make the change to the "pioneer.ini" file so the video will work while driving. here's my process, and result. anybody see my mistake???

 

After copying "My Flash Disk" from the HU, of course.

1) Navigated to "My Flash Disk\APL2\iGo".

2) Copied the "DATA.zip" file.

3) Put it elsewhere to work with it.

4) Double-clicked it, viewing its content in WinZip.

5) right-clicked on the "pioneer.ini" file, and selected "view" which opens it in Notepad.

6) Make the change from 16.0 to 128.0 on the line: "parking_break_speed=".

7) "File", "Save", X out of Notepad.

Window prompt comes up saying: that the pioneer.ini file "has been changed since it was extracted. Update archive with this file?" - to which I select "Yes".

9) It updates the "DATA.zip" archive and i close the Winzip window.

10) Copy the modified "DATA.zip" file to the SD card and out to the car.

11) Boot the HU in WinCE, and navigate to "My Flash Disk\APL2\iGo".

12) Rename the "DATA.zip" file in there to "DATA-bak" (of course, still maintaining its ".zip" extenstion).

13) Copy the modified "DATA.zip" file from my SD card and paste it there, along side the "DATA-bak.zip" file.

14) Close out of all that, turn off the car, take out the SD card, turn the car back on.

15) Go for a spin. After hitting approx 10mph the video feed from the DVD that's in there blacks out with the "Viewing of front seat video source while driving is strictly prohibited".

 

'preciate all yalls' time!

And your parking brake wire is grounded?

Yeah dude. The guy that installed it did that for me. i've never had to mess with the parking break (i don't have to touch it to watch DVDs parked). Then if i pull off and start driving, the video will cut out when i hit 10mph. So those steps look right to you?

Success!!

Answer: Winzip sucks.

Did it with WinRar and presto! Maybe that'll help somebody.

Success!!

Answer: Winzip sucks.

Did it with WinRar and presto! Maybe that'll help somebody.

Yeah I think I'm actually using WinRar now that you mention it. Sorry about that.

It's kool. Thanks for the thought anyways. I love it when things work like they're supposed to!

So how do I do this software mod?? my unit keeps reebooting only when in motion with the Navi antenna hooked up. without it, it works fine. any ideas?? everything is hooked up properly.