First off, new member, but I've been reading over the forums and have already done the bypass (super easy, not sure why so many people have issues with that), and I'm not a COMPLETE idiot with the unit itself and/or wiring, computers, or electronics in general

I bought this D3 used from a buddy at work and didn't get the original map discs (classic situation). Didn't get a GPS antenna either, but that's another problem all together, lol. The unit is not yet installed into the truck (it'll be going in my 2006 Toyota Tacoma), so I have it temporarily wired to a plug to plug it into the cigarette lighter to test the unit and make sure everything functions properly.

I really don't feel like spending money on a pair of DVD-DL discs with the maps and updates on them if I can make them myself, so I had a bunch of blank DVD-DL discs laying around and decided to download the East disc via torrent and burn it myself. I used Nero to burn the ISO and the burn was successful the fist try, which surprised me because I've had issues in the past burning DVD-DL discs...

So I powered up the unit and pressed MAP, and the "please insert appropriate disc" message appears as expected. I put in my newly burned disc, and after it read the format, the update began. I showed a few screens telling me it was doing the update and not to power off the unit, it rebooted, then gave a screen saying it was preparing the unit to use memory GPS or something along those lines and it should take about 30 seconds. Well I waited and waited, about 2 minutes, and then that screen shut off and the unit rebooted again, this time just to a blank black screen. That blank screen stayed for about 3 minutes, and then it rebooted again, to the same blank black screen again. It repeated this process about 4 times before I realized it was just going to keep doing this, so ejected the disc. After I ejected it, it went right back to the "please insert appropriate disc" screen, and I switched over to the radio just to make sure I didn't brick the unit by ejecting the disc Everything still works like it did before, but I still get the "please insert the appropriate disc" screen when I hit MAP and try to bring up the nav or go through the menu and try going to the nav.

So at this point I hit MAP and put the disc BACK in, it tells me it's reading the format, and now it can't read the disc?!?!? It read it fine just 10 minutes ago and said it was updating! So I ejected it, tried to clean it off, and put it back in; same thing, "read error"...

I find it odd that it will read the disc and then it wont, but could it possible be the disc that I'm using? It's a Memorex DVD+R Dual Layer if that makes any difference. Is there a change that the fact that I don't have a GPS antenna to plug into it at the time not allowing it to do anything with the navigation?

I'd really like to be able to make the working disc myself so I can actually have more than one disc, or at least know that I can make another later if I have to. But if worse comes to worse, I'll break down and maybe buy one from SWDW, because I'm definitely not paying what Pioneer wants for them...

Thanks in advance!

just tried to make another disc, with a newly download ISO at that, just to make sure my first wasn't currupt. the verification failed this time and sure enough the D3 wont read it

I think I'm going to try to get a different brand disc this weekend and see if that helps. is there any brand in particular that you guys have had success with?

i have always used the Memorex Dual Layer DVD's without fail. got them from office depot. i use ISOMagic software at the slowest possible speed. good luck

I'll try new software then first. I still got about 20 of the discs left

the slowest Nero would go was like 4x I think... I'm not sure if that's software or hardware restricted though

thanks for the confirmation that the Memorex discs will work though!

i am pretty sure Nero has been used by some of the other member. i did not use the software i listed above. it was actually PowerISO. i am sorry for the confusion. 4x was the speed

well I had PowerISO on my PC and I tried that too at 4x, and although the verification goes through after burning, the D3 still gets a read error...

so now I have MagicISO and it wont see the freek'n disc my my PC drive but apparently MagicISO is not the same as ISOMagic listed above, lol, two different programs, so I'm going to try ISOMagic right now

I'm thinking of trying a different computer if this one fails too... maybe it's this burner drive...

man, that sucks. i didnt have this much trouble and i am sorry i am not more help to you. have you tried the reset button. i am just wondering if the unit is just looking for the original disc or the disc the last owner was using, no chance the guy has the disc he was using?

man, that sucks. i didnt have this much trouble and i am sorry i am not more help to you. have you tried the reset button. i am just wondering if the unit is just looking for the original disc or the disc the last owner was using, no chance the guy has the disc he was using?

no I know he doesn't have the disc; I've already asked him...

so now here's another issue. ISOMagic wont see the disc in the drive

I picked up some Verbatim discs today, and I'm going to pop one of those into my other computer and see it it'll work. it has a better burner drive in it so we'll see if that'll help. I have to get that computer up and running first though, lol. it's overall a MUCH better PC in terms of EVERYTHING, but I haven't used it in about 5 months... I shut it off because it started acting funny all the time, and I just haven't taken the time to format and reinstall the OS yet. now I have a reason I guess

well, good luck with that and keep me posted

Well I tried one of the Verbatim discs using the other (better) PC today. Burnt fine to the disc, but the D3 wouldn't read it... it actually rejected it and gave a "read error" quicker than the Memorex did, lol

SO, I'm trying a new method right now... I used WinRAR and extracted the contents of the ISO into a folder, in which I also dropped a couple of custom background pictures , and I'm burning them as a data DVD with Nero (since it actually seemed to do something with the first disc that the D3 could read), this time back onto a Memorex disc. It's on the 2nd layer burning right now, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the data verifies successfully and the D3 can read it!

I can tell already that this isn't going to end well

PM sent

well I'm pretty sure it's neither the disc type nor the method I'm using that's making the disc making impossible for me. I think my CD burner is just on the fritz... I tried to make a regular data CD for a buddy tonight, and I can't even do that successfully...

so I think I'll be drive shopping this weekend maybe get a nice SATA drive and get away from this ancient IDE drive, lol

well I brought a new burner home today got it in exchange for a copy of XP Professional from a guy at work, still new in the box! I'll be installing it in the desktop in a few minutes and see how it works out. it's a pretty good drive. it's at least SATA like I wanted. but I needed a new drive anyway... the one I have installed now wont open if there's a disk in it... have to use a paperclip and stick it in the little emergency eject hole to get it to pop the tray out

well, the new burner APPEARS to have done its job!

it's after midnight, so I'm not going to test the disk tonight, so I'll find out tomorrow after work how it works out!

oh and I ended up buying a used GPS antenna off eBay for like $13, so I'll have it plugged in to make sure the GPS can get a lock on my location too

SUCCESS!!!

so happy now I just need to order the install kit so I can put this thing in the truck!

I need to make a disk and put some background photos on it too. I looks like the first time it actually tried to read the disk that was corrupt, it tried to load the wallpapers to the unit and the files were all messed up, lol, so the backgrounds are just a bunch of lines as you can see in the last photo. No problem though; I have a nice Toyota emblem one I want to put on it as a start up splash screen

well, got the unit installed this weekend! looks great in the truck and works flawlessly!

out with the old (Pioneer as well, although I'm going to miss the little cubby-hole under the single din, lol), and in with the new

hey man, it looks great. sorry i kind of dropped the ball on those discs for you. Glad you got it up and running

no problem man. I needed to replace the burner drive in my PC anyway because it was refusing to open with a disc in it lol, so putting a new drive in that made the discs properly killed two birds in one stone for me!