Just another heads-up to anyone on here.

DON'T USE THE CONDI HACKMODE FILES if all you want to do is recover the password.

ALL YOU NEED is the TESTMODE.KEY file that can be downloaded on here (search for "supertestmode")

Place it in the root of an SD care (mine needs a micro sd, other need a fullsize one).

Insert this in your unit and it will enter the test mode after a few seconds.

You operate the system test mode using the buttons and volume control on your unit and you can extract the file, as described.

Either the "USER" or (apparently) the "NAND" directories as described above.

Just to repeat YOU ONLY NEED THE ONE FILE!!!!!!!! and you get in to the built-in test mode.

Just did it (safely) and quickly on mine.

Thank You SO MUCH for this awesome post.

I am the 2nd owner of a 2013 Subaru STI and had to get my battery replaced. Resulting in the locked Head Unit. The dealer had no idea how to fix this, and the previous owner forgot the password! I thought I was screwed.

Again, A very nice post, the pictures and the step by step instructions couldn't be better!

No1uno3

http://postimg.org/image/tutqbgv9f/

Hello, when i turn off the car, put the SD card in there and start the car it says it's checking the media, and then it says:
 

TEST MODE FAILED STARTING!

[TURN OFF ACC]

Is there any way to fix this? I don't know what to do and i hope you guys can help me, thanks in advance.

Regards, Ruben.

thanks, hack worked on my avic-x850bt !!! and recovered my password 

I got a new battery today, this hack is not working for me avic-x930bt.  

My password in the file somehow had 25 spaces at the end.   When you enter the password, it does not permit a password entry that long.   I copied the file to my sd card and edited it to "123456789" on my computer and then copied to the folder on the head unit, still invalid pw.   I thought maybe it cached the old password so I disconnected the battery again and tried my new password, still invalid.   Any ideas?

BTW i tried with and without an extra space at the end as some suggested.

I did the above with v2.2.  After reading the warnings about not using that one, i switched to v1.4.   I "dumped" the password file and it does now show my new 123456789 password.  But it still says it's invalid, with or without a trailing space.

I guess tomorrow i can next try just deleting the password file alltogether

I got a new battery today, this hack is not working for me avic-x930bt.  

My password in the file somehow had 25 spaces at the end.   When you enter the password, it does not permit a password entry that long.   I copied the file to my sd card and edited it to "123456789" on my computer and then copied to the folder on the head unit, still invalid pw.   I thought maybe it cached the old password so I disconnected the battery again and tried my new password, still invalid.   Any ideas?

 

BTW i tried with and without an extra space at the end as some suggested.

 

I did the above with v2.2.  After reading the warnings about not using that one, i switched to v1.4.   I "dumped" the password file and it does now show my new 123456789 password.  But it still says it's invalid, with or without a trailing space.

 

I guess tomorrow i can next try just deleting the password file alltogether

I also wonder how that password file works. I mean, one would expect that file to be read each time the password is required or, at least, each time the unit is booted, but apparently not. It's not the first time I see something like this.

I also find it odd that you were able to use 25 characters to set the password but not able to enter it back because it's considered too long.

After messing around with this some more and having no luck, I just deleted the password file.   Problem solved!!!

im clearly doing something wrong cause i still have the password screen and cant get pass that

Hello everyone,

I have also a pioneer f930bt. After a check up in the garage (something with the battery), my gps asks now a password.

I never did use a password... So I could not enter one... I really want to use my gps again.

I find a lot of files here but what is the correct one? Can somebody help me please?

Kind regards

im clearly doing something wrong cause i still have the password screen and cant get pass that

go to post #56, which has a lot of pictures and explains the process in more detail: http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/32929-x930bt-password-recovery/page-4&do=findComment&comment=259263

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! i recently bought my car and it came with this deck, and of course it needed a password. Luckily after searching i found this forum. I really appreciate you taking the time to make a step by step guide in the same deck. I can't thank you enough!!!

The zip file is asking me for two passwords. The first pw listed above worked, and then it asks for HACK.KEY pw. Any idea on this? Thanks!

  File transfer issue. Unable to open/run zip HACKMODE v1.4 BASE. error message "Unable to unarchive "Condi's HACKMODE v1.4 BASE-Install VIA TESTMODE.zip" into "USB convert" (my mini SD card usb reader) . Error 1-Operation not permitted". 

   File appears on card but nothing occurs when placed into unit. 

Needs to be unzipped/altered in some way?

this works. just extract to your sd card and go!!!!!!

Read post #151 and it worked . Brilliant many thanks. download condi's hackmode and ONLY use the Testmode.key` on your SD Card 

It worked perfectly. ..Thanks

This saved me so much time and money.  About a week ago my battery died and when I recharged and turned my car back on my system asked for a password which I did not know because  my husband had it professionally installed four years ago.  When I contacted Pioneer I was told that there was no default password and that I would have to mail it into have it reset at the factory.  The price to reset $250!!!  Not to mention how much it would cost on top of that to have it reinstalled and the time I would have to wait to get my navigation back. This really saved me a lot of time and money.  Your instructions were very direct and simple.  Thanks so much for sharing

Thank you IAmSuperBleeder!  I purchased a jeep wrangler with this radio installed and I tow the jeep behind my motorhome.  I unhooked the battery as needed for towing it and then the password screen came up when I hooked it back together.  Your post was very straight forward and the photos were a huge help.

That is a GREAT organized set of instructions on how to recover the password!! If you ever do (or have) updated your unit to the X940 platform, I'm sure others (as well as I) on here would love to see you do a similar set of instructions to accomplish that task. Either way, thank you for this one!!

 Thanks so much worked perfectly       

_{Just want to say THANK YOU.  Like most other people here, I joined the forum to download the attachment (sorry) but this really saved me.}  

_{For the record, this happened to me after a repair (A/C condenser replacement) where the mechanic apparently had to reset the power.  I am the original owner of this unit. Haven't been prompted for a password EVER and I've had it for years.  I must have set this password but legitimately just couldn't remember even doing it.}  

One thing that may help someone else.  I opened the zip file with the stock (mac osx) zip extractor and the password avic411 wouldn't work.  Got pretty frustrated but then I downloaded a different zip extractor app and it worked.  So, if avic411 doesn't work for you, try a different method of extracting the files.

From there on everything went without a hitch.  Just follow the photo guide exactly.

This really saved me time, frustration, and $$$.  Thank you! 

my avic-x9310bt won't let me type the password in, the letters are dimmed out, what can i do to type the password in and get it back to work again?

my avic-x9310bt won't let me type the password in, the letters are dimmed out, what can i do to type the password in and get it back to work again?

Pull the parking brake.  The unit ensures the car is stopped before allowing you to use the keyboard.

Thank you very much! 

It worked for me with pioneer AVIC-FB930BT - lost password

Best regards! 

I am bowing down before you "IamSuperBleeder". My radio is back. Awesome write up and pics. Thank you so much. And to original creators of this post as well - thank you! Now I can rock again!

I am bowing down before you "IamSuperBleeder". My radio is back. Awesome write up and pics. Thank you so much. And to original creators of this post as well - thank you! Now I can rock again!

WOW this blog rocks this was very easy to do very theral instructions well laid with the pictures and all. You just saved me whole lump of time and money I am very much grateful for this posting.

I got it to work, thank you very much for the guide

I made the mistake of downloading the v2.21 instead of v1.4. I went to NAND>Security>password folder in the windows explorer thing, it wouldn't let me view or copy the .dat document so I deleted it. Not the smoothest way but at least i got the unit working again.

Now does anyone know how to reset the password?