Many years ago, I wanted to update my avic z110 to a z120 when you all released the information. Well I never got around to it and I want to do it now. I do however see that the z140 exist. I also want to update my navigation to the 2017 maps and I need to know what I need to do? Can I update my z110 to a higher version than that of the z120 before I try to upgrade my nav maps? If so, to which version?
Thanks in advance.
Can I update my z110 to a higher version than that of the z120 before I try to upgrade my nav maps? If so, to which version?
Your Z110 (which is running v1.0 of the firmware and probably 2009-2010 maps) can be updated to v7 with 2017 maps. However, you need to read the update release notes first. There are many changes (starting in v2.0 IIRC) that you might not like. If you use an iPod for music, the look of the interface is totally different. You'll also loose voice navigation commands. It does add Aha and Pandora apps through your smart-phone.
Your Z110 will never be a Z140. Differences in hardware. But it can be updated to be current. BTW, there's no way to just update the maps.
One thing to be aware of. Since your Bluetooth firmware is so old, you'll need to update it in two stages. It is all covered in the documentation. Read this - paying particular attention to Chapter 5. CRD5009A.pdf. There's also lots of other info there. I wish everyone would read the release documentation before installing software.
If you decide to update, read the 2017 thread. After downloading and unzipping the map update, you will need to replace the CardInfo.cif file with the one for Z110. It is all in that thread. Good luck.
So I can't update my z110 software to that of the z120? I thought that was possible a couple of years ago.
So I can't update my z110 software to that of the z120? I thought that was possible a couple of years ago.
Of course you can update your software. Isn't that what I just said. Forget about comparing it to a Z120. It will have all the latest bells and whistles as a Z140 except for the calibration mic. But it is and always will be (internally) a Z110.
I've done the update and I'm getting a "system restart due to tuner error". How do I fix this?
I've done the update and I'm getting a "system restart due to tuner error". How do I fix this?
Is this the first time your system has been updated? Do you have the MSN traffic tuner installed? If you bought the car with the headunit already installed, you might not be aware that the old tuner is installed.
Yes it is the first time I've done an update. I didn't install the system so I don't know if the msn traffic tuner was installed. I do have the XM tuner gex-p920xm installed and I didn't buy an accessory for msn direct so I shouldn't have it.
Yes it is the first time I've done an update. I didn't install the system so I don't know if the msn traffic tuner was installed. I do have the XM tuner gex-p920xm installed and I didn't buy an accessory for msn direct so I shouldn't have it.
The original Z110 had support for the MSN traffic tuner. That support was removed when the Z120 came out and it causes this error. So, it appears that the headunit thinks you have that tuner. Make sure it is not installed. I'd even temporarily unplug the XM tuner. Turn the car on and see it it clears-up. If not, disconnect your battery for 30 seconds. This will reset the unit.
BTW, I hope you read the 2017 release notes for instructions on updating the Z110 BT firmware. It requires a 2-step process - first updating to v3.10, then to 3.32. I don't know what problems could be caused by skipping this. But since they went through the trouble of adding a separate section specifically for the Z110, it might be important. It may even be causing this tuner error.
I tried both of your suggestions but I'm having no luck. I also don't have the msn direct tuner installed. Would it be ok if I did a restore factory settings and do a reinstallation of the software?
I tried both of your suggestions but I'm having no luck. I also don't have the msn direct tuner installed. Would it be ok if I did a restore factory settings and do a reinstallation of the software?
Go ahead and try a factory reset. I doubt it will fix the problem but it is simple to try and you've nothing to loose at this point. Are you saying that you disconnected the gex-p920xm?
Rather than trying to re-install firmware, you might be able to go back to the previous version by going into testmode and deleting /USER/PRG.FLG
If that file does not exist, then you should create an empty file on your PC and copy it to /USER.
Alright, I'm going to attempt this. First, could you tell me if I installed the update correctly. I'm going to list what I did in order to see if I made some kind of mistake.
1. Installed Shortfuse
2. loaded these files (UPDATE, FIRMWARE, and the file CARDINFO.CIF) on an SD card and let it install with the proper cardinfo.cif for my unit.
3. Checked to see if firmware updated correctly according to the manual and my unit is showing that it's been upgraded to version 7.
4. Updated BT firmware from 2.5 to 3.20
Now, since my unit is essentially a Z140BH buy software standards, do I need to follow the Z110 service manual that was posted here on avic411 or do I need to find a Z140 service manual to try and get into testmode. Everything else was easy up until now with the hard work you guys put in, but i'm a little weary about going into testmode and messing around with the files. I think this might be over my head. I tried factory reset thinking that it would set the unit back to it's original version but it doesn't work that way. i read the manual and it said all this does is reset some settings and there are different types of "resets" that you can use but nothing to convert my unit back to Version 1. It's not bricked so that's good news.
The only issue is - as I mentioned above, you are supposed to update BT firmware in 2 steps: 2.5 to 3.10, then to 3.32. Unfortunately, the FIRMWARE directory that was posted is 3.32. There was a separate SD shipped with the update that had 3.10. So I don't know if that will cause you BT problems in the future.
​As far as service manual, you have and always will have a Z110. However, you might want to download and use the Z140 operation manual. https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/Manuals/Car/AVIC-X940BT_OperationManual030212.pdf
My bad, I just looked at the BT firmware and it is 3.32. It was originally 2.50. I wasn't given the option during the update to go to 3.10, I'm not having any BT issues as of now. Could you explain in detail on how to do this? BTW, I didn't answer your original question. Yes I did disconnect the gex-p920xm.
testmode and deleting /USER/PRG.FLG If that file does not exist, then you should create an empty file on your PC and copy it to /USER.
You may be able to back-out the BT version buy installing 3.10 and then the 3.32 you got from the 2017 maps. The Bluetooth firmware update function does not seem to care if the version is older than the current one.
Are you still getting the tuner error message?
If you want to go back to the original Z110 software, you will need to use TestMode to delete (or add if necessary) the file /USER/PRG.FLG. You will need to download and unzip http://mybyteideas.com/x9310bt/supertestmode.zip, then copy TestMode.key to an SD and insert it. Once your unit reboots, you will see a menu. It is too complicated to explain here. There is a Youtube video that does a decent job of showing how to use TestMode (mistakenly called HackMode). Ignore any instructions about installing HackMode. There's nothing to install for true TestMode.
Once you see the TestMode menu. move the cursor to File Maintenance. The user interface is horrible but once you figure out what keys to use, you should be able to navigate through the file system, then select and delete /USER/PRG.FLG
Yes I'm still getting the error. I sent a message to pioneer customer support to see if they had a fix for the problem. I looked through all the error messages in the service manual, but didn't see anything so i figured I'd throw them a curve ball. This is the message they sent me.
Thank for contacting Pioneer Electronics Inc
This error message is indicating that something is going wrong inside the radio an may require service for further repair and refurbishment. what i can suggest through email would be pulling power from the radio entirely to serve as a reset and to discharge the unit to see if there was something power related to the problem. If no difference is made after reset below is the link to creating a repair ticket:
I haven't tried the testmode fix yet, but I'll let you know how I made out once I do. My unit is old as hell and I'm not sure if I want to send it to them for repair. Also I know nothing about car stereo installation so that means I'll have to try and find someone to take it out hopefully for free. I don't like the way he said "something is going wrong inside the radio and MAY require service". There should be no reason why he wouldn't be able to research and get back to me with a legitimate answer. As the subject matter expert, he should be able to tell me exactly what's wrong.
Ok, that wasn't to painful. I deleted that file. After I rebooted, I got a message saying that no applicable program is available and the unit won't do anything after that. The only thing I can do is use the SD card to go back into testmode.
Ok, that wasn't to painful. I deleted that file. After I rebooted, I got a message saying that no applicable program is available and the unit won't do anything after that. The only thing I can do is use the SD card to go back into testmode.
Sounds like you deleted more than just one file. There's no way deleting just PRG.FLG would cause that. If it did, the file is easily replaced. It is just an empty file indicating which of the two latest software versions to load.
Path: USER
.. .DAT
PRG .FLG AR
This is roughly how the menu looked and the letters highlighted in red was the only thing I deleted. What software do I use to recreate this file?
Path: USER
.. .DAT
PRG .FLG AR
This is roughly how the menu looked and the letters highlighted in red was the only thing I deleted. What software do I use to recreate this file?
I hope there are also directories named PRG0 and PRG1. If not - game over. That "no applicable program" error means the unit can't find NAVI.EXE which is in both PRG0 and PRG1. The one it tries to load depends on whether PRG.FLG exists. If it is not there, it runs the files in PRG0, otherwise PRG1.
To create the file - on your PC open a text editor like Notepad and immediately save as PRG.FLG.
No, the other files are still there. My daughter was playing on my phone so I couldn't take a picture at the time and I was just trying to show you the only file I deleted. Do I put anything inside this notepad file or do I just leave it blank and name the file prg.flg all caps?
It can be an empty file. Doesn't really matter since the presence/absence of the file is all that matters. The case of the file name doesn't matter since windows is case insensitive.
Oh, another cause of that "no applicable program" error is installing Condi's Hackmode. Has that ever been installed on this unit?
No it hasn't. I knew better than to do that. Ok, so my SD card should look like this?
TESTMODE.KEY
PRG.FLG
Then I just copy this text document file from the sd card and paste it to the path I deleted it from correct?
No it hasn't. I knew better than to do that. Ok, so my SD card should look like this?
TESTMODE.KEY
PRG.FLG
Then I just copy this text document file from the sd card and paste it to the path I deleted it from correct?
Yes, but it is a pain to do because TestMode is so un-friendly. I just remembered, I wrote a script that will do this. Just download and copy the included 3 files to SD, and insert.
Cool thank, I'll try it out. Quick question though. How do I get out of testmode once I'm done making these changes? I'm wondering if the very first time I went into testmode if I did something wrong. It says press the navigate button or what I'm guessing is home on my unit to exit. This allowed me to get out of the file extension I was looking in back to the main testmode menu. So I just took my SD card out and turned my car of. Is there a reboot sequence I can use? I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have done that, but I figured everything would be fine since that's what I did after installing the short fuse hack and updating the maps.
Cool thank, I'll try it out. Quick question though. How do I get out of testmode once I'm done making these changes? I'm wondering if the very first time I went into testmode if I did something wrong. It says press the navigate button or what I'm guessing is home on my unit to exit. This allowed me to get out of the file extension I was looking in back to the main testmode menu. So I just took my SD card out and turned my car of. Is there a reboot sequence I can use? I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have done that, but I figured everything would be fine since that's what I did after installing the short fuse hack and updating the maps.
To get out of testmode I just eject the SD then turn off the ignition. I've never found a way of gracefully exiting.