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Programing the computer

Old May 24, 2018 | 06:29 PM
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Default Programing the computer

I'm curious if anyone knows of a program that can be used to program the computer on the inside of the C7?


I noticed that the menu says it's open source and there are some tweaks that I would LOVE to do if it's possible. I figured since it's open source that someone here might know.
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Old May 24, 2018 | 10:34 PM
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Can't help with your computer but you have a nice car!
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Old May 24, 2018 | 11:26 PM
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A lot of it is indeed Open Source. However, that does not mean that there are not safeguards built in to prevent unauthorized modification or replacement of that open source based code.

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Old May 24, 2018 | 11:30 PM
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Likely that any warranty claim would be in trouble with a reprogrammed computer... If the car's out of warranty, have at it, but recognize that the Law of Unintended Consequences does not have a Corvette exclusion...
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Old May 25, 2018 | 12:34 AM
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"Open source" does not mean what you think it means.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 12:36 AM
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Originally Posted by jimmbbo
Likely that any warranty claim would be in trouble with a reprogrammed computer... If the car's out of warranty, have at it, but recognize that the Law of Unintended Consequences does not have a Corvette exclusion...
This right here.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by robertbruce
Can't help with your computer but you have a nice car!
Thank you friend!
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Old May 25, 2018 | 10:15 AM
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Sure there are some tech geeks that can do some coding or recommend a program to do some coding?
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Old May 25, 2018 | 12:46 PM
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I'm not familiar of any software and interface that can safely be used on GM. When I had my Audi S5 there was a great product that hooked up to my laptop. It let you customize all kinds of things and turn on features that weren't activated.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Kent1999
A lot of it is indeed Open Source. However, that does not mean that there are not safeguards built in to prevent unauthorized modification or replacement of that open source based code.

There are really no "safeguards" that can be built in to prevent unauthorized modification, especially WRT OpenSource code. There could be hardware blocks or passwords but even those can be gotten past as the computer nyophyte auto mechanic jocks can do that when they apply update patches.

No, the software is merely limited to what functionality the hardware provides. Other than that, software is software and can be changed.

However the real challenges would be getting the software, all the software, and the build environment to build the new version after you apply your changes. Also, having a firm grasp of all the code and systems and how they interact together would have to be reverse engineered - not a small task. And you'll probably need a set of tools for cross compilation and code generation as well as a firm understanding of the chip set being used and the underlying instruction set and OS facilities. Also no small task.

And then the challenge would be knowing how to load your changed code into the vehicle itself. You most likely will never get access to all of the code and the build environment you'd need to build the stuff nor get any of the procedure for loading in your new code unless you actually work at GM and do this as part of your job. And if you did this as part of your job and started telling everybody the secrets about how to do this you'd probably be fired and face some time in court.

Also, just because it's OpenSource doesn't mean it's all OpenSource, in fact I highly doubt it. Even if it was, the process of doing a successful build is most likely totally proprietary. My job is working with componies on such things as building, testing and installing software so I'm well aware of this (though not as aware in particular about automobile software). Plus having say OpenSSL as part of the build would only be used for encrypting stuff and if you're aim is to control the radio, changing OpenSSl won't do anything for you.

You neglect to say what you are trying to accomplish but perhaps your best bet is to look into platforms like Android Auto (CapPlay - furget about it!) and maybe you can do what you want with your own app, provided it's not outside the restrictions of the Android Auto platform. There's a guy over in AA land who has his own apps and is quite knowledgeable about programing things with the AA platform. If you're really interested I could dig up his contact info again.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 03:27 PM
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Hard to think that someone hasn’t done this tweak.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 03:45 PM
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You still haven't said what "tweak" you want to do.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 03:54 PM
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I guess I would start with WHAT CAN you do?😀

Mine doesn’t have maps on it. I didn’t realize it until after I had purchased it and when I asked about it everyone at the Chevy house doesn’t have a clue. Totally worthless! 🤬

The texting option has never worked. I think they turned it off. My 15 Silverado has it but one day it just stopped working.

I’d like to dig around and see what else could be changed.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted by paulhutton
I guess I would start with WHAT CAN you do?��

Mine doesn’t have maps on it. I didn’t realize it until after I had purchased it and when I asked about it everyone at the Chevy house doesn’t have a clue. Totally worthless! ��

The texting option has never worked. I think they turned it off. My 15 Silverado has it but one day it just stopped working.

I’d like to dig around and see what else could be changed.

Google GM MDI and TECH ll Emulator
http://www.oemtools.com/homeproducts/generalmotors.html

you cant modify anything , but you can access the BCM , ECM ABS and all the other modules in the car , turn on and off any options , program keys , access the ECM, BCM and run diagnostics also

My old GM tech ll was my favorite go to tool , have not bit the bullet and bought a MDI device yet but I am sure I will


Dave

Last edited by Dcasole; May 25, 2018 at 04:16 PM.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 04:30 PM
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To program "anything", you have to have access to the programming that is already running. That is where the problem lies. As far as maps are concerned, it sounds like you don't have Navigation on-board. There are people that have paid for complete new modules that include navigation (not cheap). Of course, you could always use the navigation that your phone provides.

Dig around, and let us know what you find.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 04:39 PM
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You also need to know which computer you are trying to program. There are several computers in the C7. I haven't counted them but I suspect there are at least 5 maybe 6.

Bill
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Old May 25, 2018 | 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by paulhutton
I guess I would start with WHAT CAN you do?😀

Mine doesn’t have maps on it. I didn’t realize it until after I had purchased it and when I asked about it everyone at the Chevy house doesn’t have a clue. Totally worthless! 🤬

The texting option has never worked. I think they turned it off. My 15 Silverado has it but one day it just stopped working.

I’d like to dig around and see what else could be changed.
The short answer is nothing. It's not like a German car where you can go in and flip options on and off. On the bright side, neither can the dealers. All the programming is restricted to what options your car came out of the assembly plant with. There are very few exceptions to this and they usually involve tricking the software into loading options from a different VIN rather than picking and choosing from a list. If you want maps, you need a hardware upgrade anyway.


Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
You also need to know which computer you are trying to program. There are several computers in the C7. I haven't counted them but I suspect there are at least 5 maybe 6.

Bill
There's 22 programmable modules in my 2014 M7 Z51 with MRC. The count goes up when you add an automatic tranny, a convertible top, PDR, and newer options like front cameras, power hatch pulldown, the diagnostic gateway that was introduced in 2017, the secondary fuel control system on the ZR1...

The premium trucks and SUVs have even more than we do.
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Old May 25, 2018 | 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Jeff V.
The short answer is nothing. It's not like a German car where you can go in and flip options on and off. On the bright side, neither can the dealers. All the programming is restricted to what options your car came out of the assembly plant with. There are very few exceptions to this and they usually involve tricking the software into loading options from a different VIN rather than picking and choosing from a list. If you want maps, you need a hardware upgrade anyway.




There's 22 programmable modules in my 2014 M7 Z51 with MRC. The count goes up when you add an automatic tranny, a convertible top, PDR, and newer options like front cameras, power hatch pulldown, the diagnostic gateway that was introduced in 2017, the secondary fuel control system on the ZR1...

The premium trucks and SUVs have even more than we do.
I figured there were a lot of programmable modules but the guy specifically said computers which brings the number down quite a bit as programmable doesn't necessarily mean the module functions as a a computer and may only be a simple controller without any data gathering, analysis and computational capability.

Bill
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Old May 25, 2018 | 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by paulhutton
Hard to think that someone hasn’t done this tweak.
As long as you continue to be vague about what you're trying to "tweak" I predict you will go nowhere. Additionally, if you cannot be detailed you will never be a programmer.

Good luck though...
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Old May 25, 2018 | 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
I figured there were a lot of programmable modules but the guy specifically said computers which brings the number down quite a bit as programmable doesn't necessarily mean the module functions as a a computer and may only be a simple controller without any data gathering, analysis and computational capability.

Bill
They're all computers in some way or another. All 22 of them do something for the car, report diagnostic data, and can be reprogrammed as GM sees fit. It's kind of ridiculous, honestly. I never thought I'd need to pull diagnostic data from my rear view mirror, but GM thinks it's necessary...
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