For automotive technicians working with older Mercedes-Benz vehicles, Das Xentry Windows Xp remains a crucial diagnostic tool. This guide provides a straightforward approach to setting up DAS Xentry within a Windows XP virtual machine, focusing on serial communication and essential configurations.
To get started, you’ll need a reliable FTDI Chipset USB serial adapter. These adapters bridge the gap between your modern computer’s USB ports and the serial communication required by older diagnostic multiplexers. A recommended option is the FTDI Chipset USB serial adapter, known for its compatibility and stable performance.
Next, prepare your Windows XP virtual machine. For optimal compatibility, creating a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) image using Windows is advised. When using VirtualBox, ensure you create a VHD image, not VHDX, to avoid potential issues. Set up a new VirtualBox machine and use your created disk image as the virtual hard drive. Configure the OS settings within VirtualBox to mirror the operating system on your VHD image. After booting the virtual XP, it’s vital to install VirtualBox Guest Additions to enhance performance and integration. If your virtual OS is XP, enable APIC in the system settings of VirtualBox to ensure smooth booting.
Some DAS Xentry installations include copy protection measures that can be triggered by hardware changes in a virtual environment. In Windows XP, to mitigate potential issues, use msconfig to access the startup list and disable any Chinese language services or startup items associated with the diagnostic software, particularly for older C3 systems. Services like “ads” and “mote” executables are often unnecessary and can be removed. If copy protection becomes an obstacle, obtaining a DAS BIN folder from a non-protected source can resolve this. For users needing a 2014 version, online communities or direct messages to experienced users can be helpful. Absence of “ads” startup items in XP often indicates the system is free from copy protection.
For a clean and functional DAS setup, copying the DAS folder from a known good, or “virgin,” source is recommended. This approach primarily affects DAS, leaving Xentry and WIS installations untouched.
Serial port configuration is critical for communication between your virtual DAS Xentry and the diagnostic multiplexer. Launch Star Utilities and navigate to the self-tests menu, then select DMI self-diagnosis. A window will appear displaying the COM port number and Baud rate used by your system. Note these values down.
Open Device Manager in your Windows XP virtual machine and locate the COM ports section. Identify the COM port number noted in Star Utilities. Access its advanced settings and increment the COM port number to the next available one (e.g., if it’s COM2, change it to COM3).
Connect your FTDI USB serial adapter to your host computer. While driver installation on the host might not always be necessary, ensure drivers are available for the guest OS. Within the guest Windows XP, go to the Devices menu in VirtualBox, find the USB to Serial device under USB, and connect it to the guest OS. Windows XP should detect the new hardware, prompting driver installation within the virtual machine. Driver installation can be done before or after connecting the device.
Once drivers are installed in the guest OS, revisit the COM port listing in Device Manager. Locate the newly connected FTDI COM port, access its properties, and configure both the Baud rate and COM port number to match the values obtained from Star Utilities (typically 115200 and COM2, but verify with your system). Crucially, within the FTDI adapter’s advanced settings, adjust the Latency Timer to 1ms for optimal real-time communication.
At this stage, connect your serial cable, linking your FTDI adapter to the diagnostic multiplexer, and plug the multiplexer into the vehicle’s OBDII port. The system status monitor should indicate a successful connection. Returning to Star Utilities’ self-test menu and running the tests can confirm connectivity. Even if tests don’t fully pass, a “connected” status often indicates a functional setup.
If direct USB adapter connection within the guest OS proves problematic, an alternative method is USB passthrough from the host. This involves configuring the VirtualBox machine settings to add a COM port, assigning it the COM port number from Star Utilities, and selecting “Host Device.” The path field should then reflect the host computer’s COM port for the USB serial adapter (e.g., COM6). Even with this method, you might still need to adjust the COM port number within the guest OS to ensure it aligns with your Star Utilities configuration.
By following these steps, you can effectively set up DAS Xentry on Windows XP, establishing reliable communication for Mercedes-Benz diagnostics in a virtual environment.
