Getting Mini VCI recognized by computer
09-27-22, 01:39 AM
#1
8th Gear
Thread Starter
Getting Mini VCI recognized by computer
TLDR: get the correct driver from FTDI website
This post is to document the steps I took to get my Windows 10 64-bit computer to recognize the Mini VCI J2534 with 1.4.1 firmware (FT232RQ chip). This is not a comprehensive guide but rather should be used as a supplement to the plethora of driver + Techstream instructions available online. Hopefully this will help others by reducing the number of hours it takes to get this damn thing to work.
The Mini VCI J2534 (aka MVCI) device is a OBDII to USB “dongle” used to connect laptops to Toyota/Lexus vehicles, often for the purpose of using Techstream. This device utilizes a USB to serial signal converter produced by FTDI (ftdichip.com). The chip is essentially a translator so that the computer can communicate with the vehicle, and vice versa. The MVCI I bought had the 1.4.1 firmware (not the 2.0.4) which has the FTDI chip part# FT232RQ.
In the embarrassingly large number of hours I spent to get this to work, I probably downloaded and tried most of the driver+techstream packages available online, but I will only outline the final attempt which worked. I suspect that some of the steps are unnecessary but I am not sure what exactly made it work.
1) I first started with a freshly reformatted burner laptop with 64bit Windows 10. Never connected to the internet, disabled auto update of drivers using three methods (1. Device installation settings - > “No, let me choose”, 2. gpedit.msc, and 3.regedit), and uninstalled the preinstalled/bloat anti virus.
2) Connected the MVCI to the laptop and saw an unknown device in the Device Manager. Note that only one unknown device was listed, NOT TWO! Many guides state that there should be two: one unknown/warning within the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” and one in the “Ports (COM & LPT)”. I was beginning to think that my dongle was somehow damaged since I only saw one.
3) The two commonly suggested methods for installing the driver for the FTDI chip is to either extract the driver files into C:\Program Files (x86)\XHorse Electronics\MVCI Driver for TOYOTA TIS or to use the AutoKent program, followed by the registry edit program. I did both extract and AutoKent, and ran the registry edit (mvci-x64.reg).
4) Updated the driver of the unknown device by Device Manager -> Right click -> Update Driver -> Browse my computer for drivers -> Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer -> Have Disk -> Browse -> [now navigate to XHorse or Autokent folder]. Neither worked as it now showed a yellow exclamation mark.
5) Download/transfer onto the laptop the 2.12.36.4 driver from (ftdichip.com/drivers/d2xx-drivers/) which is the most recent driver for 64 bit Windows. As soon as I dropped the driver onto the burner laptop, the Device Manager picked it up and auto updated, even though it shouldn’t have. The USB Serial Converter no longer has the yellow exclamation mark and the properties of the Converter shows a Driver Version of 2.12.36.4. The red LED of the dongle is now permanently on! Constant red led = computer understands how to use the dongle.
6) Install techstream.
Probably the two important steps were to 1) disable auto update of drivers and/or disconnect from internet and 2) download the latest FT232RQ driver. I was able to get this same cable to work on a 32bit Win7 machine months ago, but the cable would spontaneously work then not. I wonder if it was because the driver was automatically being replaced.
Anyways, all of that work so I can program a new key. The analog on-off (x5), open-close (x6) method to add immobilizers only works if there are 3 or less keys registered.
Other notes: VXDIAG VCX Nano might not work with the 2002-2005 SC430's as the SCs use the K-line protocol. Info supplied by VXDIAG rep. Also, I wonder if the 2.0.4 firmware dongles use the FT232RL chip.
This post is to document the steps I took to get my Windows 10 64-bit computer to recognize the Mini VCI J2534 with 1.4.1 firmware (FT232RQ chip). This is not a comprehensive guide but rather should be used as a supplement to the plethora of driver + Techstream instructions available online. Hopefully this will help others by reducing the number of hours it takes to get this damn thing to work.
The Mini VCI J2534 (aka MVCI) device is a OBDII to USB “dongle” used to connect laptops to Toyota/Lexus vehicles, often for the purpose of using Techstream. This device utilizes a USB to serial signal converter produced by FTDI (ftdichip.com). The chip is essentially a translator so that the computer can communicate with the vehicle, and vice versa. The MVCI I bought had the 1.4.1 firmware (not the 2.0.4) which has the FTDI chip part# FT232RQ.
In the embarrassingly large number of hours I spent to get this to work, I probably downloaded and tried most of the driver+techstream packages available online, but I will only outline the final attempt which worked. I suspect that some of the steps are unnecessary but I am not sure what exactly made it work.
1) I first started with a freshly reformatted burner laptop with 64bit Windows 10. Never connected to the internet, disabled auto update of drivers using three methods (1. Device installation settings - > “No, let me choose”, 2. gpedit.msc, and 3.regedit), and uninstalled the preinstalled/bloat anti virus.
2) Connected the MVCI to the laptop and saw an unknown device in the Device Manager. Note that only one unknown device was listed, NOT TWO! Many guides state that there should be two: one unknown/warning within the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” and one in the “Ports (COM & LPT)”. I was beginning to think that my dongle was somehow damaged since I only saw one.
3) The two commonly suggested methods for installing the driver for the FTDI chip is to either extract the driver files into C:\Program Files (x86)\XHorse Electronics\MVCI Driver for TOYOTA TIS or to use the AutoKent program, followed by the registry edit program. I did both extract and AutoKent, and ran the registry edit (mvci-x64.reg).
4) Updated the driver of the unknown device by Device Manager -> Right click -> Update Driver -> Browse my computer for drivers -> Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer -> Have Disk -> Browse -> [now navigate to XHorse or Autokent folder]. Neither worked as it now showed a yellow exclamation mark.
5) Download/transfer onto the laptop the 2.12.36.4 driver from (ftdichip.com/drivers/d2xx-drivers/) which is the most recent driver for 64 bit Windows. As soon as I dropped the driver onto the burner laptop, the Device Manager picked it up and auto updated, even though it shouldn’t have. The USB Serial Converter no longer has the yellow exclamation mark and the properties of the Converter shows a Driver Version of 2.12.36.4. The red LED of the dongle is now permanently on! Constant red led = computer understands how to use the dongle.
6) Install techstream.
Probably the two important steps were to 1) disable auto update of drivers and/or disconnect from internet and 2) download the latest FT232RQ driver. I was able to get this same cable to work on a 32bit Win7 machine months ago, but the cable would spontaneously work then not. I wonder if it was because the driver was automatically being replaced.
Anyways, all of that work so I can program a new key. The analog on-off (x5), open-close (x6) method to add immobilizers only works if there are 3 or less keys registered.
Other notes: VXDIAG VCX Nano might not work with the 2002-2005 SC430's as the SCs use the K-line protocol. Info supplied by VXDIAG rep. Also, I wonder if the 2.0.4 firmware dongles use the FT232RL chip.
08-22-23, 07:36 PM
#2
8th Gear
Thread Starter
Just pony up the $25
I wanted to update this since I had the pleasure of dealing with my frustrating dongle again.
If the red led on the dongle is not solidly illuminated and instead only blinks three times as soon as you plug it into the computer (and you get the Device Descriptor Request Failed error in Device Manager), just toss the cable and buy a new one. It is possible to get the computer to recognize the dongle, but it's a headache. In fact, I could not get it to work by following my own instructions above.
My new cable works every time now. I'm still using an air gapped laptop with Win 10 64bit.
If the red led on the dongle is not solidly illuminated and instead only blinks three times as soon as you plug it into the computer (and you get the Device Descriptor Request Failed error in Device Manager), just toss the cable and buy a new one. It is possible to get the computer to recognize the dongle, but it's a headache. In fact, I could not get it to work by following my own instructions above.
My new cable works every time now. I'm still using an air gapped laptop with Win 10 64bit.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ionian
ES - 7th Gen (2019-present)
3
11-24-20 08:01 AM
avanchieri
GS - 4th Gen (2013-2020)
3
08-15-16 04:33 AM
Jeffrimerm
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
4
01-18-15 10:44 PM