Open up Device Manager, either by itself or through the computer management console.
After you get the drivers downloaded, unzip the files and remember where you put them. Pay special attention to the first bullet subsection. While it is very tempting to skip to the very end and download away, be sure to read the text on the page so that you at least know what you're getting into.
This is being displayed on Windows 10, but the process should be similar, if not identical, on Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.x.įirst, download the drivers from Ross-Tech.
This is going to require that you are at least somewhat familiar with navigating around Windows. I have been able to use the genuine Ross-Tech cable in any place that a generic FTDI OBD-II cable would otherwise be needed after installing the drivers and setting them up properly. This can save you the cost and headache of having to buy and use a second cable. A lot of enthusiasts have genuine Ross-Tech cables, and this can be used to make them even more useful than they already are with VCDS, as 3rd party applications can provide more than VCDS has to offer.
Ross-Tech briefly reviews this below, but requires a lot of knowledge on manual driver installation in Windows. YMMV if it's important to you, get a guarantee from the vendor it will work and return it if it doesn't.The information below is not well detailed anywhere that I have been able to find. They *should* be the same, but they appear not to be. There are tales, for example, of the Golf Highline door controllers working in the Octy, but not the Seat ones. Some things appear to have stayed the same, but it would not surprise me if there were actually pretty fundamental changes elsewhere in the architecture to support additional features and functionality - and even if those functions weren't used at the time in that particular version, they may well have been subjected to only one version, whether Seat, Skoda, or VW. That was late 16-17 the audio in those late pre-facelift cars is way better than the previous gen, though there's an interface difference between the MY17 and MY20. Re: MY18 and on there appears to have been a significant overhaul of the logic of the MKB platform at some point around then the Octavia facelift has significant differences to an MY16 car. I might try to find the cable and plug into the MY20 Octavia, as there's some minor changes I want to make.
It's a relatively cheap cable, and the software is not as expensive as VCDS but gives most of the functionality without the limitations.
I'm a CarPort user but haven't tried it yet with my cable in the new Octy. To be clear, I'd rather go for a used, genuine setup - however I believe from a cursory search on here others have stated this may not be necessary. I've had a look at the Gendan Website VCDS Setup Chooser which is helpful as a starting point but ultimately doesn't give the detailed run-down I'm after - and obviously doesn't cover the non-genuine routes. switching features on/off etc.), what do I need - and with the version being suggested, what are the pro's and con's (as in, what can I / can't I do with it)? Can anyone do a quick reel-off of the different options? So assuming that in terms of usage, I will want to read and clear codes and do the odd bit of tinkering (e.g. If I buy a genuine cable I would go for secondhand as I'm on a budget.
I therefore want to buy a version that can be used on both vehicles (plus a few more as I like to buy and sell occaisionally), however I'm not entirely sure of the best version to buy as I understand I could go fake cable plus VCDS lite, all the way through to unlimited VIN HEX-V2 USB or HEX NET (if I wanted wireless). I'm an Amateur home-tinkerer and when I finally find "my" A2 to buy, I'll have two VAG vehicles in the family (as I currently own a 2016 MY VW Touran too).