A good friend gave me an old, but genuine Rotunda VCM-I tester tool, with that USB-Cable for the PC. I find out the Realtek RTL8150 is the right driver for it and this works now. The USB/Ethernet interface is detected by Windows 10.
I also have a full FordEtis and IDS installation, where i installed the VCI 1.0.0.0 driver (given as hint from @ZvonimirG) to support old VCM-I in IDS. Installation worked, but IDS cannot connect to the VCM. It times out after a while:
While IDS is trying to connect, nothing happens on the VCM side, no LED changes it's color, which i find a little strange. Now i wonder if the device may be broke? When i power it up, the LEDs indicate this (read from left to right, 1 to 5): orange, green, red, green, orange.
As i have no further documentation/manual for that device, so i don't know if this is normal or indicates some error?
Is my VCM-I still alive?
Is my VCM-I still alive?
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Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
I now found a manual ford that interface here: https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford ... rd_ENG.pdf
On page 9 it tells the meaning of the LEDs:
LED1 = Vehicle Link (default: amber)
LED2 = VCM Operating (default: green)
LED3 = Power (default: red)
LED4 = Flash memory access (default: green)
LED5 = Host link (default: amber)
When power is applied to a VCM loaded with software all five LED's will briefly turn On, single LED sweep from 5 through 1 twice, and 1 through 5 twice, then become ready for use with LED 2 (VCM Operating) blinking and LED 3 (Power) On steady. This LED sequence is considered a normal VCM
power-up/boot-up operation. Following a normal power-up operation, LED 1 (Vehicle Link) comes On/Active when connected to a vehicle, and LED 5 (Host Link) comes On/Active when connected to a host device.
Besides there is nothing blinking or off, the troubleshoot page does not indicate that there is something wrong with my VCM-I. Anyway, there will be a way to factory reset or update the firmware of the device?
On page 9 it tells the meaning of the LEDs:
LED1 = Vehicle Link (default: amber)
LED2 = VCM Operating (default: green)
LED3 = Power (default: red)
LED4 = Flash memory access (default: green)
LED5 = Host link (default: amber)
When power is applied to a VCM loaded with software all five LED's will briefly turn On, single LED sweep from 5 through 1 twice, and 1 through 5 twice, then become ready for use with LED 2 (VCM Operating) blinking and LED 3 (Power) On steady. This LED sequence is considered a normal VCM
power-up/boot-up operation. Following a normal power-up operation, LED 1 (Vehicle Link) comes On/Active when connected to a vehicle, and LED 5 (Host Link) comes On/Active when connected to a host device.
Besides there is nothing blinking or off, the troubleshoot page does not indicate that there is something wrong with my VCM-I. Anyway, there will be a way to factory reset or update the firmware of the device?
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DGAlexandru
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Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
Let's see if it is original, a very good clone or a crappy one.
Open it and put some pictures with both of its big PCBs.
From your description I couldn't understand what is the LED sequence at power on.. if it is as described in the document or they all lit and stay like that.
It has an Linux-like OS, you can telnet to it and write firmware like this (very hard) but it also has a "bootloader" mode in which it should allow you to restore its firmware.
I don't know why you were indicated to use VCI 1.0.0.0 version.. I use 1.0.0.16 with latest IDS and it works without any problem (HQ clone).
Open it and put some pictures with both of its big PCBs.
From your description I couldn't understand what is the LED sequence at power on.. if it is as described in the document or they all lit and stay like that.
It has an Linux-like OS, you can telnet to it and write firmware like this (very hard) but it also has a "bootloader" mode in which it should allow you to restore its firmware.
I don't know why you were indicated to use VCI 1.0.0.0 version.. I use 1.0.0.16 with latest IDS and it works without any problem (HQ clone).
Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
Finally i got sorted it out. It was a faulty wire in the ethernet-cable running from the Realtek dongle to the VCM.
Somebody before me tried to repair it, but mixed up + and - of the TXD/RXD wires:
Also one of the pins hat a strange high resistance (25 Ohms instead of below 1 Ohm like the others) and thus may was the cause of this repair trial...
So i build a new cable using an Network ethernet cable, cut off the plugs and solder it to the board: On the VCM-side i use GET.64 male crimp-terminals which fits well into the connectors seats, isolate them with shrinking tubes:
<photo>
But in first it still refuses to work. The virtual Ethernet-Adapter complains that it is not "plugged in": As the cables where connect different than from the guy giving the pinout above (+ and - of RXD and TXD swapped) i changed it, but that doesn't help.
Next i wonder why there should be two unused (spare) pins in the connector, like the guy on his pinout tells. Then it came to my mind that the OBD-cable was "resistor-coded" and i measured the two pins - and they got a resistance of 180 kOhm between them!
I then simply put a resistor (color-code brown/grey/yellow) directly into the plug socket of the VCM and after bootup i got a stable connection: Now it's working like a charm!
So i build a new cable using an Network ethernet cable, cut off the plugs and solder it to the board: On the VCM-side i use GET.64 male crimp-terminals which fits well into the connectors seats, isolate them with shrinking tubes:
<photo>
But in first it still refuses to work. The virtual Ethernet-Adapter complains that it is not "plugged in": As the cables where connect different than from the guy giving the pinout above (+ and - of RXD and TXD swapped) i changed it, but that doesn't help.
Next i wonder why there should be two unused (spare) pins in the connector, like the guy on his pinout tells. Then it came to my mind that the OBD-cable was "resistor-coded" and i measured the two pins - and they got a resistance of 180 kOhm between them!
I then simply put a resistor (color-code brown/grey/yellow) directly into the plug socket of the VCM and after bootup i got a stable connection: Now it's working like a charm!
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Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
If it works 100% with the server, then the hat down ... I don't know a lot of people who would spend so much time with energy ...
I have a more user-friendly device: SVCI for a fraction of the price with the latest Ids software without a virtual solution. It is not an original, but a sufficient solution with support and updates.
For newer models from 2010, however, without a test and real experience ...
I have a more user-friendly device: SVCI for a fraction of the price with the latest Ids software without a virtual solution. It is not an original, but a sufficient solution with support and updates.
For newer models from 2010, however, without a test and real experience ...
Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
It used to work, then it went into the box for some month and now it seems to be bricked 
It refuses to boot up properly more often and now it doen't boot anymore. After power attach all LEDs are steady on.
Anybody know how to fix this issue?
It refuses to boot up properly more often and now it doen't boot anymore. After power attach all LEDs are steady on.
Anybody know how to fix this issue?
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DGAlexandru
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- Posts: 364
- Joined: 04 Aug 2019, 22:47
Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
Open it, disconect boards, connect them back... maybe it has a cold contact on a connector.
Re: Is my VCM-I still alive?
No chance, i really guess the Coldfire CPU (MCF5272VF66) is the problem. Maybe bad solder or defect. Hard to get, but the good thing is that this CPU does not contain Flash onchip, so it should be possible to replace. In other forums they said that resoldering (reflowing) or replacing that chip solved their problems. The VF66 is not available anymore, but has been replaced by VM66. I've ordered one from China. Let's see...