
Originally Posted by
704sw
Unrelated: when I plug in to run PA Soft I get a “hardware not ready” error on the software. This happens with your cable and the one I just bought. What’s the likelihood I have bad wiring or something to my OBD2? The cable’s lights come on, but nothing on the computer end...
are you running Windows 8/10? see below...

Originally Posted by
az3579
The PA Soft interface is a piece of crap - it does this to me all the time. I just keep unplugging / plugging in the cable into various USB ports until it works.
This is why I avoid using PA Soft whenever possible.
What sometimes works is shutting down, unplugging from computer, turning on and booting, and plugging it back in. *Sometimes*
i have this issue every once in a while; it's Windows 10 "re-detecting" the cable as 'BMW Scanner 1.x' in device manager. i just go into device manager, find said device (usually with a yellow ! next to it), and manually force the FTDI 'USB Serial Converter' driver upon it. works every time.
but i agree - it's a pain. it never happened under Windows XP or Windows 7 x64. Windows 8/10 x64, though - yep.
i do like the interface, for simplicity - it is always my go-to for scanning for codes.
peter
2004 330i ZHP
2005 330iT ZHP
2010 328iT M Sport
2012 128i M Sport