# INPA vs Rheingold?



## Mfan225 (Dec 6, 2012)

What are the differences between the two? Can I still have INPA (and NCS) installed while using Rheingold? It is my understanding that Rheingold does not do coding, so I would keep using NCS for that. Would I need a new cable? I currently use a K+DCAN USB to OBDII cable.

Also does Rheingold work for E39s and Pre-2000 cars with the 20 pin underhood port?


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

ISTA/D (aka Rheingold) is current dealership diagnostic software for all Exx and Fxx cars. ISTA/D is the replacement for older dealership DIS diagnostic software. Likewise, ISTA/P is the replacement for older delaership SSS Progman programming software. ISTA/P & ISTA/D are designed to be used with an ICOM Interface, and with full ICOM-A-B-C, you can connect to older cars. The ICOM "C" Connection is for the older BMW ADS 20-pin round "Pacman" connector in Engine Bay. You can find versions of ISTA/D with an ICOM Emulator builtin, that allows you to use it with an ENET Interface for Fxx cars and a DCAN Interface for Exx cars. I don't know for sure, as I do not do any Exx work, but I doubt ICOM Emulator would work for older ADS connector.

INPA (interpreter for test procedures) is older factory floor diagnostic software, designed to run test procedures. While INPA can be set for English User Interface, most of the Test Procedures, which can be difficult to find, are in German. 

Between the two, ISTA/D is simply a better option. It has a modern interface, is 100% English (or available in a multiple other languages), and is complete in that it does not require additional Test Procedures.

You can have ISTA/P & ISTA/D installed on laptop aside INPA, WinKFP, and INPA without any issues.


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## JK11 (Dec 23, 2013)

Hi Shawnsheridan

where can I find a working INPA for the F Series

Thanks


Ingo


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

JK11 said:


> Hi Shawnsheridan
> 
> where can I find a working INPA for the F Series
> 
> ...


PM sent.


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## estragos (Mar 15, 2013)

JK11 said:


> Hi Shawnsheridan
> 
> where can I find a working INPA for the F Series
> 
> ...


and ISTA/D, have you a link Shawnsheridan?

Thanks...:thumbup:


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

estragos said:


> and ISTA/D, have you a link Shawnsheridan?
> 
> Thanks...:thumbup:


For ISTA, look for BMW NEXT ISTA / D 3.48.20 + ISTA / P 55.0.300 on http://rutracker.org/.


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## estragos (Mar 15, 2013)

shawnsheridan said:


> For ISTA, look for BMW NEXT ISTA / D 3.48.20 + ISTA / P 55.0.300 on http://rutracker.org/.


Thank you Shawn, but Russian is not my best!!:thumbup:


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

estragos said:


> Thank you Shawn, but Russian is not my best!!:thumbup:


You do not need to know any Russian at all to do what I suggested.


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## desiGeek (Apr 17, 2011)

*Need advice on Diagnostics Software for 2011 X3 xDrive28i*

Shawn,
Can you provide some advice on what to use for diagnostics on my 2011 X3 xDrive28i?
Also can you provide me link to download the software?

Thanks in advance.
desiGeek.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

desiGeek said:


> Shawn,
> Can you provide some advice on what to use for diagnostics on my 2011 X3 xDrive28i?
> Also can you provide me link to download the software?
> 
> ...


You should use ISTA/D (Rheingold) but I do not have link for it. It is easy enough to find though.


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## nobody_47 (Jun 5, 2014)

estragos said:


> Thank you Shawn, but Russian is not my best!!:thumbup:





desiGeek said:


> Shawn,
> Can you provide some advice on what to use for diagnostics on my 2011 X3 xDrive28i?
> Also can you provide me link to download the software?
> 
> ...





shawnsheridan said:


> You should use ISTA/D (Rheingold) but I do not have link for it. It is easy enough to find though.


PM´s sent :thumbup:


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## ap90500 (Oct 23, 2013)

All Rheingold versions have native support for Ediabas 7.x, this option just needs to be activated from istagui config file. I can check the parameter later. This means that K+DCAN can be used directly with Rheingold, as long as the Ediabas (which comes with BMW Standard Tools) is configured for this interfaces. Setting for Ediabas.ini can be found in Rheingold settings, under VCI tab (if the config file has been configured correctly). If the interface works with INPA or Tool32, then it works with Rheingold too. 

ADS interface is not supported, as Rheingold requires Ediabas 7.x, and only Ediabas 6.x and older has ADS support. So to use Rheingold with ADS cars, ICOM is mandatory. ADS cars are E36, E34, beginnig of E38 production and all chassis models that are older than these. E39, E46 and later E38, and all chassis models made after these are equiped with K-line or D-CAN, so K+DCAN cable (combinated interface that has both K-line and D-CAN) is good for these cars. F-series cars can use K+DCAN for diagnosis and ENET for diagnosis + coding and programming.

There are 20-pin connectors in engine compartment on all cars made approximately before year 2000, even if they have OBD-2 connector too. If there are both of these connectors available, then 20-pin must be used as OBD-2 is then connected only to DME/DDE and EGS. 20-pin connector type is K-line or ADS, depending on the chassis model. If it is K-line, then K+DCAN and obd-20pin adapter can be used.

There is also ADS interface available, it can be used with INPA on ADS cars. It can be found from E-bay, and it is called Tiny ADS. This ADS thing talks directly to COM-port i/o memory addresses, so laptop must have native COM port. USB-COM adapter will not work, period. Of course ICOM can handle these cars via ethernet connection, even with INPA. To configure ICOM to work with Ediabas, I-tool radar is used to check ICOM ip address and then EasyConnect can be used to configure ediabas and to lock the ICOM.


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## ap90500 (Oct 23, 2013)

To activate Ediabas support in Rheingold:

Open ISTAGUI.exe.config with notepad
find line with parameter BMW.Rheingold.OperationalMode
change it to this:









After this, you will find ediabas.ini option under Rheingold settings (wrench icon on top bar), VCI Config.


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## pantosh (Aug 9, 2016)

*Which ISTA version*

So if I want to use ISTA and Progman, which version of ISTA is recommended for me? I have a 2006 330i e90. I would aprecciate if somebody shares to me a download link for that ISTA version. Thanks!!!


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## sk72 (Jan 5, 2016)

shawnsheridan said:


> PM sent.


Hi,

Can you please pm me the software and let me know what hardware is needed?

Many thanks.

SK


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

sk72 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can you please pm me the software and let me know what hardware is needed?
> 
> ...


For what? What is "the software"? What is it you want to do?


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## sk72 (Jan 5, 2016)

Sorry. My bad 
The comment was about downloading Rheingold software.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

sk72 said:


> Sorry. My bad
> The comment was about downloading Rheingold software.


Requests for Rheingold can be made here:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=827223


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## sk72 (Jan 5, 2016)

shawnsheridan said:


> Requests for Rheingold can be made here:
> 
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=827223


Thank you.
Done.


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## cn90 (Mar 27, 2006)

Pleas educate me re: Software legality (OK, it is piracy).

The REAL version (ISTA, ICOM Next etc.) from BMW dealers costs thousands of $, and you have to prove that you are a shop before the dealer sells you.

The average car owners simply cannot spend thousands of $ to diagnose the occasional problems.
I assume that all software sold on ebay or other online places are Chinese clones (I may be wrong).
My question is: as an "average" car owners, what are my options other than buying the ebay version, which is presumably pirated version, to fix my cars?

Is BMW going after the ebay sellers?
Maybe not, they are too busy making new cars?


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## Almaretto (Nov 17, 2015)

trward said:


> I've got an E65 (2003 745i) and F56 (2011 Mini S), can I use the same program and cables? From reading, it looks like INPA+ and INPA-P, yes? Cables??


E-series/R-mini: K+DCAN to code or diagnose. ICOM A+B to program.
F-series: ENET to code or program. ICOM A works too.


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## trward (Dec 3, 2013)

Bought a Foxwell nt510. Seems to do most of what I want, handles the Mini and my E65, and I'm going to download the GM software to deal with my Suburbans. Not ideal, but it's simple and it works for now.


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## josemapiro (Feb 12, 2018)

Hello everyone
I wanted to know which is the latest stable version of Ista P / Ista D and E-Sys to work with an ENET cable
The car is a f30 from 2016

Thanks
José Rodrigues


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## josemapiro (Feb 12, 2018)

Hello everyone
I wanted to know which is the latest stable version of Ista P / Ista D and E-Sys to work with an ENET cable
The car is a f30 from 2016

Thanks
José Rodrigues


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

josemapiro said:


> Hello everyone
> I wanted to know which is the latest stable version of Ista P / Ista D and E-Sys to work with an ENET cable
> The car is a f30 from 2016
> 
> ...


All versions work with ENET Cable and are stable.


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## fred530xi (Feb 14, 2016)

Sorry for the dumb question, but will the ENET cable work on old vehicles?
Thanks!

Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

fred530xi said:


> Sorry for the dumb question, but will the ENET cable work on old vehicles?
> Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


"Old Vehicles" is relative, It will work on any F / I / G Series car.


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## fred530xi (Feb 14, 2016)

I have an E60 and an F10. INPA and or Rheingold.
Thanks

Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

fred530xi said:


> I have an E60 and an F10. INPA and or Rheingold.
> Thanks
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


I'd use Rheingold:

All BMWs Ista+ download link - no request:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10521394&posted=1#post10521394


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## fred530xi (Feb 14, 2016)

I have both on my laptop. Just trying to understand if the ENET cable is backward compatible. I assume not.
Thanks

Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

fred530xi said:


> I have both on my laptop. Just trying to understand if the ENET cable is backward compatible. I assume not.
> Thanks
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


I already told you. For ENET, "_It will work on any F / I / G Series car._". It does not matter what the application is.


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## fred530xi (Feb 14, 2016)

Thanks, but you didn't specify if it works on E?

Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

fred530xi said:


> Thanks, but you didn't specify if it works on E?
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


That's right, because ENET does not work on E-Series. For E-Series you need K=DCAN Cable.


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## fred530xi (Feb 14, 2016)

Thanks!

Sent from my XT1254 using Bimmerfest mobile app


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## josemapiro (Feb 12, 2018)

shawnsheridan said:


> All versions work with ENET Cable and are stable.


But in this Russian site has a version of 2017 that says not to work with cable ENET.
rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5493422
Are there different versions of the program?

Thanks
José Rodrigues


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

josemapiro said:


> But in this Russian site has a version of 2017 that says not to work with cable ENET.
> rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5493422
> Are there different versions of the program?
> 
> ...


I have no idea what site you are referring to, nor does it matter. It is as I wrote above.


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## Alexdc12 (Feb 12, 2018)

Hi shawn
You look like the man in the know. On my e46 I used to use bmw scan 1.4 now I have an e91 that won't work. I need to read errors mainly but like having the options to change some of the configuration like alarm settings. Comfort options etc. Which program is best for this and what interface do I require?
Thanks


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## josemapiro (Feb 12, 2018)

shawnsheridan said:


> I have no idea what site you are referring to, nor does it matter. It is as I wrote above.


The site is on the post.
I'm not doubting what you said, I just did not want to waste time installing a version that later does not work.

Thanks
José Rodrigues


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## Almaretto (Nov 17, 2015)

josemapiro said:


> But in this Russian site has a version of 2017 that says not to work with cable ENET.
> rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5493422
> Are there different versions of the program?
> 
> ...


Diagnostics: ENET for F/I/G and K+DCAN for E-series.
Programming: ICOM A and ISTA+ for F/I/G. ICOM A+B and ISTA-P for E.


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## markshark (May 16, 2017)

Hi, is it possible I could get a link for ISTA software for a 2006 530i E60 in English. Need to reset counter on ELV (steering wheel lock). Thanks.


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