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pcm fried or reflashing!!!???

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Old 03-08-2005, 10:43 AM
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Default pcm fried or reflashing!!!???

I was programming with ls1 edit(at it for 2 years) and the program at first couldnot connect. Started over and noticed there was no vin # showing. Could not establish vin(licensed to this pcm) and now the car won't start. Did the recovery from the user's guide but that did'nt work.Autotap also shows no connection. Is pcm fried? can it be reflashed/reprogrammed at dealer? Inbetween all this had an error mfc42.dll come up so I switched to another laptop and loaded ls1edit on to it. Still no programming and no vin showing. Any help would be appreciated.
Old 03-08-2005, 10:44 AM
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Ken it wouuld be nice to hear from you also.
Old 03-08-2005, 11:29 AM
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Anyone have a hint of info on this??
Old 03-08-2005, 11:50 AM
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I believe MFC42.DLL is a Windows sytem file, dynamic link library used by Windows/Visual C++. Sounds like your Windows installation (or the hard disk) is starting to go south, might want to back up any important data. Defrag/chkdsk might help.

That probably doesn't have anything to do with the PCM problem, unless Edit was possibly misbehaving due to Windows instability.

Good luck getting it straightened out, doesn't sound too good - especially with the same "dead VCM" results tested from another machine and two seperate software packages (AutoTap and LS1Edit).

I'd say take it to the dealer and see if they can reflash it.

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Old 03-08-2005, 02:32 PM
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That kind of reason there is enough for me why I'm chuckin my LS1 edit . two PCM's fried so far.
Old 03-08-2005, 02:53 PM
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That kind of reason there is enough for me why I'm chuckin my LS1 edit . two PCM's fried so far.
You've fried two? How many flashes did each take before it blew?
Old 03-08-2005, 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by APeteSS
You've fried two? How many flashes did each take before it blew?
I don't believe it's necessarily the # of flashes... in so much as the software losing connection during a write for whatever reason

I have heard stories about GM replacement PCMs not being able to be flashed as many times... but not sure on the validity of this...

I killed one of my PCMs in 2002 w/Edit because the crappy Belkin USB adapter I was using lost connection to the cable... since Edit didn't have a "Safe Write" (first introduced by HP Tuners) at the time, it had erased enough of the PCM that I couldn't connect with my Edit cable

I was lucky (if you can call it that) in that I was able to have a dealer reflash my PCM (bought a spare PCM too in case it did it again at the track... I was at home when it happened ) and I was able to continue using my Edit cable w/out paying more $$$ for another license

Think of the PCM as your home computer w/out any means of communication except the OBDII port (not 100% accurate as you could also pull the flash chip off the PCM and reflash w/a flasher... but not convenient or reccommended)

There is the Operating System and then there are your "Documents"

If you delete your documents (the PCMs calibration portion... that contains data about shifting, timing, etc...) the computer will still boot up as normal and without problems... but your documents are missing... but since the computer booted you can just restore from a backup

A "safe flash" only erases these "documents" (calibration section) ... so if it looses connection... the Operating System is still there and you can just do a restore from backup (your .bin file or .ls1 or .tun file)

However, Until recently, Edit used a full PCM reflash... this means erasing everything then rewriting everything

So it erases the entire contents OS and all, however, the PCM is still "booted up" so your communication is fine, and you can proceed flashing the entire PCM w/both the OS and calibration

But... if something happens when reflashing the OS part of the PCM, and you loose power... the PCM resets, but w/missing OS data it doesn't know how to boot itself up in order to provide communication to an outside source...

In some cases this can be recovered with a Tech2 or i've seen HPT recover them as well... but in other cases... if the PCM doesn't even know how to begin booting... you're fubarred... only corrective action is to remove the Intel Flash Chip and use an external flasher... or purchase a new PCM...
Old 03-08-2005, 10:27 PM
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Originally Posted by APeteSS
You've fried two? How many flashes did each take before it blew?
I lost connection two different times, one time the little plastic piece in my USB port broke while uploading into the PCM, and one time my isolated,(floating DC) battery charger cable fell off while uploading a program, I should have known better on that one though.



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