Nav Unit In-Motion Limitations Defeated!

[Vindes]

After lots of effort from many fine people, we are proud to report that the nav system in-motion limitations have officially been defeated. No more popups, no more destination programming limitations.

Full details and the best place for related Q&A is over at www.carhack.org, but I'm sure the people involved will be happy to answer questions here for the brave souls who want to modify their systems.

Before getting into the details, let me thank right up front, in no special order order: colletjr, flexion, lxloon, DeepSix, HaTax, SgtStank and BillyDSL for making it all come together. Apologies to anyone I missed.

So here's the quick and dirty:
- you MUST start with the version AE nav dvd. NAVTEQ sells these on its web site, and there are other sources
- you must apply a patch to the program code on that dvd
- you must burn an updated dvd
- you must pop the modified dvd into your nav unit and let it update the firmware

Sorry we can't just make the modified code available. That would be illegal, as the original code is copyrighted.

I will post a longer set of instructions with appropriate disclaimers below. For the curious, the details of exactly what the patch file modifies in the code is explained on the www.carhack.org site.

[Vindes]

IN-MOTION DISABLE PATCH FOR REC MODEL NAVIGATION UNITS

The purpose of this patch is to reprogram your REC model Navigation unit to disable the In-Motion limitations.

Please be aware that it is dangerous to attempt to input parameters into your Navigation unit while driving. We actively discourage drivers from attempting Navigation programming while the vehicle is in motion. For the safety of yourself, your passengers and your fellow motorists, please resist the temptation to attempt this.

The intended purpose of this modification is to allow passengers to access Navigation programming features from the passsenger seat. Please do not even look at them or attempt conversing with them while they are doing so. This can also serve as a distraction to both you and the passenger. Such distraction may result in erroneous destination entry and/or fiery death crashes. Neither of these benefit anybody. Please act and drive responsibly.

This patch must be used in conjunction with a functioning NAVTEQ DVD version AE. It will not work with prior DVD versions. Version AE was released in September of 2006 and is available for purchase from NAVTEQ. If you have a prior version this patch will not work.

Once patched, your navigation unit can not easily be un-patched. Simply re-inserting the factory disc will NOT restore your navigation unit to its prior, safe, functionality. If you are of weak will or questionable moral character we implore you to walk away from the keyboard and forget this patch exists.

If you are still reading, and still determined to go through the update please read the following:

HOW THIS PATCH WORKS
Your navigation DVD contains both the maps database and the software that runs on the navigation unit. The software is only loaded from DVD if a new version is detected on the disc. Otherwise the unit runs the software it has stored in flash memory. There is no easy way to erase that memory, and as a result no easy way to undo the changes that result once the modified program is loaded.

In order to get the modified program to your unit you must burn a new DVD. The DVD must be a nearly identical copy of your NAVTEQ DVD. In order to accomplish this you must copy the contents of your NAVTEQ DVD to your computer, apply this patch program to one of the files from that disc, and then burn a new DVD. It must be a dual layer (8.5GB) DVD. If your DVD burner is not dual layer capable it will not produce working DVDs for this exercise.

The navigation program is copyrighted software, and thus there is no legal way to distributed the modified version. But it is legal to distribute this patch for that purpose, because the patch is simply instructions on how you can modify the software you already own. By running this program you will be modifying your software.

BURNING A NEW DVD
1) Insert your NAVTEQ version AE DVD into your computer
2) Create a new folder, and copy the entire contents of the DVD to that folder. Call it anything you want, but for this example lets call it NewDVD.
3) Run this patch program
4) When prompted, point the patching utility to the ZH2FF folder inside the directory to which you copied the DVD contents
5) This produces the modified navigation program, MAIN.APN
6) Copy the MAIN.APN program from the ZH2FF folder to the ZH200 folder. Your system will ask if you want to overwrite the file in that directory, and you should do it. Be sure to copy it, not move it. You must have the modified MAIN.APN program in both the ZH2FF and ZH200 folders
7) Delete the PatchWise.log file and backup directory if you opted to have the patcher make a backup of the original MAIN.APN. You don't want those on the burned DVD
8) Burn the entire contents of the NewDVD folder to a new double layer DVD. It should have 6 folders and 14 files in the top level directory

There are many ways to do step 8. Personally, I use UltraISO to create an ISO image first, then use Nero to burn that image to disc. You may have other burning software you prefer. I use the two-step process because I could not get Nero to burn a properly formatted DVD otherwise. The REC nav units, or at least mine, is picky about the DVD format.

When burning the DVD or ISO make sure to have:
a) Joliet turned OFF
b) Filename format as Windows/Unix
c) ISO 9660 version number ON (Note, in UltraISO this requires turning the "Omit 9660 version number" OFF. Note the double negative. Omit is off, thus version number is on. If you struggle with this concept then I again implore you not to attempt operating both a vehicle and navigation unit at the same time.)

Using UltraISO the options show below work well for DVD burning for me.

A couple people have reported problems using Memorex DVDs. Because we're all fairly new to this process with these units we're not sure if this is a Memorex issue, or just coincidece and both times the formats were just done incorrectly.

UPDATING YOUR NAV UNIT
When you insert the DVD in your Nav unit, the unit will detect that the version on the DVD is an update over what is currently installed. It will prompt you to press ENTER to install the update. If you choose to install the update the screen will go blank for several seconds, then a progress bar and warning message will come up.

Before you attempt this, please pay very close attention to the following:

ONCE THE UPDATE PROCESS BEGINS, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR IGNITION KEY UNTIL THE PROCESS COMPLETES!
ONCE THE UPDATE PROCESS BEGINS, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR IGNITION KEY UNTIL THE PROCESS COMPLETES!

If the Nav unit loses power partway through the software update you could permanently disable the unit. (Well, technically it wont be damaged at all. Just rendered useless because you've partially erased and re-written the memory. It will need to be returned to the factory to be reprogrammed. There is no way we are aware of to force the unit to load from the DVD after a botched load attempt. So just don't mess with the key while it's doing its thing.)

PLEASE NOTE, TURNING THE KEY FROM ACCESSORY MODE TO START MODE INTERRUPTS THE POWER TO THE NAVIGATION UNIT. SO DON'T DECIDE YOU WANT THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE YOU'RE IN THE UPDATE PROCESS UNLESS YOU WANT TO REPLACE THE NAV.

If somehow this isn't clear, it's probably in everyones best interests that you fry your Nav unit in the process and thus avoid killing yourself and others while attempting to program your nav while driving.

Go forth and enjoy the freedom of programming your nav from the passenger seat of a moving vehicle. And if you break the thing in the process of reprogramming, and if your unit is still under warranty, don't tell the service guy what happened. You've surely voided the warranty. Just play dumb.

[DMAG]

For full discussion of this how-to, please refer to this thread.

[joseph]

AE version here for cheap: AE in-motion NAV:Let's take it offline!

[B00MB00MSTIK]

it would be nice if your making a donation to the orginal group of hackers and not just profiting off someone elses work.

[joseph]

it would be nice if your making a donation to the orginal group of hackers and not just profiting off someone elses work.

As if I knew who started this crap , all I know is that this guy is the only one willing to do it, I should know, I got it from him, and hlycrap is out of the game (he even started a thread saying he wouldn't do you know what anymore)

[B00MB00MSTIK]

As if I knew who started this crap , all I know is that this guy is the only one willing to do it, I should know, I got it from him, and hlycrap is out of the game (he even started a thread saying he wouldn't do you know what anymore)

read the 1st post of this thread.

[STR8-Mag-Blk]

Does this work on new version? AF

I have a 2006 Magnum STR8, will this patch work on the latest software?

I think the AF came out in Feb 2008.

[Super T]

Does this work on new version? AF

I have a 2006 Magnum STR8, will this patch work on the latest software?

I think the AF came out in Feb 2008.

There is a similar patch available for AF. You're in Plainfield? PM me with your email address.

[STR8-Mag-Blk]

Can you email me? Bradj@neomek.com

[STR8-Mag-Blk]

I was trying to say, that I tried to PM you but it told me your account was full and you needed to free up some space.

Can you contact me direct?

Bradj@neomek.com

[Super T]

emailed :-)

[AIRWOLF]

Can anyone do this for me?