BMW maintenance DVD r1250gs

[Alan R]

As per the title, I want to ask some questions of those people like myself who purchased from BMW, a genuine maintenance dvd for their motorcycle. I have one for my r1250gs and another one my f850gs.
I understand that these dvd’s are no longer available to buy and although they are sold as ‘updatable’, I have found that the internet connection to the BMW site to update no longer seems to work.
Furthermore, even more perplexing, the printer icon no longer appears on the particular page header bar alongside the caliper and piston icons.
This is a pain as I like to print off instructions for a particular job to be able to refer to them with oil covered hands. I’ve tried both dvd’s in a second PC, linked to a separate printer and still no joy.
I must admit that I have little faith in asking this question of my local dealership (which I will do at some point), as the technicians there use the in-house system and the sales/parts staff knowledge may well be limited to ‘don’t sell ‘em any more mate’.
So, my questions are: has anyone recently successfully updated their maintenance manual? Do you still see the printer icon and are you still able to print instructions?
Alan R

 

[Bigcats]

I don't have a disc so this is just questions.

You cannot update information that is on a DVD disc....its not possible, unless this is a rewriteable disc and you have a dvd-writer but as this is a OEM disc I would find that highly unlikely

So you must have a program installed on your PC which reads the files from the disc and updates via the internet.

I am assuming you got that program off the disc initially ie installed it off the disc?

SO I would go to another PC and and install the software off the disc WITHOUT being connected to the internet and it should be as if it was the first time you used the disc from new

If the program is being updated from the internet then it sounds like they are removing the print function probably due to copyright issues (you can buy this anywhere off eBay). So install on another PC but do not let it connect to the internet.

I would like to know the program that you mention that is opening the files so I can dig a little deeper......

 

[Alan R]

I don't have a disc so this is just questions.

You cannot update information that is on a DVD disc....its not possible, unless this is a rewriteable disc and you have a dvd-writer but as this is a OEM disc I would find that highly unlikely

So you must have a program installed on your PC which reads the files from the disc and updates via the internet.

I am assuming you got that program off the disc initially ie installed it off the disc?

SO I would go to another PC and and install the software off the disc WITHOUT being connected to the internet and it should be as if it was the first time you used the disc from new

If the program is being updated from the internet then it sounds like they are removing the print function probably due to copyright issues (you can buy this anywhere off eBay). So install on another PC but do not let it connect to the internet.

I would like to know the program that you mention that is opening the files so I can dig a little deeper......

You are right, the original disc is not writable and updates are written to a separate file on the PC hard drive. To enable the original disc in the first place, on each PC, one has to enter a 16 digit code to allow a total of 3 PC’s to access the material on the disc. This registers the disc for use. Thereafter, one can open either the original information from the disc or open the updated version on the hard drive.
On both versions, on separate PC’s, the facility to print has disappeared.
When attempting to update the hard drive version, it is possible to create a copy in for example Spanish or Taiwanese, even though the original selection was just in English. Initially I believed that these languages were being down loaded on demand although I’m now thinking these and several other languages were covertly imported from the DVD on initial installation.
The actual facility to update ie to include new procedures for example how to drill and to fit the drain valve on the swing arm, is now met with a fail to connect with the internet message. Hence my questions to other users to see if my experience is replicated.
Alan R

 

[Bigcats]

Sounds like connecting the program to the internet is causing the print function to be removed

As a work around for printing have you tried print screen or (depends on the version of windows) the snipping tool that lets you take screen grab of an area (so in this case a bunch of text) and then use a program to convert image to PDF/ ie to words that you can print?? Save the image as a JPG

you can than copy the text from that picture into here https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/jpg-to-pdf.html and then print it out as if it was a document

 

[Alan R]

Sounds like connecting the program to the internet is causing the print function to be removed

As a work around for printing have you tried print screen or (depends on the version of windows) the snipping tool that lets you take screen grab of an area (so in this case a bunch of text) and then use a program to convert image to PDF/ ie to words that you can print?? Save the image as a JPG

you can than copy the text from that picture into here https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/jpg-to-pdf.html and then print it out as if it was a document

Thanks for the suggestions - it may well come to that although print screen doesn’t seem to work on my aging windows 10 PC. I was this stage just trying to ascertain if others who use the DVD were experiencing similar issues. In the mean time, I’ll contact BMW, firstly a dealership, then the customer relation people.
Alan R

 

[MotoRevive]

I have this software installed and just booted it up to try and update after reading this. I actually forgot I bought this back in 2019. I've never needed it as I know the servicing inside out. And I've never had to pull an engine apart on one.

Anyway, when I try to check for updates, It gives me an error saying "I cant connect to server"

It all still works though and I can still print off pages.

 

[Alan R]

I have this software installed and just booted it up to try and update after reading this. I actually forgot I bought this back in 2019. I've never needed it as I know the servicing inside out. And I've never had to pull an engine apart on one.

Anyway, when I try to check for updates, It gives me an error saying "I cant connect to server"

It all still works though and I can still print off pages.

Thanks for your response. I too get the “can’t connect to server” message on trying to update. The update facility has probably been quietly dropped as part of the decision to no longer sell the DVD’s. It’s not a big deal as the existing information is still relevant for what I want to do. To be honest the lack of print facility is the main gripe and it seems from your recent test it’s likely that it’s an issue with my printer setup.
Alan R

 

[MotoRevive]

Thanks for your response. I too get the “can’t connect to server” message on trying to update. The update facility has probably been quietly dropped as part of the decision to no longer sell the DVD’s. It’s not a big deal as the existing information is still relevant for what I want to do. To be honest the lack of print facility is the main gripe and it seems from your recent test it’s likely that it’s an issue with my printer setup.
Alan R

I worked as a main dealer tech. Before the manuals went online, all our manuals came on disc. Called RSD. The updates were ONLY for the vin search. They never updated models or content. We would get a new disc every year.

This DVD is not really for sale to the public. It's certainly not advertised. It's meant for regions where internet was ropey or for 'in the field' official repairs.

My guess is that they are no longer releasing VIN updates as the models covered on this version are not no longer going to be updated with the 1300 now out.

If you have a 1250, that disc will cover everything you need. They never had wiring diagrams or software information anyway.

 

[b4n241]

Having just bought a gs1250, I'm struggling to find that disk, if someone has one of the three licenses available, can we share the cost?

 

[bosnjo]

Having just bought a gs1250, I'm struggling to find that disk, if someone has one of the three licenses available, can we share the cost?

I'm seriously thinking about selling mine.
Got it back at 2021 when I purchased my GS new. Since then, I installed it on one computer only and have never used it as I've done all the work on the bike without a help from DVD.

 

[TechnoGSA]

Having just bought a gs1250, I'm struggling to find that disk, if someone has one of the three licenses available, can we share the cost?

I'd be interested in this too.

 

[b4n241]

I'm seriously thinking about selling mine.
Got it back at 2021 when I purchased my GS new. Since then, I installed it on one computer only and have never used it as I've done all the work on the bike without a help from DVD.

can you contact me on gmessi at gmail.com?

 

[Bigcats]

I have bought a USB off Ebay with the R1250 service manual on and once I figure out how to break the password

I will happily let others have a copy. However this is NOT the same as the OEM disc mentioned here!!

 

[TechnoGSA]

I'd like that and a few beers your way mate

 

[Bigcats]

I'd like that and a few beers your way mate

I want to see if I can just get it so I can email rather than needing a disc etc

We shall see once it arrives

 

[b4n241]

Someone was faster than me ;.-( so if someone has a license to sell of the 1250 DVD the reqest is still valid.
And if someone has the dvd and can contact me in any case at gmessi gmail com .... I have spanish pdf of serviceman but it's not exactly my first foreign language...

 

[PitaNaanRoti]

Someone was faster than me ;.-( so if someone has a license to sell of the 1250 DVD the reqest is still valid.
And if someone has the dvd and can contact me in any case at gmessi gmail com .... I have spanish pdf of serviceman but it's not exactly my first foreign language...

It’s my second language so a Spanish pdf isn’t an issue here.
Google translate will easily swap the words for you though.

 

[b4n241]

Not so easily...
1) spanish file is not text, so need OCR that introduces some garbage
2) serviceman is a big file so you need to split it in smaller files smaller than 10Mb, then translate each doc. About 40 if I remember correctly.
3) translation always introduces some more errors
4) you loose index with these processes
Did all this mess but the result can be better.

I can somehow understand it being italian similar to spanish, main issue is search of arguments.

 

[PitaNaanRoti]

Not so easily...
1) spanish file is not text, so need OCR that introduces some garbage
2) serviceman is a big file so you need to split it in smaller files smaller than 10Mb, then translate each doc. About 40 if I remember correctly.
3) translation always introduces some more errors
4) you loose index with these processes
Did all this mess but the result can be better.

I can somehow understand it being italian similar to spanish, main issue is search of arguments.

Misunderstanding.
Open the pdf up on laptop.
Open google translate on phone.
Tick “use camera”
You get instant translation in the phone screen.
Use it loads for translating the German terms in VAGCOM and VCDS

 

[b4n241]

I can understand the serviceman, my problem is if I want to search for a certain argument, yes can translate my item in spanish and search the word, but is a PITA