isleblue65

I have a Bentley repair manual on CD for an A6 that was produced before Windows 7, so is not compatable (as no Bentley Manuals are currently compatable with Win 7). The workaround that Bentley suggests is to download Windows 7 Professional, or a virtual XP program that allows Win 7 to recognize software for previous versions. Since either program costs as much or more than a new Bentley manual, I don't see this as a good option.

Bentley will sell a new paper manual at a discount to the registered owner of the software, but the disc was included in a box of parts with the A6 I just purchased, I am not the registered owner, nor do I have his e-mail password or any other personal information needed to take advantage of the discount.

I am all for paying for good software, but it has already been purchased, and I don't see any difference between using a paper manual purchased by and passed along by a previous owner and one on disc. It's for the same exact car it was originally purchased for.

Is there a workaround I am not aware of to access the files on the disc or am I stuck buying a new manual?

Thanks!

4Driver4

Good luck. Bentley has critical content, but their product and the support behind it sux. They have gutted the usability of the product in trying to protect themselves.

Bentley does not seem to understand that they are selling content/information. Not software. Support of content should never go "end of life".

isleblue65

And this is precisely the reason why, if I am forced to buy a Bentley manual, I will only buy the paper service manual version - even though it has been reported to be less complete than the CD only repair manual.

I don't know why anyone would want to get roped into Bentley's security system that renders your computer-only accessible repair manual completely useless if your version of Windows changes or you want to put it on your next computer.

'IF', and that's a big if - someone can tell me how to open the repair content files on this disc, the first thing I am going to do is print the content out on a ream of paper if that's what it takes. No way will I rely on this company to keep the same CD useable 5 years from now as they have already proven incapable of doing.

OzzyLime

If you wanted to print it, the quickest way would be to install it on a Windows XP machine.

You can use VMPlayer on your non Windows XP machine to do it as well.

This tutorial should get you going:

http://www.techrena.net/windows/down...vmware-player/

4Driver4

Good stuff.
I used the "brute force" method and just reformatted and installed XP instead of Vista when I bought a new shop PC. I'm no Vista fan, and going back to XP allowed Bentley to run happily. However, finding drivers that would work was a bitch given the sharp divide they tried to created between the two OS's.

jseklund

Yes, I ran into this same problem. I have windows 7, but luckily I had Win7 Pro - so I was able to install the virtual PC and it works. If I couldn't do this, I was going to maybe buy a small netbook with WinXP on it for my Vag-Com. I have an old laptop that is on its last legs - so this option had potential. I figured it'd be nice to have a netbook to dedicate for the car, and I could then run the Bentley on it. Of course, spending $250 extra isn't really a great solution to the problem - just something to consider as a nice luxury that may overcome the problem.

A second option, perhaps, is to buy a $50 hard drive, install it on your computer and format is with WinXP. You can dual boot operating systems this way, without reformatting your current hard-drive, and the computer will just ask which system to start when you restart the computer. I haven't done this, but it *should* work OK. The same computer could run both OS's. It would suck that you have to restart your computer every time you want to see the Bentley though.

But yeah, this is a real downfall for Bentley.

isleblue65

Thanks for some good options there. I have an external hard drive, but I wouldn't want to have to bring that along with my laptop every time I needed to refer to the manual on the computer. I'm leaning toward installing it at work on the XPs here, printing it and being done with it.

My other concern (based on reports from others) is: when I try to load it, I'm pretty sure it is going to say that it has already been registered on another PC and to call Bentley for assistance. When I call Bentley, I am guessing they are going to be looking for the original purchaser's name, email and maybe a password. I can provide his name and the e-mail address I have for him, but no password. If I am lucky, they will verbally give me a new registration ID number or something I can type in, but I'm guessing that they won't do that. They will probably want to e-mail me the registration info to allow me to load the software on another PC. I suppose I could set up a new Hotmail account for this purpose and tell them that I no longer have the e-mail that I used to register the software. My personal e-mail addresses for Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo all contain my last name - which is different from the original purchaser of the disc, so I think it would be obvious to them that I am someone different.

Seems like a lot of hassle to me.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

Nice rationalization, but it's been bypassed by the RIAA and if you used that reasoning to share recorded music files you could find yourself sued for big bux.

Still, good luck.

Just Me

the RIAA analogy is actually valid. If you could PROVE that the old file was no longer available for us (e.g.: there are not duplicate copies)- you could win vs. RIAA. But with software its very hard. Hense the runaround.

But since you have the physical CD... THAT shoudl allow you to register. Did you try?

CDs are transferable legally. Of course each company tries to write its own limited license. Bentley is awful Its why i refuse to buy the e-products

G

isleblue65

I called Bentley and they told me that only the original registered owner of the software could register it on another computer, using the e-mail address and other information provided when it was registered originally. She said she could not give me any advise regarding a workaround to this.

I'm going to try to get the discount on the paper manual through Bentley by acting as the original owner of the disc, and if that doesn't work I'll just buy one on Bimmerzone or someplace.

I need it by next weekend as I'm doing the timing belt, valve cover gasket and cam seal job then.