a_very_naudi_guy

Tonight I took the plunge for MMI upgrade. I left the car running as opposed to using a battery charger, but it did not take me too long to upgrade as there had apparently been some kind of partial upgrade (?) already applied. My battery is pretty new, anyway, and would have been okay without a charger/car running. But that doesn't mean you should do this - the risk/reward is way too high. Just leave it running or hook up the charger. Your upgrade may take way longer than mine.

So, here's what happened...

I ordered the 4610 CD set from an eBay dealer for $30 for my MY2004 A8L. Previously I had upgraded the navigation from North America 2011 to NA 2016, so I already had a good Navi version. The car, a MY2004, had already apparently been upgraded (according to the log/version upgrade indicators in the upgrade/status menu) from 0600 to 1070 at some point in the past. This must have upgraded some things to a point where further upgrade with the 4610 discs were not needed, at least from CD #1 "Clean-Up Disc" (read below).

I took the standard advice/followed the directions; I rolled down the drivers side window so that I could start the download/upgrade process without having to sit in the car, as you do not want to engage any electronic systems by opening the door during the process. I put the radio on mute, turned off all the lights that I could, and turned off my AC/seat blowers (yeah, I'm pampered). And, wow, it started raining right AFTER my upgrade is complete and I can roll up my window!

I then inserted CD #1, labeled "CleanUp-CD USA", in slot 1 of the CD changer. I made sure no other CDs were in the changer. I hit SETUP a split second before hitting RETURN and held both down until the "Current Config." screen came up. I clicked the bottom-right button for the option labeled "SWUpdate". I chose the CDROM update server and it "read meta data"; however, after this and I clicked "Start download", I got the message "No device is selected for updating". From what I have learned AFTER I completed the update process, this meant that no other modules need to be upgraded. So, considering everything told me to start with the CD #1 and that occasionally it would have to be run multiple times before it was complete, it would appear that some partial update of this had already been done. I am not sure what the difference between CD #1 and CD #2 are, except that CD #2 contains the bootloader (see below), but CD #1 apparently was not needed for me. I would assume that for many of you reading this, CD #1 will be necessary.

I then remembered a "Start bootloader" option in the "MMI 2G-Hi Hidden Menu", accessed by CAR+SETUP after being enabled with a Vag-Com/VCDS. So I went in there, the MMI system restarted, and boy-oh-boy.. it basically locks in there and forces you to install a bootloader. Luckily I had the discs with me, but someone else WITHOUT the discs could fry themselves. Keep this in mind! So, after seeing that disc #1 was again worthless for this bootloader part, I inserted CD #2 and - wah-lah - firmware / EPROMs were erased and reprogrammed, and the bootloader updated. The car was now reporting 4610, and little changes like "Standard" in the air-suspension configuration (when you hit "CAR") had the option "standard" changed to "comfort". Switching to radio, the stations had to be scanned again, but radio was working.

So, was I done? I wasn't sure. I had done this a different way, after all, with the Start bootloader option instead of SWUpdate. I inserted CD #1 again and went in the normal SWUpdate route. I again received the message about no devices being selected for updating. I went back, went in again, and this time it gave me the option to upgrade. It started running through but was erroring out, asking me to TRY AGAIN or CANCEL. I went to TRY AGAIN a few times and it kept failing. I went to CANCEL and it just went back to the same screen, or so I thought. It appears to me now that it was trying to upgrade different modules. At some point, it started to update things. But it failed on most of them and the system reported for the XM, TUNER, etc. etc. that everything had FAILED! I restarted the system with a car power cycle, and it appeared that everything was working EXCEPT for the FM/AM radio. When going to the FM/AM option it hung on "UPDATING STATIONS" (or something similar) indefinitely; I couldn't choose any of the "soft button" options around the screen. When going to the BAND soft option, it said XM only; XM radio seemed to work fine ,but FM and AM were screwed!

I went into the software versions in the Current Config (again, SETUP+RETURN) and saw that many were reporting "0". I ejected CD #1 inserted CD #2, and did the SWUpdate again. This time it took much longer than the "Start bootloader" method did, and reported as it was updating each of the TUNER, XM, NAV, etc. systems. After it completed I went into "Current Config" and saw that it had upgraded from version "0" to whatever the latest version was on CD #2 was.

What I can gather is that the CD #1, labeled "CleanUp-CD", and I may be wrong here- is for clearing out any of the faulty versions of the module software/firmwares installed along the 3360-to-4140 upgrade route that many others had done. The CD #2 then restored functionality with the latest version for each application. The "erasing" of the tuner and probably some other modules I hadn't noticed is probably a feature and intended affect of this, NOT a bug. I had, for whatever reason, not needed the clean-up CD as I was running an early version. The documentation claims that the first disc is needed in any case so that misled me.

So let me say now: if CD #1 of MMI version 4610 results in a "No device is selected for upgrading" message, insert CD #2 and start again and all will be well. You could, for good measure, try CD #1 again and then CD #2 again, and CD #2 again after that until CD #2 reports No device is selected for upgrading. But I imagine if you do CD #2 via the SWUpdate route, and NOT the Start bootloader route, it'll upgrade all the modules properly. Perhaps the Start bootloader technique ONLY flashed the bootloader/MMI application and not the individual modules application software. Could someone with Audi MMI tech experience here explain exactly what was going on?

All seems to be well now. I am now ready to install AMI as I see AMI options in my settings. I plan on replacing my CD changer with the AMI ,and hooking up either an auxiliary cable or a bluetooth cable to the AMI and, in any case, stream music from my iPod or my phone from Spotify through the car to my heart's content. Maybe I could get a puck now, too, and try for a hands free car experience or do it with the bluetooth AMI module. This I am still not sure on, as I cannot find a clear explanation of the telephone option anywhere. I only gather that some BMW Motorola V60 puck can be installed in the cradle.

Again if anyone can explain in detail what exactly happened here when I took the start bootloader route after finding that CD #1 yielded no update, and continued to do so until it mysteriously began erasing modules, and then CD #2 through SWUpdate instead of Bootloader restored it all, I'd be appreciative.

And, to anyone scared to try it - if you have genuine discs and a CD changer that isn't damaged, you should be okay. If something doesn't go right, try again. Don't panic. It's ostensibly not as fragile as it was being made out, in my mind, to be. That being said, don't be reckless either.

Good luck!

A Very Naudi Guy

P.S. See pictures below; unfortunately they're large and not entirely in order, but you'll see the progress. I hope they help someone.

TSHong

The reason why the disk one was not loading for you is that disk is a clean up for bluetooth module, which in the USA, 2004 does not have. Anyone without bluetooth module does not need to update your MMI with disk 1.

a_very_naudi_guy

Ah I see. Thank you. I wonder why then disc #1 ran after disc #2 was loaded through the bootloader option, and erased several application modules? Bizaare. There really just isn't much information publicly about the way these things work.

Thanks

Naudi

dvs_dave

JulianHicks

I'm not sure you did buy 'sketchy discs' but the trouble is, as a beginner, and as partially described above, you've misunderstood a few things about the 2G MMI and the update process!

1) That the North American CD1 is only a 'clean up' CD for the Bluetooth phone unit known as the 'handyvorb2'.
2) The 'bootloader' references on the CDs are not the same 'bootloader' reference on the green menu.

Audi published 'final' CD sets for the 2G MMI in 2008. In North America there were 2 CDs : CD1 was Handyvorb2, CD2 was MMI level 4610. In Europe there were 3 CDs : CD1 was MMI level 5150, CD2 was Handyvorb2 and BTA, CD3 was MMI level 5570. If you don't have a Bluetooth phone unit, you don't need CD 1 [NAR] or CD 2 [EUR]. You always need to run the Bluetooth CD twice if you have one of those units as the application update is so big I can't be done in one go; the first run puts an intermediate non functional application version and the second run updates it to the proper final version.

Each MMI device that gets updated by the MMI CD update CDs has two sets of firmware; a device bootloader module and a device application module. When you start the car and power on the devices, they each load their own bootloader which sets up the device and then loads the device's application. The MMI update CDs may provide an updated bootloader, or an updated application, or both. Typically, when you update with a big version gap between the old and new versions of the MMI, most devices will have both supplied. These are the bootloader references you see when running the swupdate process.

I believe that the hidden green screen bootloader is a request to reload all the system firmware from scratch as if it was an initial installation. That's the bootloader option that most people should keep clear of!

Julian

a_very_naudi_guy

Nope, these were official Audi discs, being sold by someone that had a set he no longer needed. They weren't burns - they were high-end discs, no blue/green-type organic dyes used for the media substrate, but mirror-finish reflective - and I confirmed the checksum of the discs iSOs with the officials, and they were indeed the right one. The problem was caused by myself - since disc #1 wasn't loading and gave the 'no device to update' message, and I went into START BOOTLOADER and disc #1 still didn't load, I put in disc #2 and it reloaded the bootloader but it didn't upgrade the individual modules aka "application" systems. The CD #1 "CleanUp-CD" then started working out of the blue and ended up erasing many of the modules applications, to which I restored using CD #2.

There's no 'mind boggling' here, everything was in order. Just a "PEBKAC" error - Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair (aka, me! :-D)



MMI Upgrade 4610 discs 1&2

a_very_naudi_guy

Re: sketchy discs, I bought officials (per my response to the previous poster, above). But yes, it was a beginner mistake. All the instructions were saying start with #1 and move to #2, and with #1 not working, I got confused. No documentation I had or found stated that you could start with disc #2, and that the message about nothing needing upgrading being found (see in screenshots) would occur when no further updates were needed.

1) I have no phone, although I've got the connector in the middle console for one aka the 'cradle'. As for bluetooth, I don't believe I have a bluetooth module (the one under the drivers side foot well correct?). How do I determine, without removing the carpeting?

Excellent, thank you for the help!

Now I have these discs available if anyone wants to buy them - $30 (what I paid) and I'll throw in shipping.

Regards!

MP4.2+6.0

2004--you won't have factory bluetooth. Look overhead and you should see the ET-esque old OnStar button/light. OnStar is what early ones shipped with until it was obvious everyone had a cell phone and very few wanted a hardwire phone booth on wheels. Superseded by bluetooth (phone only; not also newer AD2P music) in mid 2005.

a_very_naudi_guy

I think I've seen some information here about replacing OnStar with bluetooth capability. Any recommendations on a route to go here? I will soon have AMI installed if that helps any (e.g. bluetooth modules interfaced with it?). Also is OnStar , even though it no longer is operational, still capable of transmitting my location to any receiver towers?

Thanks

MP4.2+6.0

Mine had factory bluetooth so never had to deal with that. OnStar analog system the D3 had is completely dead and disconnected; current system is digital.