How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Tuning The Delco In Realtime
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admir87
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How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by admir87 »

Hi everyone,

I am new to the NVRAM world. I have a NVRAM in my VS Calais L67. I have been going through the threads and posts about OSE and Tunerpro to change parameters in the tune. But before i do this, is there a way to save the current tune that is on the NVRAM? I can't seem to work out if this is possible, and how to do it.
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vlad01
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by vlad01 »

Not sure for VS, but I use the flashtool with the ALDL cable, and use the "Get BIN" function, it will download the entire bin with cal and OS data so it can be burned to a PROM or used in TP for further adjustments, or just as a backup etc...
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VTXU8
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by VTXU8 »

As Vlad said.
Use the flash tool and click 'Get Bin' or 'Get Cal' and save it.
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by vlad01 »

Prob with using "get cal" is that when you want to write a prom or recover the nvram in the case of corruption, you'll be missing the OS section of the bin and the engine will not run.

And in that case it is a pain to stitch together a working bin with the cal only and a fresh bin that still contains the OS.

I made this mistake early on about 10-12 years ago and I learned to not to do that again lol.
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immortality
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by immortality »

Have you downloaded and read - Tunerpro RT Guide to Data Logging.PDF? If not please do and see page 7 where it shows the Realtime tuning buttons in Tunerpro. Once you have uploaded the .bin from the VNram into Tunerpro you can then use the 'Save' option under File to save the .bin file.

After making a change to the tune, either before or after uploading it to the NVram use the 'Save' option under File to save the tune. When you save the tune the Tunerpro software also creates a changelog file that is the same name as the .bin file but will have a .txt extension. This works well when you change a single parameter as it records the data but if you change a whole lot of stuff in a table the change log only shows that you have modified that table but not what you modified in that table.

My preferred method is to use the 'Save As' option under File. Make a tune change use the 'Save As' option and change the file name ever so slightly, that way, if the change you made doesn't work you can easily go back to the previous tune.

You need to work out your own file naming convention but I like to use the original tune name aka VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.0.bin so it's easy to identify exactly what files are been used but then I'll add something like the persons name or license plate number - JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.0.bin and then if you make major changes use the 'Save As' option and change the the file name by one digit - JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.1.bin

This keeps a log off all the changes made but makes it difficult to know what you did where so I started adding descriptors into the file names what I was working on at the time JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_VE_V1.1.bin or JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_AE_V1.12.bin
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by In-Tech »

vlad01 wrote: I made this mistake
Wait, What????

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by antus »

Its ok to just get the cal, you just need to know what version operating system it is and keep it on hand. If you trash the nvram data somehow and need to recover, you can write the stock bin file without the tune to the nvram in a programmer, put that in the car, then upload cal to write the calibration segment back. Then you don't need to deal with the segments and stitching of files by hand. If its a new setup it'll be the1s enhanced in stock to begin with, so there isn't any point saving it first, but its good to understand the process as you go further down your tuning journey. Its usually worth buying a programmer too, so if you make a mistake and loose comms with the car you can recover it without waiting for weeks for delivery.
Have you read the FAQ? For lots of information and links to significant threads see here: http://pcmhacking.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1396
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vlad01
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by vlad01 »

As long as your NVRAM is install and still functioning, then yes. I can't recall the exact circumstances, but may have something to do with a migration or something and my original BIN had no OS and once it was gone off the NVRAM after a failed migration or random corruption it was a pain to get to all my work back that was on the NVRAM originally due to the missing OS of a different version than what I had. Or it may have been the migration wouldn't work from the missing OS? I think I resolved it by using the difference tool in TP to copy the cal section over to a stock 12P file.

Just easier to always save the entire bin, there are no draw backs to doing that, and then you don't have to worry about accidentally getting stuck or bricking yourself out. Or at least saving extra steps to make a full bin for the EEPROM when you are done.
I'm the director of VSH (Vlad's Spec Holden), because HSV were doing it ass about.
admir87
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Re: How do I save current tune, before changing tune?

Post by admir87 »

immortality wrote:Have you downloaded and read - Tunerpro RT Guide to Data Logging.PDF? If not please do and see page 7 where it shows the Realtime tuning buttons in Tunerpro. Once you have uploaded the .bin from the VNram into Tunerpro you can then use the 'Save' option under File to save the .bin file.

After making a change to the tune, either before or after uploading it to the NVram use the 'Save' option under File to save the tune. When you save the tune the Tunerpro software also creates a changelog file that is the same name as the .bin file but will have a .txt extension. This works well when you change a single parameter as it records the data but if you change a whole lot of stuff in a table the change log only shows that you have modified that table but not what you modified in that table.

My preferred method is to use the 'Save As' option under File. Make a tune change use the 'Save As' option and change the file name ever so slightly, that way, if the change you made doesn't work you can easily go back to the previous tune.

You need to work out your own file naming convention but I like to use the original tune name aka VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.0.bin so it's easy to identify exactly what files are been used but then I'll add something like the persons name or license plate number - JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.0.bin and then if you make major changes use the 'Save As' option and change the the file name by one digit - JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_V1.1.bin

This keeps a log off all the changes made but makes it difficult to know what you did where so I started adding descriptors into the file names what I was working on at the time JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_VE_V1.1.bin or JoeBlogs_ VS_V6_SC_$51_Enhanced_AE_V1.12.bin
Thank you for your advice. So do I need the The 'OSE flashtool' program, or just the 'ose plugin' ?
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