W204 C320cdi Comand NTG4 HDD image help

[Real Merc Man]

Hi,
Purchased a 2007 W204 C320 cdi with Comand NTG4 HDD based Sat Nav.
It was on original Map version, so updated with versions, V8 and then V9 with no problems.
I then came accross a V10 disc via a friend and it said on the packaging would suit W204 >2011.
So I ran the V10 update, it takes 2 hours to update so stuck on battery charger and left to run, the update asked for disc 2 and then continued to about 95% and crashed saying update not possible.
The Comand was then not functioning as just kept asking for Nav disc 1.
So I ran the update again and again it crashed.
I then tried V8 and V9 neither would install as again just crashes at 90 odd %
I have tried the various versions over 10X now and still no luck, All discs are genuine MB original ones.
Had car on Star and no faults and says all is functioning correct.
Been reset via options menu, Engineering mode and also via star all no luck.
Checked Star etc for any available system updates nothing.
Now out of paitence with the whole thing and love the car, but thinking of getting rid of it as the Dealer has advised the last resort is no a new Comand unit at over £2K!!!!!
Has anyone got any ideas as will try anything as nothing to lose as cannot make it any worse.
As nothing works on the comand at moment other than Radio and Bluetooth phone as all DVD drives and music register etc are not available as a result of the Nav problem update.
I am a computer geek so know plenty about computers and Hard drives etc. So if anyone has an HDD image of the NTG4 Comand I can try and upload the my cars HDD possibly.
Sorry it long winded
Many thanks in advance.

 

[redbaron]

Call Comand Online. They are specialists.

 

[npuk]

Seems you used an update disc for NTG4.5 if it said for W204 2011> but I dont see how it would have even ran.

You wont be able to copy the HDD, it is not readable by a pc.

 

[Real Merc Man]

Call Comand Online. They are specialists.

Tried and no luck, just said looks like I have tried everything

 

[Real Merc Man]

Seems you used an update disc for NTG4.5 if it said for W204 2011> but I dont see how it would have even ran.

You wont be able to copy the HDD, it is not readable by a pc.

No its def correct disc I said >2011 not 2011>

I updated with V8 and then V9 couple of weeks ago with no porblem.

I tried this V10 and it crashed at 90% ish (disc2) each time I try, So tried V8 and V9 again both crash at roughly same point

 

[Real Merc Man]

Car as been with dealer for 3 days and they have tried just about everything now with no luck.
It has been factory reset, then engineer mode reset and Star machine reset.

It has been attempted to SCN code and that even fails.

The star is showing fault with MOST as its says MOST ring unstable?

I got the car back for the weekend and then see whats next.

In the meantime I could not even plays any Discs as DVD internal DVD changer is locked out due to failure.

So I took the HDD out of the head unit to see what happens and all the options that work without HDD function perfect ie DVD Changer, Video, etc.

So now have NAVI, Music Register or Voice Control. But HDD back and all goes wrong again.

So it will work without the HDD fine and cause no problems, but really want the the NAVI and voice control etc.

So has anyone every done anything with the drives as its a 2.5" HDD Toshiba MK3029GAC but has a connection I have never seen (43pins the space and 4pins on HDD and 50 pin adaptor to comand)
I believe it may be locked by Mercedes as well, can anyone advise?

As really dont want to pay £2k + for new comand unit just because of the hard drive.

 

[npuk]

Were these V10 discs genuine or copies?

Obviously you dont have to buy the NTG4 from MB, you can pick one up alot cheaper on ebay, about £460 with monitor and you can sell the monitor and your current unit for spares.

Just seen there is a seller selling the harddrives on ebay. I have read they are protected so I dont know if it will work just swapping your harddrive.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-...icle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item27c5a55630

No its def correct disc I said >2011 not 2011>

Yes sorry misread.

 

[Real Merc Man]

OK so it appears the hard drive has had it. I found the connection to be PATA as it powers up sometimes so is unstable.
So really could do with copying the data out of it to the new hard drive I have got.

But the drive is protected by a password, anyone please advise how to find password please

 

[mightymouse]

Have you tried using a Linux boot cd to rip and image then restore it to the new drive. I'm not sure if it'll work but I remember some builds have bit by bit function. Sounds like you've got a dead drive tho so it might not work anyway

Ave you plugged it into a pc yet?

 

[Tebs]

The latest version I found for the NTG4 Comand system was V9.0 (part no A204827835994). Anyway I recently had an issue where I went to a local dealer for a comand firmware update which failed rendering the system dead. Whilst the dealer was trying to find a solution from Germany bearing in my car was out of warranty and there was a possibilty that the dealer would wash their hands of it I managed to find a company in Hertfordshire called Braybrookes. They can try to recover your system for about £200 i think or supply a refurbed unit from about £600. Personally I would say go and harrass the dealer if you are 100% sure the disc was the correct one and it was genuine.The dealer I dealt with apparently managed to get a "special" firmware version from germany that resolved the issue. If this fails contact Neil at Braybrookes 07768500292.

 

[Alfie]

Hi,
Purchased a 2007 W204 C320 cdi with Comand NTG4 HDD based Sat Nav.
It was on original Map version, so updated with versions, V8 and then V9 with no problems.
I then came accross a V10 disc via a friend and it said on the packaging would suit W204 >2011.
So I ran the V10 update, it takes 2 hours to update so stuck on battery charger and left to run, the update asked for disc 2 and then continued to about 95% and crashed saying update not possible.
The Comand was then not functioning as just kept asking for Nav disc 1.
So I ran the update again and again it crashed.
I then tried V8 and V9 neither would install as again just crashes at 90 odd %
I have tried the various versions over 10X now and still no luck, All discs are genuine MB original ones.
Had car on Star and no faults and says all is functioning correct.
Been reset via options menu, Engineering mode and also via star all no luck.
Checked Star etc for any available system updates nothing.
Now out of paitence with the whole thing and love the car, but thinking of getting rid of it as the Dealer has advised the last resort is no a new Comand unit at over £2K!!!!!
Has anyone got any ideas as will try anything as nothing to lose as cannot make it any worse.
As nothing works on the comand at moment other than Radio and Bluetooth phone as all DVD drives and music register etc are not available as a result of the Nav problem update.
I am a computer geek so know plenty about computers and Hard drives etc. So if anyone has an HDD image of the NTG4 Comand I can try and upload the my cars HDD possibly.
Sorry it long winded
Many thanks in advance.

Yesterday we had a customer in here with the same problem. He had used copied disks from someone who advertises on the Internet. It rendered the comand unit inoperable because it was resetting the MOST bus. This meant we couldnt get a stable connection to it to diagnose it.

Customer is sourcing a new comand.

 

[Real Merc Man]

Have you tried using a Linux boot cd to rip and image then restore it to the new drive. I'm not sure if it'll work but I remember some builds have bit by bit function. Sounds like you've got a dead drive tho so it might not work anyway

Ave you plugged it into a pc yet?

Hi yes had it plugged into a pc but it is password protected so will not allow any access whatsoever with the password. Which is apparently near impossible to crack for a normal person

Went a purchased a new 2.5" para hdd but the command just states no hdd installed.
So not sure where to go next.

 

[Real Merc Man]

The latest version I found for the NTG4 Comand system was V9.0 (part no A204827835994). Anyway I recently had an issue where I went to a local dealer for a comand firmware update which failed rendering the system dead. Whilst the dealer was trying to find a solution from Germany bearing in my car was out of warranty and there was a possibilty that the dealer would wash their hands of it I managed to find a company in Hertfordshire called Braybrookes. They can try to recover your system for about £200 i think or supply a refurbed unit from about £600. Personally I would say go and harrass the dealer if you are 100% sure the disc was the correct one and it was genuine.The dealer I dealt with apparently managed to get a "special" firmware version from germany that resolved the issue. If this fails contact Neil at Braybrookes 07768500292.

The disc that failed the system is v10 and genuine. It is an internal dealer issue version and will soon be available as retail.
The dealer has given up now as they had the master reboot disc from Germany and still same faults. Car is well out of warranty so the only solution is a new comand unit from the dealer.

I will give Braybrookes a call on Monday thank you very much for heads up

 

[Real Merc Man]

Yesterday we had a customer in here with the same problem. He had used copied disks from someone who advertises on the Internet. It rendered the comand unit inoperable because it was resetting the MOST bus. This meant we couldnt get a stable connection to it to diagnose it.

Customer is sourcing a new comand.

I think I have come across this seller advertising and believe this could also be v10.

I work for a mercedes truck dealer and think I will have to speak with Mercedes tech myself as it could be an issue with the upcoming v10, as at present it is designed for internal use only and not available to retail customers.
May turn out to be a software issue within v10

 

[dleybourne]

Not sure if it will help but there is a new he'd for sale in eBay.

Original HDD Drive for Mercedes C W204 GLK SLS COMAND NTG4 Navigation head unit

Item. 170819671600

 

[npuk]

I posted the link to it earlier but I doubt it is a simple case of just plugging in the new harddrive.

 

[1001ab]

I posted the link to it earlier but I doubt it is a simple case of just plugging in the new harddrive.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Comand unit could accept and reformat a brand new drive. I've worked with loads of different types of kit that run on internal HDDs, including items that are supposedly not user servicable and nothing like as sophisticated as the Comand unit, and most have a proprietary file system on the HDD and some NVRAM based method of formatting a drive for first use. There might be a copy protection layer where the HDD is formatted to work only with one particular unit and installing an HDD from another unit will result in the POST failing and the new HDD being reformatted. The OP indicated that he's had the HDD enclosure out and tested the power, that suggests that the HDD itself is accessible. A replacement Tosh MK4050GAC HDD shouldn't be impossible to obtain from a computer parts supplier and will probably be much less expensive than the £299 being asked for on eBay. Hopefully cheap enough that it's not too much of a gamble to try. That Tosh drive is an off the shelf item, not MB exclusive, and I reckon you could get away with any 2.5" PATA (IDE) HDD.

 

[Real Merc Man]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Comand unit could accept and reformat a brand new drive. I've worked with loads of different types of kit that run on internal HDDs, including items that are supposedly not user servicable and nothing like as sophisticated as the Comand unit, and most have a proprietary file system on the HDD and some NVRAM based method of formatting a drive for first use. There might be a copy protection layer where the HDD is formatted to work only with one particular unit and installing an HDD from another unit will result in the POST failing and the new HDD being reformatted. The OP indicated that he's had the HDD enclosure out and tested the power, that suggests that the HDD itself is accessible. A replacement Tosh MK4050GAC HDD shouldn't be impossible to obtain from a computer parts supplier and will probably be much less expensive than the £299 being asked for on eBay. Hopefully cheap enough that it's not too much of a gamble to try. That Tosh drive is an off the shelf item, not MB exclusive, and I reckon you could get away with any 2.5" PATA (IDE) HDD.

I tried a standard pata drive formatted as ntfs and than as fat 32. Comand just says no drive installed.
Must be a method in how it should be formatted.

Any clues on how method of format please.

Many thanks

 

[1001ab]

I tried a standard pata drive formatted as ntfs and than as fat 32. Comand just says no drive installed.
Must be a method in how it should be formatted.

How about unformatted?
Or maybe it detects something in the MBR that it doesn't like?

Is the original HDD in good shape?
Maybe inspecting that on your computer with an MBR and HDD inspection utility will shed some light?

 

[Real Merc Man]

How about unformatted?
Or maybe it detects something in the MBR that it doesn't like?

Is the original HDD in good shape?
Maybe inspecting that on your computer with an MBR and HDD inspection utility will shed some light?

Cannot access the drive at all it is recognised in bios and in windows 7 device manager. But it is locked down with a password.

The alternative drive is a used one so good call on the mbr. Will fdisk with dis and delete the mbr and any partitions and try will let you know.

Many thanks for advise.