E.P.C. Alternatives - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diseasel300 · #16 06-04-2017, 11:11 PM

The WIS/ASRA + EPC disks contain a complete Windows XP Virtual Machine. The installer disk has a freebie version of VMWare on it for Windows machines. Mac users can pick up a version of VMWare or VMWare Fusion to do the same thing.

The disks (There are 4 of them) contain a highly compressed file that will expand into the VM itself. Expect to have ~50GB free on the machine you want to run it on.

Once you get it set up and running, it contains a full version of the WIS/ASRA and EPC operating environments. I have a copy of this software and can confirm that it does work. Please note that it is NOT a substitute for the FSM, many of the diagrams and drawings are of poor/overly-compressed quality compared to the FSM available through StarTek or CD. The WIS is very useful for getting hold of procedures and getting lists of steps required to do particular tasks. Searching through it is very tedious and things you want to look for are often mis-labeled or under alternative titles. Whoever did the English implementation just phoned it in.

Adriel · #17 06-04-2017, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

Interesting:

Mercedes WIS / ASRA & EPC Service Repair Workshop Manual Guide (software) | eBay

The photo in the listing shows a MacBook Pro running the software, but no where in the listing can I find Mac OS as an option, all are Windows.....Rich

Rich, remember it is a virtual machine, just like Fusion and VMWare. If you follow the instructions posted on the B.W. thread, looks like it should perform just the same.

What we need is Graham, think he ran it on a Macintosh.

Diseasel300 · #18 06-04-2017, 11:36 PM

I'm currently running the WIS/EPC VM on a 2012 Macbook Pro running MacOS Sierra. It runs just fine.

Adriel · #19 06-04-2017, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

I'm currently running the WIS/EPC VM on a 2012 Macbook Pro running MacOS Sierra. It runs just fine.

Thank you so very much!

As a third V.M.? Or on the Macintosh side?

Diseasel300 · #20 06-04-2017, 11:40 PM

It runs as a self-contained VM from VMWare Fusion running in the Mac OS. I have a couple of other Windows VM's in my library for other purposes, but the WIS/EPC is by far the largest.

Adriel · #21 06-04-2017, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

It runs as a self-contained VM from VMWare Fusion running in the Mac OS. I have a couple of other Windows VM's in my library for other purposes, but the WIS/EPC is by far the largest.

Okay, so if we have any questions, we know who to ask.

Graham · #22 06-05-2017, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adriel

Rich, remember it is a virtual machine, just like Fusion and VMWare. If you follow the instructions posted on the B.W. thread, looks like it should perform just the same.

What we need is Graham, think he ran it on a Macintosh.

Sorry - not me. Last Apple I owned was an Apple IIe! If Mac users read the BW links posted earlier, there are several there who are running epc on Macs and have explained how they did it. The eBay vendor won't help you with Mac install details, but apparently it can be done. Diseasel300 seems to have it figured too.

Diseasel300 · #23 06-05-2017, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Last Apple I owned was an Apple IIe!

A bit off-topic, but a GREAT computer! I still have mine! My parents ran their business on one from 1983-1992 before migrating to the Mac world.

But yes, the EPC VM does run on the Mac, just don't expect to use any of the "Installer" features. Getting it up and running is a little unorthodox, but once you have it recognized by VMWare, it works just fine.

Adriel · #24 06-05-2017, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Sorry - not me. Last Apple I owned was an Apple IIe! If Mac users read the BW links posted earlier, there are several there who are running epc on Macs and have explained how they did it. The eBay vendor won't help you with Mac install details, but apparently it can be done. Diseasel300 seems to have it figured too.

Guess my brain went to bed before my body.

And an Apple IIe was the first computer I used, B.T.W..

Adriel · #25 06-05-2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

A bit off-topic, but a GREAT computer! I still have mine! My parents ran their business on one from 1983-1992 before migrating to the Mac world.

But yes, the EPC VM does run on the Mac, just don't expect to use any of the "Installer" features. Getting it up and running is a little unorthodox, but once you have it recognized by VMWare, it works just fine.

Thank you for the reply!

Wish my "mother" hadn't thrown out her's, hardly ever used so probably work just fine.

Anyway, thought you said it was separate V.M. from V.M.Ware? Or are you saying both approaches work?

So the reason for the complex installation is because doesn't do it automatically, okay, good to know.

Diseasel300 · #26 06-05-2017, 10:47 AM

VMWare is the program that runs on the host operating system (MacOS, Windows, Linux) and then runs the "Virtual Machine" that's basically just a file on your computer.

The EPC/WIS VM is just that. A Virtual Machine. All 4 DVD's unpack into a single file that VMWare then reads as a "Virtual Machine".

VMWare Fusion on the Mac uses a different file format than full blown VMWare that's available for all operating systems. As a result, the file you unpack from the DVD's isn't automatically recognized. You have to navigate through the file and manually open the VMWare file and magically VMWare Fusion will "bless" your VM as if it were a native format.

Kinda lame when you think about it objectively, but it is what it is. Once the VM has opened and run, it will show up in your VMWare library.

ROLLGUY · #27 06-05-2017, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

VMWare is the program that runs on the host operating system (MacOS, Windows, Linux) and then runs the "Virtual Machine" that's basically just a file on your computer.

The EPC/WIS VM is just that. A Virtual Machine. All 4 DVD's unpack into a single file that VMWare then reads as a "Virtual Machine".

VMWare Fusion on the Mac uses a different file format than full blown VMWare that's available for all operating systems. As a result, the file you unpack from the DVD's isn't automatically recognized. You have to navigate through the file and manually open the VMWare file and magically VMWare Fusion will "bless" your VM as if it were a native format.

Kinda lame when you think about it objectively, but it is what it is. Once the VM has opened and run, it will show up in your VMWare library.

All this is new to me, and I am not too computer savvy. I have a Mac because it is stupid simple to operate, so I qualify. I have had the need to look up part numbers often, so this kind of software is of great interest to me. However, I get flustered easily when technical things don't work as easy as I hope they should. If someone else that has been successful installing this on a Mac could give detailed step-by-step instructions, I might try it. After all, it is less than $20. Not much to loose if I can't make it work......Rich

Adriel · #28 06-05-2017, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

VMWare is the program that runs on the host operating system (MacOS, Windows, Linux) and then runs the "Virtual Machine" that's basically just a file on your computer.

The EPC/WIS VM is just that. A Virtual Machine. All 4 DVD's unpack into a single file that VMWare then reads as a "Virtual Machine".

VMWare Fusion on the Mac uses a different file format than full blown VMWare that's available for all operating systems. As a result, the file you unpack from the DVD's isn't automatically recognized. You have to navigate through the file and manually open the VMWare file and magically VMWare Fusion will "bless" your VM as if it were a native format.

Kinda lame when you think about it objectively, but it is what it is. Once the VM has opened and run, it will show up in your VMWare library.

But, could you go though the Macintosh O.S. and have it as another V.M.? Meaning in your toolbar, you would have V.M.Ware and E.P.C.?

Adriel · #29 06-05-2017, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

All this is new to me, and I am not to computer savvy. I have a Mac because it is stupid simple to operate, so I qualify. I have had the need to look up part numbers often, so this kind of software is of great interest to me. However, I get flustered easily when technical things don't work as easy as I hope they should. If someone else that has been successful installing this on a Mac could give detailed step-by-step instructions, I might try it. After all, it is less than $20. Not much to loose if I can't make it work......Rich

Rich, neither am I computer literate. If you can wait until Saturday, will see if can succeed and if so, will share of course being part of a community.

Diseasel300 · #30 06-05-2017, 11:56 AM

I will work on getting a write-up done in the next day or so. Bear with me, we're entering our "busy" season at work so things are a little chaotic.