Scanning tool on windows xp laptop

[Zephyr]

A good friend of mine has an xp laptop with an rs232 cable and some old software he used to scan his car.
unfortunately his hard drive went kaput and he lost everything in it.
what could this bmw specific software be? He is not into tech and to my big surprise he can not even remember the name of the software, he just says it had a bmw logo on the start screen.
I know he should probably get a new laptop with a usb or a scan tool, but since I managed to reinstall xp from the original disk he still has, I was thinking that maybe someone knows or can suggest any software for such an outdated setup.
cheers.

 

[colb]

Probably BMW INPA software which can be had cheap via ebay, since he had a Serial rs232 it would have been for an older BMW which had OBD1 and required a serial cable to read anything. Later OBD2 uses a USB cable and has to have the correct driver installed for INPA to work.
You could try a BMW Scanner 1.4 on the recovered laptop which again can be had cheap on ebay, it comes with an interface and usb cable, the software these days comes with the kit on a USB stick. Scanner 1.4 is easy to install and will read all modules on the car, there are some coding options for some modules in the individual menus. Doesn't list E36 but it works well on my 1.9Z3 1999. You will need a 20pin to 16pin cable changer to plug into the round diagnostic socket in the engine bay in order to use it.

Pardon our interruption...

INPA prices seem to have gone through the roof these days, just had a look on ebay.

 

[NZ00Z3]

There are free versions of the INPA software for USB on the web. Here is one: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/...tions-Experiences-Discussions-Experimentation

There is an older INPA version for RS323 connection. Harder to find on the web. Contact user "328 Power 04" in the above link. I believe that he has a copy.

 

[DrWong]

Can vouch for the links provided by NZ00Z3. I used them to put INPA on a W10 laptop last year. Instructions are very clear so install was a breeze and it works perfectly.

I had INPA running on an ancient XP machine previously, and that was really flaky compared to the W10 install above.