l33

So I was on the money with my analysis of the update then... http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/Ford-SYNC-Software-Upgrade-prnews-746200150.html?x=0

Just a quick update before I hit the sack. This should really go in the Sync forum in the hack post I suppose but here goes anyway... sorry everyone thats not interested. Ford issue the updates using Image Update which basically means the files in these updates are deltas from the last update (installed on your system at the time you update) - thats why its critical that you are at the right patch level beforehand. The updates are signed with certificates so that stops you modifying them, the car would reject a modified file because the certificate will no longer be valid. The car has a certificate store that it validates against. That does not mean we cannot find a way around this in the future but right now thats where we are at. This is why it is absolutely critical we get hold of the major update the dealers have at the moment - its highly likely that this is a full image with the certificate store and all sorts of other goodies. Its great to see base Windows CE DLLs in the update packages such as ActiveSync - also worth noting is Ford include third party software such as SQLLite and Adobe FlashLite (and knowing how vunerable Flash has been over the last year or so thats interesting). What did BE update? Well, its really difficult to say actually - the only things you can look at are file sizes which tell you a little of the story. There has definately been work carried out on the WiFi and the Virtual Network Interface (all related I assume). These appear to be a Ford change (or the supplier of hardware) not Microsoft. There was a change to the media player, interestingly this change included Windows Media Video decoder update although looking through the rest of the files I have a feeling the update in itself includes a "Microsoft Auto 4.0" (the platform) update, but only a very small revision. So to sum it up based on my gut feel (which is based on experience in this area and evidence in the updates) is this was to improve the WiFi in some way and maybe even stretching to the USB Modem issues many have had (I say that because of the virtual interface update). Of course, I don't work for Ford so I can't say for sure and I could be completely wrong!

I'm making a request - can someone PM me with a link to the update files (BE) that they downloaded from syncmyride.com. I believe that once they go into the Edge, they are removed from the USB drive so I need them before that point.... anyone help? Until I have had my dealer update I can't download them and I'd like to inspect them to get a clue to what it includes.

FYI, the 2011 Edges have a fuse puller in the back of the actual cover that you take off.

Does it work though - how does Touch handle a bunch of USB devices (does it scroll the list?).

I would guess that the dealer is able to obtain BE without doing the Sync Checker which means that they did BD and then BE before finally registering the update with Ford. BE is tiny in comparison to BD - they even label it a "Service Pack"... :rolleyes: Looking at some of the update packages I have obtained, during the 'setup' SYNC does check your version and I find it highly unlikely that it would run unless it met the correct conditions.

Just buy a cheap 500GB USB drive from Best Buy (under 70 bucks) but ensure its the smaller powered by USB ones not a desktop drive. If I spend a bit more time in the car I'm going to dig around to find the Sync unit and see if its got the spare USB port in it like the older cars do (even though we already have two ports would be good to leave them alone). If its above the glovebox then I'll leave the drive in there and cable to it - the only thing I found above my glovebox was the passive entry system however it could be the full ECU including the entry system - I still need to figure that out.

Thanks Tom. I should be able to see whats in the package (specifically if its something updating nav/sirius or just sync/touch generally) and that should help us figure out what each does. I would so love to get my hands on that 3GB file that Ford dealers have - with that I am 100% sure I could actually modify Touch and add some stuff (certainly from the UI perspective).

Heres what mine looks like: http://blog.carid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ford-edge5.jpg

You what?!?!?! Mine does!

Tom and _11088 thanks very much for your posts (especially _11088 for the really detailed one!). _11088 can you tell me where you are and what dealer did the update for you - I'm outside Mississauga and the dealers around here "haven't got the special cable Ford is sending"... Tom, do you still have the service pack files prior to the install - can you share them with me somehow so I can have a look at what its updating (dropbox then PM me the link) - I might be able to tell others what this update does if I can see them? Tom, can you also stick the Edge into diagnostic mode (go into Radio - FM, then hold eject on the CD player and hold the seek right button on the volume wheel on the dash >>). From that screen you'll find version numbers - I think its the first section APIM > Software Versions and then take a photo of that screen. There is nothing on that screen that would identify your vehicle fyi but there are things deeper in there so don't put photos of everything up! Thanks guys!