This is a beginners guide to get HP Tuner's VCM Editor running, and able to download the tune off your car.
Today I had issues getting my old shop laptop (Windows 8) to connect to HP Tuners VCM Editor to my mad Max goblin. I could get VCM Scanner to connect, and read the car's OBDII codes, but had difficulties getting VCM Editor to connect.
I already had the MPVI2 plugged into the OBDII port on the car, and a USB cord from it to my laptop. The car key was turned on, but the engine wasn't started. The key on will power up the car's ECU and OBDII port so the MPVI2 can communicate with it. The green LED light on the MPVI was turned on.
What I learned was:
1. In VCM Editor, go to Help, then About. See if there is any updates found, and download the latest software.
2. Go to Help, Resync the shop laptop to the interface. (I sometimes tune with my Windows 10 laptop, which necessitates a Resync )
3. Check that you are not connected to the vehicle in VCM Scanner software. VCM Editor will disconnect from the vehicle after uploading or downloading, but VCM Scanner will not automatically disconnect, so you have to do it manually.
4. Go to File, Close. You can't have a file open in VCM Editor if you want to download the tune from the car.
5. Go to Flash, Read Vehicle.
Hopefully you can get it to read the tune from you car. I wasted a fair bit of time by not having these steps, but after I downloaded the tune, I found my issue. I forgot to turn off MAF tuning a month ago when I was last tuning the engine, so the engine wasn't running in closed loop!