Apparently someone has already tried dd and couldn’t copy the card

 

 

So this does look like a custom firmware with protected content.

@FrankNicklin - feel free to try a DD, it won't work

 

Ages ago, a friend and I made a little CPLD board that would change the CID on the fly so I could use larger SD cards on an RNS-310 style Amundsen. A while later Samsung released a batch of Evo Plus cards with a bug that allowed the CID to be changed using mmc32 so I removed my hardware mod as it seems a better solution. The newer MIB style Amundsen uses the same protection mechanism, it basically relies on the CID being set only once at manufacture time.

 

The CID doesn't need to be unique so you'll find the official SD cards will have a small handful of CIDs between them. I expect the CID is baked into the map update somewhere rather than the headunit firmware to allow for future cards. Pretty sure I've seen a few reports of people claiming they've added CIDs to the "allowed" list but I can't recall the details.

 

A quick google suggests 0941504d49425354102d5033b000d501 is a valid CID for MIB2 Amundsen (aka Discover Media) systems although I've not confirmed it. Given a 32GB Skoda card is only £25-30 it's not worth wasting a CID changeable card

The Security ID on the card has been hacked.  This is how eBay sellers are able to flog cards that work.

11 hours ago, FrankNicklin said:

I have just copied the 20/21 Europe maps download on to my 16gb Škoda SD Card, tight fit but works fine. I work in IT and was looking for options to perhaps clone the Škoda SD Card to a big capacity card. If the card CID is mapped to the head unit them how come there are so many cards for sale on EBay. Surely none of these would work if the CID is different from the original card supplied with the car. Do we know that these cards work, if so then the CID of the SD card is irrelevant.

The CID is not car specific, it's common to all Skoda (maybe even VAG) map SD cards.

 

I've got 3 Skoda SD cards all purchased off eBay and all of them work with my MIB1 Amundsen - even the 5L0 ones.

 

I've recently got an Audi SD card and when it stops raining(!) will try that with my MIB1.

Edited 16 December, 20205 yr by PetrolDave

This thread reminded me to check for a new mapping, so entered my VIN and this came up. Simply states an SD card of 6GB not even the genuine Skoda card,. The 'Steps'  do mention  a Skoda card. I assume the 6GB is in it's zipped state,

 

2 hours ago, ajw1100 said:

This thread reminded me to check for a new mapping, so entered my VIN and this came up. Simply states an SD card of 6GB not even the genuine Skoda card,. The 'Steps'  do mention  a Skoda card. I assume the 6GB is in it's zipped state,

 

 It says a Navigation SD card from the Skoda Original Accessories, basically a Skoda SD card for the maps. POI and other updates do not require a Skoda SD card but are simply used to import the data to the infotainment system.

13 hours ago, ajw1100 said:

This thread reminded me to check for a new mapping, so entered my VIN and this came up. Simply states an SD card of 6GB not even the genuine Skoda card,. The 'Steps'  do mention  a Skoda card. I assume the 6GB is in it's zipped state,

That's poor documentation - a Skoda SD card is essential with an Amundsen.

Quite agree PetrolDave, certainly does not state a genuine Skoda card is needed. I thought perhaps Skoda had removed the requirement but seems not! Should have known better........

On 06/07/2020 at 18:31, PetrolDave said:

So what is your issue?

I thought you were concerned about the small amount of free space on a 16GB SD card?

 

Since the Amundsen requires a genuine Skoda SD card as I see it you have 3 options:

1) work out which files you can leave out - which nobody has done yet and would be trial & error and take some time and experimentation

2) buy a 32GB Skoda SD card - which could be expensive

3) maximise the space usage on your current 16GB Skoda SD card - don't use the clone software, just format using Windows and copy the files (quick, easy and zero cost)

 

Right - Firstly - you shouldn't just copy files from the 16G to a non-VW approved SD Card (of any size).  It won't work.  There is a hidden memory slot defined CID inside these cards that is only addressable checked by the MIB systems - it cannot be addressed or even accessed from either Windows, Mac or even Linux. 

 

Secondly, the cards are not ~that~ expensive - a 32G card is only £34.99 - see this listing for an MIB2 (MIB2.5) card - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32GB-Version-2020-SKODA-GEN2-MIB2-Amundsen-2-Card-Sat-Nav-SD-Navigation-Map-UK/143469631943

MIB1 systems have a different card, so will need to be sourced elsewhere.

 

On 15/12/2020 at 22:27, FrankNicklin said:

Has anyone tried to DD a card from the linux command line. Should be a way to image all partitions on a card using this method. Will have to experiment.

Good luck with that - yes, I work in IT - DD ~might~ see the hidden partition (won't be able to change the CID), but it is a checksum the occurs within the MIB against the hardware.  Copying the hidden partition will result in a different checksum, because the internal partition CID is locked away and RO.  If you copy that sector across to a RW different card, it will just bulk at the result of the checksum test incorrect CID information (I don't think it is anything more advanced than an MD5 checksum - but you've got to know what files are checked and what it references against - which is *definately* breaking VW Copyright protections (instead of just slightly bending the rules).

Edited 17 December, 20205 yr by varaderoguy
correcting my mistakes

37 minutes ago, varaderoguy said:

There is a hidden memory slot inside these cards that is only addressable from the MIB systems - it cannot be addressed or even accessed from either Windows, Mac or even Linux (I know because I've tried). 

 

There is no hidden memory slot. It's just the CID... It can be read from any OS with an appropriate tool.

 

In most cases the CID can only be set at manufacture time. However, there are some Samsung cards where it can be changed but they are probably a similar price to the genuine cards

Applogies @langers2k - you are right.  I thought it was a hidden partition.  I've seen those 'Samsung' cards - most are fake Chinese knock-offs - best stick with the original parts.

To ressurect this topic/question - the sellers on Ebay offering 32GB cards are knock-offs? I've seen most of them are from Latvia, price is relatively the same, but I thought to ask first then be sorry later  

Bought a 32GB of Ebay from a UK seller and all is good and works perfectly. However a quick check shows this seller is no longer selling them.

Since new map is bigger than 14.8gb of old card size, I have ordered new 32gb sd card from china and supplied them CID of my 16gb card so they can set it up.

So, waiting the card to arrive.

This should work, or at least is worth trying for 12 euro.

I am still using the 16Gb card with the recent update.  I have Wester Europe's map.  I would not support copyright infringement..

To support what?

Maps are free.

We are lucky that Skoda offers the updates at zero cost.  Other brands often don't.  It is my decision not to support China when it does not respect IP rights.  You are undermining legit companies.

So you agree that you should buy new sd card next time when update size exceeds size of current sd card?

And next time, and next time,...

They could offer sd cards with some kind of discount when you bring old one. Let them think what to do with old one.

Suppying 16gb sd card instead of 32gb at the beginning is silly. Just to sparr few euros.

Basically its the same, no reason to be happy. Maps are free, but you pay for sd card. 

I do not have any ethics issues with cloned larger SD card, as I have paid for mine already, why do you need to buy it twice, or more? Anyway they will soon stop updating, why do you think they are different from other manufacturers. They have stopped 2012 Navs to update many years ago.

 

Edited 19 January, 20224 yr by nidza

SD clone has arrived and working flawlessly. For 12.22 Euro delivered it is great deal.