Ive got a cheapo usb/odb2 cable and lo and behold it detects fine on Vista -64bit version and installs drivers ok. The only trouble i vagcom crashes as soon as loaded on vista. Do I need to buy the new version 7 something and a proper ross tech cable - i downloaded the version 4 shareware that works with 3rd party cables but it seems that is not compatible with vista.

I think the cause of your problem is the 64bit vista, I believe it works fine on normal 32bit version.

Vista compatibility was added recently to the later versions of software.

Currect, current versions of VAG-COM are Vista compatible older ones may not. The most common issue are the drivers since 3rd party hardware vendors have nothing which is Vista compatible. But if VAG-COM is crashing as you said then there is indeed sth. with the software itself and there is nothing we can do about it.

The safest way is indeed to get a genuine cable which comes with a current version.

Cheers, I thought as much about needing the proper version, the laptop i bought came with XP but i wanted 64bit vista on so installed that. One thing i am going to try is a virtual machine install of xp and try that, its worth a go.

Update- Well I installed virtual PC 2007 a freedownload form microsoft and then installed XP then vagcom in it and setup the Virtual PC to use com1 as com6 on the vista side (the odb/usb cable is com6 in vista)

I connected it up to my vrs and lo and behold it works fine!

The only issue is it found a fault code, 17705 pressure drop between turbo and throttle valve, check DV! Intermittant.

Now i am worried by this.

Well done.

Try the search - very common code.

Cheers already on it, 50k service is due now so thats another thing to get done.