Hack Your BMW Nav Splash Screen

Posted on 11/20/09 by David Sharek 2 Comments

I originally posted this step-by-step guide on my old Website (www.shardex.com) in 2006. I noticed on my server’s records that people are still looking for it on Google so I figured I would stick it back up on here in case someone wants to update their navigation’s splash screen. The only issue I have found is that GifExtractor.exe is no longer available to download. I have a copy but am not sure if I can redistribute it so try using Google or some other search engine to find it.

The image above was the final splash screen image I used for my e46 M3. It was black with red leather hence the black widow. Yea, I know, cheesy image.

If the instructions below don’t work out for you,  try this new protocol: http://www.xoutpost.com/electronics/navigation-system/16739-navtweak.html

Steps to: Create new splash screen for you BMW MKIII or MKIV Navigation

Software:

Latest Version of the Navigation Software Image

• http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3RNSW3DT (for V27)
• Close the silly banner add at the top right of the megaupload page as the actual download link is below it
• Keep in mind that you can not reinstall the same version of nav software.
• I simply downgraded to V26 and then back up to V27
• There are two files that you will need (example uses version 27):
  • bmw v27.mdf
    • This is the actual image of the navigation software
  • bmw v27.mds
    • This is an important file in that it contains the information for burning the files properly.

Image creation tool

• http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html
• I use Photoshop CS3 but you can use any image editor that allows you to create an image with the following parameters:
  • Image size
  • Image resolution
  • GIF image export
  • Bit Depth

UltraISO

• http://www.tucows.com/preview/306129
• This product allows you to open the Navigation image file for editing.

GifExtractor

• update: apparently this link no longer works – you will need to find GifExtractor.exe or something similar on your own.
• http://carmes.de/download/software/GifExtractor.exe
• This is a sweet tool designed by Tino a.k.a. 2Wires over at the x5world forums
• This program allows you to scan a file for any GIF images that are embedded in it using a built-in HEX editor.
• After you download this make sure to unzip it. You may get a window with some German instructions – simply ignore this and extract it using WinZip

Micorsoft .NET 1.1

• http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&displaylang=en
• You need to install this before you use GifExtractor

Alcohol 120%

• http://www.free-downloads.net/programs/Alcohol_120_
• This has a nice Image Burning Wizard for creating the final CD
• You could probably use any good CD burning software that allows you to burn an image but I will use this one for our example as it seems to be somewhat popular.

The Steps

1. Make sure you have installed all the software first.

   1. Install the .NET 1.1 framework (if you do not already have it installed)
      1. You can check if you have it by going to:
         1. Start Menu > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs
         2. and simply Search for it in the list
   2. Install GifExtractor
      1. Make sure to unzip it first.
      2. It should create a folder with two files.
         1. reamdme.txt
            1. This has some useful instructions
         2. GifExtractor.exe
            1. Double-click on this file to start it (you do not need to use it just yet though)
   3. Install UltraISO
      1. Just follows the prompts – this is an easy install
   4. Install the Alcohol 120% free trial
      1. Again, an easy install

2. Create your new GIF image

   1. Make sure it follows these guidelines:
      1. Width: 400
      2. Height: 234
      3. Bit Depth: 8
      4. Resolution: 96 x 96
      5. Frames: 1
   2. Save it as: whatever_you_want.gif
      1. Some people have said that it should not exceed a certain size due to a checksum but mine was 30KB – much larger than the original and it worked fine.

3. Open UltraISO

   1. At the top left, click on File > Open
   2. Select bmw v27.mdf
   3. Use the menu tree at the left of the program to navigate to the navboot file
      1. The navboot file is the only file that we need to edit
   4. It should be located at the following path:
      1. V_2 > RR > 0101 > BMWC01S > spp_sw > navboot
   5. select the navboot file and drag it to your desktop
      1. The program will extract it and make a copy on your desktop

4. Open GifExtractor

   1. Click ‘OK’ to agree to the terms
   2. Check all three boxes near the bottom of the window:
      1. Do not check file size
      2. Correct CRC24
      3. Read “complicated” gifs
   3. At the top right, click on the ‘Find File’ button
   4. Navigate to your desktop and select the navboot file
   5. Click on the ‘Extract’ button
   6. You should see a list of numbers. These are the Hex codes of all the GIF images in the navboot file
   7. Select the first row of numbers with your mouse
   8. Use the down arrow key to scroll down the list
   9. A preview of each GIF should be displayed in the bottom window below the list.
   10. Stop when you see the BMW splash screen
   11. While keeping the HEX numbers selected, Click on the ‘Select image to exchange’ button located at the bottom of the preview window
   12. Navigate to your new GIF image and select it
   13. The new GIF image is automatically saved.
   14. Close GifExtractor

5. Open UltraISO

   1. Follow the instruction above and locate the navboot file again
   2. Make sure the navboot file is located in the upper-right window of the program
      1. There should be four windows in the program
   3. Using the menu bar at the top of the program, go to Actions > Add Files…
   4. Navigate to and select your newly edited navboot file
   5. Click on ‘Yes’ to confirm that you wish to overwrite the old navboot file
   6. Using the menu bar again, go to File > Save
   7. Watch as it recompiles the files

6. You now should have a newly edited BMW v27.mdf file and as well as the original BMW v27.mds file

7. Open Alcohol 120%

   1. Click on ‘Image Burning Wizard’ located in the menu on the left
   2. Click on ‘Browse’
   3. Change your ‘Files of Type’ to ‘ All Files(*.*) ’
   4. Select your newly edited bmw v27.mdf file and click ‘Open’
   5. Click on ‘Browse’ again
   6. Select bmw v27.mds and click ‘Open’
   7. Click ‘Next’
   8. Change your write speed to the minimum possible e.g. 4X
   9. Click Start

8. After you have burned your new CD go to your car

   1. Put the key in the first position and wait till you can view your navigation map
   2. Take out the DVD map and replace it with your newly created CD
   3. Follow the steps on your nav screen
      1. You may see the screen flicker and black out a couple times but do not worry.
   4. When you see the final screen that indicates that the upgrade was successful – make sure you remove the CD before you press ‘OK’ to reboot your system.

9. And you’re off – well done you! ^_^