Help me select a COS

[Hambone]

Ok, I'm new to custom tuning, but have been looking all over the forum for the answer to my issues. Have an LS1B controller with a 2000 OS (12205612) Now I have a turbo and want to use a 2-bar MAP. Thought COS 3 would do the trick, but supposedly I need COS 5 since my controller is 512kb. I have read what to do once the COS is full-flashed, but having a bit of trouble getting there. Am I correct in thinking the COS takes over entirely and doesn't really matter if you had a '99 or '00 OS to begin with? In the COS tutorial it recommends using a '01 or '02 OS. Sooooo...... Which file do I need to use COS 5 (if that's what I need) to get the features of a newer OS (proper e-fan control, 2-bar, etc) with a 2000 LS1B controller? Seems the more I look around on my own, the more questions I come up with. I'm sure many have done this already, can someone chime in?

[ScarabEpic22]

Check TuneFileDepot.com, there are some 99-00 F-body files already setup correctly in the 02 OS. You could use COS3 or COS5, depends if you want the extra features COS5 has. I dont believe you give any features up with COS5 vs COS3, have to check.

Full flash the correct COS5 file into your PCM, then cal-flash the migrated file in. Refer to the COS upgrade tutorial, all the steps are in there and well laid out! :)

[joecar]

For COS5 (02020005) it will be easier to start with OS 12212156, this allows flashing the cal tables from 12212156 file.

Otherwise with other OS's, you will have to "fabricate" an 02020005 file (populate the cal tables by copying/pasting, this is error prone and time consuming).

[Hambone]

Ok, I pulled down 12212156, its close to what I've got, but of course all the calibration numbers are different. They are pretty close, 9358180 vs 9358280, except the speedo. I originally had 16264796, and the new OS shows 9359140. Is this a concern, or don't worry about the cal numbers? Going from a 2000 OS to a 2002 OS. If that's nothing to worry about, I guess the next step is to make as many of the tables in the '02 OS match what I have in the '00, right? Since the OS's are different, I can't do a compare, so its still a matter of copying and pasting tables? Clearly you can see I've never done this before...

[Hambone]

Seems I have to full flash 02020005 in first, then cal only flash from 12212156?

[Hambone]

joecar, I just found a fantastic post from you on LS1 Tech, and it seems much clearer than me just reading the tutorial. Think I got it now, unless there's a shortcut to getting my current tables into the 12212156 OS....

[joecar]

Seems I have to full flash 02020005 in first, then cal only flash from 12212156?Yes.


But, you should also see what is different between your file and 12212156... you will have to manually copy the tables that are different... there is no real shortcut if the OS id's are different.

[Hambone]

Yeah, they are totally different, gonna be a few hours. Good thing I enjoy this.

[Hambone]

Ok, got 12212156 to full-flash in, then was not able to put COS5 (02020005) in after that. keep getting

15:52:18.759: Unknown reply from boot loader: $FE.
15:52:18.775: PCM is in an unknown state.

Tried multiple times, of course, both with and without "Recover PCM" checked. No dice.

I have an idea how to do it now, and the process is failing me. What would cause this message? Luckily, my original OS went back in, seems to be just as it was, no problems.

Do I have the wrong COS?

[Hambone]

A side note, looking at the calibration page of 02020005, it says
This file is an EFILive Custom Operating System Upgrade.
It deliberately contains no calibration information.

This Custom Operating System is an EFILive development version. Please contact EFILive for more detials.

Upgrading your PCM with this Operating System requires a full PCM reflash,
which is only available in Commercial and Workshop versions.

Once the full reflash is complete, you must reflash the PCM with a
calibration that is compatible with the Custom OS, or the base GM OS from
which the Custom OS was derived.


But when looking at 02020003, it says

This file is an EFILive Custom Operating System Upgrade.
It deliberately contains no calibration information.

This Custom Operating System may be used to upgrade your PCM with these tuning options:
- Speed Density with dual spark maps and adaptive spark.
- Valet mode and/or "Two-Step" limiter.
- 2 and 3 bar, forced induction support.

Upgrading your PCM with this Operating System requires a full PCM reflash,
which is only available in Commercial and Workshop versions.

Once the full reflash is complete, you must reflash the PCM with a
calibration that is compatible with the Custom OS, or the base GM OS from
which the Custom OS was derived.

Do I have an older, pre-release version of 02020005? If someone has a version that's already populated, and with a 4L80E, that would be extremely helpful.

[joecar]

Ok, got 12212156 to full-flash in, then was not able to put COS5 (02020005) in after that. keep getting

15:52:18.759: Unknown reply from boot loader: $FE.
15:52:18.775: PCM is in an unknown state.

Tried multiple times, of course, both with and without "Recover PCM" checked. No dice.

I have an idea how to do it now, and the process is failing me. What would cause this message? Luckily, my original OS went back in, seems to be just as it was, no problems.

Do I have the wrong COS?Re-do the full flash of 12212156 into the PCM... what vehicle/year/model is this on...? Depending on the answer you might have to disable some of the modules on the bus.

[Taz]

You seem a little confused about the COS process ...

The COS is just that - a Custom Operating System ... think of it as an OS (like 12212156) devoid of a calibration - a blank slate. Once you get the COS flashed in (full flash), then you follow that up with a calibration only flash of your base calibration. If you need a 4L80 transmission - this is done in the base calibration prior to flashing it into the COS.

[joecar]

...

Do I have an older, pre-release version of 02020005? If someone has a version that's already populated, and with a 4L80E, that would be extremely helpful.No, you have the correct one (what is the software build version of your installed V7 software (do Help->About in the scantool or the tunetool)).

[joecar]

Yes, exactly as Taz said.


The steps are as follows:
- full flash in 12212156 containing 4L80E segment, and make sure engine/trans run correctly.
- full flash in 02020005;
- cal flash the 12212156 file;
- fix all out-of-range cells (as explained in the COS5.txt document);
- populate table B3647 and the Axxxx tables (see COS5.txt);
- engine/trans should run correctly (at least same as first step above).

Do not change trans segment after upgrading to COS.

[Hambone]

I'm running V7.5.7 Build 245. I updated it just a few weeks ago.

I understand I need to fill the new COS with data, as its all blank, the issue now is I can't seem to successfully full-flash the blank COS for some reason. It says the flash failed, and gives an error $FE. I see now in another thread, that may be just a glitch, and it actually does flash correctly. Tomorrow will push forward, assuming the error message is wrong, and see what happens.

[joecar]

See the text log that appears when you do a flash...?

Paste it here.

[Hambone]

See the text log that appears when you do a flash...?

Paste it here.

Ok, will grab it first thing tomorrow, not with the truck at the moment.

[Hambone]

Went out to grab the text log, and just for fun, ran V7 as an Administrator.....and it WORKED ON THE FIRST TRY!! Why wouldn't that be the most important and reiterated step in the entire process?! WTF?

[joecar]

OK, that's the solution (EFILive writes the PCM serial number and license to a file in a system directory (Program Files\EFILive\V7.5\) whenever you go to flash, and without Admin privileges EFILive could not write the file).