XSeries-forum

[quote="X5Sport"]
The only legit way is to go and ask your Dealer nicely for the CD.  Some will let you do it in their car park, others.....

You can get it on line however it has usually been modified to add extra POI like speed cameras but that affects the language pack and if you turn them off the language changes to French!

Postcodes do work anyway, just not the 7-digit version.  You can enter them in the Town/City field.

It is worth checking which version you have anyway as it might have been done.  Check under Menu > Settings and let us know what numbers are at the top right.  If it says 4/2-00 then you have V32 already.  That indicates firmware OS build 10.0 is loaded.  Earlier versions confusingly have higher last numbers like 93 (OS Version 9.3).  The 4 is for the DVD Nav (Mk4) and the /2 is for the colour screen.
[/quote]

SW 4-1/80
So I guess I don't have the latest firmware.

[quote="X5-D-Sport Salisbury"]
I believe I have V32 firmware on a spare disk.
I bought a bloody expensive OEM disk from e-bay last year... and for some (marvelous) reason they sent me 2 disks sets..
Go halves on the cost for the spare disks + maps..
Or if you are close to the West Midlands, I will gladly upload it to your vehicle for you.
[/quote]

Alas, I'm in Alton, Hampshire, although do travel to mother in law's in Shropshire from time to time, but thanks for the offer.

I've lived with this version for nearly two years without issue, so not sure if I want to spend much to update it  to be honest.

[quote="Insight G40"]
SW 4-1/80
So I guess I don't have the latest firmware.
[/quote]

OS Version 8.0, so 2 generations behind

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="Insight G40"]
SW 4-1/80
So I guess I don't have the latest firmware.
[/quote]

OS Version 8.0, so 2 generations behind
[/quote]

It's a September 2006 car, so I'd expect it to be more up to date than that, assume the E70 had a completely different more modern, hardware and software solution.

Your version was released in September 2006 so unless updated is as built.  Many owners never bothered, or even knew the firmware needed updating, and many Dealers didn't bother unless an issue was found.  If I remember correctly, V31 appeared in about early 2008 as BMW support continued for a few years after production of the Mk4 model equipped cars ceased or went out of warranty. V32 made no changes for the Mk4 system but contains the same firmware as V31.

The E70 does indeed use a different system and later versions with the CIC computer probably update firmware with the new map discs.  Some software does appear as customer downloads that can be found on line with BMW.  The F-series now use another and different system.

The update procedures (TSBs) are still available on Xoutpost and the instructions should be followed very carefully.  Links to the software no longer function though as the server & library no longer exists.

[quote="X5Sport"]
Your version was released in September 2006 so unless updated is as built.  Many owners never bothered, or even knew the firmware needed updating, and many Dealers didn't bother unless an issue was found.  If I remember correctly, V31 appeared in about early 2008 as BMW support continued for a few years after production of the Mk4 model equipped cars ceased or went out of warranty. V32 made no changes for the Mk4 system but contains the same firmware as V31.

The E70 does indeed use a different system and later versions with the CIC computer probably update firmware with the new map discs.  Some software does appear as customer downloads that can be found on line with BMW.  The F-series now use another and different system.

Ah, that makes sense, the V32 is more recent then.

I found this, seems to be correct, and includes a download of the original V32 firmware.

The update procedures (TSBs) are still available on Xoupost and the instruction should be followed very carefully.
[/quote]

Just to confirm my understanding, the firmware is separate from the maps (which is stored on a disc in the boot mounted nav unit) so there's no region specific variants to worry about.

What does the V32 give me over the version I have?

Quick thanks to everyone who's responded to this topic, been very helpful, I've learnt a lot 

Correct.  Firmware is separate and on a CD that is loaded into the Mk4 unit.  Once done it is ejected and you load the map disc - which is just data.

Changes were bug fixes and improvements to getting address data to work - including UK Postcodes - as long as you also kept the map disc up to date. 

I think you need the V32 release for map discs after 2011 as the DVD went to dual layer (9.4GB) to allow for more info to be stored than the original single layer (4.7GB) supported.  Some distant & foggy memory tells me that the 2011 discs for the Mk4 came with a firmware disc as well.