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eManualOnline

74043

New member
There is a purveyor online of vehicle service & repair manuals, based in the UK, named eManualOnline. Has anyone else reading this dealt with them? I have been trying to order a manual for my G650 GS from them, but so far it has been a very frustrating experience. I am beginning to suspect their operation is fraudulent. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has dealt with them, & if so, what their experience has been. Thanks.
Pete
 
Pete -

As far as I can tell, this specific manual supplier has never been discussed on the forum...doesn't mean though that someone has dealt with them in one manner or another. Can the manual be obtain through other sources such as a BMW dealer? What's attractive about eManual versus other sources you've looked into?
 
eMaunuaOnline

Pete -

As far as I can tell, this specific manual supplier has never been discussed on the forum...doesn't mean though that someone has dealt with them in one manner or another. Can the manual be obtain through other sources such as a BMW dealer? What's attractive about eManual versus other sources you've looked into?

Thanks for response. I did order the manual for my "little" GS (650 single) on DVD from BMW, through my local dealer. Turns out that it can only be used with a Microsoft operating system - but I have a Mac. So I returned it for a refund. I find it very irritating that BMW cannot be bothered to produce a version of this manual which is compatible with the MacOS platform. EManualOnline claims that it's version of the manual on a USB stick is compatible with MacOS - but they are not responding to my request for information as to when they will mail it to me (although I have paid for it, through PayPal). I suspect the eManualOnline manual for my bike does not really exist. I've looked high & low for a printed version of a manual for this bike, but nobody, including Haynes or any of the others, has one available for model years as late as mine (2011).
 
eMaunuaOnline

The Better Business Bureau reviews don't suggest you'll get any satisfaction whatsoever.

https://www.bbb.org/us/de/wilmington/profile/technical-writing/emanualonlinecom-0251-92001259/complaints

Thanks, Alan! You know, I may have been played for a sucker, but it's somehow comforting to know that I AM NOT ALONE! I'll have to see if PayPal can help me recoup my payment. At the least it seems to me that PayPal should stop working with this crooked company.
 
Turns out that it can only be used with a Microsoft operating system - but I have a Mac.

This has come up from time to time. I'm no Mac person, but I thought I'd heard there are some modes or "shells" that can be run that emulate a Windows box. I suspect the kids at the Genius Bar can figure that stuff out. A shame that people have to jump through hoops, but if it's for one or two relatively important things, might be something worth pursuing. But again, I'm no expert.
 
Putting Windoze crap in an Apple device :eek
Like having unprotected sex in a bad part of town :uhoh
OM
 
Putting Windoze crap in an Apple device :eek
Like having unprotected sex in a bad part of town :uhoh
OM

Speaking as someone who escaped a career in IT via retirement, let me point out that the myth of Mac invulnerability to things from a “bad part of town” was exploded long ago. As a long-time user of MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android I find they all have their plus and minus points; use as your base the one that you most like, and most importantly the one that you will faithfully keep updated and with virus/malware protection installed. Personally, I’d prefer to ditch them all save Linux and iOS, but that’s just me.

Let’s face it: limited-audience products like BMW service dvds are never going to be produced for every OS—the programmers and marketers will always target the largest OS base. Covering all the OS would make the product inaccessibly expensive for all. Market economics at work...

The OP can still run the BMW dvd, it’s just more expensive to do so on a Mac. BootCamp or Parallels allow the Windows OS to run on the Mac. Or, there are free solutions like VirtualBox that allow a Windows virtual machine to run atop the MacOS. All of them require purchasing a license for Windows, but once loaded—and depending upon the underlying hardware—the OP might have a decent gaming machine, something at which the Mac has always sucked.

Another option is to pick up an inexpensive Windows laptop—I’ve seen some very nice and inexpensive units at the surplus outlet for the local university, but they disappear quickly. And all of the major PC manufacturers have outlet stores where they sell off open-box or returned/refurbished units.

Bottom line? Complaining to or about BMW on this isn’t going to get the OP any closer to having a Mac-usable dvd. Accepting the panache of Mac also means accepting the expense and hassle of working around the Windows OS requirement. We iOS users go through the same thing with Android-only apps and tools. Fortunately, discarded Android phones are cheap and readily available.

Best,
DG

PS: might be interesting to see if any Linux gurus out there can get the service dvd application to run on Linux using a Windows emulator like WINE. A good winter experiment for someone and would open up the prospect of eliminating the need for a Windows license...
 
eMaunuaOnline

This has come up from time to time. I'm no Mac person, but I thought I'd heard there are some modes or "shells" that can be run that emulate a Windows box. I suspect the kids at the Genius Bar can figure that stuff out. A shame that people have to jump through hoops, but if it's for one or two relatively important things, might be something worth pursuing. But again, I'm no expert.

Thanks. I really should interrogate some young geniuses about what you mention.
 
I use Wine to run my 07RT service DVD on Zorin OS Lite which is running on a re-purposed MacBook with the first Intel processor circa 2005 or so. Runs great. A nice Linux distro that looks a lot like W7 and brings old hardware back to life. Having access to an old version of Internet Explorer in Wine did the trick.

If you have some old machine no longer being used and want to tackle it PM me for some help.
 
eMaunuaOnline

Speaking as someone who escaped a career in IT via retirement, let me point out that the myth of Mac invulnerability to things from a “bad part of town” was exploded long ago. As a long-time user of MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android I find they all have their plus and minus points; use as your base the one that you most like, and most importantly the one that you will faithfully keep updated and with virus/malware protection installed. Personally, I’d prefer to ditch them all save Linux and iOS, but that’s just me.

Let’s face it: limited-audience products like BMW service dvds are never going to be produced for every OS—the programmers and marketers will always target the largest OS base. Covering all the OS would make the product inaccessibly expensive for all. Market economics at work...

The OP can still run the BMW dvd, it’s just more expensive to do so on a Mac. BootCamp or Parallels allow the Windows OS to run on the Mac. Or, there are free solutions like VirtualBox that allow a Windows virtual machine to run atop the MacOS. All of them require purchasing a license for Windows, but once loaded—and depending upon the underlying hardware—the OP might have a decent gaming machine, something at which the Mac has always sucked.

Another option is to pick up an inexpensive Windows laptop—I’ve seen some very nice and inexpensive units at the surplus outlet for the local university, but they disappear quickly. And all of the major PC manufacturers have outlet stores where they sell off open-box or returned/refurbished units.

Bottom line? Complaining to or about BMW on this isn’t going to get the OP any closer to having a Mac-usable dvd. Accepting the panache of Mac also means accepting the expense and hassle of working around the Windows OS requirement. We iOS users go through the same thing with Android-only apps and tools. Fortunately, discarded Android phones are cheap and readily available.

Best,
DG

PS: might be interesting to see if any Linux gurus out there can get the service dvd application to run on Linux using a Windows emulator like WINE. A good winter experiment for someone and would open up the prospect of eliminating the need for a Windows license...

I appreciate your remarks. I really don't relish the idea of spending a great deal of time working on computer stuff, when I could be working on, & riding, my bike...arrgh.
 
Well . Hold the phone! Just got an email from eManual with link to tracking the item (manual on USB stick). This came after several days of not hearing from them...maybe it will arrive soon, & work out fine. I'll certainly let everyone know if it does. I'll be positively impressed if they actually supply me with a useful manual for my machines (2011 G650 GS & MacBook Air) - & all my sour feelings will grow sweeter. Thanks for ideas & comments from everyone.
 
Well . Hold the phone! Just got an email from eManual with link to tracking the item (manual on USB stick). This came after several days of not hearing from them...maybe it will arrive soon, & work out fine. I'll certainly let everyone know if it does. I'll be positively impressed if they actually supply me with a useful manual for my machines (2011 G650 GS & MacBook Air) - & all my sour feelings will grow sweeter. Thanks for ideas & comments from everyone.

Sounds great. Hope it works :thumb
OM
 
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