Alta Multitool Laptop kit available to Lend


C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
Hello fellow AOF members,

This forum has been a great resource for myself and a lot of other members in keeping these great Alta bikes running. The spirit of cooperation on the Forum has been a godsend to us orphaned Alta owners. And even though we have access to some great tools, I understand that doing something like building a laptop to run the Alta Multitool (no matter how good the instructions) might be beyond the skills of some folks. While I highly recommend building an inexpensive laptop using the excellent instructions given by @TCMB371 (see Resources forum), I know there are some situations where that might not be viable for some.

With that in mind, I've put together a couple Multitool laptop kits that can be used by the Alta community to help diagnose and fix issues on their Alta Redshifts. So, for folks that need to update their firmware to fix a known charging issue or to just clear a code, maybe this might be a better short-term option. Or perhaps you are someone that is looking to buy a used bike, and you just want to check the health of the battery or confirm the firmware version on the bike before you buy.

I'm going to do this as a bit of an experiment, so we will see if there is any demand for this kind of kit to borrow. I will also have to evaluate if it is worth the trouble in time and hassle to ship the kit around. It might be more trouble than it is worth, and I will just end up selling it in the end. But for the time being, I will make it available for the AOF community. I will have to limit shipping to the continental US for now, since shipping it internationally would not make good economic sense.

I will charge a small fee (about $50) to cover one-way shipping, packing, and my time. Borrowers will need to agree to pay return shipping, return the kit in a timely manner, and to cover the replacement cost of the kit in the event that they break it or do not return it. (I have about $400 into the kit at the moment - not counting my time.)

The kit includes:
- Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e notebook (with touchscreen), upgraded to 8GM of RAM and 128GB SSD.
- Alta data cable and CAN-bus adapter.
- Power adapter.

- Hard-shell shipping case.

The notebook is setup for dual-boot for Windows 10 and Ubuntu. (Ubuntu is the default.)
Alta Multitool is installed and tested. There is a Multitool shortcut on the desktop, ready to go. Just boot, login, and click.
Firmware is downloaded into the correct /.alta directory
Alta Owner's manuals are downloaded on the desktop.
If needed, I might be able to fit a L14-30 (220v) to 5-15 (110v) adapter in the kit.

If you are interested in borrowing the kit, click my avatar picture and drop me a personal message (PM). If you are located in Northern California area, you might be able to pick up the kit in person and save the shipping cost.

Ideas and suggestions on this experiment are welcome, but let's keep things positive.

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1575093257316.jpg
 

Brent421

Well-known member
Likes
97
Location
Texas
Hello fellow AOF members,

This forum has been a great resource for myself and a lot of other members in keeping these great Alta bikes running. The spirit of cooperation on the Forum has been a godsend to us orphaned Alta owners. And even though we have access to some great tools, I understand that doing something like building a laptop to run the Alta Multitool (no matter how good the instructions) might be beyond the skills of some folks. While I highly recommend building an inexpensive laptop using the excellent instructions given by @TCMB371 (see Resources forum), I know there are some situations where that might not be viable for some.

With that in mind, I've put together a couple Multitool laptop kits that can be used by the Alta community to help diagnose and fix issues on their Alta Redshifts. So, for folks that need to update their firmware to fix a known charging issue or to just clear a code, maybe this might be a better short-term option. Or perhaps you are someone that is looking to buy a used bike, and you just want to check the health of the battery or confirm the firmware version on the bike before you buy.

I'm going to do this as a bit of an experiment, so we will see if there is any demand for this kind of kit to borrow. I will also have to evaluate if it is worth the trouble in time and hassle to ship the kit around. It might be more trouble than it is worth, and I will just end up selling it in the end. But for the time being, I will make it available for the AOF community. I will have to limit shipping to the continental US for now, since shipping it internationally would not make good economic sense.

I will charge a small fee (about $50) to cover one-way shipping, packing, and my time. Borrowers will need to agree to pay return shipping, return the kit in a timely manner, and to cover the replacement cost of the kit in the event that they break it or do not return it. (I have about $400 into the kit at the moment - not counting my time.)

The kit includes:
- Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e notebook (with touchscreen), upgraded to 8GM of RAM and 128GB SSD.
- Alta data cable and CAN-bus adapter.
- Power adapter.

- Hard-shell shipping case.

The notebook is setup for dual-boot for Windows 10 and Ubuntu. (Ubuntu is the default.)
Alta Multitool is installed and tested. There is a Multitool shortcut on the desktop, ready to go. Just boot, login, and click.
Firmware is downloaded into the correct /.alta directory
Alta Owner's manuals are downloaded on the desktop.
If needed, I might be able to fit a L14-30 (220v) to 5-15 (110v) adapter in the kit.

If you are interested in borrowing the kit, click my avatar picture and drop me a personal message (PM). If you are located in Northern California area, you might be able to pick up the kit in person and save the shipping cost.

Ideas and suggestions on this experiment are welcome, but let's keep things positive.

View attachment 4210
View attachment 4211
View attachment 4212
Awesome!
 

Brent421

Well-known member
Likes
97
Location
Texas
Does anyone know if the 2019 MXR’s come with the latest software, or do they need to be updated, or does it depend on the VIN? I’m assuming that you have to have the laptop hooked up to the bike to even check but not certain.
 

pascal

New member
Likes
4
Location
québec canada
Hello fellow AOF members,

This forum has been a great resource for myself and a lot of other members in keeping these great Alta bikes running. The spirit of cooperation on the Forum has been a godsend to us orphaned Alta owners. And even though we have access to some great tools, I understand that doing something like building a laptop to run the Alta Multitool (no matter how good the instructions) might be beyond the skills of some folks. While I highly recommend building an inexpensive laptop using the excellent instructions given by @TCMB371 (see Resources forum), I know there are some situations where that might not be viable for some.

With that in mind, I've put together a couple Multitool laptop kits that can be used by the Alta community to help diagnose and fix issues on their Alta Redshifts. So, for folks that need to update their firmware to fix a known charging issue or to just clear a code, maybe this might be a better short-term option. Or perhaps you are someone that is looking to buy a used bike, and you just want to check the health of the battery or confirm the firmware version on the bike before you buy.

I'm going to do this as a bit of an experiment, so we will see if there is any demand for this kind of kit to borrow. I will also have to evaluate if it is worth the trouble in time and hassle to ship the kit around. It might be more trouble than it is worth, and I will just end up selling it in the end. But for the time being, I will make it available for the AOF community. I will have to limit shipping to the continental US for now, since shipping it internationally would not make good economic sense.

I will charge a small fee (about $50) to cover one-way shipping, packing, and my time. Borrowers will need to agree to pay return shipping, return the kit in a timely manner, and to cover the replacement cost of the kit in the event that they break it or do not return it. (I have about $400 into the kit at the moment - not counting my time.)

The kit includes:
- Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e notebook (with touchscreen), upgraded to 8GM of RAM and 128GB SSD.
- Alta data cable and CAN-bus adapter.
- Power adapter.

- Hard-shell shipping case.

The notebook is setup for dual-boot for Windows 10 and Ubuntu. (Ubuntu is the default.)
Alta Multitool is installed and tested. There is a Multitool shortcut on the desktop, ready to go. Just boot, login, and click.
Firmware is downloaded into the correct /.alta directory
Alta Owner's manuals are downloaded on the desktop.
If needed, I might be able to fit a L14-30 (220v) to 5-15 (110v) adapter in the kit.

If you are interested in borrowing the kit, click my avatar picture and drop me a personal message (PM). If you are located in Northern California area, you might be able to pick up the kit in person and save the shipping cost.

Ideas and suggestions on this experiment are welcome, but let's keep things positive.

View attachment 4210
View attachment 4211
View attachment 4212
hi I'd like to buy a set what price are you selling this
 

pascal

New member
Likes
4
Location
québec canada
Hello fellow AOF members,

This forum has been a great resource for myself and a lot of other members in keeping these great Alta bikes running. The spirit of cooperation on the Forum has been a godsend to us orphaned Alta owners. And even though we have access to some great tools, I understand that doing something like building a laptop to run the Alta Multitool (no matter how good the instructions) might be beyond the skills of some folks. While I highly recommend building an inexpensive laptop using the excellent instructions given by @TCMB371 (see Resources forum), I know there are some situations where that might not be viable for some.

With that in mind, I've put together a couple Multitool laptop kits that can be used by the Alta community to help diagnose and fix issues on their Alta Redshifts. So, for folks that need to update their firmware to fix a known charging issue or to just clear a code, maybe this might be a better short-term option. Or perhaps you are someone that is looking to buy a used bike, and you just want to check the health of the battery or confirm the firmware version on the bike before you buy.

I'm going to do this as a bit of an experiment, so we will see if there is any demand for this kind of kit to borrow. I will also have to evaluate if it is worth the trouble in time and hassle to ship the kit around. It might be more trouble than it is worth, and I will just end up selling it in the end. But for the time being, I will make it available for the AOF community. I will have to limit shipping to the continental US for now, since shipping it internationally would not make good economic sense.

I will charge a small fee (about $50) to cover one-way shipping, packing, and my time. Borrowers will need to agree to pay return shipping, return the kit in a timely manner, and to cover the replacement cost of the kit in the event that they break it or do not return it. (I have about $400 into the kit at the moment - not counting my time.)

The kit includes:
- Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e notebook (with touchscreen), upgraded to 8GM of RAM and 128GB SSD.
- Alta data cable and CAN-bus adapter.
- Power adapter.

- Hard-shell shipping case.

The notebook is setup for dual-boot for Windows 10 and Ubuntu. (Ubuntu is the default.)
Alta Multitool is installed and tested. There is a Multitool shortcut on the desktop, ready to go. Just boot, login, and click.
Firmware is downloaded into the correct /.alta directory
Alta Owner's manuals are downloaded on the desktop.
If needed, I might be able to fit a L14-30 (220v) to 5-15 (110v) adapter in the kit.

If you are interested in borrowing the kit, click my avatar picture and drop me a personal message (PM). If you are located in Northern California area, you might be able to pick up the kit in person and save the shipping cost.

Ideas and suggestions on this experiment are welcome, but let's keep things positive.

View attachment 4210
View attachment 4211
View attachment 4212
you just want to check the health of the battery or confirm the firmware version on the bike before you buy.

I'm going to do this as a bit of an experiment, so we will see if there is any demand for this kind of kit to borrow. I will also have to evaluate if it is worth the trouble in time and hassle to ship the kit around. It might be more trouble than it is worth, and I will just end up selling it in the end. But for the time being, I will make it available for the AOF community. I will have to limit shipping to the continental US for now, since shipping it internationally would not make good economic sense.

I will charge a small fee (about $50) to cover one-way shipping, packing, and my time. Borrowers will need to agree to pay return shipping, return the kit in a timely manner, and to cover the replacement cost of the kit in the event that they break it or do not return it. (I have about $400 into the kit at the moment - not counting my time.)

The kit includes:
- Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e notebook (with touchscreen), upgraded to 8GM of RAM and 128GB SSD.
- Alta data cable and CAN-bus adapter.
- Power adapter.
- Hard-shell shipping case.


The notebook is setup for dual-boot for Windows 10 and Ubuntu. (Ubuntu is the default.)
Alta Multitool is installed and tested. There is a Multitool shortcut on the desktop, ready to go. Just boot, login, and click.
Firmware is downloaded into the correct /.alta directory
Alta Owner's manuals are downloaded on the desktop.
If needed, I might be able to fit a L14-30 (220v) to 5-15 (110v) adapter in the kit.

If you are interested in borrowing the kit, click my avatar picture and drop me a personal message (PM). If you are located in Northern California area, you might be able to pick up the kit in person and save the shipping cost.

Ideas and suggestions on this experiment are welcome, but let's keep things positive.

View attachment 4210
View attachment 4211
View attachment 4212
Click to expand...
hi I'd like to buy a set what price are you selling this
 

Jayfox911

Well-known member
Likes
180
Location
San Diego, CA
This is great news that you did that.

Maybe include a single page with instructions?

how to...or at least a check list
-Connect all cables
-log in
-open software
-check firmware
-update firmware (motor sync after)
-power off bike
-remove cables
-anything else of note for a new user of Alta, such as how to show hours or other tricks.
 

Philip

Administrator
Staff member
Likes
4,045
Location
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Great idea, @C5tor!

I have moved this into the Resources sub-forum and also created a permanent link to it from Classifieds. This way it won't get deleted after six months.

I would figure out the purchase price and ask for that as a security deposit. Yes, most of us here trust each other, but there are significant benefits to such an arrangement:
- You will have the cash to buy and build more laptops, if needed.
- Peace of mind for you.
- The person who borrows will not be under pressure to return quickly. There is no telling how long some of the repairs can take.
- They can keep it, if they want to.

I would also include a return label. All it takes is clicking the "Include a return label" checkbox at FedEx.com. That's the easiest way for everyone.
 

C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
This is great news that you did that.

Maybe include a single page with instructions?

how to...or at least a check list
-Connect all cables
-log in
-open software
-check firmware
-update firmware (motor sync after)
-power off bike
-remove cables
-anything else of note for a new user of Alta, such as how to show hours or other tricks.

Thanks @Jayfox911, I am making a checklist of contents, and will be making a video of how to hook it up and login.

However, I am not the expert in the group on using Multitool. @TCMB371 already has an excellent set of vids on how to use the software, so I don’t intend to re-invent the wheel.

Basically, I am just making some equipment available for those that might need it but don’t have the time or expertise to build their own.
 

C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
hi I'd like to buy a set what price are you selling this

Hi @pascal. To be clear, I didn’t setup this kit to sell it. (Unless it becomes too much of a hassle.)

I only have one complete kit at the moment (those cables are quite pricey!) However, I do have a couple extra notebooks that I have been experimenting on that are fully setup.

So, rather than turn this thread into a classified ad for selling these kits, feel free to drop me a PM and we can discuss what you need, and the best way to get it.
 

TCMB371

The Silent Assassin
Forum's Sponsor
Likes
2,429
Location
Temecula, CA
Just so everyone is aware, i have built a handful of laptops for members of AOF at this point, and had plans to start offering complete setups for sale on the forums for members. This was the logical next step to the free tutorial i provided as i have helped members over the phone , remotely through screen sharing apps, etc just to get MT setup on their machines. There are people out there that would rather not fuss with Ubuntu and any issues that may arise during setup.

My hope is that members will respect and appreciate my approach, if you catch my drift.
 

C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
Just so everyone is aware, i have built a handful of laptops for members of AOF at this point, and had plans to start offering complete setups for sale on the forums for members. This was the logical next step to the free tutorial i provided as i have helped members over the phone , remotely through screen sharing apps, etc just to get MT setup on their machines. There are people out there that would rather not fuss with Ubuntu and any issues that may arise during setup.

My hope is that members will respect and appreciate my approach, if you catch my drift.

I agree with @TCMB371. His help has been invaluable to many of us on the forum. So support him where you can.

There are quite a few members that are capable of setting up machines and selling them. Any of these will be better than the original Alta dealer laptops since they will have the updated multitool installed. I wouldn’t mind if more folks built a few notebooks for sale, since more laptops in the hands of AOF members means we can fix more problems and help each other out.

But remember that Bryan went to the trouble of figuring out the install and making some excellent reference vids. He has also spent a lot of time helping folks get their setup to work. So show him some love.
 

C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
Just so everyone is aware, i have built a handful of laptops for members of AOF at this point, and had plans to start offering complete setups for sale on the forums for members. This was the logical next step to the free tutorial i provided as i have helped members over the phone , remotely through screen sharing apps, etc just to get MT setup on their machines. There are people out there that would rather not fuss with Ubuntu and any issues that may arise during setup.

My hope is that members will respect and appreciate my approach, if you catch my drift.

The real question is whether you will have them available for Christmas, so Alta spouses will be able to purchase them for their loved ones and put them under the tree.

And of course, everyone will want to know what the Cyber Monday discount will be.
 

Philip

Administrator
Staff member
Likes
4,045
Location
Lake Havasu City, AZ
The real question is whether you will have them available for Christmas, so Alta spouses will be able to purchase them for their loved ones and put them under the tree.

And of course, everyone will want to know what the Cyber Monday discount will be.
I think the biggest contribution of @C5tor to the Alta community so far had been his awesome humor. If you decide to write a funny book, count me in for 10 copies!
 

C5tor

Chief Comedic Instigator
Likes
1,694
Location
San Ramon, CA
I think the biggest contribution of @C5tor to the Alta community so far had been his awesome humor. If you decide to write a funny book, count me in for 10 copies!
My next best-selling how-to book, “The Big Book of Procrastination - the story of how one man overcame his fear of deadlines by simply ignoring them” should be out anytime now. Just as soon as I start writing it. Maybe next week. Yep, got that penciled in for Tuesday. I’ll get right on that.
 

evh1

Well-known member
Likes
190
Location
Montgomery, AL
Just so everyone is aware, i have built a handful of laptops for members of AOF at this point, and had plans to start offering complete setups for sale on the forums for members. This was the logical next step to the free tutorial i provided as i have helped members over the phone , remotely through screen sharing apps, etc just to get MT setup on their machines. There are people out there that would rather not fuss with Ubuntu and any issues that may arise during setup.

My hope is that members will respect and appreciate my approach, if you catch my drift.

@TCMB371 - please contact me when you get set up on your laptop deal. With 2 EXR's, I'm prolly gonna need one sometime. So far so good tho!!
 

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