I'm trying to take a peek at the coding of the firmware for a go kart data logger gauge. I have a firmware update executable for the device. I opened the .exe and found a write .data file. Aside from looking at the gibberish in notepad what can i do to look through the actual lines of code that this thing runs on? I assume I need to figure out what language it was written it first, how do i do that?
The device is a data logger and gauge set that is used on racing go karts, it was high end hardware back in the mid 2000's but its trash now. I want to re-purpose it as a gauge cluster for my motorcycle. It reads temperature, RPM, and has a lap timer input from factory. I want to change the timer input signal to a speedometer signal. I do not think this should be too hard as bicycle speedometers do exactly the same thing i intend and they cost less than 10$. Also I believe the same processor was used in the higher level models that could track speed and a few other inputs. It seems that the firmware updates for all of the devices is packaged in the one executable, which gives me hope that the code from high optioned devices could be copied over onto my entry level device.
obviously i am no programmer but I can stumble my way through this project.
If you're curious the file can be found here.
http://aimsports.com/software/downloads/FIRMUP4_KART_060726.exe
>>54881978
It's probably far easier to write your own firmware than to edit what's there
>>54881978
>I do not think this should be too hard
Oh boy, unless you know how to reverse engineer assembly code, you certainly won't get very far with this.
>>54882005
>>54882040
sounds like im SOL
IS there no way to even look at the code? forget trying to edit it or load my own on the device fro now.
>>54882088
Disassembly is your best bet. Decompilation rarely yields good results. I hope you can read assembly language.
>>54882168
Quick search tells me that I can use visual studio for this?
Lets say it was written in C++, then compiled by whatever they use to make these .data files? Or am i missing a bunch of steps here? Im not sure how the work flows from writing the code, to having software run on the device. But if i disassemble the file am i likely to find a learn-able programming language or am i going to find more encrypted gibberish?
>>54882236
>Quick search tells me that I can use visual studio for this?
IDA or Olly would be better for disassembly work.
Try using hexdump or strings for a starting plae tho
>>54882415
thanks
looking through hexedit some of it is written in various languages (English included), a lot of it is just empty space (ie: 00 00 00 00), some of it is gibberish.
I'm way over my head lol. time to learn more useless shit
>>54882734
actual text is probably strings of text that are in the program.
00 00 00 00s are probably uninitialized data used by the program.
You can try a decompiler but as another anon pointed out they usually produce poor results. Then run the exe in olly or ida or windbg or (pick your favorite debugger)
stupid question, but what kind of cost would i be looking at to have a new firmware written to run on this thing? Indian labor is cheap right? lol
>>54882945
thanks, will have a crack at the decompilers tomorrow.
>Then run the exe in olly or ida or windbg
Problem is that I can not initiate the actual read/writing of the firmware through the .exe because I do not have the device connected. I do not want to run the risk of updating and having it lockout from tampering with the firmware afterwords. I remember apple did this when they locked out rolling back the firmware on iphones to stop people from cracking/unlocking them. Probably wouldn't happen, or might already be the case not sure desu.
so the program just sits there and waits to find a device but does nothing interesting for a debugger to look at
Pirate IDA Pro.
>>54883644
>tfw using IDA pro to crack IDA pro
