This is very interesting. Autel sells the TS 401 and doesn't provide the driver that will work with current Windows computers and requires customers to hunt down the driver? What's with Autel?

Yes, I had the same problem and called and emailed Autel Support but there has been no response yet concerning the problems this morning. I did get a response later via email today but it didn't help. Every time I have called Autel Support or Sales, I am always put on hold and have never been able to eventually speak to anyone during the call, that I remember. I get the foreboding impression that maybe I should return my products and purchase better supported ones. Earlier, when I used a different way to talk to  some people, I was told that they are aware of the problems with people getting Support  and are in the process of expanding their staff, I understand--so that sounds good. (I'm also having an issue setting up a MaxiSys Mini 905, and so far, I have not been able to talk to anyone at Autel about it or get a response via their Website--and this is something that should be very simple and intuitive to do. I left a message on their pro.auteltech Website, and so far there has been no response and I went back there recently and found that my message wasn't listed under "Your issue" as if my message was lost!)

Back to the Ts401. I would like to add that I managed to find the driver to allow communication between the TS401 and a Windows computer running 8.1 at: http://www.st.com/web/en/catalog/tools/PF257938 and installed it so there is no issue in Device Manager now when the TS 401 is connected to the computer and in Update mode. The next hurdle to overcome was though after the red bar has turned green, indicating that the TS401 could communicate with my computer, both recently downloaded and re-downloaded files (TS401_v2.56.aut and TS401_v2.56_US.bin) from Autel for the TS401 that I select to use to update the tool using MaxiLink2 were not correct because I got a message saying, "Wrong file." This is very strange, I thought. After some more reading on the Internet, I found that you have to set MaxiLink2 for the TS401--it's not set by default by clicking on TPMS and then TS401. After I did that, then there was no error.

Now, after getting past those "hurdles," there is another! After going through the update process twice, the tool never did update after all! Before the update, the software version was 2.42 and now after updating it with 2.56 files, it is still 2.42. How can this be resolved? I hope to hear from someone soon about my latest issue. I do suggest that Autel update the TS401 manual. If they can make this updating process easy, it sure would be nice.

If any inconvenice caused for you, we are sorry. Could you please feedback your issue to support@autel.com? 

I finally emailed Support yesterday at the email address you suggested so hopefully I can finally get some REAL Support. For some reason, Support is apparently not that important to you. One Support person emailed me, finally, after reading what I put on a Forum but they just sent me various unhelpful links including an electronic manual for the TS401, which appeared to be no better than the printed one and offered NO troubleshooting help. I have waited for days to get any meaningful response and so far I have received NONE! What's going on with Autel? It is apparently a big problem that others are having too. If you can not resolve the issues I am having, I will have to return the products. Support seems to be "broken" and needs to be fixed. I realize that you offer equipment/tools that are very good priced but you need to support them by quickly resolving problems. Even better yet, make the manuals better and get some of the bugs out so we don't have problems.

Sincerely

 I see the TS401 for sale cheap or included with purchase of a MS905, I was wondering if production of TS 401's have ceased and or support for updates have already, or soon  will cease too? I know if I start seeing them being dumped at Harbor Freight or rebadged as Centech , I'll know then for sure the writing is on the wall for TS401 , but I haven't seen them at Harbor Freight yet.

Autel....do you not have a maxilink 2 program for windows 8.1 so I can easily update this dam tool?.....I've tried the other links and installed various links etc as the above posts suggested..and I can't get anything to happen....I've spent hours tring to figure this out just to be able to program a 2014 model car.....I'm so pissed

 

 jmniagara,

Email me at patl1@cox.net and I will send you a version that works in windows 8.1.  I had the same frustrating problem and finally found a suitable solution that worked on 8.1 with no help from Autel.

 you can also search the forum for the fix I posted last year for this problem. Search -"Fix for updating problems of TS401 with Windows 8.1"

Pat