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Genuine GM Service Manuals

BlackVXGTS

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It has not really been practical to have hard copy genuine service manuals since the VR Commodore, which consisted of seven quite large (and expensive >$35 each) manuals. The VS series of (hard copy) manuals consisted of four large manuals but they only covered areas where the VS and VR were different. You still needed to have the appropriate VR manuals to perform many of the VS service functions. There is a CD that contains the genuine GMH VR/VS manuals, but it is based on a now obsolete Microsoft Help application, and only works on Windows XP and Windows 7 32 bit. It also doesn't include the wiring manual.

Genuine GM VT/VX manuals are available in digital format and consist of multiple PDF based documents, which means that they run on any of the current/recent Microsoft operating systems - 32bit and 64bit. I think genuine VY/VZ manuals are also available in digital PDF format, but I haven't had any personal need or experience with them. The genuine manuals are far, far, better than any aftermarket manual that you can purchase.

From the VF (and I believe the VE), contents of the now PDF-based service manuals have only been available online via subscription from GM, on either a period or time-related basis. You can print off the contents of various portions of these PDF manual components into hard copy, you can even print them off into PDF (via CUTEPDF or equivalent), but all of the links between the various documents are not active. In addition, they are protected, so you also can't cut and past from these "printed"documents. In addition, searching on the link contents sometimes doesn't work as identified below.

There is currently a partial PDF version of the VF Service manual on the internet. However, it's not comprehensive, and the translation from GM PDF to print (whether hard copy or soft copy like CUTEPDF) involves an optical character recognition process which produces a large number of errors. This means that when you search on the contents of a link (which now doesn't work) you may get all the references, some of the references, or none at all). However, it's a very useful and structured document for anyone interested in maintaining or finding out more information about the cars they drive.

MODS, please delete if this thread is against forum policy.
 

WeeGee

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For VF & VF2 in LS3 - Are any of the Workshop Manual publishers printing anything like the old faithful? Commodore-VE Workshop Service Manual.jpg The VE up to 2012 seems to be the last of the C'dore range.
 
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Smitty

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It has not really been practical to have hard copy genuine service manuals since the VR Commodore, which consisted of seven quite large (and expensive >$35 each) manuals. The VS series of (hard copy) manuals consisted of four large manuals but they only covered areas where the VS and VR were different. You still needed to have the appropriate VR manuals to perform many of the VS service functions. There is a CD that contains the genuine GMH VR/VS manuals, but it is based on a now obsolete Microsoft Help application, and only works on Windows XP and Windows 7 32 bit. It also doesn't include the wiring manual.

Genuine GM VT/VX manuals are available in digital format and consist of multiple PDF based documents, which means that they run on any of the current/recent Microsoft operating systems - 32bit and 64bit. I think genuine VY/VZ manuals are also available in digital PDF format, but I haven't had any personal need or experience with them. The genuine manuals are far, far, better than any aftermarket manual that you can purchase.

From the VF (and I believe the VE), contents of the now PDF-based service manuals have only been available online via subscription from GM, on either a period or time-related basis. You can print off the contents of various portions of these PDF manual components into hard copy, you can even print them off into PDF (via CUTEPDF or equivalent), but all of the links between the various documents are not active. In addition, they are protected, so you also can't cut and past from these "printed"documents. In addition, searching on the link contents sometimes doesn't work as identified below.

There is currently a partial PDF version of the VF Service manual on the internet. However, it's not comprehensive, and the translation from GM PDF to print (whether hard copy or soft copy like CUTEPDF) involves an optical character recognition process which produces a large number of errors. This means that when you search on the contents of a link (which now doesn't work) you may get all the references, some of the references, or none at all). However, it's a very useful and structured document for anyone interested in maintaining or finding out more information about the cars they drive.
....................

firstly.... VR was FIFTEEN volumes (inc wiring) I know... they cost me a small fortune!
VS had the 4 extra volumes but also several extra supplements ( I did not buy all of these coz there was over lap with VT in some areas)

the original VT/VX and VY/VZ GENUINE CD's only run on XP and Win7.. not Win8 as a mate found out NOR Windows 10
as I found out ( mine all worked on Win7 and I updated to Win10... NO WORKEE :( ) I rang INFOMEDIA possibly to get them
re-licenced but no.. they said, revert to Win 7 and they will work again. I did (revert).. they did (work)

GM worldwide (about 2005-6) stopped publishing hard copy or disk service manuals and went to ONLINE ONLY.
As stated... on a use/time period basis but you could retain it yourself (paper or PDF version) of what you downloaded
(via your paid subscription)

GM dealers can download the fullversion if they wish.. most do as the online search is not the best. Also, with VE, Holden went to a halfway house with a 'VMWARE' based package... actually, it is not bad once you fire it up (takes a a minute or 2) ...searching and printing are far superior to the online version

With VF, there is a FULL GM Holden version aroun that has been pirated as a PDF of the dealer download ... otherwise it is the online version (which you pay for)
 

Smashfist

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GM worldwide (about 2005-6) stopped publishing hard copy or disk service manuals and went to ONLINE ONLY.
As stated... on a use/time period basis but you could retain it yourself (paper or PDF version) of what you downloaded
(via your paid subscription)

GM dealers can download the fullversion if they wish.. most do as the online search is not the best. Also, with VE, Holden went to a halfway house with a 'VMWARE' based package... actually, it is not bad once you fire it up (takes a a minute or 2) ...searching and printing are far superior to the online version
No, dealers cannot download a full version. It's online only.
 

SuckSqueezeBangBlow

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Where do u find the pirated version. I'm not going to make any money from it but it might help out my indie mechanic friend when working on my car.
 

Smitty

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Smitty

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BlackVXGTS

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firstly.... VR was FIFTEEN volumes (inc wiring) I know... they cost me a small fortune!
VS had the 4 extra volumes but also several extra supplements ( I did not buy all of these coz there was over lap with VT in some areas)

the original VT/VX and VY/VZ GENUINE CD's only run on XP and Win7.. not Win8 as a mate found out NOR Windows 10
as I found out ( mine all worked on Win7 and I updated to Win10... NO WORKEE :( ) I rang INFOMEDIA possibly to get them
re-licenced but no.. they said, revert to Win 7 and they will work again. I did (revert).. they did (work).................

My VR manuals only list seven volumes. The VS maintenance CD lists 13 VR volumes and eight VS volumes. Not that the numbers really matter.

Were you and your mate running Win8/10 in 32bit mode or 64 bit mode? I assumed that since the VT/VX CD was PDF based that it would run OK. Might have something to do with their password protection method. I purchased the original CD but haven't used it for years because I got sick and tired of having to ring Infomedia every time I changed my PCs/HDDs. I've used a password-free version for years now and it works fine on Win10/64.

The other option that might work for you, if you want to run the genuine CD on Win10, is to run it under an emulator such as Oracle's VM VirtualBox. This is a free product and allows you to run a variety of client operating systems under a variety of hosts. I use it to run a client WinXP/32 operating system under a Win10/64 host, so that I can run the VS maintenance CD. In the past I've also used VirtualBox to run a Win7/32 client under a Win10/64 host, but I haven't tried using the genuine CD in that environment. Good luck.
 
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