Good news !

I just got my 2013 Ford F-150 (w/ no NAV) to update to the latest Sync SW 4.6 version. I did it yesterday 6/22/2017

I needed this SYNC SW update since my Samsung Galaxy S5 running latest Android OS would no longer bluetooth pair with my Ford Sync - (which of course drove me f*in nuts!!).

I had to restructure and edit the download that I got from Ford and then copy it onto a USB key and then all works as it should. If you're not PC saavy then find someone who is and let them read this.. its really not that hard.

On your PC once you unzip the *.ZIP file (Sync SW update) you downloaded from Ford into a directory you need to MOVE all the contents out of the "SyncMyRide" directory up one level.

Then you need to delete the entire "SyncMyRide" directory completely!
In your PC directory, where you're doing all this work - it should look like the file I attached: Ford-sync-sw-1.JPG

Then you need to use Notepad to edit/save both autoinstall.lst and install.lst files exactly like I did in the next file I attached: Ford-sync-sw-2.JPG

Then you take all those files in one directory and copy them all onto any freshly formatted USB key that's 2GB or greater.

Now when you plug that USB key into Sync USB port the "Install Application" should work and update your SYNC SW version properly. (also btw "SYNC USB" properly identifies the USB key because it can find things)

I think the reason you saw "File Not Found" on "Install Application" is because Ford _may_ have botched their new "SYNC" update program (running on WindowMobile) causing it to become unable to properly traverse directories (like the original "SyncMyRide" subdirectory). If I remember right - when doing my last SYNC 4.4 SW update it all happened from the one, top-level(root) directory on USB key and it worked fine.

This update is really good to and fixes a lot of other annoyances prevalent in SYNC SW 4.4

Hope this helps others
bigdaddy_68 in new england

 

Hi BD and thanks for your post. When I unzipped the sync update file, I had 12 files in total, 10 of which were the SyncMyRide type. The others were auto install lst and install lst. I think I understand your first illustration. Not sure what you did in the 2 Notebook illustrations? Your SyncMyRide files appear to be zipped while mine are not marked so. Did you unzip these files prior to copying them onto the USB stick? I am using a Mac Book Pro computer.
Any suggestions/assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Fuzzdr

 

Thanks FuzzDr,

The reason my *.CAB files appear to be zipped ( with compression vise logo) has to do with how my Windows OS displays a *.CAB file type.

Since a CAB file is sort of like a ZIP file ( in that it's one file that contains many files/objects ) on my PC that CAB file appears the same way as a true ZIP file. (compress vise logo)

Its OK that these CAB files didn't render same way as a ZIP file on your MacOS(OSX). They are still CAB files by their file name and you should NOT unzip/unpack them.

Since Ford Sync is written on the Windows Mobile platform it MUST see those CAB files to do the Sync FW update or else your Sync update won't work.

hope this helps and good luck
bigdaddy_68

 

Hi BD;
Thank you for your informative post re; .cab file treatment by MS vs Mac. That is interesting! When I unzipped my sync update file, I had the auto install lst and the install lst files followed by 10 SyncMyRide files separately and not inside a directory. They all seemed to be at the root level. I am not sure what I have to modify in Notes to expose the files that ford sync will be looking for?...........and how to prioritize the files as items 1,2,etc as you did. As always your help is greatly appreciated.
My expectations for this job were high having just successfully completed a UConnect (Chrysler equivalent to Sync) update for my wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee. That seemed just like doing a BIOS update on a Windows pc.........back when I used Windows.

Regards,
Fuzzdr

PS; as you can tell, I am new to this forum

 

Hi there....been doing lots of digging on this topic and came across this thread. Thanks for the info bigdaddy 68...I tried everything you did and mine still say file not found.
I am pretty computer savy so I did everything you said to do. I am not sure why this is happening. I have a F-150 xlt with no touch screen/navigation. My files saved on my flash drive look identical to yours with one exception, you have on Item 4 an MB and my download did not contain MB...not sure if this has anything to do with it or not...getting very frustrated after about 10 attempts.

 

 

Here is what I downloaded from syncmyride. Attached. I do not see an autoinstall.lst. I have tried at least 20x and idk what else to do. Can you see if I am missing anything please? Thanks for any help. Much appreciated.

 

is the .pks file supposed to also be on the install.lst ?

 

Do you still have the files? syncmyride.com has an error each time I try to download the files.

 

Fuzzdr - this sounds like you may have downloaded a different FW bundle ( different Sync SW download ) than I had...could it be that you FW ( firmware ) bundle was actually correct ?

 

@ drgordon13 - wondering if your FW (firmware) bundle download was either corrupt or else you downloaded different FW - this may explain why my Item4 was different than yours. Its also quite possible that Ford may have revved the FW again - and who knows - maybe they got it formatted correctly this time.

 

@FireBeard - I think this may have happened because your first 16GB USB stick was NOT formatted as FAT32 - it may have been formatted as some other filesystem type ( maybe NTFS? maybe something else ) that the Sync Installer didn't understand.. Your 2GB USB key may have worked because it was the proper FAT32 format.

hth
bigdaddy_68

 

@jewl1215 - its possible that Ford may have revved the FW(firmware) download version .. or else maybe you downloaded different FW than I had used for my 2013 F150 .. or maybe your download was corrupt ? Please ensure that you input your VIN and get the correct FW. IF the FW bundle you download exists all at top level ( meaning there is NO SyncMyRide directory present ) then you should be good to go.. make sure your USB key is formatted as FAT32

 

You know, in retrospect, since the Ford Sync I updated on my truck appeared to be using Windows Mobile 5.8 then you should all really try to execute my original instructions using a real Windows PC if you can .. Windows 7/8/10 etc.. I'm sure you have friends that have one if you don't have one yourself. Also, as you prepare to copy your new data onto a USB key please make sure that the USB key is formatted as FAT32 since some of the filenames appear to be greater than 8 characters total. Its usually the case that most USB keys you buy from the store or Amazon/Ebay already come pre-formatted with FAT32 anyway.. For those that are security conscious and untrusting of what you buy its totally fine ( and encouraged) to reformat your own USB key with FAT32 format to be absolutely 100% sure you're OK.

Also if these instructions have helped you that's great but please realize that Ford may, at their discretion, change the FW (firmware) bundles containing Sync SW updates at any time. The whole point of this post was that the embedded Windows Mobile 5.8 that is hosting Sync SW on our vehicles appears to want all FW files at the top (root) level and NOT in a subdirectory. This has worked for me twice this way ( 2 different FW (Sync SW) update versions on my truck.. its just that the 1st SyncSW (FW) update I did; Ford properly provided the correct download which ran from top-level root on USB)

Also realize that all vehicles may differ in what they use for Sync SW.. So for example a Ford Fusion may use an entirely different FW bundle that the version I used for my 2013 F150 ( no nav). different cars may have slightly different Sync SW ..so will have different FW bundles. What I wrote here was *my* experience with my 2013 F150 truck. Your mileage may vary if you have a different vehicle

hope this helps- good luck to all
bigdaddy_68

 

Hi jkwkmcd13 - Its been a while and I'd have to go look for them. Let me see if I can dig them up. They would only work on an 2013 F150 most likely. You should be able to go to the Ford website, enter your Ford VIN and it should take you to the correct Sync SW update (FW) firmware bundle to perform your upgrade.