The article shows the MB Star C3 has two versions, one can fit all computers, but another just work only on IBM T30. http://www.careucar.com/wholesale/mb-star-c3-pro-mercedes-benz-star-pro-with-seven-cable-fit-ibm-t30.html

1. Special MB Star C3 works only on IBM T30
Yesterday, I browsed the forum of benzworld.org, and there had a MB Star C3 user that has some
problem on this car diagnostic tool. The post as the following:
Guys,
I have bought the Star diagnosis unit from china/hong kong for 550USD. My findings of the unit
however are terrible. I ordered it without the laptop as I already have the correct notebook. The
unit I received looked very professional as you can see in the pictures! It even looks like an
original Actia unit, but it isnt!I could not get this cheap chinese knock off to work. I wasted more
than a full weekend on this without any comms going to my car.
The preinstalled hard drive I received was also full of virusses. I had to remove these and repair
windows to get it going. There was no keygen for the WIS and DAS software. After many hours of
searching I eventually found a keygen on some dodge russian site... which worked! After that I
could get the WIS and DAS started but I could not get the star unit to communicate with my com
port 2. Again after many hours spent, my computers com port 2 tested fine, I've tested it with
other hardware using com 2 which works like a charm. I've even triend an external USB-2-serial
converter. Without any luck. If you plug the star unit into you car the Green LED lights up on the
star, so that works. When I try the compact port tester it gives random errors. (its only when you
plug out the unit from your com port that you dont get random errors but just the same error)

2. Actually, the problem is very easy to solved, because this Mb Star diagnostics have two kinds of
versions, one is Mb Star C3 Pro with seven cables fit all computer for Benz truck and car, another
is Mb Star C3 Pro Mercedes Benz Star Pro with seven cables fit IBM T30. Although they are very
similar, there have an obvious different place that the second version works only on IBM T30
model.
The chinese programm is based on the IBM T30 and without this it will not function properly. So
this is where the user's problem comes in.
Conclusion: The second version of MB Star C3 requires the IBM hard drive and the IBM T30
computer to operate the software correctly with the multiplexer on line. So the customers should
decide which version that you want to get before purchase, which can avoid to waste a lot of
time and effort for nothing.
Original article at http://blog.careucar.com/special-mb-star-c3-works-only-on-ibm-t30/