M3.1 Engine Control Modules
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 333 other vehicles, including the 2007 BMW Z4, 2007 BMW X5, 2007 BMW X3, 2007 BMW M6, and 2007 BMW M5. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Beginning with M3.1 DME/ECM control modules, BMW introduced the ability to program an EPROM using BMW diagnostic equipment. On the M3.1 control module the originally installed EPROM needs to be removed from the control module and a new partially blank EPROM installed in order to update the existing control module.
For the M3.1 systems the replacement EPROM that is installed does not contain all the data necessary for the engine to operate, it is a "basic" EPROM that only contains some basic data referred to as "resident data" which helps identify the module and allows the diagnostic equipment to determine what program and associated data needs to be installed/loaded.