Topic

Ellisojo, your image is very interesting. It lacks the relay 4 pin heavy duty relay that fits above the row of standard fuses. I think that position is sometimes used for the cigar lighter but am struggling to find evidence for that.
Mine lacks that relay too.

(The metal cylindrical item with plastic clips to retain it in position)

Im not clear on why you are concerned about security on the RAVE disc. All the regulars on here use them, you realise they were produced by MG Rover right ?

First, I must thank you all for the various inputs. I have today tested a few more of the exposed terminals for permanent live, and switched live when the ignition is “on”. One or more of those terminals will fit my purpose.

Now, to answer the question relating to the RAV downloads.
I had no idea that their origins were with Rover, so that is news to me.
It doesn’t alter my cautious approach though. Googling the additional download requirements (.exe etc) my skills are not up to dealing with the potential malware etc. Had that problem once before and once was enough.

As a matter of interest even if I did download the necessary software would I get a diagram that is specific to a TF 135 assembled in Dec 2002? Or would it be one from the last F run and one from a later TF?

RAVE B downlaod CD from this site contains manuals amongst which you have electric wiring diagrams for MG TF designated as mk1 which means MG TF from start of production until mid July 2003 as they are all the same. That is one manual as you do not have manual for each month of production.
RAVE CDs Rover produced and delivered to their dealers as something significatly changed or they added some significant information.
You will have one manual for electric wiring diagrams for RHD cars called English and one for LHD cars called English export. On RAVE B there is no electric wiring diagrams for MG F cars. They are placed on RAVE A CD which you also can download from this site.

Del, Im an IT professional of over 30 years experience. I can advise there are no security issues with the Rover RAVE disc images and the executable file TData.exe, which is needed to open the embedded pdfs.
Anti malware vendors take a very broadbrush approach to warning of certain file types and dont like executable files they have not heard of. Given that Rover no longer exists as an ongoing business there is no longer a Rover in house IT policy team to press current malware vendors apply an exception.
It is ok to run this, it will not bite you. It would not be on the forum if there was a problem with it.

Over the years there have been a number of folk who have been put off using RAVE information, due to a perceived security & other problematic outcomes.
Admitting to your technical prowess Chris has practically volunteered you to write up a How To for the less confident user.
An Olympic standard spanner jockey with whom I’ve been friends for years rattles around EBay, YouTube & many other social sites but would crap himself silly if asked to load something like RAVE onto his computer.
There will be folk like Danny who might take their cars under their own wings if they were to be spoon fed the stages of downloading, through to having it on the desktop & being able to easily drop in & out.
Just a thought, what do you recon?
M

Theres not really a lot of new information i feel i could usefully provide on that as so much has been written about the use of the RAVE resource already including work arounds for certain Windows versions etc. The best advice i could really give is just to go on and use it rather than be shy of it.

Thank you all for the guidance and reassurance. As I have a potential solution and more pressing needs just right now (and the old laptop with XP is without antivirus as Norton opted out of supporting that) so I’ll dwell a distinct pause on that and wait for a rainy day before trying that again.
I need to get the thing ready for MOT and pondering how to get the rear tracking arm lock nuts freed off in readiness for 4 wheel tracking.
Whilst doing that and searching for somewhere to mount the relay for the sat nav I have stumbled on my next problem!
What should trigger interior lights coming on? I can’t see a door switch, I can see the red led in the instrument cluster that goes off when the door is shut. Somewhere there must be a proximity sensor or does it work off the alarm sensor? There is no bonnet light fitted, but the boot light works.

Just need that wiring diagram!

Door switch which operates coutrtesy light and serves as alarm sensor for door opening is a microswitch neatly placed inside door lock mechanism as sealed unit.

There is a free version of Avast antivirus that still works with Windows XP. Though Microsoft formally retired XP yonks ago s you'd expect it is still actively used in certain quarters of the NHS which has created sufficient critical mass for some vendors to still support it https://www.avast.com/windows-xp-antivirus

Roverlike, thank you for the “heads up” regarding the micro switch. As the alarm led goes out when the door closes I conclude that switch is working ok.
Just the reason as to why the lights don’t come on when the door opens to resolve.
Anyone any ideas?
I doubt that all relative bulbs have failed but that is something I’ll check.

Notanumbrr- thank you for the antivirus suggestion that might be “just the ticket”, thank you.

My first thought is that door microswitch is not working which is the most common thing which happenes.
Is it the same situation on both doors?

Lucas alarm box operates the interior illumination: 2 footwell lights and rear view mirror 2 lights. On rear view mirror you can flip the switches to check if the bulbs are fine or not, but do check footwell bulbs.

Under steering wheel fusebox, fuse number 12 rating 15 amps powers the lights, so I would check and replace that as well (it powers the boot light as well, however resistance on it might be too high and could light the boot, but cannot power 4 bulbs in the interior).

If all is well then we might think you have some break in the line from alarm box to the interior lights.