>>28453316>My merc software came preinstalled on a STAR C3 laptop I got off aliexpressSame, I bought a Star C4 and ordered the one with a laptop and hard drive. I believe some of them allow you to just order the hard drive, which is pre-loaded with all the MB software, Chinese spyware, and whatever else they bloat it with.
I'd just never let that hard drive connect to a computer with a live internet connection.
When I needed a copy of MultiECUScan for an Alfa on the other hand, I was able to "buy" a pirated copy for a few dollars off of Etsy and it works great.
For more basic diagnostics I've got a cheapo ELM 327 and an unlocked APK of Torque Pro running on an old Android device, you can find that on any "bootleg" app store.