Dumping & Downgrading firmware on UHD Friendly Devices. (OUTDATED)

[theosch]

I used Dosflash32 to flash the fw I know, I did the wrong thing at first and lost my original dump (save by Dosflash32)
I think my only way to fix my device is flash one original dump from ANY another device like my WH14NS40 - SVC CODE: NS50

I have:
Clean_NS50_compatible_firmwares.rar (all clean fws)
Devilsclaw Flasher
EEPROM_Data_Mover
Firmware_Dump_Cleaner.exe
InfoTool-5.3.3.0
DosFlash32.exe

If you guys have ANY COMPLETE (NOT CLEANED) DUMP from WH14NS40 I'd like to test on my device PLEASE UPLOAD!!!!!

THANK YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE !!!!!!

@Terramex
@TeddyRaspin

@teddy
I have to disagree - kind of.
Although chances are usually low it happens that you can make a drive functional again - even fully functional (especially if Data Sum matches, granted, i've only seen that once).
Anyhow, here in the german forum section there was one drive made functional again (except 50GB blanks recognition), and i shared another dump which made a drive fully funtional again.
So why not trying when you have nothing at all to lose

@Guilherme Bravo

One of the two BH16NS55 (but SVC NS55) of the two I have is defintely manufactured also in December 2017, with firmware 1.03 (SN 71XXXXXXXXX).
You could try flashing this.
Maybe s.th. inside matches to your drive's firmware to make it back UHD compatible:

Here is the Dump of the BH16NS55 1.03 (SVC NS55), also manufactured in December 2017, with firmware 1.03, too:

If that firmware doesn't help, I'll edit the post and I'll attach with firmware from other BH16NS55 unit.

@Tourist:
That shared firmware from your unit which made another drive fully functional again, with very much luck (incl UHD?), was it from same production date as well?

 

[Ch3vr0n]

If those dumps are from YOUR drives, then no he CANNOT flash those modified firmwares. Using your or anyone else's dump will COMPLETELY REPLACE the drive's DV value in the firmware. This will cause a conflict between the value in the firmware and the actual DV value, redering decryption of normal AND uhd blu-ray COMPLETELY broken.

Sent from my Nexus 6P with Tapatalk

 

[Guilherme Bravo]

@Guilherme Bravo

One of the two BH16NS55 (but SVC NS55) of the two I have is defintely manufactured also in December 2017, with firmware 1.03 (SN 71XXXXXXXXX).
You could try flashing this.
Maybe s.th. inside matches to your drive's firmware to make it back UHD compatible:

Here is the Dump of the BH16NS55 1.03 (SVC NS55), also manufactured in December 2017, with firmware 1.03, too:

If that firmware doesn't help, I'll edit the post and I'll attach with firmware from other BH16NS55 unit.

@Tourist:
That shared firmware from your unit which made another drive fully functional again, with very much luck (incl UHD?), was it from same production date as well?

Thank you for your help @theosch

but both fw did not fix my drive
I think my dump must be the SAME MODEL WH14NS40

If you guys have ANY COMPLETE (NOT CLEANED) DUMP from WH14NS40 I'd like to test on my device PLEASE UPLOAD!!!!!

THANK YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE !!!!!!

 

[Ch3vr0n]

but both fw did not fix my drive
I think my dump must be the SAME MODEL WH14NS40

If you guys have ANY COMPLETE (NOT CLEANED) DUMP from WH14NS40 I'd like to test on my device PLEASE UPLOAD!!!!!

THANK YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE !!!!!!

You think right into that the firmware must be of the same model. However clean or not, using someone else's firmware dump WILL BREAK YOUR DRIVE's Blu-ray decrypting capability.

What you want to do WILL NOT WORK!

See my post above regarding the DV value (it's unique to each single drive).

Make a dump of your current fw and maybe Teddy can't fix it

Sent from my Nexus 6P with Tapatalk

 

[theosch]

Thank you for your help @theosch

but both fw did not fix my drive
I think my dump must be the SAME MODEL WH14NS40

If you guys have ANY COMPLETE (NOT CLEANED) DUMP from WH14NS40 I'd like to test on my device PLEASE UPLOAD!!!!!

THANK YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE !!!!!!

@Guilherme:

As Teddy asked, in which way did you update to 1.03 at first?
´
There's still the 1.03 dump you provided Teddy.

@TeddyRaspin

I did flash WH14NS40 fw 1.03 not reading UHD and I lost my original dump from WH14NS40 - SVC CODE: NS50 my drive is not working well If you have this dump!!!!!!

You said that the drive didn't work well (at least with UHD), of course that's because 1.03 firmware version generally is not UHD friendly. That's one disturbing factor itself, and hopefully the only one (see below):

You probably haven't lost your original drives DV signature+laser calibration data if this 1.03 dump should be an update directly of your original unit's firmware (whose dump you lost)

Did you import Laser calibration data from your original dump into an 1.03 firmware?
1a) Original Dump data import (by hexedit/EEPROM Data Mover) into a 1.03-firmware of other WH14NS40 SVC50 unit?
1b) Original Dump data import (by hexedit/EEPROM Data Mover) into a 1.03 Clean firmware for WH14NS40 SVC50?

1c) Did you use LG update utility to update to 1.03?

If 1a, 1b or 1c, then good.

2) Or did you flash over directly a 1.03 (Clean) firmware, or a 1.03 firmware from other WH14 unit? If one of this is the dump you provided Teddy, then bad situation.

If 1a or 1b or 1c has happened, then Teddys 1.02 Downgrade of your 1.03 emergency dump should finally work with UHD ripping support back.
--
I've got to remind what other people explained, those NS50 and NS55 and other UHD-friedly drives with suitable firmware (not a too late one) won't play UHD anyways, but can rip it (read it out).
----
Haven't seen a report from you if you flashed Teddys 1.03-1.02 downgrade of your emenrgency dump onto your drive, and if UHD ripping works, just that you absolutely want to try out a full WH14NS40 SVC50 firmware, even from other unit.

[Edit]
The dump you provided is not from a clean firmware flashed into EEPROM, so good.
Otherwise the EEPROM data mover windows program complains when trying to import data from a Clean firmware.
Tested myself, importing hexranges 0x1E8000 offset to 0x1E84FF; 0x1E9000 to 0x1EBFFF and 0x1F0000-to end with EEPROM data mover from your 1.03 dump into 1.02 WH14NS40 Clean firmware without issues:

Result same checksum as from Teddys 1.02 downgrade (md5: 80a173d8ca1ba675356373e46797121b"), so this should work

Teddy in fact did a downgrade from your 1.03 dump to 1.02 firmware.
The question remains if the 1.03 emergency dump you provided is really from your unit, and if yes, if you tested it.
--

Thank you TeddyRaspin
That's my dump my computer recognize WH14NS40 but doesn't read nothing

I've got to add, flashing over a complete firmware from my 2nd BH16NS55 onto my 1st BH16NS55 (so other unit), still resulted in capability reading DVDs and BD-R DL (tested) as long it's not UHD. (Reading nothing was not a result)
I hope I understood correctly.

 

[dega37]

Hi Teddy! Thanks for all the work you have put into this! Would you be able to edit this HEX for me?

 

[vayra]

Thanks for the reply.I attach the original firmware, clean and prepared, I also attach the log of anydvd

any idea for my problem?

 

[Tourist]

@Tourist:
That shared firmware from your unit which made another drive fully functional again, with very much luck (incl UHD?), was it from same production date as well?

Yes it was.
But to be honest: i've not tested normal Blu-rays - only UHDs, but they worked perfectly.
Got a drive from someone who made no dosflash dump & flashed a clean firmware afterwards. I then tried all my BH16NS55 dumps - and the one mentioned worked.
The other one i've mentioned can be found in the german forum section in the BE16NU50 sticky.

btw.: i have about 30 dosflash dumps of BH16NS55 and BE16NU50 drives if anyone needs them

 

[theosch]

Yes it was.
But to be honest: i've not tested normal Blu-rays - only UHDs, but they worked perfectly.
Got a drive from someone who made no dosflash dump & flashed a clean firmware afterwards. I then tried all my BH16NS55 dumps - and the one mentioned worked.
The other one i've mentioned can be found in the german forum section in the BE16NU50 sticky.

btw.: i have about 30 dosflash dumps of BH16NS55 and BE16NU50 drives if anyone needs them

@Tourist
To improve your "firmware emergency rescue database" for other people, here are the firmware dumps of own five units (incl. Up- and Downgrade):
---------
He can send this firmwares to people who already have bricked (at least temporarily/for longer/forever) their drive unit, who flashed an other firmware, before making an original firmware dump of their drive!! So this is ONLY for already bricked drive units!!!!

[Edit]
After he got the attachments, attachments deleted
SN specs of own units posted here, removed
--

@Tourist
Keep in mind that you (might) already have downloaded fw 1.03 SN 711XXXXXXXXXX 1.03 (Manufactured Nov/Dec 2017) + 1.03-1.02-Downgrade from my previous post (which I deleted), it's here in the attachment again.
In any case, I had provided Teddy a few dumps in a pm, maybe you got already one of it occasionally (under different file name).
(Maybe checking for several identical checksums in your fw-collection might be handy)

I preferred sending as PM, but I can't delete the attachment in private message after 5 minutes, (after tourist has downloaded it).

Cheers, theosch

 

[Tourist]

Thanx, got it !
I also attach my dumps which i've made all myself - nothing downloaded in forums.
Unfortunately i'm a lazy bastard, so no MFDs anymore and only some serials.

ALSO ONLY FOR BRICKED DEVICES AS A LAST RESORT !!!

 

[Ted Gatlin]

Hi guys,

here is my own guide to successfully dump and downgrade firmware on any "UHD Friendly" devices, such as Asus BC-12D2HT / BW-16D1HT or LG BH16NS40/NS55 (WH16NS40/NS55) (SVC Code NS50) and similar drives having MediaTek chipset inside them.


Requirements :

• Asus or LG UHD Friendly drive
• An USB stick DOS bootable (which can be made by Rufus tool)
• A motherboard having SATA controller set as IDE (not AHCI !!!)
• DOSFLASH modified version (attached below)
• WinHEX (Hed Editor for advanced users)
• Patience.

Steps for dumping firmware : (Windows Method)

• Download the Windows 7 Live (Portable Edition) ISO from here.
• Use Rufus and select the ISO image previously downloaded and prepare the USB stick.
• Unzip on USB stick root the DOSFLASH_Windows7.zip attached file below.
• Enable CMS in BIOS option in order to boot from the USB stick (NOT UEFI !!!!) and configure SATA controller as IDE !!
• Wait few seconds to allow Windows 7 properly loaded and as soon as the Windows 7 desktop appears, go to "My Computer", open the USB device letter, and run DOSFLASH32_BH16NS40.exe.
• Now, you should see the BH16NSxx (or ASUS) device listed. If not you have not properly set the SATA controller or it is not compatible with DOSFLASH.
• If everything looks fine, select first "Read Flash", in order to dump the current firmware.
• After the reading/dumping process, you will need to take the clean 1.02 (or any other UHD Friendly firmware) and prepare it with data imported from the original dump. To do this, you can send me your dump, or doing yourself via HEX Editing process (see below).
• Once you have prepared the UHD friendly firmware, reboot Windows 7 Live PE from USB and run DOSFLASH_BH16NS40.exe again. This time, select first "Erase Flash", and then "Write Flash".
• Select the firmware you prepared before, and wait for the task to be completed.
• Now, you can restore SATA Configuration settings, disabling CSM (needed for a full UEFI boot), and enjoy your UHD friendly device.

Steps for dumping firmware : (DOS Method)

1. Prepare an USB FreeDOS bootable stick, using Rufus (which can be downloaded here).
2. Unzip on USB root the DOSFLASH.zip attached file.
3. Enter into motherboard BIOS settings and set SATA Controller as IDE (or Legacy). If you can handle only AHCI, DOSFLASH will not properly work, or it could not work at all.
4. Be sure to connect your ASUS/LG drive alone, as SATA Primary Master (USE SATA1 or SATA2 controller ports).
5. Enable CSM (Compatibility Support Mode) and boot from the USB stick in Legacy Mode.
6. At the command Prompt, type "DOSFLASH" and press Enter. If it does not detect anything, retype again. It could be needed to type DOSFLASH 3-4 times before ASUS/LG device be properly detected.
7. It should show the Manufacter ID of your device, namely "MediaTek MT1959".
8. Press the relative number of the detected device (1 in my case) and press "R" (without quotes) to dump eeprom firmware.
9. Save firmware with the name you like and keep it safe.
10. At this point you can follow the below guide for modding firmware by yourself, or zip it and send this file to me and I will create a 100% working firmware in order to turn back the UHD capabilities as well as to fix the "Drive Signature DV value" or "Bus Encryption" error shown in AnyDVD HD !!!!

Steps for dumping firmware : (Devilsclaw's Method only for old firmwares)

1. Download the Devilsclaw's flasher from here
2. Unzip the relative version (32 or 64 bit) into C:\TEMP (for example) and open an Elevated Command Prompt (that is with admin privileges).
3. Go to C:\TEMP directory (or any other dir in which you've previously unzipped flasher) and type : "flasher -D" (without quotes) to display the Device ID of your drive(s).
4. Now type "flasher -d [driveid] -l firmware.bin 6 00000000 00200000" (without quotes) and press enter. A file called firmware.bin will be created.
5. Keep it safe and send it to me if you want to upgrade to a newer version.

I've written "for old firmwares" because, it seems that the latest ASUS/LG firmwares, which fixes the AACS 1.0 loophole (for UHD reading), inhibit the devilsclaw's flasher and you could not be able to have a valid dump.


Steps for importing data from backup firmwares : (Hex Editing)

1. Install WinHEX (or any other similar Hex Editor).
2. Open the dumped DOSFLASH firmware and the new one you want to flash on your device. (*)
3. On the backup firmware (the dumped one) select hex range starting from 0x1E8000 offset to 0x1E84FF and copy it in the same range of the new firmware. (**)
4. Do the same as point 3. but starting now from 0x1E9000 to 0x1EBFFF. (***)
5. At last, copy range from 0x1F0000 to the end. (***)
6. Save the new firmware (for example as TEST.BIN).
7. You are now ready for flashing (or crossflashing) the new firmware (or a downgrade version).

* - It is important that the dumped firmware must be the DOSFLASH dump and not the Devilsclaw's one !!

** - This point is the most important of all, as it contains the Drive Signature (DV Value) needed for the bus encryption and it is specific for each drive !!!!

*** - This point is useful for importing the correct laser calibration data but I've found that ASUS/LG devices have almost the same behaviour even with different calibration data.


Steps for importing data from backup firmwares : (Automatic Method)

1. Unzip the EEPROM Data Mover attached below.
2. Open it, select first the dumped original firmware.
   
3. Select now a clean firmware to insert data (clean firmwares can be found here).
4. Type now a firmware name (i.e. TEST.BIN) which will be the one you will eventually need to flash on your drive.

Steps for flashing firmware : (DOSFLASH modified method)

1. Follow the same steps written for the dumping method, until you arrive at the DOSFLASH command prompt.
2. Be sure to have copied the new prepared (TEST.BIN) firmware onto root of your USB stick.
3. Press the relative number of your detected device under DOSFLASH (1 in my case).
4. Type "E" (without quotes) to fully erase your drive eeprom and wait for the end of the task.
5. Now type again DOSFLASH, press the relative number and the "W" letter (without quotes) for writing firmware.
6. Type the firmware name (TEST.BIN in this example) and wait 1 min or less to the end of the process. (It has to write 32 rom banks starting from 0 to 31).
7. Eventually you will see the blue light of your device blinking. This is the proof your drive has been initialized again and ready to work.
8. Reconnect your devices as before, do the same with bios settings for UEFI support and boot your Windows OS.
9. Now you're ready to see if your work has been properly done and your device working again with UHD discs !!!

Important note :

If you forget to make a valid dump of your drive before flashing or try to flash a dump taken on the net, there is a high risk (> 90%) your device will be useless
and you will have to throw it in the WC .

To be updated if needed.

HI -

I have read this and many posts here and on other forums and I have to confess most all of them are WAY ABOVE MY HEAD!!! Plus I do not have access to a computer with an IDE interface.

My question is there anyone (yourself included) that I could send my LG WH16NS60 drive to and have the firmware flashed to the proper version - if so where and what would be the cost (I will be very happy to pay a reasonable price for the expertise).

Thanks
Ted

 

[Terramex]

I would do it for free, but question is: where do you live ?

 

[Ted Gatlin]

I would do it for free, but question is: where do you live ?

Hi

I live in Acworth Georgia - USA

 

[sympatico]

Morning folks...
I've got an old Asus BW-12b1st drive with 1.00 firmware. It doesn't look like the drive is friendly, I've tried 2 UHD disks and neither was identified in makemkv. They were in my other drive - a LG WH16NS40, which I downgraded from 1.03 to 1.02 using windows method on page 1 (props to Teddy et. al. for work going to develop this!!)

So I grabbed the 1.00 firmware using same steps in window method and then used a 1.02 lg firmware and a 3.0 asus firmware. Neither was successful. Drive couldn't even read disks at that point. I flashed the original firmware back and I'm back where I started.

Then I re-read Teddy's first post and seen the bit about older firmware and using the devil'sclaw method. So I started giving that a try. I have that firmware, but it appears a bit different in the first several bytes than any others I've looked at so I'm a bit relunctant to try modifying a 'clean' firmware version with my devilsclaw version.

Before i start hacking and slashing through different firmware versions I wanted to ask if anyone either had a good/working firmware version for this drive or if they wanted to take a crack at modding the attached firmwares.

fwiw, I did crack the case of the drive too to make sure it was MediaTek chipset.

Thanks in advance.
CN

 

[theosch]

HI -

I have read this and many posts here and on other forums and I have to confess most all of them are WAY ABOVE MY HEAD!!! Plus I do not have access to a computer with an IDE interface.

My question is there anyone (yourself included) that I could send my LG WH16NS60 drive to and have the firmware flashed to the proper version - if so where and what would be the cost (I will be very happy to pay a reasonable price for the expertise).

Thanks
Ted

@Ted Gatlin

All the information is on Teddy's guide on page 1, first post.

Check in your BIOS, maybe you find a setting for SATA operation at IDE level, if you meant that your computer didn't have (only not an mechanical? -IDE-port-interface.

You can operate a SATA-Port for Serial-ATA device at IDE level by a BIOS setting, so that it behaves similar to an IDE drive.
If you've got a newer computer during a period before 2-3 years ago, your BIOS/firmware probably supports IDE (PATA) mode.

Check in your BIOS, maybe you find a setting for SATA operation at IDE level, if you've got a Dekstop-PC!!

The most important issue is to make an dump of your orignal drive units firmware at first, before flashing anything on it.
You will principially brick your device if you flash over any another firmware before making the backup dump.

If your computer BIOS/UEFI firmware doesn't have SATA at IDE-operation:
Just take a look for Core2 systems or parts on ebay.
They support AHCI and IDE mode (have several such systems myself). There are plenty such older computer parts sold (10 years old), often for cheaper money.

If you know how to build a computer
Any cheap Core2 motherbaord with G31/G33/G35/P31/P33/P35/ G41/G43/G45 P41/P43/P45 chipset, + a cheap CPU (eg. Pentium Dual Core, E4400, E5300, COre2 Duo E8200/E8300/E8400/E8500/E8600) an cheap Intel Boxed cooler, and one DDR2-800-RAM (1 GByte) module will do.
The G chipset have an integrated onboard GPU. (The G31 and G41 have VGA port only.)

----
I'd have a cheap E5300 CPU, 3x Samsung DDR2-800 2GB, 3x Samsung DDR2-667 1GByte and DDR2-533 1GB modules (often thrown into garbage), cooler and an old BTX Dell Optiplex GX620 socket 775 motherboard.

I don't need that GX620 BTX-motherboard as it is not compatible to 771 Xeons in FSB333MHz/ 1333(with 771-adapter).
That board is for below 10$
That RAMs is not expensive at all. That E5300 CPU you get for 1-3$ here, even that still quite fast 771 Xeons for below 10$.

I could ship those parts for free, but I'm located in Europe, don't know how to ship to foreign country, never done that before.
Sending to post office (with your name) where you could pick up your parcel, for better anonymity, would be ideal.

 

[Ted Gatlin]

@Ted Gatlin

All the information is on Teddy's guide on page 1, first post.

Check in your BIOS, maybe you find a setting for SATA operation at IDE level, if you meant that your computer didn't have (only not an mechanical? -IDE-port-interface.

You can operate a SATA-Port for Serial-ATA device at IDE level by a BIOS setting, so that it behaves similar to an IDE drive.
If you've got a newer computer during a period before 2-3 years ago, your BIOS/firmware probably supports IDE (PATA) mode.

Check in your BIOS, maybe you find a setting for SATA operation at IDE level, if you've got a Dekstop-PC!!

The most important issue is to make an dump of your orignal drive units firmware at first, before flashing anything on it.
You will principially brick your device if you flash over any another firmware before making the backup dump.

If your computer BIOS/UEFI firmware doesn't have SATA at IDE-operation:
Just take a look for Core2 systems or parts on ebay.
They support AHCI and IDE mode (have several such systems myself). There are plenty such older computer parts sold (10 years old), often for cheaper money.

If you know how to build a computer
Any cheap Core2 motherbaord with G31/G33/G35/P31/P33/P35/ G41/G43/G45 P41/P43/P45 chipset, + a cheap CPU (eg. Pentium Dual Core, E4400, E5300, COre2 Duo E8200/E8300/E8400/E8500/E8600) an cheap Intel Boxed cooler, and one DDR2-800-RAM (1 GByte) module will do.
The G chipset have an integrated onboard GPU. (The G31 and G41 have VGA port only.)

----
I'd have a cheap E5300 CPU, 3x Samsung DDR2-800 2GB, 3x Samsung DDR2-667 1GByte and DDR2-533 1GB modules (often thrown into garbage), cooler and an old BTX Dell Optiplex GX620 socket 775 motherboard.

I don't need that GX620 BTX-motherboard as it is not compatible to 771 Xeons in FSB333MHz/ 1333(with 771-adapter).
That board is for below 10$
That RAMs is not expensive at all. That E5300 CPU you get for 1-3$ here, even that still quite fast 771 Xeons for below 10$.

I could ship those parts for free, but I'm located in Europe, don't know how to ship to foreign country, never done that before.
Sending to post office (with your name) where you could pick up your parcel, for better anonymity, would be ideal.

Thanks for the info - there are many options listed on the first post. Are any better/easier than the rest?

Thanks

 

[TeddyRaspin]

@dega37

Here is your modded firmware.

@sympatico

Your drive can't be made UHD friendly. I'm sorry about that.

 

[sympatico]

@dega37

Here is your modded firmware.

@sympatico

Your drive can't be made UHD friendly. I'm sorry about that.

'preciate the info. Probably saved me a few hours of frustration. Would like to understand why not. Any links or information you can point me to? Does it have something to do with the drive model? noticed it said manufactured in 2013 and I believe all friendly drives are 2015 and newer... yet still had same model number from Asus. Kinda strange. Nothing gained nothing lost, but still would like to understand better.

 

[TeddyRaspin]

It uses an old MediaTek chipset which is not UHD compatible. You need a newer device, I suggest you BH16NS55 or any other having SVC Code NS5x.

 

[dega37]

@dega37

Here is your modded firmware.

@sympatico

Your drive can't be made UHD friendly. I'm sorry about that.

@TeddyRaspin You r0ckz0r!