NEW OPTION: 'UHD Friendly' Firmware Downgrade / Cross-Flash Using Official (Modified) ASUS Flasher for ASUS & LG Drives

[ergeeg]

Yes, I am using a Sata to Sata USB adapter. I loaded the SDFtool tool, but nothing happens. When I hit start nothing happens.

[MartyMcNuts]

Yes, I am using a Sata to Sata USB adapter. I loaded the SDFtool tool, but nothing happens. When I hit start nothing happens.

I would say your adapter is the problem. Check the Ultimate UHD guide for the one's to get.

[almus]

Please help, if you can.

My drive is an LG:

Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BH16NS40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: SIK9GE6E9152
Firmware date: 2117-11-20 19:43
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 65

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

(I am not sure if that's exactly what it looked like before my flashing attempts though, I am sure it is a BH16NS40 and came with a 1.03 firmware)

The drive was working fine but I attempted to downgrade the firmware to 1.02 for UHD support using ASUS_ODD_FW_Changer_(Modified)
The firmware flash seemed to be successful however now the drive will not recognize that a disk in inserted at all. MakeMKV and windows both just tell me "no disk inserted"

Is there any way I can recover? Any suggestions on the steps to take?

Thank you!

[almus]

Update to the previous post. I downloaded and tried the LG official firmware tool, in hopes that maybe I could just restore it to how it was before. (BH16NS40_SVC Code NS50.zip)

Running that seems to go through the process fine except it fails at the very end with something about the drive being in recovery mode. This did not fix it, I'm at the same place I was at before but I figured the extra data point could help.

[Digital moe]

I have a Asus BW-16D1HT running 3.02 and recently started to see it was having issues reading new discs and so have been looking at upgrading the firmware to 3.10.

Just want to check do I just run the Cross-Flash tool and select ASUS-BW-16D1HT-3.10-WM01601-211901041014 in the MK folder? Seems very simple just wanted to check I wasn't missing anything?

[MartyMcNuts]

I have a Asus BW-16D1HT running 3.02 and recently started to see it was having issues reading new discs and so have been looking at upgrading the firmware to 3.10.

Just want to check do I just run the Cross-Flash tool and select ASUS-BW-16D1HT-3.10-WM01601-211901041014 in the MK folder? Seems very simple just wanted to check I wasn't missing anything?

Yep, that's it...

[MartyMcNuts]

Update to the previous post. I downloaded and tried the LG official firmware tool, in hopes that maybe I could just restore it to how it was before. (BH16NS40_SVC Code NS50.zip)

Running that seems to go through the process fine except it fails at the very end with something about the drive being in recovery mode. This did not fix it, I'm at the same place I was at before but I figured the extra data point could help.

How old is your drive? The things you are describing make it sound as though it is older than late 2015.

[thelad]

Joined forum just to say thanks for this. My ASUS drive was 3.3 and supposed to be friendly, used your program dropped it to 3.2 and DVDfab seems to work(don't worry only a trial) I'll be testing makemkv next

[ksyolsen]

Hello!

I just purchased an LG BP50NB40 today and attempted to follow the guide you have posted, but unfortunately, I keep getting "Update Failure #5" and can't find much of anything online that would explain what I need to do to solve this issue.

Here is the info currently shown on MakeMKV:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BP50NB40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: SIK0DK8SE2245
Firmware date: 2120-05-07 09:17
Bus encryption flags: 17

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

No disc inserted

I used the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070917 firmware file, and get "Update Failure #5"


Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello!

I just purchased an LG BP50NB40 today and attempted to follow the guide you have posted, but unfortunately, I keep getting "Update Failure #5" and can't find much of anything online that would explain what I need to do to solve this issue.

Here is the info currently shown on MakeMKV:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BP50NB40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: SIK0DK8SE2245
Firmware date: 2120-05-07 09:17
Bus encryption flags: 17

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

No disc inserted

I used the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070917 firmware file, and get "Update Failure #5"


Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Your drive comes with 1.03 which is an encrypted firmware. This flasher does not work with encrypted firmware. Please use the new SDFtool Flasher.

[ksyolsen]

Hello!

I just purchased an LG BP50NB40 today and attempted to follow the guide you have posted, but unfortunately, I keep getting "Update Failure #5" and can't find much of anything online that would explain what I need to do to solve this issue.

Here is the info currently shown on MakeMKV:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BP50NB40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: SIK0DK8SE2245
Firmware date: 2120-05-07 09:17
Bus encryption flags: 17

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

No disc inserted

I used the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070917 firmware file, and get "Update Failure #5"


Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Your drive comes with 1.03 which is an encrypted firmware. This flasher does not work with encrypted firmware. Please use the new SDFtool Flasher.

Thank you!

[vseven]

Below is the link to the modified ASUS FW Flasher + Downgrade Enabled Firmware + the latest MK firmware pack (20/07/2020):

Just wanted to add my 2 cents and say thank-you. I have a LG USB 2.0 External WP50NB40 that I got a couple years ago that was running firmware 1.01. Just used this along with the "HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070929.bin" file and it updated without issue and now lists as patched with 1.03:

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

I don't think this drive is UHD capable but at least it's upgraded and seems to rip faster (was taking 45 - 50 min and now its closer to 35).

[MartyMcNuts]

Below is the link to the modified ASUS FW Flasher + Downgrade Enabled Firmware + the latest MK firmware pack (20/07/2020):

Just wanted to add my 2 cents and say thank-you. I have a LG USB 2.0 External WP50NB40 that I got a couple years ago that was running firmware 1.01. Just used this along with the "HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070929.bin" file and it updated without issue and now lists as patched with 1.03:

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

I don't think this drive is UHD capable but at least it's upgraded and seems to rip faster (was taking 45 - 50 min and now its closer to 35).

I assume this drive is the same as the BP50NB40?? If so, you should be able to make it UHD capable by cross-flashing to BP60NB10 1.00 MK firmware. If you decide to try it, I suggest you use the SDFtool Flasher to do so.

[vseven]

I assume this drive is the same as the BP50NB40?? If so, you should be able to make it UHD capable by cross-flashing to BP60NB10 1.00 MK firmware. If you decide to try it, I suggest you use the SDFtool Flasher to do so.

Not positive, it's a slim drive that came in a LG USB enclosure, I've only seen it as WN50NB40. But I figured why not try and using the SDFtool Flasher along with HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP60NB10-1.02-NM00800-212005070935.bin and I now have this:

Code: Select all

Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BP60NB10
Revision: 1.02
Firmware date: 2120-05-07 09:35
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 60

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.02
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Does that mean I should be able to rip UHD now?

[shaferandrew]

Hi all,

I wanted to thank everyone for their great advice in here. I bought a WH14NS40 from Amazon this week and it arrived today with a mfg date of July 2020 and the 1.05 firmware. I used the SDFtool to flash it to HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH14NS40-NS50-1.05-NM00900-212005061444.bin (checking enc?). I then rebooted and used the tool to flash it to HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin (in the "old" directory, also had to check enc? to flash correctly). I rebooted. It now reports itself as a WH16NS60 in Windows/MakeMKV/etc. I have successfully used it to rip Blu-rays. I do not have a UHD disc to check that functionality but I assume that should work (because of the 1.02 firmware?).

Thanks!