Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[MartyMcNuts]

I have read through the posts several times and am still confused. I have a LG BH16NS60 which on firmware 1.03. After reading the firmware update posts I downloaded the sdftool_flasher. When I run it the flasher shows the following information:

HL-DT-ST_BD-RE__WH16NS60_1.03_212005081010_KLIL3U95004

I compared this against the list of HL-DT-ST with "encrypted" downgrades check and still was certain whether mine is included in the list. I saw that "HL-DT-ST_BD-RE__WH16NS60_1.03-N000600-212005081010.bin" was on the list but wasn't sure if this matched my drive/firmware.

Next after reading the forum it appeared it was best to use the "MK" firmware version rather than the "DE" firmware. But when I tried to download the latest MK firmware at "https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip" I get an error "This account has been suspended. Matter of fact if I try to access anything related to "mike admin" I get the same message. I have tried from multiple machines.

Does anyone have an alternative link to get the latest "MK" firmware?

There should be download links in the OP of SDFtool Flasher thread.

[d00zah]

Next after reading the forum it appeared it was best to use the "MK" firmware version rather than the "DE" firmware. But when I tried to download the latest MK firmware at "https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip" I get an error "This account has been suspended. Matter of fact if I try to access anything related to "mike admin" I get the same message. I have tried from multiple machines.

Does anyone have an alternative link to get the latest "MK" firmware?

www.makemkv.com is back up. FW DL link is active... for me, anyway.

[MartyMcNuts]

Next after reading the forum it appeared it was best to use the "MK" firmware version rather than the "DE" firmware. But when I tried to download the latest MK firmware at "https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip" I get an error "This account has been suspended. Matter of fact if I try to access anything related to "mike admin" I get the same message. I have tried from multiple machines.

Does anyone have an alternative link to get the latest "MK" firmware?

www.makemkv.com is back up. FW DL link is active... for me, anyway.

It's up again becuase @questinghero paid for a month of hosting.......

Any idea where Mike is and if he is ok? He doesn't seem to be about much these days..

[d00zah]

It's up again becuase @questinghero paid for a month of hosting.......

Any idea where Mike is and if he is ok? He doesn't seem to be about much these days..

THANK YOU, @questinghero !

No clue about Mike. BIG fan of his work, tho & I'm sure we all hope he's OK.

Any intel, Woodstock?

[icebreaker374]

For some reason I cannot get my BP60NB10 to rip 4K UHD disc's anymore. I keep getting a BDMV STREAM is corrupt or invalid at offset attempting to work around error. I've had the drive 4-5 months now and used to be able to rip 4K UHD just fine. Is my drive dying already or am I doing something wrong? Doesn't work on MK firmware 1.01 or 1.02.

[Woodstock]

Any intel, Woodstock?

None from me. He has been online a bit over a week ago, but we're half the world apart, and I don't know more than that.

[My1xT]

are there changelogs? what changed between 1.04 to 1.05 on the BH16NS55?

also for some reason the flasher said it failed (from 1.04 patched) and something about emergency mode, yet seems to work fine.

[d00zah]

are there changelogs? what changed between 1.04 to 1.05 on the BH16NS55?

Have never seen a changelog for any of the UHD-capable drive FWs. Most obvious change for v1.05 was image encryption. My impression (only speculation w/out changelogs) is that most FW releases were intended to either close the "loophole" which made UHD ripping possible, or introduce additional measures to prohibit downgrade.

[My1xT]

are there changelogs? what changed between 1.04 to 1.05 on the BH16NS55?

Have never seen a changelog for any of the UHD-capable drive FWs. Most obvious change for v1.05 was image encryption. My impression (only speculation w/out changelogs) is that most FW releases were intended to either close the "loophole" which made UHD ripping possible, or introduce additional measures to prohibit downgrade.

okay so no real reason to upgrade from 1.04 to 1.05 both modded?
well I did already and I hope it closes that weird ultra annoying bug that sometimes the drive becomes totally unresponsive either spinning the disc or not and needing a full reboot to do stuff again (which is especially annyoing while I watch something as i usually use makemkv as a bridge to VLC)

[d00zah]

okay so no real reason to upgrade from 1.04 to 1.05 both modded?
well I did already and I hope it closes that weird ultra annoying bug that sometimes the drive becomes totally unresponsive either spinning the disc or not and needing a full reboot to do stuff again (which is especially annyoing while I watch something as i usually use makemkv as a bridge to VLC)

From the 1st post in this thread...

Sleep Bug:

All UHD Friendly drives have the sleep bug, this is when a UHD disk is left idle in the drive for 2 minutes. Once the drive goes to sleep, the UHD Friendly drive will no longer be able to read the disk without opening and closing the disk tray and will make horrible seeking noises until this is done.

Sleep Bug Fix:

To fix the sleep bug on a UHD Friendly drive flash firmware from an UHD Official drive like WH16NS60 DE 1.00 or 1.01MK

... or simply open/close the disc tray before attempting to play a disc after drive has been idle.

[My1xT]

okay so no real reason to upgrade from 1.04 to 1.05 both modded?
well I did already and I hope it closes that weird ultra annoying bug that sometimes the drive becomes totally unresponsive either spinning the disc or not and needing a full reboot to do stuff again (which is especially annyoing while I watch something as i usually use makemkv as a bridge to VLC)

From the 1st post in this thread...

Sleep Bug:

All UHD Friendly drives have the sleep bug, this is when a UHD disk is left idle in the drive for 2 minutes. Once the drive goes to sleep, the UHD Friendly drive will no longer be able to read the disk without opening and closing the disk tray and will make horrible seeking noises until this is done.

Sleep Bug Fix:

To fix the sleep bug on a UHD Friendly drive flash firmware from an UHD Official drive like WH16NS60 DE 1.00 or 1.01MK

... or simply open/close the disc tray before attempting to play a disc after drive has been idle.

this seems to be something different than what I get, for starters I dont need a UHD disc or even a disc at all inside, and also while that UHD sleep bug can be fixed by cycling the tray, if my drive gets its bug the tray doesnt even open.

[d00zah]

this seems to be something different than what I get, for starters I dont need a UHD disc or even a disc at all inside, and also while that UHD sleep bug can be fixed by cycling the tray, if my drive gets its bug the tray doesnt even open.

That, I'm afraid, sounds like dodgy hardware. But I suppose it could be related to:

also for some reason the flasher said it failed (from 1.04 patched) and something about emergency mode, yet seems to work fine.

- What FW was on the drive to start with?
- What FW (image name, from which download) did you try to flash?
- What tool did you use to flash FW?
- Copy/paste current Drive Information / LibreDrive Information reported by MakeMKV in the 'Info' pane (upper right-hand section).

The devil, as they say, is in the details.

[My1xT]

this seems to be something different than what I get, for starters I dont need a UHD disc or even a disc at all inside, and also while that UHD sleep bug can be fixed by cycling the tray, if my drive gets its bug the tray doesnt even open.

That, I'm afraid, sounds like dodgy hardware. But I suppose it could be related to:

also for some reason the flasher said it failed (from 1.04 patched) and something about emergency mode, yet seems to work fine.

- What FW was on the drive to start with?
- What FW (image name, from which download) did you try to flash?
- What tool did you use to flash FW?
- Copy/paste current Drive Information / LibreDrive Information reported by MakeMKV in the 'Info' pane (upper right-hand section).

The devil, as they say, is in the details.

the firmware name and stuff is something I need to look up I did it on a different computer and half an eternity ago prior to the 1.05 now.

the current drive data is this:

Laufwerksinformation
OS-Gerätename: E:
Produzent: HL-DT-ST
Produkt: BD-RE BH16NS55
Revision: 1.05
Serienummer: NOPE
Firmware-Datum: 2120-04-21 10:49 (lol wait WHAT)
Markierungen der Bus-Verschlüsselung: 17
Highest AACS version: 76

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.05
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

obviously the firmware date was different and version was 1.04 dunno the details from before.
also the error was hard to trace because it's all kinda random, the only thing I knew was that unless I powercycle the drive it wouldnt react to anything really. also it was generally comparatively rare.

I thought it might be somehow related to the known sleep bug.

I have no idea what was on it originally unless I happen to have a screenshot from back then.
what I can say for sure is that I bought it new off of amazon germany end of may 2020 and flashed it not long after getting it as I first ripped on June 8th so the flash has to have happened before then. but I am pretty sure I got both the tool and firmware from this guide or at least this forum

[d00zah]

ALL reported FW dates are +100. No one has ever provided an answer "why?"

What I was looking for...

- Drive w/ v105 (encrypted) would have required the SDFtool Flasher (or command line), w/ 'enc' checked. Any other tool would have failed due to the encrypted FW. Clearly, this does not apply.

1st post says...

Recommended Firmware to flash for MakeMKV:
BH\WH16NS55 on any Firmware directly to > WH16NS60 1.02MK

which may not work w/ other tools (i.e. AnyDVD). My fear is that the HW is bad, RMA is not an option & FW is unlikely to fix your problem. That said, you have little to lose by trying WH16NS60 1.02MK (unless you use AnyDVD, et al?) using the SDFtool Flasher, no 'enc'. YMMV

[My1xT]

is there a reason why the recommendation is to flash the fw of a different drive?

seems weird to do that rather than to just use a modded fw intended for the drive.

also the flasher I used is BH14NS40_N1.00-A4_patched.exe
from over here:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18873#p70284
it said that there was an error but weirdly enough the drive reports as 1.05 and seems to work

also a post from mike says the unlocked LG flasher sends the update to the drive and it does the update by itself, so an encrypted fw shouldnt matter to the flasher anyway.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18857