Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2026

[explorerof314]

Hi, I'm total n00b here..., I'm reading this forum for last few days, and still unsure if it is safe to flash my drive and what FW should I flash it to. What confuses me is the message:

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LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled

Does it not suggest that the drive will support LibreDrive blob on unmodified firmware?

Also my firmware version looks strange - it is A102, e.g. I can barely find any info about this drive. This drive is internal laptop drive from Dell.

My drive information:

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Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BU40N
Revision: A102
Serial number: 
Firmware date: 2119-05-03 17:43
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: MT1959

Is it safe to flash and what should I flash it to?

When I tried my first UHD disc today, I've got:

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Can't read AACS VID from disc - most likely current AACS host certificate is revoked by your drive
Saved AACS dump file as C:\Users\proko/.MakeMKV/MKB20_v61_Game_Of_Thrones_Season_1_Disc_1_EE7D.tgz
LibreDrive compatible drive is required to open this disc - video can't be decrypted.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Billycar11]

Hi, I'm total n00b here..., I'm reading this forum for last few days, and still unsure if it is safe to flash my drive and what FW should I flash it to. What confuses me is the message:

Code: Select all

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled

Does it not suggest that the drive will support LibreDrive blob on unmodified firmware?

Also my firmware version looks strange - it is A102, e.g. I can barely find any info about this drive. This drive is internal laptop drive from Dell.

My drive information:

Code: Select all

Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE BU40N
Revision: A102
Serial number: 
Firmware date: 2119-05-03 17:43
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 61

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: MT1959

Is it safe to flash and what should I flash it to?

When I tried my first UHD disc today, I've got:

Code: Select all

Can't read AACS VID from disc - most likely current AACS host certificate is revoked by your drive
Saved AACS dump file as C:\Users\proko/.MakeMKV/MKB20_v61_Game_Of_Thrones_Season_1_Disc_1_EE7D.tgz
LibreDrive compatible drive is required to open this disc - video can't be decrypted.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yes it's safe to flash follow BU40N steps and it will work or email me for an auto flash kit

[explorerof314]

Yes it's safe to flash follow BU40N steps and it will work or email me for an auto flash kit

Thank you for your answer.

Is my understanding correct that I should go with:

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The all you need firmware pack\LG slim BU40N\HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934.bin

or should I go with MK firmware like \mk-firmware-pack-20200720\MK\HL-DT-ST\BU40N-N-Main\HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.04-NM00500-212005061142.bin ?

My further concern is that I tried to use "Read firmware" option from SDFtool and it produced tar file of 72kb with few tiny files inside. I assume this is not what I can use to re-flash original firmware, if things goes wrong? Further is there any option to backup existing firmware, "just in case" (or in case someone here would be interested with A102 which seems not-typical BR drive)?

Interestingly according to SDFtool my drive firmware is "not encrypted". Does it change anything? I haven't put any BD into this till yesterday as my significant other got UHD disc set and trying to view this on TV , hence my interest in MakeMKV software, which BTW is awesome initiative.

[explorerof314]

... or email me for an auto flash kit

I cannot recommend highly enough the help, I've received from Billycar11.
His help / knowledge & custom flash script is worth every penny.
My drive is now "fixed" and I'm fully enjoying MakeMKS software.

[JacobV]

Looking at the Mac/Linux Command instructions
I understand everything except step 4, "copy sdf.bin and the firmware file extracted from theall you need firmware pack into /tmp folder"

Where is /tmp folder and how would I do this? The commands are included for the other steps but not sure I'm fully comprehending how to do this

[dcoke22]

Looking at the Mac/Linux Command instructions
I understand everything except step 4, "copy sdf.bin and the firmware file extracted from theall you need firmware pack into /tmp folder"

Where is /tmp folder and how would I do this? The commands are included for the other steps but not sure I'm fully comprehending how to do this

On Mac, Linux, or other Unix based computers, the path separator is '/'. When a / is the first character of a given path, that means start at the root of the filesystem. So, where is /tmp? It is literally at /tmp; a folder called 'tmp' at the root of the filesystem.

However, in the context of the steps to flash a drive on a Mac or Linux machine, '/tmp' just means in a temporary folder somewhere. It doesn't really matter where, just so long as you know where. Then, in step 7, instead of /tmp/sdf.bin, it would be wherever you unzipped it all to.

For example, if you're on a Mac, and you created a folder on your desktop called 'makemkvstuff' and you download sdf.bin into that folder, then the path would be something like:
/Users/<your user name>/Desktop/makemkvstuff/sdf.bin

One of the handy things a Mac can do is if you find a file in Finder and you'd like the full path of it in Terminal, drag the file from finder into Terminal, and the full path of that file will show up on the Terminal command line.
https://support.apple.com/guide/termina ... rml106/mac

[fganter]

Sorry if I did not catch this in this massively long thread...
Is there a list of drives prioritized by reliability - i.e. ability to consistently read UHD discs?

I just started using a BP60NB10. I'm about 9 discs in and 2 (22%) have had read problems, even after cleaning the disc.

Is there any drive that is considered better than the BP60NB10? While I would prefer an external drive, as my next PC case will likely not have a drive bay, if there is an internal drive that is considered loads better than the BP60NB10, I would certainly consider it.

Thanks for your help.

[d00zah]

Sorry if I did not catch this in this massively long thread...

1st post. While pricier, Pioneer drives are raved about for reliability. Followed by the less expensive LG BU40N. See Recommended UHD Drives to get: section.

A benefit of splurging for a Pioneer is there is no need to perform a FW flash (other than, maybe, a Pioneer-supplied update, IIRC).

[Billycar11]

Sorry if I did not catch this in this massively long thread...
Is there a list of drives prioritized by reliability - i.e. ability to consistently read UHD discs?

I just started using a BP60NB10. I'm about 9 discs in and 2 (22%) have had read problems, even after cleaning the disc.

Is there any drive that is considered better than the BP60NB10? While I would prefer an external drive, as my next PC case will likely not have a drive bay, if there is an internal drive that is considered loads better than the BP60NB10, I would certainly consider it.

Thanks for your help.

The bp60 is a good drive pretty much a bu40n but with the sata board removed.
Did you flash the drive?

[fganter]

The bp60 is a good drive pretty much a bu40n but with the sata board removed.

Good to know. Sounds like I got a winner, then.

Did you flash the drive?

Yes. I would not have been able to rip 7 of 9 if I didn't, correct? (I'm not being snarky. I'm legitimately asking.)

[Billycar11]

Yes. I would not have been able to rip 7 of 9 if I didn't, correct? (I'm not being snarky. I'm legitimately asking.)

Some people don't differentiate between bluray and UHD bluray seen it many times they say they rip 4k and they are ripping DVDs sometimes lol. But if all the discs were UHD then yeah you flashed it right.

[Badlou101]

Hi,

I just recently got a LG WH14NS40 and was trying to flash in on Arch Linux (kernel 6.1.1). I followed the instructions and then came across this:

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 [REDACTED@archdesktop ~]$ sudo makemkvcon f -d /dev/sr0 -f /tmp/sdf.bin rawflash enc -i /tmp/HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin

Drive "/dev/sr0" not found 

any ideas?

[Oberon]

I'm pulling out what's left of my hair.

I have an LG WP50NB40 NB52 that I'm spinning my tires on. I'm using the SDFtool Flasher v1.3.4 to flash the drive. I've tried flashing HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070917.bin from the "All that you need firmware pack" to get to stage one of these steps (mainly because I ran into a roadblock sourcing "BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK") :
NB52 to > BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK with enc > BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK with bootloader/full flash > BP60NB10 1.00_HBD from Marty

The only reason I figure I'm failing is that no matter what I do, and how many times I'm "successful" per SDFtool, BP60NB10 1.00_HBD never takes hold (see link below). For the life of me don't know where I'm going wrong. I'm not new to flashing devices but this is completely evading me.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tbZiPzKSvKpxTErXA

I'm having the exact same issue with my NB52 using the same procedure. Cannot get it to BP60NB10.

[MartyMcNuts]

I'm pulling out what's left of my hair.

I have an LG WP50NB40 NB52 that I'm spinning my tires on. I'm using the SDFtool Flasher v1.3.4 to flash the drive. I've tried flashing HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BP50NB40-NB50-1.03-NM00800-212005070917.bin from the "All that you need firmware pack" to get to stage one of these steps (mainly because I ran into a roadblock sourcing "BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK") :
NB52 to > BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK with enc > BP50NB40-NB50-1.03MK with bootloader/full flash > BP60NB10 1.00_HBD from Marty

The only reason I figure I'm failing is that no matter what I do, and how many times I'm "successful" per SDFtool, BP60NB10 1.00_HBD never takes hold (see link below). For the life of me don't know where I'm going wrong. I'm not new to flashing devices but this is completely evading me.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tbZiPzKSvKpxTErXA

I'm having the exact same issue with my NB52 using the same procedure. Cannot get it to BP60NB10.

There is no need for the HBD firmware anymore. To flash the WP50NB40/BP50NB40 SVC:NB52, using the latest SDFtool Flasher, follw the steps below:

1. Flash the drive to either WP50NB40 (NB50) 1.03-MK or BP50NB40 (NB50) 1.03-MK.

Now for the crossflash:

2. Select the RECOVERY option and in the pop up, select the WP50NB40 (NB50) 1.03-MK or BP50NB40 (NB50) 1.03-MK firmware that you just flashed.
3. Select either the BP60NB10 1.00-MK or BU40N 1.00 firmware in the normal drop box. Whichever one you want to use.
4. Click START

The process takes about 30-40 seconds to complete.

[fosaq]

I found a USB enclosure (purchased with a BU40N) that work with 9.5 mm ultra slim drives and support flashing, especially interesting for people in europe because I was unable to get one in the list.

DeLOCK 42603
https://www.delock.com/produkt/42603/merkmale.html

There are other variants, i.e. with USB-C connector instead of USB-A or that support other drive sizes (12.7 mm). They will probably also work.