100% Firmware Downgrade for ASUS BW-16D1HT and LG BH16NS55

[giomania]

Will the new AACS 2.1 encryption on discs like Fury and Patriot put an end to our ability to back up our media?

[pixeluk]

The LG drive works fine for UHD ripping – I think it is a European variation of a drive available elsewhere in the world.

Anyway, no the query is why I can’t get the EEPROM Data Mover tool to work when downgrading the firmware on the Asus BC-12D2HT drive. I have two examples – one older one with firmware 3.00 and the latest bought unit shipped with 3.01 that I want to revert back to 3.00 using the 3.00 drive firmware as the donor but obviously need to preserve the calibration data from the new unit’s 3.01 firmware dump.

[giomania]

The LG drive works fine for UHD ripping – I think it is a European variation of a drive available elsewhere in the world.

Anyway, no the query is why I can’t get the EEPROM Data Mover tool to work when downgrading the firmware on the Asus BC-12D2HT drive. I have two examples – one older one with firmware 3.00 and the latest bought unit shipped with 3.01 that I want to revert back to 3.00 using the 3.00 drive firmware as the donor but obviously need to preserve the calibration data from the new unit’s 3.01 firmware dump.

Good news on that older LG WH14NS40 drive being UHD-Friendly; I will test mine out. Regarding the data mover tool, I suspect that it is only for the particular Asus drives, based upon the name: “DosFLash32_BH16NS40.exe”. That is only a guess, and I think @TeddyRaspin would need to confirm.

Mark

[pixeluk]

To answer my own question and for the benefit of others:

It seems the “EEPROM Data Mover tool” checks the validity of the source ‘clean’ Firmware and before you can use a firmware dumped from a working optical drive (of the same model) you need to ‘clean’ it first using a separate utility “BH16NS40_Firmware_Dump_Cleaner”

Once you’ve done that you can merge the dumped firmware from a drive that you want to downgrade with the ‘clean’ firmware.

Following this process I’ve now successfully downgraded the firmware on a new Asus BC-12D1HT from 3.01 to 3.00 using an older BC-12D1HT that I have with 3.00 firmware, and the new drive now reads UHD discs just fine.

Once again thank you to those with the know-how and perseverance to help the wider community get the full capability of their optical drives.

[xmenw]

I've actually found an older laptop, which has the Sata mode for supporting IDE for the HDD assuming its a standard sata port I can try to hook it up with the drive, will try to boot it with a Win 7 usb drive and see if I can get the dump.
This should theoretically work right, any reason there might be issues?

[grayvader]

For what it's worth, for those who haven't fixed their drives... I got a pretty new BW-16D1HT from newegg. FW 3.03, dated Jan 18, I think. Didn't read 4K discs so I used the instructions here to flash it back to 3.01.

I used the Windows boot device method and associated DOSFLASH, Asus motherboard that still has an IDE setting. After I dumped the image, I tried the HEX editor but it didn't seem to work (probably user error). Then I used the automatic method and that worked like a charm.

I'm reading 4k discs now...

[keithl]

@TeddyRaspin you are my hero. This worked great. I had picked up an LG drvie that had 1.30 on it, but followed your process and it worked great. Fortunately I still have one system that can do legacy BIOS and native IDE. I may order another drive or 2 to have as backups.

[xmenw]

I've actually found an older laptop, which has the Sata mode for supporting IDE for the HDD assuming its a standard sata port I can try to hook it up with the drive, will try to boot it with a Win 7 usb drive and see if I can get the dump.
This should theoretically work right, any reason there might be issues?

This did end up working, I got a sata extension cable and connected the drive to the HDD sata port of the laptop (this laptop didn't have a cd drive). The only issue I think was since the CD Drive needs more power then a HDD, I wasn't able to open the drive, just to see if it would happen. However it didn't have any issues reading or writing the EEPROM. I have been able to read and rip more then 3 discs since. This was a WH16NS40 drive which I downgraded from 1.03 to 1.02, using the clean firmware supplied in the first post and the EEPROM Data Mover program. Thank you very much OP!

[wesmannmsu]

after updating two ASUS BW-16D1HT I have successfully copied all 110 of my 4K movies EXCEPT two.

Star Trek Into Darkness (4k)
and
Patriot (2000) (4K)

Anyone else having an issue with these two?

[Kerwin]

after updating two ASUS BW-16D1HT I have successfully copied all 110 of my 4K movies EXCEPT two.

Star Trek Into Darkness (4k)
and
Patriot (2000) (4K)

Anyone else having an issue with these two?

Don't have the Patriot so can't speak to that. Had initial issue with Star Trek Into Darkness. Disc wouldn't read. Had to get a new disc which did rip successfully.

[jonghotti]

after updating two ASUS BW-16D1HT I have successfully copied all 110 of my 4K movies EXCEPT two.

Star Trek Into Darkness (4k)
and
Patriot (2000) (4K)

Anyone else having an issue with these two?

Don't have the Patriot so can't speak to that. Had initial issue with Star Trek Into Darkness. Disc wouldn't read. Had to get a new disc which did rip successfully.

Patriot has the newer AACS 2.1 copy protection on it so no one will be able to copy that right now.

[/quote]Had initial issue with Star Trek Into Darkness. Disc wouldn't read. Had to get a new disc which did rip successfully.[/quote]

That is why I hate this media with a passion, very delicate. It's gotten to the point where I have to rip a new purchase before I'll even think of putting it in the player. Hell most of my discs have never taken a spin in the Oppo.

Wait, 110 titles? That must be some list.

[fitbrit]

On page 1, Mike mentioned a newer tool was under production that would be easier to use. Did that ever transpire?

I have one Asus and one LG drive that have too-new firmware

[davidahn]

+1

Mike! Please? I have an LG that needs some love. Teddy Raspin's method didn't work for me.

[sirleepalot]

I have gone through the Windows method for generating a dump file for my Asus BW-16D1HT but when I open the eeprom data mover.exe and try to select the dump file I created with DosFlash, it says "Incorrect firmware file." I created another file with a different name just to double check with the same results. Any suggestions?

[xmenw]

Does anyone know for the Asus BC-12D2HT, which drives firmware can be cross-flashed to bring to read UHD dics, as mine is on 3.01 and not reading UHD dics.

I have gone through the Windows method for generating a dump file for my Asus BW-16D1HT but when I open the eeprom data mover.exe and try to select the dump file I created with DosFlash, it says "Incorrect firmware file." I created another file with a different name just to double check with the same results. Any suggestions?

Did you rename the file with the .bin extension? I missed that the first time.