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

[snafu_]

Well, I got shot down. I purchased a Asus 16D1HT that came with 3.03.
I have an old Zotac mobo that still has IDE for the SATA ports and it was Windows 7 (64) installed on it.

First I tried the Windows 7 version and the program refused to run due to a unsigned driver. I spent an hour using the prescribed methods to turn off the security for this (pressing F8 at boot and also tried the utility mentioned in the error window to force drivers signatures off). Using BCD-edit I confirmed that the appropriate commands were in the boot loader. But Windows still refused to install the driver (portia32.sys). I just don't get that?

No problem, I have another old computer with Windows 7 on it. Same issue. No way to get Windows to stop requiring unsigned drivers.

At that point I gave up on Windows and tried the DOS method. The DOSflash program detected the Asus drive (connected as the master on SATA 0). I selected the drive and entered 'R' to read. "Unknown flash chip" pops up every time. What????

So, I can't even get past the 1st step which is to dump the file.
At this point I threw in the towel.

[TechMan21]

With your ide supported motherboard load windows XP (I used professional not sure if it matter) and the modified dosflash program worked with no issues, any questions let me know

[SifuToast]

Forgive the newbness of this question, but I noticed all the firmware flashers are Windows based. I just got my WH16NS40 in and it unfortunately has 1.03. But I only have linux (specifically ubuntu 18.04) here at home. Do I have to user windows only to flash this?

[d00zah]

Forgive the newbness of this question, but I noticed all the firmware flashers are Windows based. I just got my WH16NS40 in and it unfortunately has 1.03. But I only have linux (specifically ubuntu 18.04) here at home. Do I have to user windows only to flash this?

Make a bootable USB drive per instructions in the 1st post:

http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic ... 058#p60312

Windows, or DOS... your call. You miss good detail by jumping straight to the end...

[snafu_]

With your ide supported motherboard load windows XP (I used professional not sure if it matter) and the modified dosflash program worked with no issues, any questions let me know

I'm trying to PM you TechMan21, but there PM system here seems to be no longer working (as of July 2).

[SifuToast]

Make a bootable USB drive per instructions in the 1st post:

http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic ... 058#p60312

Windows, or DOS... your call. You miss good detail by jumping straight to the end...

Yeah, that was kinda what I was asking about. Both instructions in the first post describe using Rufus which I thought was Windows based. I’ll see if I can find a way to make the bootable USB from Ubuntu. Or I can try it from one of the windows machines at work after the holiday.

[d00zah]

Make a bootable USB drive per instructions in the 1st post:

http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic ... 058#p60312

Windows, or DOS... your call. You miss good detail by jumping straight to the end...

Yeah, that was kinda what I was asking about. Both instructions in the first post describe using Rufus which I thought was Windows based. I’ll see if I can find a way to make the bootable USB from Ubuntu. Or I can try it from one of the windows machines at work after the holiday.

Pretty sure all the tools I've read about (here & elsewhere) are Windows/DOS executables.

[ZwischenStuck]

Ok so I have LG BH16NS55 that has firmware 1.03 that I am going to downgrade to 1.02 to make my drive UHD friendly.

Is the EEPROM Data Mover (automatic method) steps mean that I don't have to do the hex editing steps with winhex or similar software??? It is one or the other. Am I correct?

All other instructions are perfectly clear.. And I have covered the IDE mode requirements. If someone can answer it would be most appreciated.

[d00zah]

Ok so I have LG BH16NS55 that has firmware 1.03 that I am going to downgrade to 1.02 to make my drive UHD friendly.

Is the EEPROM Data Mover (automatic method) steps mean that I don't have to do the hex editing steps with winhex or similar software??? It is one or the other. Am I correct?

All other instructions are perfectly clear.. And I have covered the IDE mode requirements. If someone can answer it would be most appreciated.

Correct. EEPROM Data Mover takes calibration data from your firmware dump & applies it to a 'clean' firmware image (rather than using a hex editor).

[ZwischenStuck]

Ok so I have LG BH16NS55 that has firmware 1.03 that I am going to downgrade to 1.02 to make my drive UHD friendly.

Is the EEPROM Data Mover (automatic method) steps mean that I don't have to do the hex editing steps with winhex or similar software??? It is one or the other. Am I correct?

All other instructions are perfectly clear.. And I have covered the IDE mode requirements. If someone can answer it would be most appreciated.

Correct. EEPROM Data Mover takes calibration data from your firmware dump & applies it to a 'clean' firmware image (rather than using a hex editor).

Thanks very much for confirming D00zah! I used that auto method for that step. And I have successfully flashed my drive to ASUS_BW-16D1HT_302 firmware. And now able to read UHD disc It def was a no go before.. Running Divergent with MakeMKV.

The backup notes that someone made here in a word document are a big help too.

Big thanks to Teddy and everyone else that makes this possible.

[BDestroyer8418]

Just saw this thread and about UHD drives. Didn't realize I own the Asus BW-16D1HT I bought back in 2014. Not even sure what Firmware I'm sure whatever it shipped with. I do recall changing firmware on one of BD drives but was years ago and think it was a LG and if so that No longer works. I still have a Asus BD Drive 4x from 2009 still working.


MakeMKV is showing

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 1.01
Serial number:
Firmware date: 2113-02-05 19:30:
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 58


I'm going to start reading though from page 1 now though.

[d00zah]

Just saw this thread and about UHD drives. Didn't realize I own the Asus BW-16D1HT I bought back in 2014. Not even sure what Firmware I'm sure whatever it shipped with. I do recall changing firmware on one of BD drives but was years ago and think it was a LG and if so that No longer works. I still have a Asus BD Drive 4x from 2009 still working.


MakeMKV is showing

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 1.01
Serial number:
Firmware date: 2113-02-05 19:30:
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 58


I'm going to start reading though from page 1 now though.

https://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopi ... 12&t=17301

"You have an older version of the Asus BW-16D1HT drive. It is NOT a UHD friendly version of the drive.

Newer Asus BW-16D1HT drives come with different firmware."

[BDestroyer8418]

Just saw this thread and about UHD drives. Didn't realize I own the Asus BW-16D1HT I bought back in 2014. Not even sure what Firmware I'm sure whatever it shipped with. I do recall changing firmware on one of BD drives but was years ago and think it was a LG and if so that No longer works. I still have a Asus BD Drive 4x from 2009 still working.


MakeMKV is showing

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 1.01
Serial number:
Firmware date: 2113-02-05 19:30:
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 58


I'm going to start reading though from page 1 now though.

https://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopi ... 12&t=17301

"You have an older version of the Asus BW-16D1HT drive. It is NOT a UHD friendly version of the drive.

Newer Asus BW-16D1HT drives come with different firmware."

Dang it oh well - I guess time to buy another

[brandonw]

i finally decided to bite the bullet on the procedure to flash my asus drive from 3.02 to a clean version but it seems like the link for the window 7 portable iso is no longer working. Is there a way to get this fix or another way to go about it?

[jonghotti]

.