LG BH16NS40 with the SVC code NS40 mistakenly flashed as NS50
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 7:24 am
As many before me, I was unfortunate enough to flash my LG BH16NS40 with SVC code NS40 with the wrong firmware. I have an LG BH16NS40 drive that came with firmware v1.03 and searching LG website I found out that there was a v1.05 firmware so I went ahead and flashed it. Unfortunately as I found out, there are two different drives sharing the same name. The one I have is the older model with SVC code NS40 (it is written on a sticker on the drive itself) while the firmware I flashed was for the newer model with SVC code NS50. The result was that my drive no longer could read any disk. Not only that, but the firmware I wrongly flashed is encrypted, making difficult to flash anything else over it. I searched a lot for a solution and I found two posts that helped me:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634
and this one:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=21309
The second one had the solution to my problem but it does not describe the process in detail, so I decided to write down what I did in case someone else needs it.
You will need a Desktop able to switch SATA to IDE mode from the Bios/UEFI (instead of the newer AHCI mode that is not suitable for our case), so probably an old machine. Mine had a SATA mode called "Enhanced" that did just that. The LG BH16NS40 must be connected to the first SATA port available, usually called SATA 1 (sometimes SATA 0). You better disconnect all other SATA devices for the process.
Step 1
Download Billycar11 NS40 Recovery Image from here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/8by2zqop ... D.zip/file
It includes instructions in order to create a bootable USB flash drive using Rufus. Use it too boot (its a Windows PE environment).
Step 2
From inside Windows PE, download and install makeMKV. Then in the folder you installed makeMKV copy the file HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin, you can find it here: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=19113, more specifically here, inside the "old" folder: https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip
Open CMD in administrator mode, Using cd commands navigate to the folder where you installed makeMKV. Then run the command: makemkvcon.exe f --all-yes -d I: rawflash enc -i HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin
Step 3
Using "BH14NS40_N1.00-A4_patched.exe" tool (it is on the desktop folder named "User Tools") select DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin file to flash. You can find this file from here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18873#p70284 specifically here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/102V7DU ... sp=sharing
Shutdown completely and unplug the PC for 10 seconds.
Step 4
Boot again using the Windows PE USB.
Watch this video carefully: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyQV1aPlbow
Then follow its instructions using:
- Wrong firmware selected: WH16NS60 1.00 (same used in lg tool, DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin)
- Correct firmware selected: BH16NS40 1.03 (DE_LG_BH16NS40_1.03.BIN)
You will find DE_LG_BH16NS40_1.03.BIN again inside the "User Tools" folder on the Desktop.
Hopefully you are done and your drive will work. Good luck!!!
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634
and this one:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=21309
The second one had the solution to my problem but it does not describe the process in detail, so I decided to write down what I did in case someone else needs it.
You will need a Desktop able to switch SATA to IDE mode from the Bios/UEFI (instead of the newer AHCI mode that is not suitable for our case), so probably an old machine. Mine had a SATA mode called "Enhanced" that did just that. The LG BH16NS40 must be connected to the first SATA port available, usually called SATA 1 (sometimes SATA 0). You better disconnect all other SATA devices for the process.
Step 1
Download Billycar11 NS40 Recovery Image from here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/8by2zqop ... D.zip/file
It includes instructions in order to create a bootable USB flash drive using Rufus. Use it too boot (its a Windows PE environment).
Step 2
From inside Windows PE, download and install makeMKV. Then in the folder you installed makeMKV copy the file HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin, you can find it here: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=19113, more specifically here, inside the "old" folder: https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 200720.zip
Open CMD in administrator mode, Using cd commands navigate to the folder where you installed makeMKV. Then run the command: makemkvcon.exe f --all-yes -d I: rawflash enc -i HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.02-NM00100-211810291936.bin
Step 3
Using "BH14NS40_N1.00-A4_patched.exe" tool (it is on the desktop folder named "User Tools") select DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin file to flash. You can find this file from here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18873#p70284 specifically here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/102V7DU ... sp=sharing
Shutdown completely and unplug the PC for 10 seconds.
Step 4
Boot again using the Windows PE USB.
Watch this video carefully: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyQV1aPlbow
Then follow its instructions using:
- Wrong firmware selected: WH16NS60 1.00 (same used in lg tool, DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin)
- Correct firmware selected: BH16NS40 1.03 (DE_LG_BH16NS40_1.03.BIN)
You will find DE_LG_BH16NS40_1.03.BIN again inside the "User Tools" folder on the Desktop.
Hopefully you are done and your drive will work. Good luck!!!