LG WH16NS40 not responding to SDFTool_Flasher

[bryanvh]

Hello. This will be my 2nd time needing to flash a drive for LibreDrive to work (my old Asus burned out its laser after only a few hours of read time but it was at least easy to flash).

I recently bought an LG WH16NS40 with a manufacturing date of 2024.08.18 reporting as being on the 1.01 unpatched firmware but enabled for LibreDrive (so, it should work out of the gate?). Problem is, when I put a 4K Blu Ray in it, it took a few min then decided there was no disk (yes the disk is fine). So, I figured it needed to be flashed to an MK firmware and went to the SDFTool and tried flashing it to the WH16NS60 1.03 MK firmware from the "Last Firmware You'll ever Need" package since the flashing guide seemed to say the 40 should be a direct flash to the 60 firmware. Problem is, when I went ahead with the flash, SDF said it couldn't handshake with the drive (despite MakeMKV seeing it just fine) and then, after accepting that error, it suddenly blasted to 100% complete and now the drive says it's a WD16NS40 BOOT in MakeMKV. Even better, now SDFtool won't do anything with it and the drive won't even open when I push the button on its faceplate.

I had the wherewithal to backup the original firmware from the drive before flashing (though I can't even flash that back to it now) but it seems like still I'm completely stuck now. Can anyone provide and guidance on what's wrong and how to fix it with flashing to get the drive working again (and ideally reading 4K disks)? The flashing guide is helpful but, without SDF doing anything with the drive, I assume I'm headed into the terminal but that it will take a bit extra to force this thing to behave again.

Thanks in advance!

[Coopervid]

Read this:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634&start=3300

[bryanvh]

Thanks for the fast response. That didn't change the behavior. I have the SDFtool 1.3.6 copied to the default install directory of MakeMKV (running as admin too). It's telling me too that the platform isn't MT1959 and doesn't support flashing (though I don't know how it did anything in the first place then) and errors out.

Any further suggestions? My understanding is that anything modern (which 2024 should count as) would satisfy the MT1959 requirement.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thanks for the fast response. That didn't change the behavior. I have the SDFtool 1.3.6 copied to the default install directory of MakeMKV (running as admin too). It's telling me too that the platform isn't MT1959 and doesn't support flashing (though I don't know how it did anything in the first place then) and errors out.

Any further suggestions? My understanding is that anything modern (which 2024 should count as) would satisfy the MT1959 requirement.

You should understand that libredrive does not equal UHD readability so when you got the drive and libredrive was already enabled, this does not automatically mean it can read UHD discs.

Your understanding regarding MT1959 would normally be correct except for the fact there are some fakes coming from China that have the old MT1939 drive platform and a new label on them.

How is the drive connected to the PC?
Did you make note of what MakeMKV showed for the drive before you flashed it?
Copy and paste the MakeMKV drive info and libredrive info sections.

[xwmkf]

Thanks for the fast response. That didn't change the behavior. I have the SDFtool 1.3.6 copied to the default install directory of MakeMKV (running as admin too). It's telling me too that the platform isn't MT1959 and doesn't support flashing (though I don't know how it did anything in the first place then) and errors out.

Any further suggestions? My understanding is that anything modern (which 2024 should count as) would satisfy the MT1959 requirement.

I would say: never rely on just the label, there's too many fake labels out there. Plug it into the computer and check the info from makemkv (eg what "Drive platform" does it report etc).

[bryanvh]

Here's all I get in MakeMKV now:

Drive Information
OS device name: E:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: BOOT
Highest AACS version: 76

No disc inserted


Sadly, iirc, I think it reported as MT1939 previously in the 2nd block of info that's no longer there.



I'm gathering that I'm basically screwed and that this is one of those scam old chinesium drives.

Given that these things are disappearing, where can you actually find a UHD capable drive nowadays? (I'm okay with flashing the firmware, it is really easy when the hardware isn't apparently junk.) I can't find any of the normal models in retail and I now don't trust ebay for it. And (apologies for not having fully grasped the updates but) I don't follow whether new Pioneer models in the year 2025 are good or still aren't.

[bryanvh]

Oh. And I forgot in the previous post:

It's in a Vantec external enclosure so it's connecting to the computer over USB. This is the same setup I had used previously when I successfully flashed my last blu ray drive.

[xwmkf]

Sadly, iirc, I think it reported as MT1939 previously in the 2nd block of info that's no longer there.

I'm gathering that I'm basically screwed and that this is one of those scam old chinesium drives.

Yeah if it's drive platform MT1939 then there's no flashing it for UHD. A flashable WH16NS40 for a decent price is what I keep looking for, and there's a ton of the non-flashable out there on ebay.

Given that these things are disappearing, where can you actually find a UHD capable drive nowadays? (I'm okay with flashing the firmware, it is really easy when the hardware isn't apparently junk.) I can't find any of the normal models in retail and I now don't trust ebay for it. And (apologies for not having fully grasped the updates but) I don't follow whether new Pioneer models in the year 2025 are good or still aren't.

If you don't mind an external usb slim drive and doing the 3 step flashing for it, it looks like best buy as of yesterday has the BP50NB40 for $93 (was $115).

[bryanvh]

Haha. You and me both. It really seems like these UDH capable readers have disappeared within the past 6-9 months. I guess it's time to get a refund for my scam drive from ebay and look at Best Buy. Are those slim drives pretty reliable? I assumed that the old internal ones would outlast time itself but that the slims would be questionable.

[xwmkf]

Are those slim drives pretty reliable? I assumed that the old internal ones would outlast time itself but that the slims would be questionable.

I've only had mine for a couple weeks so I can't speak to its long term condition. I've always preferred the traditional internal drives as they feel so much sturdier than the slim drives which have always felt a bit delicate to me. That said, I have a slim usb samsung from 2014 (not flashable) that still seems to work fine, and the BP50NB40 does seem like it's better built than the samsung and it's working pretty well so far, so it does leave me with a positive impression. That said, I also try to treat the slim drives carefully in general.

[bryanvh]

Thanks!! I'll have to give that LG a look then.

[MartyMcNuts]

Haha. You and me both. It really seems like these UDH capable readers have disappeared within the past 6-9 months. I guess it's time to get a refund for my scam drive from ebay and look at Best Buy. Are those slim drives pretty reliable? I assumed that the old internal ones would outlast time itself but that the slims would be questionable.

The QC for the LG/ASUS 5.25" drives went to sh!t around 4-5 years ago. The slim drives are actually better quality (although not much better). The BU40N found in the Verbatim 43888 is the best drive LG makes.

If you can get a Pioneer, do so as they are far superior in QC and are simply better readers and writers but good luck trying to find one, especially the 5.25" models. They are pretty much gone worldwide now. Then with Pioneer, all models are pretty good, including the externals.

[bryanvh]

Haha. You and me both. It really seems like these UDH capable readers have disappeared within the past 6-9 months. I guess it's time to get a refund for my scam drive from ebay and look at Best Buy. Are those slim drives pretty reliable? I assumed that the old internal ones would outlast time itself but that the slims would be questionable.

The QC for the LG/ASUS 5.25" drives went to sh!t around 4-5 years ago. The slim drives are actually better quality (although not much better). The BU40N found in the Verbatim 43888 is the best drive LG makes.

If you can get a Pioneer, do so as they are far superior in QC and are simply better readers and writers but good luck trying to find one, especially the 5.25" models. They are pretty much gone worldwide now. Then with Pioneer, all models are pretty good, including the externals.

Love it. Haha. But I can attest to that. My last drive was an ASUS which ate it after reading like 6 blu rays (blue laser completely crapped out). The cherry on top is that ASUS's support is the WORST.

For the Pioneers, could you explain which ones are good for UHD? I've read the firmware flashing guide and the updates regarding Pioneer but I still can't tell which generations of Pioneer drives are fine. It sounds like there was awhile while Pioneers couldn't be flashed but that the new ones being produced are fine?


Thanks again for all the help and putting up with a somewhat idiot question!! You guys have made the flashing as easy as it can be but it really seems like we're butting up against an industry that wants this all to stop existing......and they can rip (haha) my media from my cold dead hands.

[MartyMcNuts]

Haha. You and me both. It really seems like these UDH capable readers have disappeared within the past 6-9 months. I guess it's time to get a refund for my scam drive from ebay and look at Best Buy. Are those slim drives pretty reliable? I assumed that the old internal ones would outlast time itself but that the slims would be questionable.

The QC for the LG/ASUS 5.25" drives went to sh!t around 4-5 years ago. The slim drives are actually better quality (although not much better). The BU40N found in the Verbatim 43888 is the best drive LG makes.

If you can get a Pioneer, do so as they are far superior in QC and are simply better readers and writers but good luck trying to find one, especially the 5.25" models. They are pretty much gone worldwide now. Then with Pioneer, all models are pretty good, including the externals.

Love it. Haha. But I can attest to that. My last drive was an ASUS which ate it after reading like 6 blu rays (blue laser completely crapped out). The cherry on top is that ASUS's support is the WORST.

For the Pioneers, could you explain which ones are good for UHD? I've read the firmware flashing guide and the updates regarding Pioneer but I still can't tell which generations of Pioneer drives are fine. It sounds like there was awhile while Pioneers couldn't be flashed but that the new ones being produced are fine?


Thanks again for all the help and putting up with a somewhat idiot question!! You guys have made the flashing as easy as it can be but it really seems like we're butting up against an industry that wants this all to stop existing......and they can rip (haha) my media from my cold dead hands.

Well, there are no Pioneer drives being produced. Production ceased late last year and Pioneer closed up the optical drive business back in April.

Basically any UHD model you can find is good to go. Really the only Pioneer drives around now are external. You may be able to find one of the very rare 5.25" internal BDR-212V or BDR-212DBK. These two models still have the older (pre 12/2022) firmware and can be cross-flashed to a UHD model. I'm not 100% sure but I think, starting from the 209 series can be made to read UHD but must have older (pre 12/2022) firmware. Don't quote me on that. I'm sure someone else may chime in...

Any non-UHD model with newer firmware (post 11/2022) cannot be cross-flashed to read UHD discs at this time (and likely won't ever be!)

[xwmkf]

For the Pioneers, could you explain which ones are good for UHD? I've read the firmware flashing guide and the updates regarding Pioneer but I still can't tell which generations of Pioneer drives are fine. It sounds like there was awhile while Pioneers couldn't be flashed but that the new ones being produced are fine?

The relevant bits I've picked up about the pioneers:

• internal BDR models 205, 206, and 207 are too old and are not flashable to UHD, but still usable for regular BD rips
• the oldest internal that can be flashed to UHD I understand was the 208
• it needs to have a firmware date before a certain cutoff, sometime in 2022 as I recall; firmwares after that date are encrypted and cannot currently be flashed/replaced
• there are still internal models findable on ebay, but you have to be willing to bet on how old they might really be (the label could be faked), and whether the firmware date will be the right date range; but I did find 209's from a seller in San Diego that flashed to UHD, and from a china seller an apparent 212 that has some very questionable traits to it but rips UHD discs out of the box
• there's also slim drives and I haven't kept up with that range of models
• don't confuse "libredrive" support with "UHD" support; there's a recent change that gives libredrive support to those later-non-flashable firmwares, but that does not provide UHD read ability

For "generations" what I understand is there's like 4:

• oldest ones that cannot be flashed to UHD
• middle ones that didn't support UHD out of the box, but have a firmware that's old enough that they can be cross-flashed to support UHD
• middle ones that didn't support UHD out of the box, but have a firmware that's too new (ie encrypted) and cannot be cross-flashed to support UHD
• later ones that support UHD out of the box (and thus don't need to be flashed)

I haven't learned how to distinguish that last set, and they also seem to be the highest priced; I've been focusing on understanding the other three sets.