WH16NS40 Firmware 1.05 Uncertanty

[davidbmidi]

I replaced my LG WH14NS40 with an LG WH16NS40 Firmware 1.05 (label said it was manufactured early 2020), and from reading the forum, it appears I need to patch the software to make it work like the old drive with makeMKV.

It appears that HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS40-NS50-1.05-NM00900-212005061440.bin is the patch to use, but the "-NS50" is nowhere in the information for my drive, so don't know exactly what it refers to. I just want to make sure this is the correct FW patch to use. It was the only only one in the FW Patch zip file specific to the WH16NS40 Firmware 1.05, so I would appreciate a clarification.

Thanks,
Dave

MakeMKV displays the following info about the drive:

Drive Information
OS device name: B:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Firmware date: 2120-05-06 14:40
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 76

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.05
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

[Billycar11]

Read guide linked below

[davidbmidi]

Ok - Thank you Billy! I pulled my drive out of the machine to read the label:

Model: WH16NS40
SVC Code: NS50
Manufactured December 2020
2020 12 27
ROM Ver: 1.05

So looks good to go. Will need to read up on the fw update process. I had downloaded the firmware patch zip file to see which were available, so have that box checked.

Thanks again.
Dave

[davidbmidi]

Ah, so no joy.

I got the firmware patch installed with no problems, but it did not cure my core problem. I also tweaked the speed parameters in my Win 10 Pro registry, setting it to 0=0, then setting it to 0=99 just as a test.

My core problem is ever since the July 6, 2021—KB5004945 Windows 10 update on my main machine, the original LG WH14NS40 FW 1.00 drive started to chatter and slow down. So I thought my drive pooped out, but did system restore to prior to that update, and the drive again ran properly, but Windows re updated and I was back to square 1. So, I thought may be time for a newer BR drive, so I bought the LG WH16NS40 Firmware 1.05 unit. It did the same thing - chattering, ripping the disk, but taking 2 - 3 hours to do it, where normally 20 - 40 minutes was where I had been at with the old drive prior to the update.

I pulled out a USB 3.0 adapter and put the old drive on an older pc externally, and makeMKV operated fine with that arrangement, oddly enough as both PC's have Win 10 Pro, and both had received the same Windows update on the same day. When I moved the old drive with the USB 3.0 adapter to the newer machine it still had the chattering, slow behavior. Works fine on the older machine - go figure. I just think my newer

By the way, I tried a rip of a DVD on the new drive, and it worked fine, the speed parameter in the registry definitely sped the transfer up. I also tried the rip of a burned (not protected) blue ray disk, and that worked fine as well, very fast, so I know those registry tweaks to 0=99 did improve the speed performance. The problem only appears to be with commercial Blue Ray disks. I do not have any UHD disks, so don't know about those, but I suspect they would also be a problem.

Drive Information after FW Patch with HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS40-NS50-1.05-NM00900-212005061440.bin:
OS device name: B:
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: *************
Firmware date: 2120-05-06 14:40
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 76

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: MT1959
Firmware type: Patched (microcode access re-enabled)
Firmware version: 1.05
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

[Billycar11]

sounds like the sleep bug to me if you followed my recommended firmware you wouldn't have that

[davidbmidi]

From your guide to UHD Drives -

Sleep Bug:

All UHD Friendly drives have the sleep bug, this is when a UHD disk is left idle in the drive for 2 minutes. Once the drive goes to sleep, the UHD Friendly drive will no longer be able to read the disk without opening and closing the disk tray and will make horrible seeking noises until this is done.

Sleep Bug Fix:

To fix the sleep bug on a UHD Friendly drive flash firmware from an UHD Official drive like WH16NS60 DE 1.00 or 1.01MK

It appears that the Sleep Bug only affects UHD disks, so does it also happen with regular Blue Ray disks, as well? My Blue Ray disks were not in the drive for 2 minutes when they had the behavior, and only on one of my 2 pc's. I don't have any UHD disks.... Never had the issue before the July 6, 2021—KB5004945 Windows 10 update on my main pc, and don't have the issue on my older machine with the same update, so my expectation is not high for this fixing it. I can try, I guess. Will need to read up more what is needed to do.

Recommended Firmware to flash for MakeMKV:

WH14NS40 on any Firmware directly to > WH16NS60 1.02MK

So appears the HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BH16NS60-1.02-NM00600-212005081014.bin is the one to use, correct?
The flashing procedure is the same as I previously did when updating to HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BH16NS40-NS50-1.05-NM00600-212005061331.bin
Just want to verify, don't want to brick it....

Thanks,
Dave

[rblood01]

You won't brick it flashing to the drive using proper firmware (for that model) The worst you can do as far as I am aware is not get the best results (speed, etc) I have flashed this very same model to many different flash versions without any issues. Just don't cross flash different model like LG being flashed with an Asus firmware. 5.25 drive firmware with slim drive firmware etc. It is covered in the guide.

Guide
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634
Firmware on the guide for this model
WH16NS40 on any Firmware directly to > WH16NS60 1.02MK
You can find this in the "The all you need firmware pack" found towards the bottom. There is only one LG drive firmware available. yes, the name is different from the model indicated but you are expressly instructed in the guide to use this version.

[davidbmidi]

Update to Close the Loop. The WH16NS40 drive is fine, the drivers are fine, and the windows updates were not the problem. The issue was caused by a most recent GPU driver direct from AMD for my Radeon RX480 4GB GPU. I found it interfered with the operation of the Blue Ray Burner in playing or ripping any media. How, I have no idea.... I ran the system in Safe Mode, and the problem went away. So I uninstalled the video drivers from AMD, and let windows install the latest Microsoft-blessed AMD RX480 driver (from August 2020) - boom, problem with stuttering optical reads went away.... Took me a month to narrow down the issue. Geesh....

Thanks to all here who chipped in.
Dave

[tberthel]

I update from 1.03 to 1.05 and some of the newer media now plays as it should. With 1.03 video would often hang and jitter or not play at all. I am glad I looked to see if a new firmware was available from LGs site.

[Billycar11]

I update from 1.03 to 1.05 and some of the newer media now plays as it should. With 1.03 video would often hang and jitter or not play at all. I am glad I looked to see if a new firmware was available from LGs site.

updates from lg are bad for UHD bluray and bad for bill
but yeah your telling people to disable libredrive, you silly ai

[dcoke22]

I update from 1.03 to 1.05 and some of the newer media now plays as it should. With 1.03 video would often hang and jitter or not play at all. I am glad I looked to see if a new firmware was available from LGs site.

updates from lg are bad for UHD bluray and bad for bill
but yeah your telling people to disable libredrive, you silly ai

lol