LG BH16NS40 bricked?

[PPeti66x]

How to reflash the LG BH16NS40 BluRay writer accidently flashed with BH16NS40-NS50 v1.05 firmware - manual
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Firs of all, many thanks for everyone who helped in some way (useful posts, tools, dumped firmwares) to resolve this problem.


Prepare the device to accept the correct firmware:
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Used tools:
"SDFTool" from the MakeMKV BETA v1.16.5 (freeware/unregistered)
"BH14NS40_N1.00-A4_patched.exe" (patched LG flasher tool)
DosFlash32_BH16NS40_patched
BH16NS40_EEPROM_Data_Mover
Some Windows 7 ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) 32-bit image booted from pendrive via GRUB4DOS
Required firmwares and most of tools in single archive here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_pI-b- ... sp=sharing

GENERAL NOTES:
Edit the included batch files (Step*.cmd) and replace the G: drive letter with your current BluRay drive letter. If you are using a 32-bit windows, replace sdftool64.exe with sdftool.exe.
Both "Write DRAM NG 05/24/00" and "Command produced error code 0x8f052400" means that the flash chip is accessible, but the firmware you are trying to write is incompatible (with the current firmware). Try a different one.
For the ASUS branded devices use the modded ASUS firmware tool ("ASUS_ODD_FW_Changer_(Modified) (24.08.2019).zip") instead the patched LG flasher.

It seems, that only the SDFTool can do the job - so you must install the MakeMKV software. You do not need the "SDFtool Flasher".
When you flashed the device with the incorrect 1.05 firmware, the flash chip was locked to about 6-8 hours. At this time all data is sinked without throwing error. Dumping is not possible. You must wait. It seems, that this time is not affected by the computers ON/OFF state. (This seems to be a protection mechanism against some viruses to protect the flash chip.)

1.) Do flash: sdftool64.exe -d G: rawflash enc -i HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin
Wait now another cca. 8 hours. (Turn the PC OFF ffor at least 10 seconds before next flashing.)

2.) Dumping is now unlocked. You should make a full dump for later use (see later).
NOTE: You must replace the drive G: with your current drive letter!
Create dump: sdftool64.exe -d G: dump full
Filename is automatically generated. Check the file modification datetime samps if you are confused about which file was created. Rename or move the dumped file to a safe place.

3.) Do flash: sdftool64.exe -d G: rawflash -i HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.01-NM00100-211711202000.bin
(Try to full dump prior flashing. When it succeeds, you can flash.)
Now the flash chip is not locked, or locked for a much shorter time. (Turn the PC OFF for at least 10 seconds before next flashing.)

4.) This step can be probably skipped.
Do flash: sdftool64.exe -d G: rawflash de -i HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BH16NS40_1.02_NS50.bin
(Try to full dump prior flashing. When it succeeds, you can flash.)
Flash chip is not locked. Turn the PC OFF for at least 10 seconds before next flashing.

5.) Do flash: sdftool64.exe -d G: rawflash de -i DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin
Flash chip is not locked. Turn the PC OFF for at least 10 seconds before next flashing. This step unlocks the patched LG flasher tool access.

6.) Now you must re-flash the same firmware "DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.00.bin" with the patched LG flasher tool. This is mandatory. It unlocks the DosFlash access.


Final flashing:
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Both the patched LG flasher tool and the SDFTool can flash the prepared firmware, but is unknown for me, that the result is good or not. My test results were irrelevant, because in meantime something killed the UDF filesystem driver, so the BD disk used to test was unreadable (Nero displayed track properties correctly), but CD/DVD disks was OK - and I noticed this fact too late.
So you have now 3 different flashing tools. The DosFlash requires a prepared firmware file. For the patched LG Flasher and the SDFTool may be the clean firmware is enough. I do not known.
If you will use the SDFTool, keep in mind, that when it reaches the 100%, it will still work cca. 3-4 minutes. Do not close it or push the eject button on the device!
When you are to use the DosFlash and if it still fails, connect the device to the SATA port 1 (or to port-0 if numbering is 0-based). Yes, it sometimes really helps (as for me)! Use only the "DosFlash32_BH16NS40.exe", not the one without suffix (after unpacking, immediately remove the other one to prevent the confusions)!

DosFlash and firmware preparation:
..................................
You need a compatible computer with a 32-bit Windows XP or later - Some emergency live system is enough. May be a properly installed SATA device driver is required - Windows 7 ERD boot disk should have it natively. Do not forget to switch the SATA mode to IDE (a.k.a. Legacy) instead of AHCI or RAID.
The DosFlash32 must recognize your device without errors. Dumping must work (try it even you have made a dump file previously).
0.) Dump your current firmware (full dump) - only if you do not done it before.
1.) With "BH16NS40_EEPROM_Data_Mover.exe" (part of the "DosFlash32_BH16NS40_patched.zip" package) open the
dumped (your current) firmware*,
then the firmware you want to write,
then save the prepared firmware.
* If it is certain, that the calibration is ruined, you can use the included "WH16NS40_v1_02_dirtydump.bin" or my "BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin" firmware dumps.
2.) Write the prepared firmware (DosFlash is recommended, but SDFTool or the patched LG flasher tool may also work).
You can also try the official LG firmware "BH16NS40(1.03-A0).exe" if is certain, that calibration data was not destructed before.
3.) Turn off the computer for at least 10 seconds. Finished.
Now everything should work correctly. Test it!

The simpler, but untested method:
.................................
You can try both the prepared and the clean firmware. Preparetion see above (step 1).
A) SDFTool:
sdftool64.exe -d G: rawflash de -i HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.03-A0_NOBJ_DE.bin

B) Patched LG flasher ("BH14NS40_N1.00-A4_patched.exe")
Open the "HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.03-A0_NOBJ_DE.bin", and write it.

C) When the A) or B) was successfull, re-flashing with the original "BH16NS40(1.03-A0).exe" also works - but is not required.

If you can not open the UDF BD disks (but Video DVDs, ISO DVDs and CDs are OK), open the device manager and uninstall the driver of your device, then scan for the hardware changes - Windows should silently reinstall it. Now it should work (restart not required).

[sjsim]

Hi Peeti66x,

I have made mistake to upgrade my BH16NS40 to 1.05 without checking SVC number.
As it is from 2014, SVC is 40 and not 50.
So, now I want to downgrade to 1.03 or before because Windows sees my reader but I can't read any support.

I have tried your simplified method :
1) All works fine
2) File listed in flasher doesn't exist in my directory. I suppose it is included in exe patched but I changed it to HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.03-A0_NOBJ_DE.bin
Unfortunatly, at step 2, I get same message with official flasher (see docx attached).

Could you help me to downgrade my reader ?

Many thanks in advance.

[PPeti66x]

Hi Sjsim!
There are 3 different models if I known correctly, which can be confused: "BH16NS40", "BH16NS40 NS40", "BH16NS40 NS50" (and "BH16NS50" also exists). My manual is for the 1st (BH16NS40, without the second NS40 suffix!) only. It probably also helps, if you have "BH16NS40 NS40", but in this case you need a different firmware (not included in my archive) for the last step (renaming firmware files does not helps). I downloaded many firmwares, but no one was for the "BH16NS40 NS40". And I do not know, which firmware can be compatible with it. May be the "BH16NS40" and "BH16NS40 NS40" are same? I do not known. On my device the SVC number completely missing, instead is only written "RoHS".
So for everything after the Step 6 you need to use the correct firmware for your device! You can try it with the old "BH16NS40" firmware. If it not works, you still can reflash with the correct one, if you found it.
Do not forget: do not touch any buttons, when firmwareing, and you must not have a disk in it.
PS: Sorry, my english is bad.

[virtualrom]

Hi,
I followed the steps 1 to 6 successfully but am stuck with the final firmware step.

My model is from 2012 and it has no SVC number, only BH16NS40.
Additionally it has marked Rom Version 1.00
I am sure the calibration is ruined.
None of the bin files work.

Does someone have the right firmware for this model?

[PPeti66x]

Hi Virtualrom!
I have the same, but from 2013, sold with firmware 1.01.
If you not used the DosFlash tool for flashing, the calibration is probably OK.
1.) Use this firmware: "HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.03-A0_NOBJ_DE.bin"
2.) If it does not work, calibration is ruined. Then use this one: "BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin"
(All mentioned files are in the 7Zip archive linked some posts above.)

[virtualrom]

I tried the mentioned versions, but always get errors to load them into the drive.

At which stage do I have to try these files?

[PPeti66x]

As final step (after step 6).
But it is unknown to me, that SDFTool can rewrite the ruined calibration data (normally it works in self-update mode for calibration) - i never tried. May be the use of DosFlash is mandatory in this case. But in any way it must not end with error. DosFlash is very problematic, avoid using it if you can do things with SDFTool, which is much safer. Always check firmware version before/after flashing. Many times there are no errors reported, but no data written to flash chip.

[PauloCZ]

Hello everyone.

I have the same problem as @virtualrom - model from 2012 BH16NS40, firmware version 1.00 and none of the above manuals work for me. I also tried to move the calibration data from BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin to the original firmware HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.00_NOBJ_DE.bin but it still does not read any disk after writing with DosFlash.

Some ideas? Thanks

[Billycar11]

Hello everyone.

I have the same problem as @virtualrom - model from 2012 BH16NS40, firmware version 1.00 and none of the above manuals work for me. I also tried to move the calibration data from BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin to the original firmware HLDS_JB7_BRAND_1.00_NOBJ_DE.bin but it still does not read any disk after writing with DosFlash.

Some ideas? Thanks

Post your drive info section from makemkv

[PauloCZ]

Here is my info MakeMKV:

[Billycar11]

Here is my info MakeMKV:

Well it's dead then you have it back on the right firmware and the serial number is there that's included with cal data

[PPeti66x]

@PauloCZ
The reported version number is still BH16NS40 1.00? How it is possible? If you flashed a bad firmware, that number should be different (1.05 for the latest bad firmware). Or at least WH16NS60 1.00 if you failed at step 5. There is no BH16NS40 1.00 firmware included in the archive. If you succeed, you should get BH16NS40 1.03 version.

[PauloCZ]

@PPeti66x
In the first phase, I went through the whole process of restoring the bad firmware 1.05 to version 1.03 according to the instructions. Because the drive didn't work, I extracted the original fw 1.00 from the LG website. With the program BH16NS40_EEPROM_Data_Mover.exe I wrote the calibration data to fw 1.00 and wrote it with DosFlash. The result was the same as the fix with fw 1.03 - the drive seems to load the disk, but the result is always bad.

[PPeti66x]

Try to write "BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin".
Write it with SDFTool, if not works, then with the LG Flash utility.
If still not works, then try with DOSFlash, if not works then try the LG Flash utility or SDFTool again.
If still not works, I have no idea, what to do.
(Always do a power off between flashing.)

[PauloCZ]

Try to write "BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin".
Write it with SDFTool, if not works, then with the LG Flash utility.
If still not works, then try with DOSFlash, if not works then try the LG Flash utility or SDFTool again.
If still not works, I have no idea, what to do.
(Always do a power off between flashing.)

Writing "BH16NS40_v1_03A_with_BH16NS40_v1_01_calibration.bin" with SDFtool was correct, but the result is still the same. I think there may be a problem with the calibration data with my original firmware version 1.00. It can be heard that the engineer is trying to load the inserted disk, but it will fail. Thank you all for your support!