Will flashing the 1.02MK firmware over the LibreDrive 1.05 firmware cause problems?

[Laurence5905]

I have an LG WH14NS40 drive with the 1.05 LibreDrive firmware on it. I flashed it several years ago and it's been flawless until now. I switched to Linux (Fedora 43 (KDE) to be specific), and apparently there's an incompatibility between this firmware an the libdvdcss library in Linux? It refuses to read DVDs, but reads BluRays just fine. (Yes, I do have libdvdcss from the rpmfusion-taitned repo installed.)

This is my drive's information from MakeMKV when I have a BluRay disc loaded in it:
Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/sr2
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: KLMJ7HC1010
Firmware date: 2120-05-06 14:44
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 62

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

No, I'm not 100% certain of that potential incompatibility between Linux and the drive's firmware. However, at this point it's just about the only thing left to test. So I want to know if I flash the WH16NS60 1.02MK firmware onto my WH14NS40 drive (which already has the LibreDrive 1.05 firmware on it) will that brick the drive? Is there even a chance that I'm right and it's the firmware causing the issue? Or am I totally barking up the wrong tree here?

[MartyMcNuts]

I have an LG WH14NS40 drive with the 1.05 LibreDrive firmware on it. I flashed it several years ago and it's been flawless until now. I switched to Linux (Fedora 43 (KDE) to be specific), and apparently there's an incompatibility between this firmware an the libdvdcss library in Linux? It refuses to read DVDs, but reads BluRays just fine. (Yes, I do have libdvdcss from the rpmfusion-taitned repo installed.)

This is my drive's information from MakeMKV when I have a BluRay disc loaded in it:
Drive Information
OS device name: /dev/sr2
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH14NS40
Revision: 1.05
Serial number: KLMJ7HC1010
Firmware date: 2120-05-06 14:44
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 62

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

No, I'm not 100% certain of that potential incompatibility between Linux and the drive's firmware. However, at this point it's just about the only thing left to test. So I want to know if I flash the WH16NS60 1.02MK firmware onto my WH14NS40 drive (which already has the LibreDrive 1.05 firmware on it) will that brick the drive? Is there even a chance that I'm right and it's the firmware causing the issue? Or am I totally barking up the wrong tree here?

No, it's fine to flash. WH16NS60 1.02-MK is the recommended firmware for your drive anyway. I have no idea about firmware incompatibility with Linux. If it happens to be MK firmware that is incompatible, you can always try DE WH16NS60 1.00 or DE WH16NS40 1.02 as these are original firmware versions, not MK versions.

[Laurence5905]

No, it's fine to flash. WH16NS60 1.02-MK is the recommended firmware for your drive anyway. I have no idea about firmware incompatibility with Linux. If it happens to be MK firmware that is incompatible, you can always try DE WH16NS60 1.00 or DE WH16NS40 1.02 as these are original firmware versions, not MK versions.

Now here's the real question... Do I risk flashing the drive using my Windows 11 (ARM) VM in Parallels Desktop on my M2 Pro MacBook Pro? I did test MakeMKV there, and it worked perfectly... And when I ran the flashing utility itself, it did run, it did recognize the drive, and it did let me load the firmware .bin file -- I just never hit "go" on the flash, because I was too nervous. LOL. I *really* do not want to brick this thing! $300 to replace it!

[MartyMcNuts]

No, it's fine to flash. WH16NS60 1.02-MK is the recommended firmware for your drive anyway. I have no idea about firmware incompatibility with Linux. If it happens to be MK firmware that is incompatible, you can always try DE WH16NS60 1.00 or DE WH16NS40 1.02 as these are original firmware versions, not MK versions.

Now here's the real question... Do I risk flashing the drive using my Windows 11 (ARM) VM in Parallels Desktop on my M2 Pro MacBook Pro? I did test MakeMKV there, and it worked perfectly... And when I ran the flashing utility itself, it did run, it did recognize the drive, and it did let me load the firmware .bin file -- I just never hit "go" on the flash, because I was too nervous. LOL. I *really* do not want to brick this thing! $300 to replace it!

Totally up to you but I have read about many people using Parallels on Mac for flashing. If SDFtool recognizes and displays the drive correctly there shouldn't be any issue.

[Laurence5905]

Totally up to you but I have read about many people using Parallels on Mac for flashing. If SDFtool recognizes and displays the drive correctly there shouldn't be any issue.

Just to be absolutely certiain, it's OK to flash the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02MK.bin file to my LG WH14NS40 drive, right? Even though the model numbers don't quite match?

And what's the difference between the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02MK.bin file and the DE_LG_WH14NS40-NS50_1.02.bin file?

[MartyMcNuts]

Totally up to you but I have read about many people using Parallels on Mac for flashing. If SDFtool recognizes and displays the drive correctly there shouldn't be any issue.

Just to be absolutely certiain, it's OK to flash the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02MK.bin file to my LG WH14NS40 drive, right? Even though the model numbers don't quite match?

And what's the difference between the DE_LG_WH16NS60_1.02MK.bin file and the DE_LG_WH14NS40-NS50_1.02.bin file?

Yes, of course it is ok to flash. This is what cross-flashing is. You would be cross-flashing a WH14NS40 to become a WH16NS60.

They are different models. Also the former is a MK firmware, which is an original firmware that is modified by Mike, the MakeMKV creator to enable libredrive and also downgrading. The latter is an original firmware that has had only one byte changed to enable downgrading.

There is the WH14NS40, the WH16NS40 and the WH16NS60. The NS60 firmware reads faster and removes the UHD disc sleep bug.

[Laurence5905]

Yes, of course it is ok to flash. This is what cross-flashing is. You would be cross-flashing a WH14NS40 to become a WH16NS60.

They are different models. Also the former is a MK firmware, which is an original firmware that is modified by Mike, the MakeMKV creator to enable libredrive and also downgrading. The latter is an original firmware that has had only one byte changed to enable downgrading.

There is the WH14NS40, the WH16NS40 and the WH16NS60. The NS60 firmware reads faster and removes the UHD disc sleep bug.

Way back when I bought this thing, it was $50? Maybe $75? Now they're $350 or more -- *if* you can find one at all. So I'm terrified of bricking this thing. If I flash the wrong firmware and screw up my one-and-only BluRay drive I'm gonna be more than a little upset.

*fingers crossed*

EDIT: I went back and looked at my Amazon order history -- February of 2020 I paid $58 for this drive. Definitely cannot replace it for that much now. LOL!