Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2026

[seamus]

Hello, I am new here, wondering if my drive can be flashed to UHD. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: SBW-06D5H-U
Revision: E102
Serial number: DDDL291769WL
Firmware date: 2023-04-20
Bus encryption flags: 1B

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8511
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-US03
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: E102/ID26
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes

Can I ask how you got all of this information... is there a command that "reads the drive" & writes it out?

TIA,
~S

[Billycar11]

I have a funky question that hopefully is a relatively easy answer or fix. I've searched in the entire forum and in this thread and didn't see anyone having this particular... problem? so if I missed it I'm truly sorry for asking again.

I have an ASUS BW-16D1HT in an enclosure that I had previously used to flash to the HD firmware successfully. I've been working on trying to get to the OmniDrive firmware and ran into some weird snags. It looks like I need to flash "down" to the 3.02 firmware from the 3.10 from the flashing pack, which I have available and ready to go. I'm on Linux and had previously used a Windows machine and the SDFTool GUI to flash the drive, but now I'm trying to flash it in Linux because it would be an enormous PITA to move the drive over to a Windows machine again. I'm not _against_ the idea but... it's troublesome.

The main issue I have is when I try to use makemkv to flash it (I am indeed using 1.17.7 for this given the current version issues as described elsewhere), it fails the desktop handshake but succeeds in the slim handshake. This is the exact same enclosure I used previously, so...

Is it failing the desktop handshake because it's not directly connected to the mobo through SATA and is by extension succeeding with the slim handshake because of the enclosure? I'm not trying to use a slim firmware and know better, but I saw this come up and thought better of potentially effing my drive. If it's cool to do this I'll proceed, though. Just wanted to be sure sure since these drives have become rare lately.

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Flashing flags = 0x0 : 0 0 0 0 : ---- ---- ---- ----
Current Drive ID: ASUS_BW-16D1HT_3.10_211901041014_KLRO82G5350
DEBUG: Code 117637252 at WE.XL2l#sw!$NUIlW7VJ4r~ Qxq02oRB:213132261
Desktop drive handshake failed with error=0x07030084, trying slim drive handshake...
Ready to write drive flash memory.
Type "yes" to continue, "no" to abort

Probably fine to try long as your doing desktop fw

[Billycar11]

Can I ask how you got all of this information... is there a command that "reads the drive" & writes it out?

TIA,
~S

Should show up by default just by opening makemkv if you have a supported drive

[BizzyB]

Honest question, with the supported drives being harder and harder to find, is anyone going to crack this nut for new drives or create something new that works? Or is this hobby going to slowly die as people's drives die? I've been trying to find a backup drive in case another one dies but can't find one anywhere.

[MartyMcNuts]

Honest question, with the supported drives being harder and harder to find, is anyone going to crack this nut for new drives or create something new that works? Or is this hobby going to slowly die as people's drives die? I've been trying to find a backup drive in case another one dies but can't find one anywhere.

Well, since LG and Pioneer drives are no longer being manufactured, there currently aren't new drives coming.

[nicholfd]

Honest question, with the supported drives being harder and harder to find, is anyone going to crack this nut for new drives or create something new that works? Or is this hobby going to slowly die as people's drives die? I've been trying to find a backup drive in case another one dies but can't find one anywhere.

I still l'have some drives on-hand, pre-flashed for 4K/UHD & MakeMKV. I have a few more coming, but my cost increased by $30+ USD for what's coming.

What I have available for purchase is linked in my signature.

Thanks,
Frank

[Mr_Orange]

Honest question, with the supported drives being harder and harder to find, is anyone going to crack this nut for new drives or create something new that works? Or is this hobby going to slowly die as people's drives die? I've been trying to find a backup drive in case another one dies but can't find one anywhere.

Well, since LG and Pioneer drives are no longer being manufactured, there currently aren't new drives coming.

when did LG give up manufacturing?

[nicholfd]

Honest question, with the supported drives being harder and harder to find, is anyone going to crack this nut for new drives or create something new that works? Or is this hobby going to slowly die as people's drives die? I've been trying to find a backup drive in case another one dies but can't find one anywhere.

Well, since LG and Pioneer drives are no longer being manufactured, there currently aren't new drives coming.

when did LG give up manufacturing?

Those that seem to know, stated November, 2025. Of all the USB models I have available, none of the drives inside have a date newer than November, 2025.

[Crotalus]

I bought a BP50NB40 NB50 based on this guide and it doesn't look like it'll work, SDFtool Flasher gives me an error that it doesn't have the correct platform (MT1959).

Are there recent recommendations for drives that are available in the US and known to work? I took a couple weeks to order this one from overseas because it was on the list, so I'm wary of picking another off the list and giving it a shot.

Hello!

Myself & others have pre-flashed drives on-hand & available for purchase in the US. My "For sale" threads are linked in my signature. If you have any questions, you can also e-mail me directly at the e-mail address in my signature.

Thanks,
Frank

Hi Frank, I appreciate the reply, but it doesn't really answer my question. I did figure it out though!

For those who are asking the same question I did, here is the solution I found:

This drive which is $136.90 + shipping: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BC9F98J?re ... asin_title
I believe I used this firmware from the all you need firmware pack: HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934.bin
Very straightforward with the SDFtool Flasher.

I used ChatGPT to confirm which firmware was right, I gave it the drive info from MakeMKV.

I forgot to back up the firmware from the drive before I flashed it, but that's easy to do with SDFtool too.

Worked like a champ.