Patching The New Archgon UHD drives to allow flashing

[Xehelios]

Sorry, but what's up with InitioMptool and BitDefender? It flags it as a virus and won't even let me download it. Is this a known issue?

[Xehelios]

Not sure if I should post this here or in the Flashing post.

I followed all the steps and I believe I uploaded the new firmware as instructed. You can see my screenshot of MPTool

https://cloud.civera.ca/01a0eb4e-f21a-7 ... 0742402056

However, when I try to use SDFTool Flasher, I see the drive, I select the firmware (HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934), but when I press Start, nothing happens.

[Billycar11]

Not sure if I should post this here or in the Flashing post.

I followed all the steps and I believe I uploaded the new firmware as instructed. You can see my screenshot of MPTool

https://cloud.civera.ca/01a0eb4e-f21a-7 ... 0742402056

However, when I try to use SDFTool Flasher, I see the drive, I select the firmware (HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934), but when I press Start, nothing happens.

did you use enc?

[Xehelios]

Sorry, not sure what you mean. If you mean, "Did I leave encryption on?" the answer is yes. Although I tried both ways, I got the same result.



And if you mean enclosure, then yes, I'm using the same USB-C enclosure.

[starkiller]

Sorry, but what's up with InitioMptool and BitDefender? It flags it as a virus and won't even let me download it. Is this a known issue?

Strange. I assume it just has something to do with the fact that it manages usb devices, and is manufacturer specific, not "publicly released" software. I would like to get away from it and move to a cross platform custom implementation but I don't have time to work on it, and I don't know how many people the scratch implementation would really service.

Sorry, not sure what you mean. If you mean, "Did I leave encryption on?" the answer is yes. Although I tried both ways, I got the same result.

Did you get an error code, there is some new issue with the latest version of MakeMKV and the bundled sdftool compatibility with the SDFtool GUI but u/Billycar11 can speak with more authority on that issue. I also don't know if or how BitDefender manages usb interfaces and if it may be doing some shenanigans. Once you have the updated bridge f/w there is no reason for it not to work because the bridge will passthrough the drive commands as the old firmware will have been overwritten.

[zittrig]

Sorry, but what's up with InitioMptool and BitDefender? It flags it as a virus and won't even let me download it. Is this a known issue?

I have that issue sometimes also with F-Secure. Some firmware tools were blocked, some not. Handle it as an exception.

[Xehelios]

Don't know if it helps, but when I tried to flash on my Mac, I got the following error

Code: Select all

No drive tool logic found in SDF.bin
Internal error 0x8d000000

And yes, I played a Blu-ray as instructed. And when I used

Code: Select all

-t mtk19xx

I got

Code: Select all

Reading input file /Users/dcivera/Desktop/HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934.bin
Flashing flags = 0x0 : 0 0 0 0 : ---- ---- ---- ----
Sending image in encrypted format
Unable to read current bootloader version, trying to proceed without one...
Current Drive ID: HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BU40N_1.02_212012011716_MZFP55G1934
Using USB chipset workaround for Desktop drive handshake
Ready to write drive flash memory.
Type "yes" to continue, "no" to abort
yes
Operation started: Sending flash image to drive

Write DRAM NG 00/00/00

Command produced error code 0x82000000

[Billycar11]

Don't know if it helps, but when I tried to flash on my Mac, I got the following error

Code: Select all

No drive tool logic found in SDF.bin
Internal error 0x8d000000

And yes, I played a Blu-ray as instructed. And when I used

Code: Select all

-t mtk19xx

I got

Code: Select all

Reading input file /Users/dcivera/Desktop/HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934.bin
Flashing flags = 0x0 : 0 0 0 0 : ---- ---- ---- ----
Sending image in encrypted format
Unable to read current bootloader version, trying to proceed without one...
Current Drive ID: HL-DT-ST_BD-RE_BU40N_1.02_212012011716_MZFP55G1934
Using USB chipset workaround for Desktop drive handshake
Ready to write drive flash memory.
Type "yes" to continue, "no" to abort
yes
Operation started: Sending flash image to drive

Write DRAM NG 00/00/00

Command produced error code 0x82000000

yeah its acting like you did not flash the case chipset i would try that again

[bplewis24]

Not sure if I should post this here or in the Flashing post.

I followed all the steps and I believe I uploaded the new firmware as instructed. You can see my screenshot of MPTool

https://cloud.civera.ca/01a0eb4e-f21a-7 ... 0742402056

However, when I try to use SDFTool Flasher, I see the drive, I select the firmware (HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_BU40N-1.03-NM00000-211810241934), but when I press Start, nothing happens.

I had a similar issue my first attempt, but I realized that I never pressed "Start" after I pressed "Initialize" in the MPTool. Just something to consider.

[Xehelios]

Thanks, everyone. I'm really struggling with this.

I tried again on another Windows machine and got nothing.

Originally, I thought that maybe the issue was that I was using a Windows VM in Proxmox or that BitDefender was messing up the process. However, I tried on a native Windows 11 machine (No VM, No BitDefender) and still got no luck. I tried to reflash the Initio chip. I tried to flash it back to the RAMU2S firmware and then back to the INIC3639F.

The only thing that differs from the instructions is that after pressing Start, I never see "Operation Success". The drive disappears, Windows tells me that it can't see it anymore, I unplug and plug the drive back a couple of times, and I see it again.

Or, I extracted the MPTool on my Mac and then copied and paste the folder on Windows. Can't see why that would be an issue, but at this point, I'm on a fishing expedition.

Any idea is welcome at this point.

[Xehelios]

Well, I think my enclosure is malfunctioning/dead. I took the BU40N out, flashed it, put it back, and I get errors when trying to backup a UHD disc

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Error 'Scsi error - ILLEGAL REQUEST:COPY PROTECTION KEY EXCHANGE FAILURE - KEY NOT ESTABLISHED' occurred while issuing SCSI command AD010..080002400 to device 'IoKit:/IOBDServices/5514D9C4'
Error 'Scsi error - ILLEGAL REQUEST:COPY PROTECTION KEY EXCHANGE FAILURE - KEY NOT ESTABLISHED' occurred while issuing SCSI command AD010..080002400 to device 'IoKit:/IOBDServices/5514D9C4'
Can't read AACS VID from disc - most likely current AACS host certificate is revoked by your drive
The AACS dump file "/Users/dcivera/Library/MakeMKV/MKB20_v76_THE_THING_2253.tgz" was successfully sent for analysis
LibreDrive compatible drive is required to open this disc - video can't be decrypted.
Backup failed

However, backing the same medium is fine if I take the drive out and use the chenyang SATA 22-Pin Male to Slimline SATA 13 Female and BENFEI SATA to USB 3.0 Cable adapters.

I can do a firmware dump with MPTool if that helps, but at this point, I don't think my enclosure is representative of a "normal" and "functioning" model.

[keydb_helper]

The only thing that differs from the instructions is that after pressing Start, I never see "Operation Success". The drive disappears, Windows tells me that it can't see it anymore, I unplug and plug the drive back a couple of times, and I see it again.

Well, I think my enclosure is malfunctioning/dead. I took the BU40N out, flashed it, put it back, and I get errors when trying to backup a UHD disc

It sounds like the modified enclosure firmware is not being successfully flashed. That would explain the SDFTool failure as well as the failure to activate LibreDrive after flashing the drive firmware independently of the Archgon enclosure.

[Xehelios]

It sounds like the modified enclosure firmware is not being successfully flashed. That would explain the SDFTool failure as well as the failure to activate LibreDrive after flashing the drive firmware independently of the Archgon enclosure.

But is there anything I can do at this point? I followed all the steps. Pressed Start. The tool says I have the new firmware, but I don't. Also, shouldn't I be able to use the enclosure after taking the drive out and flashing it?

[keydb_helper]

But is there anything I can do at this point? I followed all the steps. Pressed Start. The tool says I have the new firmware, but I don't.

Just to be clear, I haven't tried the enclosure firmware flashing process as I don't have a suitable Archgon drive so I'm kinda working blind. What exact indication does the tool give you to indicate the firmware was successfully flashed?

Also, shouldn't I be able to use the enclosure after taking the drive out and flashing it?

The enclosure must be successfully flashed to enable both:

• Flashing the drive firmware
• Dynamically activating and utilising LibreDrive after the drive firmware has been flashed

Flashing the drive outside of the enclosure doesn't circumvent the need for the modified enclosure firmware to actually use LibreDrive once returned to the enclosure.

The firmware you flashed onto your drive is best described as 'LibreDrive compatible' as the drive will now readily accept microcode extensions which allow for the LibreDrive functionality as long as the enclosure firmware does not inadvertently block anything. These microcode extensions are volatile and are cleared if the drive is disconnected from power.

(I had an analogy about putting your phone inside of someone elses safe but I don't think it was particularly helpful)

[Xehelios]

Just to be clear, I haven't tried the enclosure firmware flashing process as I don't have a suitable Archgon drive so I'm kinda working blind. What exact indication does the tool give you that the firmware was successfully flashed?

In MPTool, I see at the top of the UI the firmware loaded. Before flashing, it shows the old firmware. After flashing, it showed the new one. I disconnected-reconnected the drive and it still listed the new firmware, but clearly, it's not flashed.