100% Firmware Downgrade for ASUS BW-16D1HT and LG BH16NS55

[drew327]

Just wanted to say a big thanks to the original poster as well as many of the others participating in the discussions here. I was able to follow the instructions and downgrade my Asus drive to 3.0.1 and rip my movies with makemkv. Took about 2 hours as I read the instructions 10x or so for each step to make sure I was doing it right, but I got there!

Thanks again.

[Billycar11]

When the instructions mention

"On the backup firmware (the dumped one) select hex range starting from 0x1E8000 offset to 0x1E84FF and copy it in the same range of the new firmware. (**)"

Does that mean including the entry for "0x1E84FF" or going to right BEFORE (and NOT including) the entry for "0x1E84FF"?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry for the two quick posts, but I apparently I had to have a moderator approve them (probably because I just joined), and wasn't sure if the first one went through.

dont hex edit use the data mover its like 4 clicks and done

[jonghotti]

When the instructions mention

"On the backup firmware (the dumped one) select hex range starting from 0x1E8000 offset to 0x1E84FF and copy it in the same range of the new firmware. (**)"

Does that mean including the entry for "0x1E84FF" or going to right BEFORE (and NOT including) the entry for "0x1E84FF"?

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry for the two quick posts, but I apparently I had to have a moderator approve them (probably because I just joined), and wasn't sure if the first one went through.

dont hex edit use the data mover its like 4 clicks and done

Word!


Ask me for a 4K “UHD Friendly” Blu Ray drive to try before you buy!

[Billycar11]

Hi,

I have firmware 3.03 of the ASUS BW-16D1HT and would appreciate help with the hex editing (dump attached). How easy is it to get a copy of "clean" 3.02 firmware? I've been searching for a few hours and have had much more luck finding the 3.01 firmware and "dirty" 3.02 firmware.

Thank you!

Hi Osiris11235 i made you the UHD friendly version of of 3.02 i will delete the attachment after 1 week or after you report success you should also delete your uploaded firmware.

attachment deleted to save forum space.


Thanks,
Billy

[Osiris11235]

Hi,

I have firmware 3.03 of the ASUS BW-16D1HT and would appreciate help with the hex editing (dump attached). How easy is it to get a copy of "clean" 3.02 firmware? I've been searching for a few hours and have had much more luck finding the 3.01 firmware and "dirty" 3.02 firmware.

Thank you!

Hi Osiris11235 i made you the UHD friendly version of of 3.02 i will delete the attachment after 1 week or after you report success you should also delete your uploaded firmware.

Thanks,
Billy

Hi Billy,

Thank you for the help! I may have done something wrong, but I don't think that it's working. Right now I can see a 4K Blu-Ray disc in the drive, and can look at the file structure and misc. information in MakeMKV. However, when I try to copy any files, either via a backup in MakeMKV, or a regular Windows 10 copy and paste, all I hear is a loud (and very disconcerting) grinding sound, and the copy / backup makes virtually no progress after 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, MakeMKV was still on the "Downloading latest HK to C:\...." step. In Windows 10 the AACS folder of the disc is copied, but the BDMV folder seems to make no progress.

Here is what is displayed in MakeMKV:

Drive Information
OS device name: D:
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: ASUS
Product: BW-16D1HT
Revision: 3.02
Serial number: KENI6EJ5514
Firmware date: 2117-11-24 14:13
Bus encryption flags: 1F
Highest AACS version: 61

Disc Information
Label: HELL_OR_HIGH_WATER
Timestamp: 2017-12-13 16:09:30
Data capacity: 81.96 Gb
Disc type: BD-ROM UHD
Number of layers: 3
Bus encryption flags: 80

I flashed the firmware using the write setting in DOSFLASH32_BH16NS40.exe. This program was mentioned in the "Windows Method" for dumping firmware, though nothing was mentioned for a "Windows Method" for flashing the firmware, so perhaps this could have caused a problem vs. using the "DOSFLASH Command Prompt" method.

Also, I should note that I didn't download any "hashed keys" for MakeMKV as I read elsewhere that it supposedly now does this automatically (I'm guessing that's the step mentioned above that I didn't get past).

I'm wondering if I should try the 3.01 firmware? I'm not clear how much better a (working) clean 3.02 firmware is vs. 3.01 for compatibility, speed, etc.

Thanks again!

[Osiris11235]

Hi,

I have firmware 3.03 of the ASUS BW-16D1HT and would appreciate help with the hex editing (dump attached). How easy is it to get a copy of "clean" 3.02 firmware? I've been searching for a few hours and have had much more luck finding the 3.01 firmware and "dirty" 3.02 firmware.

Thank you!

Hi Osiris11235 i made you the UHD friendly version of of 3.02 i will delete the attachment after 1 week or after you report success you should also delete your uploaded firmware.

Thanks,
Billy

After a few more hours (not sure if the timestamps will reflect this due to moderator approvals), I was able to successfully use DOSFlash to downgrade to the 3.01 firmware and successfully make a rip. Thanks again for your help!

[jonghotti]

owever, when I try to copy any files, either via a backup in MakeMKV, or a regular Windows 10 copy and paste, all I hear is a loud (and very disconcerting) grinding sound, and the copy / backup makes virtually no progress after 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, MakeMKV was still on the "Downloading latest HK to C:\...." step. In Windows 10 the AACS folder of the disc is copied, but the BDMV folder seems to make no progress.

Yeah this behavior is getting worse. Once it finally gets past the bullshit at the beginning of a rip things usually go nice and smooth but the symphony of grinding and chunkachunkachunka it's like just recently has really picked up. No big changes, and no interesting log messages.

[voodoo69]

Asus BW-16D1HT 90DD01E0-B30000

Uhd friendly ? Downgrade possible? Thanks

[voodoo69]

Can I buy this drive? Or i look for another model?

[st4evr]

Asus BW-16D1HT 90DD01E0-B30000

Uhd friendly ? Downgrade possible? Thanks

Not enough information. When you load MakeMKV against this drive, what is the information presented by MakeMKV?

Three posts above yours there is a post of what this information looks like as posted by another member (Osiris11235) of the forum. That information is helpful in order for to advise further for this drive.

[voodoo69]

I do not have it, I can buy it. I have a photo of a specific model that I want to buy. Is it better to buy a more reliable model?
Before buying I can not connect it.

[st4evr]

Can I buy this drive? Or i look for another model?

Oh you haven't even purchased this drive yet. LOL. This guy.

No, don't buy it. The manufactured date is too close to the REQUIRED date limit and it may be from a batch that does NOT support UHD BDs. In other words, the drive is too old. It may NOT work. Buy a new drive and downgrade or purchase from here:

https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic ... 16&t=17829

[voodoo69]

Thanks

So I will buy a new drive Asus BW-16D1HT (90DD0200-B20010). Better option?

[st4evr]

That serial number that you keep adding at the end of the part number is meaningless to this process and to anyone here.

Just buy a new drive. Make sure it's new, as in, manufactured sometime between 2017-2018, it's coming from trusted retailer or one of the members in this forum that provide trustworthy services for these drives, and be done with it. Make sure it's one of the supported models. We can't make it any clearer than that. Period.

[Billycar11]

I'm wondering if I should try the 3.01 firmware? I'm not clear how much better a (working) clean 3.02 firmware is vs. 3.01 for compatibility, speed, etc.

Thanks again!

nah just stay with the 3.02 3.01 has the same sleep bug you ran in to with 3.02 you have to open/use the disk soon or it will do that horrible seeking noise.

if you can see a 4k disk and you could from your pasted data the flash worked fine and the firmware is fine just use the disk before the drive goes to sleep.