Step-by-step guide for the best (IMHO) drive: LG WH16NS60

[tragic bleak]

I just picked up a new WH16NS60 today from my local Microcenter store. It was manufactured April 2019 and came with 1.02 firmware. Like the noob I am I followed your instructions and tried to flash down directly from 1.02 to the 1.01 firmware you referenced but got the ‘write dram ng error”. Figuring I’m doing so,ething wrong I did a little searching for about 15-20 minutes before I figured out what I needed to do. I found a post from some one else also on 1.02 and was told to use the ASUS flasher and crossflash with the ASUS MK 3.10 firmware and then flash with the NS60 MK 1.00 firmware. I used the ASUS flasher(maybe the one you referenced may have also worked) and was able to successfully flash to MK 3.10. I then was able to successfully flash straight to NS60 MK 1.01 and successfully ripped a UHD copy of Interstellar.

You’re right. There’s a ton of information on these forums but it’s kinda scattershot. Fortunately the search function works well and you can find out what you need to know if you search right. I’d say anyone with a WH16NS60 with firmware 1.02 needs to flash with the ASUS MK 3.10 firmware and then they can flash with the NS60 MK 1.01 firmware. Unless there’s a version of patched NS60 1.02 firmware somewhere. Maybe there is. I didn’t really search too hard for that.

Oh that's really bad luck for you, because you must be one of the first ones to get the latest firmware 1.02 which complicates patching.. Your drive was manufactured just 1 month after mine (March vs April 2019).

@tragic bleak I just flashed using your guide and so far is working great. It would be nice if you also posted a link to the current firmware pack that has the latest versions. Also I see that unrestricted speed is possible but not yet enabled is there a firmware out there that has this enabled for this drive?

I'm willing to update my guide for those with firmware 1.02. Please someone send me edits and exact links. Sorry I don't have time to do the research and write up at the moment.

[Billycar11]

I just picked up a new WH16NS60 today from my local Microcenter store. It was manufactured April 2019 and came with 1.02 firmware. Like the noob I am I followed your instructions and tried to flash down directly from 1.02 to the 1.01 firmware you referenced but got the ‘write dram ng error”. Figuring I’m doing so,ething wrong I did a little searching for about 15-20 minutes before I figured out what I needed to do. I found a post from some one else also on 1.02 and was told to use the ASUS flasher and crossflash with the ASUS MK 3.10 firmware and then flash with the NS60 MK 1.00 firmware. I used the ASUS flasher(maybe the one you referenced may have also worked) and was able to successfully flash to MK 3.10. I then was able to successfully flash straight to NS60 MK 1.01 and successfully ripped a UHD copy of Interstellar.

You’re right. There’s a ton of information on these forums but it’s kinda scattershot. Fortunately the search function works well and you can find out what you need to know if you search right. I’d say anyone with a WH16NS60 with firmware 1.02 needs to flash with the ASUS MK 3.10 firmware and then they can flash with the NS60 MK 1.01 firmware. Unless there’s a version of patched NS60 1.02 firmware somewhere. Maybe there is. I didn’t really search too hard for that.

Oh that's really bad luck for you, because you must be one of the first ones to get the latest firmware 1.02 which complicates patching.. Your drive was manufactured just 1 month after mine (March vs April 2019).

@tragic bleak I just flashed using your guide and so far is working great. It would be nice if you also posted a link to the current firmware pack that has the latest versions. Also I see that unrestricted speed is possible but not yet enabled is there a firmware out there that has this enabled for this drive?

I'm willing to update my guide for those with firmware 1.02. Please someone send me edits and exact links. Sorry I don't have time to do the research and write up at the moment.

well now mike released WH16NS60 1.02MK that i helped him dump so 3.10MK is no longer needed just flash directly to 1.02MK and your done

[tragic bleak]

well now mike released WH16NS60 1.02MK that i helped him dump so 3.10MK is no longer needed just flash directly to 1.02MK and your done

Thanks for the heads up. I updated my post with references to this 1.02 version.

[Midnight Warrior]

I can confirm this works with drives with SVC code ns60

Just recently bought this drive and as soon as I opened it I noticed the firmware was 1.01 and the SVC code was ns60.

I went a different route and sidegraded to the asus 3.1 mk and then downgraded to the stock LG DE 1.00 firmware and everything worked fine

Big thanks to everyone involved that made this possible.

[watts]

Thanks for the detailed instructions! It was very easy to follow. I did note, however, that the firmware link you provide is not the latest firmware package that Mike provides, and it doesn't include the 1.02 firmware. The correct link is: https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 190911.zip

[tragic bleak]

Thanks for the detailed instructions! It was very easy to follow. I did note, however, that the firmware link you provide is not the latest firmware package that Mike provides, and it doesn't include the 1.02 firmware. The correct link is: https://www.makemkv.com/download/mk-fir ... 190911.zip

Thank you. Fixed. In fact I now link to the very latest firmware pack released 2 days ago.

[turntable97]

so what's the big advantage of the LG WH16NS60 4K official drive (1.02MK) over e.g. the ASUS BW-16D1HT 4K friendly drive (3.10MK)?

i'm sitting here not getting the differences. just would like to have an official 4k drive (using powerdvd) and have the option to make mkv backups as well. if i buy and flash the WH16NS60 to 3.10MK, do i have both options? or is it basically an expensive version of the asus 4k friendly drive then?

thanks in advance for your help!!

[Billycar11]

so what's the big advantage of the LG WH16NS60 4K official drive (1.02MK) over e.g. the ASUS BW-16D1HT 4K friendly drive (3.10MK)?

i'm sitting here not getting the differences. just would like to have an official 4k drive (using powerdvd) and have the option to make mkv backups as well. if i buy and flash the WH16NS60 to 3.10MK, do i have both options? or is it basically an expensive version of the asus 4k friendly drive then?

thanks in advance for your help!!

no sleepbug is the advantage and the ability of official UHD playback. you have been emailing me about this and said you want to just watch them not rip i wouldn't recommend the asus firmware on an ns60 it ruins the whole point of the thing and the ns60 firmware is as fast or faster then the asus and if you flash the lg to an asus or the other way around you may lose the ability to burn disks going by the experiences of others. what i recommend you do is get the equivalent of the WH14NS40 or WH16NS40 if you think the NS60 is to much in your part of the world and flash it to WH16NS60 because for direct playback the sleepbug is going to be a killer if you pause the movie and try to resume it. you can use the makemlv libs for direct playback or other software that does unofficial playback of UHD disks without the need to meet the requirements or rip the disk.

[turntable97]

great!! THANKS
i just ordered the NS60 from the US for about 120USD (all included), which is fine i guess.

yes i'd like to have an official future proof drive to watch 4k movies.
but flashing the NS60 from 1.00 or 1.01 to 1.02MK is fine? (what does it change anyway?!)

[SamuriHL]

great!! THANKS
i just ordered the NS60 from the US for about 120USD (all included), which is fine i guess.

yes i'd like to have an official future proof drive to watch 4k movies.
but flashing the NS60 from 1.00 or 1.01 to 1.02MK is fine? (what does it change anyway?!)

Please don't. It doesn't bring you anything. Your drive won't ship with 1.00 anyway, so, it's a moot point. However, I left mine on 1.00 untouched simply because 1.01 took away MakeMKV support and 1.02 took away downgrading. Mike restored that with 1.02MK but, I simply feel like 1.00 is the best firmware for this drive IMO.

[libreme]

I have a LG WH16NS40. Would the patches work for it also?

I don't need to rip 4k BD. I just want to rip regular BD. Do I need to follow this guide and update my drive's firmware?

[Woodstock]

If you don't need UHD, you don't have to flash anything.

And you haven't given enough information about your drive - the service level is necessary to know if any particular firmware is compatible with it. This will usually be something like NSnn. The build date is also important.

[libreme]

If you don't need UHD, you don't have to flash anything.

And you haven't given enough information about your drive - the service level is necessary to know if any particular firmware is compatible with it. This will usually be something like NSnn. The build date is also important.

Here's info about my drives:

Drive #1:
OS device name: \Device\CdRom0
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.00
Serial number: K9DDC4F1786
Firmware date: 2113-04-04 14:41
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 68

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: MT1939
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.00
DVD all regions: Possible, not yet enabled
BD raw data read: Possible, not yet enabled
BD raw metadata read: Possible, not yet enabled
Unrestricted read speed: Possible, not yet enabled


Drive #2
Drive Information
OS device name: \Device\CdRom1
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: M68I9EG1287
Firmware date: 2117-11-21 16:53
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 68

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

[MartyMcNuts]

If you don't need UHD, you don't have to flash anything.

And you haven't given enough information about your drive - the service level is necessary to know if any particular firmware is compatible with it. This will usually be something like NSnn. The build date is also important.

Here's info about my drives:

Drive #1:
OS device name: \Device\CdRom0
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.00
Serial number: K9DDC4F1786
Firmware date: 2113-04-04 14:41
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 68

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible, not yet enabled
Drive platform: MT1939
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.00
DVD all regions: Possible, not yet enabled
BD raw data read: Possible, not yet enabled
BD raw metadata read: Possible, not yet enabled
Unrestricted read speed: Possible, not yet enabled


Drive #2
Drive Information
OS device name: \Device\CdRom1
Current profile: BD-ROM
Manufacturer: HL-DT-ST
Product: BD-RE WH16NS40
Revision: 1.03
Serial number: M68I9EG1287
Firmware date: 2117-11-21 16:53
Bus encryption flags: 17
Highest AACS version: 68

LibreDrive Information
Status: Possible (with patched firmware)
Drive platform: MT1959
Harware support: Yes
Firmware support: No
Firmware type: Original (patched version available)
Firmware version: 1.03
DVD all regions: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw data read: Possible (with patched firmware)
BD raw metadata read: Possible (with patched firmware)
Unrestricted read speed: Possible (with patched firmware)

Whatever you do, DO NOT flash drive #1!!!! That drive is too old and is the wrong drive platform.

If you are only backing up blu-ray discs, you can leave your drive #2 as is. If it doesn't currently have Libredrive enabled and you want it enabled, then so long as drive #2 is SVC NS50, (which it should be), you could flash another firmware to it.

[st4evr]

I have a LG WH16NS40. Would the patches work for it also?

I don't need to rip 4k BD. I just want to rip regular BD. Do I need to follow this guide and update my drive's firmware?

Just leave your drives alone. This subforum/thread is specifically for those who want UHD BD support. Hence why the sub-forum’s name is clearly UHD drives. And on top of that this thread is discussing the Official UHD LG Drive model NS60. Which per your second post above you do not own this model.

You’ll save yourself a lot of headache in the event you do something wrong and brick your drives. Just move on if you do not want UHD BD/4K support. There are already enough people bricking their drives for not knowing what they are doing. Don’t be one of them.