Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[kastaway33]

There really isn't any benefit. 1.00 allows the drive to work with another ripping software but if you don't care about that, leave it where it is. But to answer your question once on an mk firmware you can always downgrade.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Thank you for info

[Gigadzul]

Hello guys. Im new at this forum.
I would like confirm that Unitek Y-1039 work with makemkv and flashing. I have Asus BW-16D1HT flashed by Asus tool via this adapter. In my country Unitek Y-1099 is not available.

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello guys. Im new at this forum.
I would like confirm that Unitek Y-1039 work with makemkv and flashing. I have Asus BW-16D1HT flashed by Asus tool via this adapter. In my country Unitek Y-1099 is not available.

Yes it does.

[Blakestr]

Ran into snag - WH14NS40 , trying to downgrade (came with 1.04 firmware of this year)

1. Ran new SDF tool as admin
2. Put in HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin (June 2020 update posted on SDF tool forum post here)
3. Clicked "enc" as it should be encrypted per UHD guide
4. GUI reads "Successfully flashed."

MKV reads no change, everything says the same :





I restarted and there was no change. The drive still reads the same and I am ripping a non-UHD movie, assuming success. Can you advise?

[Billycar11]

Ran into snag - WH14NS40 , trying to downgrade (came with 1.04 firmware of this year)

1. Ran new SDF tool as admin
2. Put in HL-DT-ST-BD-RE_WH16NS60-1.03-NM00600-212005081010.bin (June 2020 update posted on SDF tool forum post here)
3. Clicked "enc" as it should be encrypted per UHD guide
4. GUI reads "Successfully flashed."

MKV reads no change, everything says the same :





I restarted and there was no change. The drive still reads the same and I am ripping a non-UHD movie, assuming success. Can you advise?

No don't check enc you only check that if your current fw is encrypted 1.04 is not

[Blakestr]

Thanks for the fast response - I'm misinterpreting something from the first page of this guide that says :

Newer OEM Firmwares and encrypted:

New Encrypted firmware
List of Know Encrypted firmware (so far, any firmware with date in 2020 is encrypted)"

I think I don't entirely understand the process, I took this as saying that the current firmware on there was encrypted and would not accepted an unencrypted firmware as downgrade, but I'm assuming that's incorrect on my part.

[Billycar11]

Thanks for the fast response - I'm misinterpreting something from the first page of this guide that says :

Newer OEM Firmwares and encrypted:

New Encrypted firmware
List of Know Encrypted firmware (so far, any firmware with date in 2020 is encrypted)"

I think I don't entirely understand the process, I took this as saying that the current firmware on there was encrypted and would not accepted an unencrypted firmware as downgrade, but I'm assuming that's incorrect on my part.

you only use the enc option if the drives current fw is encrypted not if the drive is going to encrypted fw
as the fw list shows from mike 1.04 for the WH14NS40 is not an encrypted fw but 1.05 is

[Blakestr]

Not sure what happened, I used encrypted and nothing changed but now it says I can't flash and must use the correct mk file for my firmware. I've tried to use an older 102 of the lg's (linked from page 1) but it gave me the same "you can't flash this firmware" message.

The drive still works and everything AFAIK, I used it to rip two non-UHD blurays after I did all this.

[MartyMcNuts]

Not sure what happened, I used encrypted and nothing changed but now it says I can't flash and must use the correct mk file for my firmware. I've tried to use an older 102 of the lg's (linked from page 1) but it gave me the same "you can't flash this firmware" message.

The drive still works and everything AFAIK, I used it to rip two non-UHD blurays after I did all this.

There are only certain firmwares you can/should initially flash when you are starting from 1.04. You can't go to any 1.02 firmwares directly, unless it is WH16NS60 1.02-MK.

If you don't want WH16NS60 1.02-MK (which is the most common used firmware on this drive), flash it to WH14NS40 1.04-MK. After that, you can flash any other firmware you like.

Oh, and as Billy mentioned, "enc" is not required as your drive's initial firmware is not encrypted.

[omk1980]

Hey Guys-

In the process of building a pc and wanted another uhd-friendly drive. I currently use a wh16ns60 w/a vantec enclosure and it's been able to handle anything i throw at it. Was thinking of getting another uhd drive, in case my current one starts to fail. is the 16ns60 still the one to get or do you guys recommend a different drive?

Thank you.

[zander86]

I was talking to the seller of archgon drives from amazon and he mentioned that of the 2 external bluray writers that they sell, both contain a LG BU40N drive inside. The difference is that the more expensive one contains a LG BU40N UHD drive and the other is just vanilla regular LG BU40N drive. Is it true that there are 2 types of LG BU40N drive on the market?
The "regular BU40N" is a tad cheaper and I am wondering if it will work with the flashing firmware here to make it UHD friendly.

These are the links on amazon from the seller. It is also interesting to note that the cheaper one is branded seatech and the description also states that it has a LG BU40N inside and looks exactly the same as the archgon drive. Or is this a case of misinformed customer service and wrong advertising.

https://www.amazon.com/SEA-TECH-Aluminu ... 58&sr=8-11

https://www.amazon.com/Archgon-Premium- ... 658&sr=8-1

Appreciate the help given.

[Billycar11]

I was talking to the seller of archgon drives from amazon and he mentioned that of the 2 external bluray writers that they sell, both contain a LG BU40N drive inside. The difference is that the more expensive one contains a LG BU40N UHD drive and the other is just vanilla regular LG BU40N drive. Is it true that there are 2 types of LG BU40N drive on the market?
The "regular BU40N" is a tad cheaper and I am wondering if it will work with the flashing firmware here to make it UHD friendly.

These are the links on amazon from the seller. It is also interesting to note that the cheaper one is branded seatech and the description also states that it has a LG BU40N inside and looks exactly the same as the archgon drive. Or is this a case of misinformed customer service and wrong advertising.

https://www.amazon.com/SEA-TECH-Aluminu ... 58&sr=8-11

https://www.amazon.com/Archgon-Premium- ... 658&sr=8-1

Appreciate the help given.

Both BU40N types work with uhd

[gottahavit]

Just popped in to say thanks. Been using MakeMKV for years to backup my blu-rays and finally noticed you added instructions for the BP50NB40. Picked up the drive at Best Buy for 90 bucks, Read guides for an hour and then upgraded my drive using the ASUS tool and BP60 HBD firmware in about 5 minutes and confirmed that I could now read UHD drives(Shame on you LG) and have started backing up my UHD collection.

I know there are cheaper compatible drives, but Best Buy keeps this one in stock and knew I could return it if I Couldn't get it to work.

[zander86]

Is there a reason then to get the more expensive one vs the cheaper one if both of them can do the job.
Or the price difference is just a marketing gimmick for them.

[Billycar11]

Is there a reason then to get the more expensive one vs the cheaper one if both of them can do the job.
Or the price difference is just a marketing gimmick for them.

of the desktop drives no they are all the same except for the ns60 if you want official UHD but still very low quality i have found the best to be the BU40Ns still only 1 defective out of 150+ less than 1% fail rate.
the desktop drive have a 25% fail rate right out of the box for UHD even for ns60s the one that should read UHD