Ultimate UHD Drives Flashing Guide Updated 2024

[MartyMcNuts]

So I goofed... I have a LG WH16NS40. It had a 1.04 firmware on it. I downloaded the Asus firmware tool from a different forum page from makemkv, I selected the wrong firmware downgrade from the list. Instead of selecting the correct one, I selected "DE_LG_BU40N_1.00" and installed that firmware. I see that this post has warned that this could brick the system, but I didn't know this guide existed until after I apparently bricked the drive. My question is, is it actually bricked? If it isn't what could I do to fix it? Thank you all and yes... I understand I should have been more careful with my firmware update. Thanks

Try the sdf tools recovery option

and if you cant get it to work you can send it to me to recover for free we will use it as an R&D drive for the new way of unbricking it

The SDFtool Flasher's "recovery" option is not active yet. Also, I get the feeling it won't work at all for desktop drives flashed to slim drive firmware. I've been waiting on a reply from Mike for a couple of weeks for the same issue (BH16NS55 flashed to BU40N firmware) and nothing yet.

Once this option is activated, it should work for:

• old NS40 or BW-16D1HT drives flashed to newer firmware

• slim drives flashed to desktop firmware eg: BU40N flashed to desktop firmware

[Billycar11]

So I goofed... I have a LG WH16NS40. It had a 1.04 firmware on it. I downloaded the Asus firmware tool from a different forum page from makemkv, I selected the wrong firmware downgrade from the list. Instead of selecting the correct one, I selected "DE_LG_BU40N_1.00" and installed that firmware. I see that this post has warned that this could brick the system, but I didn't know this guide existed until after I apparently bricked the drive. My question is, is it actually bricked? If it isn't what could I do to fix it? Thank you all and yes... I understand I should have been more careful with my firmware update. Thanks

The SDFtool Flasher's "recovery" option is not active yet. Also, I get the feeling it won't work at all for desktop drives flashed to slim drive firmware. I've been waiting on a reply from Mike for a couple of weeks for the same issue (BH16NS55 flashed to BU40N firmware) and nothing yet.

Once this option is activated, it should work for:

• old NS40 or BW-16D1HT drives flashed to newer firmware

• slim drives flashed to desktop firmware eg: BU40N flashed to desktop firmware

actually now that i think about it you should just be able to flash back to desktop firmware since a bu40n can be flash to desktop but not back

[kurko1992]

Hi guys, one question.

My LG WH16NS40 died

A few month ago, i update the firmware from 1.00 to (i think) 1.03, and then the LG stop working, i found this web, but the tools that ifound here didn't work well, the LG was working 50%.

Anyway, i bogthe the DVDFab 11 (x64) that came with the driver tool and i did the downgrde and my LG back to life and read 4K disc and worked 100%, but after at least 5 years, is dead.

I found another one in eBay new and is cheap, but the manufactory date is april 2020, if i take it, with the same tool of the DVDFab 11 (x64), i can do a downgrade to the firmware 1.02 so will work like my old one?
I read somewhere here that if is after november 2015, can be a problem.

Any one can help me?
Thanks

[Matt1980]

Hi All,

Just wanted to post a big thanks to all the devs and everyone else for this information. I had a CH30L BD-Rom that the Blu Ray laser burned out so I needed a new one. It was just dumb luck that I picked a WH14NS40 drive as a replacement. After reading about how I could flash the firmware to get libredrive support and UHD support I decided to give it a try. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, the only problem I ran into was trying to figure out if my LG drive had encrypted firmware or not. The build date was May 2020 with firmware version 1.04, which initially made me believe it was an encrypted firmware, however I was able to confirm that 1.04 is not an encrypted firmware (1.05 is encrypted). This is the only part of the guide that is not crystal clear, the fact that it says all 2020 firmware's are encrypted is confusing, because apparently they are not. Any way I followed the guide exactly and flashed my drive with the WH16NS60 1.02MK firmware provided by the team using the GUI SDF tool. Took all of 15 seconds and I was done. I then ran over to RedBox and got a UHD disc to test and yes it works!

Thank You

[stepmback]

I have an old ASUS BW-16 drive that works sometimes but has issues I believe.

Considering getting an new drive to replace this one. Looking for something solid that will have as few of issues as possible.

What would you recommend?

[Billycar11]

I have an old ASUS BW-16 drive that works sometimes but has issues I believe.

Considering getting an new drive to replace this one. Looking for something solid that will have as few of issues as possible.

What would you recommend?

Bu40n I have found to be the most reliable

[stepmback]

All the versions of this drive are slim. I have a workstation (tower PC) that I think will be difficult to install. How difficult would it be to install? Also, after I buy this drive what should I flash it with? Is there a tutorial on doing this?

[Mr_Orange]

All the versions of this drive are slim. I have a workstation (tower PC) that I think will be difficult to install. How difficult would it be to install? Also, after I buy this drive what should I flash it with? Is there a tutorial on doing this?

I'm using an LG BH16NS55. This has worked well for me using its native firmware and cross-flashed to WH16NS60. There are Libredrive MK firmwares available for both drives.

[stepmback]

Thinking about getting this.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-B ... B079LR2Q67

Any potential issues I should know about for this drive? I can rip some UHD discs with my ASUS drive but have been running into trouble getting many of them to burn.

[Mr_Orange]

Thinking about getting this.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-B ... B079LR2Q67

Any potential issues I should know about for this drive? I can rip some UHD discs with my ASUS drive but have been running into trouble getting many of them to burn.

It's a good drive by all accounts and I believe is the same hardware as my BH16NS55 which is why I was able to cross-flash it to a WH16NS60.

[whipdancer]

Hello! I've read the guide, watched the video. I have a couple of questions.

I previously flashed my 2 drives. Either will slowly read a UHD disc most of the time. Both report as LibreDrive Status: Possible (with patched firmware).

Drive #1
LG WH16NS40 - on ver. 1.02.

Drive #2
LG UH12NS40 - on ver. 1.01

It's been a while and I was reading about using the makemkv specific firmware versions and figured I would just reflash the 2 drives. My question is - in the video and guide, both reference a .bin file that ends with "-MK", that I'm supposed to download. I downloaded the Custom firmware zip file from here. Under the HL-DT-ST folder, I see a folder for each of my models, but the names don't end with "-MK".

Do I use the bin file from the folder that corresponds to my model? (i.e. UH12NS40\HL-DT-ST-BDDVDRW_UH12NS40-1.03-NM00800-212005080959.bin)

Should I be worried about anything since I previously flashed them?

[MartyMcNuts]

Hello! I've read the guide, watched the video. I have a couple of questions.

I previously flashed my 2 drives. Either will slowly read a UHD disc most of the time. Both report as LibreDrive Status: Possible (with patched firmware).

Drive #1
LG WH16NS40 - on ver. 1.02.

Drive #2
LG UH12NS40 - on ver. 1.01

It's been a while and I was reading about using the makemkv specific firmware versions and figured I would just reflash the 2 drives. My question is - in the video and guide, both reference a .bin file that ends with "-MK", that I'm supposed to download. I downloaded the Custom firmware zip file from here. Under the HL-DT-ST folder, I see a folder for each of my models, but the names don't end with "-MK".

Do I use the bin file from the folder that corresponds to my model? (i.e. UH12NS40\HL-DT-ST-BDDVDRW_UH12NS40-1.03-NM00800-212005080959.bin)

Should I be worried about anything since I previously flashed them?

We call them "MK" as they are MakeMKV (Librerive) enabled firmwares and are in the MK firmware pack.

[hansolo]

BU40N > BU40N 1.03MK

What is the best FW for LG BU40N slim drive? Is it still 1.03MK, the latest MK or original FW 1.00? Some people seem to suggest 1.00.

[Billycar11]

BU40N > BU40N 1.03MK

What is the best FW for LG BU40N slim drive? Is it still 1.03MK, the latest MK or original FW 1.00? Some people seem to suggest 1.00.

If you have 1.00 leave it but I recommend 1.03 for most people because it is a simple 1 step flash and done less risk of bricking the drive 1.00 vs 1.03 in makemkv there is no difference the only advantage of 1.00 is comparability with other rippers

[jonghotti]

My current stats: I’ve found the failure rate of the LG WH16NS60 to be 1.5 - 2.0% based on my sales in 2020 so far. 0.5 - 1.0% on the ASUS this year and 1 bad BU40N out of the last 300 sold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro