The Firmware Page

Hi, first post here, couldn't miss the opportunity to thank you all for the support that you've been providing, cheers !

I have a Dell Latitude D430 with a mediabase that includes a GWA 4083N - something 105

I flashed it with what I believed was a compatible firmware, the GWA 4080MA (4083N) AE38 that I found at http://tdb.rpc1.org/#GWA4080MA

I flashed it under XP and it went with no problem.

Upon reboot, the DVD drive light flashed a dozen times but I then I got the following problems:
- I cannot boot from it
- I cannot open the door by pressing eject, nor from WinXP right-click eject
- I can open manually by putting a mall pen in the small hole
- When I load a CD or DVD it doesn't spin
- The DVD drive appears in WinXP explorer and in the computer management
- I cannot browse the content of a CD or DVD, it doesn't spin
- DiscInfo sees it - output below - as a region unlocked GWA4080MA AE38 not anymore as a region-locked GWA4083N something 105

Question:
1) Am I [*Profanity*] ?
2) Is there a firmware that I can apply to fix this ?
3) I can email Dell and ask them for a firmware, what's the best way to explain them that I need it? (warranty problems...?)


DiscInfo 1.6.1.6 says:

F: HL-DT-STDVDRW GWA4080MA
Firmware version: AE38
Vendor specific:
Extra info: none
DVD burner Device
Drive region status: No Lock Detected

Read speed: 24x Write speed: 24x


DISCINFO VERSION : 1.6.1.6
VENDOR : HL-DT-ST
MODEL : DVDRW GWA4080MA
REVISION : AE38
VENDOR SPECIFIC : 
LOADING MECHANISM : Tray
SERIAL NUMBER : K...5 (censored!)
NUMBER VOL. LEVELS : 256
BUFFER SIZE : 2048KB
INTERFACE : ATAPI
RPC2 SCHEME : NO
ANALOG AUDIO PLAY : YES
COMPOSITE OUTPUT : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT1 : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT2 : NO
READ UPC CODE : YES
MULTISESSION READ : YES
MODE 2 FORM 1 : YES
MODE 2 FORM 2 : YES
READ ISRC CODE : YES
READ BAD CODE : NO
BUFFER UNDER-RUN : YES
MT. RAINIER : NO
CAN READ CDR : YES
CAN READ CDRW : YES
CAN READ CDRM2 : YES
CAN WRITE CDR : YES
CAN WRITE CDRW : YES
CAN TEST WRITE : YES
CAN READ DVD-ROM : YES
CAN READ DVD-R : YES
CAN READ DVD-RW : YES
CAN READ DVD-RAM : YES
CAN READ DVD+R : YES
CAN READ DVD+RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RAM : NO
CAN WRITE DVD+R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+RW : YES
MAX CDR READ SPEED : 24
MAX CDR WRITE SPEED: 24

you should email the bros directly for advice on this issue, it sounds from your post, that you have misflashed your drive, and is now almost useless, dell won't be helpful, what you need is a firmware for your drive, without the id checker, which there isn't one

OK I just did...

I sure hope they can help me...

If the worse come to the worst, I'll have to swap it on my own then...?

In order to avoid doing the same mistake, I'll rather ask first because I'm not 100% sure of the answer.

In low-profile I can find the following, which one would I need to get in order to dezone it easiest?
- LG GSA-10N
- LG GSA-T20N black
- Liteon SLW-831
- NEC AD-7540A
- NEC AD-7543A
- Plextor PX-608AL
- Samsung SN-S082D
- Samsung SN-W082
- Sony DW-4520A-11

Maybe you could have avoided all that trouble by reading some threads here before?!
You surely need a DELL specific OEM firmware and another non-standard flasher which allows you to "crossflash" your drive again.

Check the sticker on top of the drive. What exactly does it say about the drive/model number and firmware?

You may try with the 1.08 (IBM).
Also, AE is for APPLE as the info tells you.

I know, it was a real dumb thing to do. Plus all these warnings and disclaimers...

Anyways.

Success? To be confirmed...

I flashed it with the 1.08 (IBM) firmware and it looks like it works !!! Well at least I can open the door and read CDs and DVDs.

More testing underway, especially for writing.

Plus it's lock-free now.

(And BTW I got an email back from Dell saying they're coming to my place to replace it, I'm going to cancel that)

escaped lucky then

Success confirmed !!!

I have a fully-functional DVD drive again, lock-free!!!

I can't thank enough the Team and the Bros for helping the community.

For information, this is what DiscInfo reports:


F: HL-DT-STDVDRAM GSA-4083N
Firmware version: 1.08
Vendor specific:
Extra info: none
DVD Burner Device
Drive region status: No Lock Detected

Read speed: 47x Write speed: 16x (although it has reported other weird values as well for these fields)


DISCINFO VERSION : 1.6.1.6
VENDOR : HL-DT-ST
MODEL : DVDRAM GSA-4083N
REVISION : 1.08
VENDOR SPECIFIC : 
LOADING MECHANISM : Tray
SERIAL NUMBER : K...5 (edited)
NUMBER VOL. LEVELS : 256
BUFFER SIZE : 2048KB
INTERFACE : ATAPI
RPC2 SCHEME : NO
ANALOG AUDIO PLAY : YES
COMPOSITE OUTPUT : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT1 : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT2 : NO
READ UPC CODE : YES
MULTISESSION READ : YES
MODE 2 FORM 1 : YES
MODE 2 FORM 2 : YES
READ ISRC CODE : YES
READ BAD CODE : NO
BUFFER UNDER-RUN : YES
MT. RAINIER : NO
CAN READ CDR : YES
CAN READ CDRW : YES
CAN READ CDRM2 : YES
CAN WRITE CDR : YES
CAN WRITE CDRW : YES
CAN TEST WRITE : YES
CAN READ DVD-ROM : YES
CAN READ DVD-R : YES
CAN READ DVD-RW : YES
CAN READ DVD-RAM : YES
CAN READ DVD+R : YES
CAN READ DVD+RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RAM : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+RW : YES
MAX CDR READ SPEED : 47
MAX CDR WRITE SPEED: 16


I feel very lucky. A little bit dumb but very lucky...

(edited for serial number)

Lesson learned.

Happy camper again.

> Lesson learned.

Gosh, I wish I could say that, I'm not immune to these stupid "bright ideas" decisions that seem like such a good thing when you do them... just to realize 5 minutes later that maybe it was not such a good idea after all and that I should have done some rtfm first ...

>Happy camper again.

Yes, even more than before, it's region-free now !!


Plus, and that's beyond these forums, I start to really like my D430 on WinXP Pro, it's a really sweet machine and it's rock solid even though I abuse it all the time.


Count me as a successful dezoner of the GWA 4083N 1.05 by flashing it with the GSA 4083N 1.08 IBM firmware !

I'll be happy to answer questions.

Done.



Good idea.

Hi,

I have exactly the same issue,.. yet I can't for the life of me find the IBM firmware you are talking about, please could you post the link so I can flash my drive:

Thanks very much

DISCINFO VERSION : 1.6.1.6
VENDOR : HL-DT-ST
MODEL : DVD+-RW GWA4083N
REVISION : B105
VENDOR SPECIFIC : 
LOADING MECHANISM : Tray
SERIAL NUMBER : Kxxxxxxxx
NUMBER VOL. LEVELS : 256
BUFFER SIZE : 2048KB
INTERFACE : ATAPI
RPC2 SCHEME : YES
STATUS : Set
USER CHANGES : 3
VENDOR CHANGES : 4
CURRENT REGION : 1
ANALOG AUDIO PLAY : YES
COMPOSITE OUTPUT : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT1 : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT2 : NO
READ UPC CODE : YES
MULTISESSION READ : YES
MODE 2 FORM 1 : YES
MODE 2 FORM 2 : YES
READ ISRC CODE : YES
READ BAD CODE : NO
BUFFER UNDER-RUN : YES
MT. RAINIER : NO
CAN READ CDR : YES
CAN READ CDRW : YES
CAN READ CDRM2 : YES
CAN WRITE CDR : YES
CAN WRITE CDRW : YES
CAN TEST WRITE : YES
CAN READ DVD-ROM : YES
CAN READ DVD-R : YES
CAN READ DVD-RW : YES
CAN READ DVD-RAM : NO
CAN READ DVD+R : YES
CAN READ DVD+RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RW : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RAM : NO
CAN WRITE DVD+R : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+RW : YES
MAX CDR READ SPEED : 31
MAX CDR WRITE SPEED: 16

I doubt you have an IBM Laptop...

Hi there,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I have exactly the same laptop and config as "Dell430" and so need the GSA 4083N 1.08 IBM firmware,.. but can't find it in the database.

Please could you link to it.

Thanks a lot

Liam

ok,. just found it,.. sorry!

dl_file.php?site=tdb1&file=4083N108.ZIP for those who had the same problem!