The Firmware Page

Gents

First post so apologies for any etiquete breaches!

I have been doing some research on here after the shock of my latest MBP asking for a region code.

Nowhere on here is no mention of SB11 firmware on this drive. The latest I see is SB07.
Can I use one of the older versions for making my drive auto reset? e.g. SB00, SB03 or SB07 or do I have to wait until an SB11 version is written?

Its not a massive issue for me being region locked so would rather not risk my drive in the interests of "research".

I have Parallels on my machine, so as I understand the "process"......

Download MCSE and install/run under Windows virtual machine.
Download software file from this sites database, a ".bin" file I think?
Load bin file into MCSE......
Then...... I'm stuck! Do I navigate in MCSE to the line/area where is talks about RPC2 autoreset and change to "true".
Then save file as .exe?
Then run executable to update drive firmware?

I've also read about flashing main and core firmware but as far as I can tell thats going the other way? i.e. reading drive configs?

Thanks

try dumping your firmware with devilsclaw's utility. mac version.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46137

you should then be able to patch the drive via MCSE, with what you dump. Read the instructions carefully. RPC2 Autoreset patch.

please post the dumped firmwares also.

Hi there

Ok after much trepidation I got the firmware out.
NB This is firmware SB11.

Now what do I do with it? Which file needs "altering" with MSCE to autoreset RPC2? Is it the core or the main or do I have it completely wrong?

I can't seem to attach it. Is this because I'm a newbie?

Ok tried loading the .bin files into MCSE

The "core" file seems empty in MCSE.
The "main" file opens fine and look similar at a glance to the earlier versions posted on here.
Bootcode Rev says "GS20N Core" is this normal?

There is an option to click RPC2 Autoreset, I assume thats what I need.

Then what?

that is correct. You use the main file in MCSE. Then you can patch it to RPC2 Autoreset and then flash it. Use devilsclaw's utility.



what size. If it's to big to attach, send it via email to Devilsclaw.

Sorry I simply can't see anyway to attach the files?
The core is only 29kb but the main is 1.3MB

So I change the file using MCSE to witch on RPT2.0 autorest? Then save as patched bin file.
I then use flasher in terminal (as I did to extract the bin files) to load it agin?

Bottom line.....whats the risk?
I can't find reference to anyone doing this yet.

Thanks for your help.

zip the files and add as an attachment. The limit is 2mb. so it will work. Read Devilsclaw 's page. People have successfully used it. You use MCSE, tick RPC2 autoreset box. Save the file. Remember to flash this file name.

Ok

Been trying to do some more research.....
Not found anyone who has flashed SB11 which is a worry.
Also it seems if I flash I will render Apple's "DVD Player" useless? Correct?

I assume the worst case scenario is I permanently ruin my drive?

No, not really.No, I do not think it will detect the change at all.
Correct, but it is very hard to kill the drive. If flashing fails the drive will enter safe mode, which allows you to flash the drive again. If this also does not work you can still flash the drive under Windows.

Ok. I'm convinced! Tonight will be the night!

Can you upload a copy to a free host such as http://www.mediafire.com and let us have the link please? Thank you!

SB11 is in the database;-

http://files.rpc1.org/index.php?act=view&id=5825

I used the flasher method, and my GS23N seems permanently dead, in the sense that it does not accept any discs anymore, but will show up happily in Disk Utility, Region X, DVD Info X 3 etc.

Reflashing the original firmware and rebooting did not make a dent. In all instances the verification step in flasher fails. On Windows (Parallels, don't have bootcamp), it does not see the drive. Any suggestions?

Rebooting is not enough. Make sure you shut down the machine completely (so that the power from the drive is cut) and hopefully when you turn on the machine again everything will be fine.

Right. Just a shutdown&wait 5 seconds did the trick. I then executed the firmware patch again and did a full shutdown in between. Now the verification passes too and the patch is successful. I feel the instructions could be better with regards to this.

The fact that only the main firmware and not the core needs patching and you need to shutdown in between escaped me from the instructions that currently come with flasher. All in all I'm really glad that the drive is revived, and that I now potentially have a drive that I may switch with for as much as I want. Thanks for the help.

many threads where cvs and others have said you need a full shut down

I found threads after stuff went wrong. It's not really weird to expect the basic instructions to provide the basic info, right? I used the stuff that is on viewtopic.php?t=46137, which does not mention shutting down.

Anyway, the main reason for flashing the drive was to get a drive that I can switch regions with indefinitely. I appear to have achieved the opposite. I'm now on SB11 using the firmware from the rpc1.org database after flashing the core & main part. The System Profile says it succeeded, however Region X claims I'm not Region Free, and DVD Info X.app claims I'm RPC-2 (locked).

I think for this drive I'm now officially lost, but just making sure: what could I have missed? Was the GS23N SB11 firmware not patched maybe? How do I find that out? I looked around in the forum but did not find answers, so thanks in advance.

You must have used an offical firmware, and they ALL are RPC2 of course.

If a firmware in our database is RPC1 or RPC2 autoreset then its noted.