The Firmware Page

Here is my info from using " drutil info " in the terminal

Vendor Product Rev
HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GH61N PA03

Interconnect: ATAPI
SupportLevel: Apple Shipping
Cache: 2048k
CD-Write: -R, -RW, BUFE, CDText, Test, IndexPts, ISRC
DVD-Write: -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW, BUFE, Test
Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO

I did a search first but I can't seem to locate a thing regarding any RPC1 regionfree firmware flasher. Thanks for any advice or help that can be offered. It has been awhile since I flashed my last Pioneer DRV116D so I'm a little rusty and I'm on a new Mac Pro running 10.6.8. BTW is this a Matshita drive?

Oh, come on!! Please tell me you did not just say that! Does HL-DT-ST (Hitachi-LG DaTa STorage) sounds like MATSHITA to you? Have mercy! Pleeese!

On a more serious note, surely a very quick search on Google (or any other search engine) would have answered that...

Obviously what you've got is an LG drive, and you're lucky enough to have one with a Renesas chipset on board, which means you can dump its firmware using DevilsClaw's Flasher (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46137).

Dump your firmware and post a link in here, and once the firmware is available maybe ala42 will add support for it in the next MCSE release ...

My last posting was Sun Jul 12, 2009 5:03 pm. If I wanted a snide response I could get that anywhere but I surely didn't expect one from here.

I just bought a new Intel MacPro running 10.6.8 and never even heard of LG drives but on a web search I didn't see that much info to tell me exactly what it was. For all I knew it might be some type of rebranded Matshita so since we have members here with tons more experience with Intels and newer superdrives I asked a simple question.

I'm not living and breathing superdrives and flashing and have not been for 2 years so as I said I'm rusty and far from a terminal geek. I grabbed the flasher utility and attempted to dump my firmware but it failed as I see nothing dumped anywhere on my computer. I placed the flasher inside the Applications folder and then dropped it on the open terminal+hit return getting this: Drive ID: 1 Name: DVD-RW GH61N

Then reading the readme included with the flasher using this pattern
Dumps drives firmwares:
flasher -d [Drive ID] -m main_firmware.bin
flasher -d [Drive ID] -c core_firmware.bin

I tried inserting my drive name like this: -d DVD-RW GH61N -m main_firmware.bin
of course I dropped the flasher onto the terminal first then pasted the above after it. I got this:
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: DVD-RW.

Nothing dumped at all so I guess I need more instruction. I'm not a genius or even skilled anymore in flashing especially with this new flasher app
So if someone else would kindly teach me what I need to do and how to do it without the lecture or slap in the face I'd be appreciative.

Sorry, but cvs is perfectly right! Don't be a sorehead!
You wrote you did use SEARCH, but then you ask if that's a Matshita drive...?!

And the next thing, you posted in the wrong section!! Topic now gets moved to REQUEST FIRMWARES.
We have FAQs all around and its simple and easy just reading them before asking such things.

LBNL, I used SEARCH and got 15 matches!!!!
search.php?keywords=GH61N

Well I did do a search in the main page and zero results so I can't explain it. I searched for HL-DT-ST. Results below

------ No posts were found because the word hl-dt-st is not contained in any post. -----

I didn't know I had to search for: GH61N, but now I do.

That still doesn't help me to dump the firmware. I tried more patterns and still failures. So if no one is willing to assist in explaining there is nothing I can do

I had hoped for some advice instead I get more cryptic info. When I searched first I got zero results. So I'm not adept I suppose anymore in the flashing department.

So could you either tell me where to find the info and I'll read it myself or instruct me with some info I'm sure is easy for you to offer with your skills? I'd rate myself a noob nowadays. How much more humble can I be

This is all I could locate for my exact drive in those other threads you found chef. So does it mean I'm S.O.L. with this drive for flashing it? It's been over 1 year for that post from another person with the same drive so it doesn't look good for any flashing, correct?

"Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:13 am
-- it doesn't look like a renesas chipset. So there is no way at the moment to dump it. You need a firmware from apple --"



/Applications/flasher -d GH61N -m main_firmware.bin
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: GH61N.
/Applications/flasher -d 1 -m main_firmware.bin
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: 1.
cmd_dumpmain: Starting dumping process
get_firminfo_drive: failed to find pattern
cmd_dumpmain: failed to get firmware info

Probably devilsclaw can give us a clue about the progress with this drive...

You're not doing it correctly. Flasher is a command line / terminal type program which needs to be run with the appropriate parameters. Your drive ID is a number not the name of the drive. Open a terminal window, make sure you change the path to point to were your flasher is and then type:

flasher -d 1 -m main_firmware.bin

and hit enter. Once it finishes you need to run it one more time by typing:

flasher -d 1 -c core_firmware.bin

and then pressing enter again. The parameters are case sensitive, so make sure you use small letters ...

I know for sure that GH60N drives use a Renesas chipset, since I've got a GH60N firmware file (for a Lenovo OEM drive) and is a Renesas one, so GH61N should also be using a Renesas firmware. Unless Apple did something weird to the firmware (which is unlikely given that Flasher works with all the other LG Renesas based Apple OEM drives as far as I know) then Flasher should be able to dump this firmware...

If you do it correctly and Flasher still doesn't work, then maybe Flasher has a problem with the Renesas chipset used by these drive ... unfortunately I haven't got one of these drives to test it myself ...

I did exactly as you stated still failure. And if you look above this is what I tried yesterday almost exactly


/Users/xxxx/Desktop/flasher -d 1 -m main_firmware.bin
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: 1.
cmd_dumpmain: Starting dumping process
get_firminfo_drive: failed to find pattern
cmd_dumpmain: failed to get firmware info
xxxxx:~ xxxx$ /Users/xxxxxs/Desktop/flasher -d 1 -c core_firmware.bin
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: 1.
cmd_dumpcore: Starting dumping process
get_firminfo_drive: failed to find pattern
cmd_dumpcore: failed to get firmware info

I've just xxxx my personal info, but this is exactly what I tried and failed with yesterday 2 posts above. The only difference is I never tried the
(-d 1 -c core_firmware.bin) since the (-d 1 -m main_firmware.bin) failed. Thanks for trying. The person who I took the quote from from Dec 2010 above also had the same exact terminal results as me. That was one of the threads chef found doing the correct search for this drive. My initial search parameter was incorrect and that is why I got no results. I posted that info as well above.

I have a feeling I'm out of luck since it has been a year from that last person who had the same exact drive with the same exact terminal results unless devilsclaw has some sort of update as chef stated.

I currently don't know anything about this drive, cvs said that is it is a Renesas chipset and if it really is then that would mean my flasher should be able to dump it.

there are only two things that would cause it not to dump.
1) they changed the firmware header pattern or it has a new dump location
2) its not a Renesas chipset drive.

I did a quick search online and it seem there is no firmware for this drive that has been released for me to check for sure.

you could try ./flasher -d 1 -l dump.bin 5 00000000 00400000

it might say that it failed but will still write what it got so far and thats fine. then upload the file and post it here.

terminal results and partial dump I could get for you


/flasher -d 1 -l dump.bin 5 00000000 00400000
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: 1.
cmd_dumploc: Starting dumping process
firm_dumper: Failed to read from drive. Will write what we got so far
cmd_dumploc: Size of dump was smaller then asked still going to dump what we can
cmd_dumploc: Dump process finished

http://hotfile.com/dl/141907496/5e14397/dump.bin.html

Thanks and what that told me is that the source of 5 is not the correct location to dump your firmware. I will try and figure out some instructions that might allow us to figure out where your actual dump location on that drive is.

I think for once CVS was wrong I don't think its a Renesas chipset drive
try this and see if it dumps. if it does then upload it like before and I should be able to get a working firmware from it.
./flasher -d 1 -l firmware.bin 1 80000000 00200000

Your wish is my command. 2.1 mbs in size. Seems exactly what you wanted hopefully anyway

http://hotfile.com/dl/141917219/3f5eb76 ... e.bin.html

I was basing my assumption on these two GH60N and GH60L firmwares:

LG GH60N Firmware NY05

IBM/Lenovo OEM, Released: 10/11/2011

Change log:

This firmware adds the SATA Asynchronous Notification function for Windows 7 support.

More Details: http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?DocID=DS024266
Direct Download: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/thinkcentre_drivers/gh60n_ny05.exe


and:

LG GH60L Firmware RD05

HP OEM, DVD Writer Firmware Update, Released: 06 Dec 2011

More details: ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp55001-55500/sp55444.html
Direct Download: ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp55001-55500/sp55444.exe



It would be interesting if Apple has used a Panasonic chipset drive and rebranded it as GH61N ... as far as I'm aware that would be a first ...

The SATA Intergrators list suggests this is not the case:

CVS it seems you are right about it being Renesas the dump I just got points to being Renesas but now I need to hunt down why the flasher can't find the pattern, because I see the header patterns in the last dump.

Here is the core and main firmware from the dump you gave me above. I manually did it by hand.

It seems the header did change a bit, It seems the main firmware might want a 32bit checksum instead and there was some other data that was there which was unexpected. either that or its been a while since I messed with it and might need to look at some of the others I have done.

Anyway the firmwares should work.

Ok I grabbed this item above you supplied most graciously.
Let me confirm a few things as this is the first time I ever used flasher to change a drive's firmware. What you supplied above devilsclaw is the
core_firmware.bin and main_firmware.bin. Using these will I if successful get this drive to RPC1 regionfree? I can flash this on a intel Mac running 10.6.8, correct?

In the flasher dmg there is the flasher executable and a readme. Reading that for Mac flashing

AVAILABLE DRIVES AND IDs:
Drive ID: 1 Name: DVD-RW GH61N

flasher -d 1 -f main_firmware.bin
flasher -d 1 -f core_firmware.bin

So I would use those commandline formats above in the terminal to hopefully achieve success, correct? Should I place all items on my desktop in the same folder then usually I drop the flasher right onto the terminal to lead to it. Then paste : -d 1 -f main_firmware.bin + hit return, wait until completed. Once complete then flasher again dropped onto terminal and paste: d 1 -f core_firmware.bin + hit return, wait until completed. ( main first or core first or does it matter ? )

and then a restart of course.

If I'm incorrect in any of my assumptions of commandline jargon or placement of items and procedure might you correct my errors before I try anything listed above. Thank you very very much.

since the firmware supplied is the same as what is in your drive I would not suggest flashing the core. I would really never suggest flashing the core unless you really need to.

./flasher -d 1 -f main_firmware.bin

will flash your drive, but the firmware I supplied is not a RPC1 or a RPC2 reset patched firmware. Its just the firmware that is currently in your drive. You can use Ala's tool to patch it. which requires WINE or some form of windows environment.

P.S. the -c option is for dumping the core not flashing it. the -f will also flash the core.

MCSE will load the main_firmware.bin partially but unfortunately nothing will allow me to check the RPC1 checkbox. I used Parallels with XP Pro in trying to do this. Wine failed as well. There is something missing when loading as it doesn't completely load. I'll give you screenshots.

Here is the Pioneer that completely loaded and allowed me to change to RPC1



And now here is the main_firmware.bin semi loaded



Seems this firmware isn't supported either in the current MCSE 1.2.0.10 version as the 2 header sections of the MCSE have nothing in them to indicate it completely recognizes this firmware


( Thanks for that typo -c to -f correction, doh! )

Some unfortunately bad news. I thought I had bricked my drive. Ala42 supplied an RPC2 AutoResetpatched.bin firmware for me from devilclaws supplied firmware in this thread for my drive. So I flashed it using this commandline: flasher -d 1 -f main_firmware_RPC2AutoResetpatched.bin

Before I flashed this was terminal output:
Vendor Product Rev
HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GH61N PA03

Interconnect: ATAPI
SupportLevel: Apple Shipping
Cache: 2048k
CD-Write: -R, -RW, BUFE, CDText, Test, IndexPts, ISRC
DVD-Write: -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW, BUFE, Test
Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO


After I flashed and with multiple restarts this was terminal:
Vendor Product Rev
HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GH61N COR0

Interconnect: ATAPI
SupportLevel: Apple Shipping
Cache: 2048k
CD-Write: -R, -RW, BUFE, Test
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, BUFE, Test
Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO


But I used me brain and reflashed back to the original firmware. On restarts it still said the after result above but I unplugged and replugged in the drive and then on another restart I got it 100% back. After flashing it was dead initially. The drive tray wouldn't even open. I was bummed out but quick thinking saved the day. For now I think I'll just wait and see and leave this alone. It said flashed successfully trying to get to auto reset status but it was temporarily dead.

Devilsclaw what happened? Why did it say successful and on a restart it was dead not working at all?

COR0 means the drive is in failsafe mode (kernel mode) and requires proper reflashing.

I would not know, I did not give you the firmware that flashed that caused the temp failure of the main firmware and then your drive dropped back to fail safe mode and ran on the core firmware so that it could be recovered. I am guessing you used the firmware I provided from your dump to recover the drive.

If this is the case then that means I correctly, manually built the firmware from your dump. Which means something was up with the bin you flashed that bricked it.

I would have no clue on that Ala has been doing this for a long time and in most cases can hunt down where to patch quickly or via pattern matching.

The question I have though, you said multiple restarts, I did not see you mention anything about powering it down until something went wrong. I would guess that you need to power down the drive after you apply Ala's firmware to get it fully working, this would not be the first time that I have seen that needed. the drive has the core firmware there to allow recovery so it wont brick it permanently as you have already gotten to find out.

I used the correct commandline as you said in the PM. The terminal said flashing successful. I restarted. Tested terminal with drutil info got the after result above. Just to be safe I restarted he computer a few more times and the same terminal results after. I was shocked so I used your dumped and offered back to me firmware listed above to get the drive back. But it only came back after I unplugged its connections inside my computer and replugged it in. Then I restarted again and tested terminal and it was back to normal. It never ever seemed to be flashed to auto reset and as you told me yes I used the correct command and the terminal verified successful flashing was done I am clueless now.

Devilsclaw to get it back working to the before state I used both core_fimrware first, then the main_firmware you supplied then restarted, still the after terminal result. Then I shut down the computer unplugged the drive connections inside the machine, then replugged then in and restarted. Back to the before original state and then I stopped.

And chef I tried using the autoresetpatched firmware from ala42 3 times after you say it was in failsafe mode with 3 restarts after each succesful attempt stated in the terminal.

I uploaded the altered by ala42 firmware so you can take a look at it. I didn't want anyone to have the same results as me so I hesitated to reshare it. Here it is: http://hotfile.com/dl/142446974/1296f0b ... d.zip.html

I'm grateful for the help from everyone but something failed and I'm not sure what. Please no one who is helping me ever think I'm blaming anyone for these failures. You have done absolutely nothing wrong as your advice all has been good. Both ala42 and Devilsclaw how could I or would I ever say anything negative about either of you. I'm in cautious mode only right now


So you suggest what procedure if I dare try this again? Step me through any suggested procedure please

1) flasher -d 1 -f main_firmware_RPC2AutoResetpatched.bin
2) Power off the computer and make sure there is no power to the drive
3) Power on the system, Things should be fine.

If things goes wrong
1) flasher -d 1 -f main_firmware.bin
2) Power off the computer and make sure there is no power to the drive
3) Power on the system, Things should be fine.

if the if things go wrong then Ala most likely the only person with the answer as to why the patched firmware might cause this.

ok I will try. Well it seemed to work as I didn't get that safe mode anymore. The terminal says the exact same as before the flashing. The terminal said flashing successful before I restarted. With computer shutdown I unplugged then replugged the drive in and then restarted my computer and retested the terminal info.

DVDinfo gives me this info



I'm not sure if it worked or not. Should the top picture say RPC 2 auto reset?