The Firmware Page

I've spent the last few days working hard on a Mac Executable to simplify installing Pioneer firmware. It's quite inteligent in verifying that you have the appropriate firmware for your particular drive. It now even recognizes the difference between 107D and 107XL drives! There's little danger of installing the wrong firmware with this script.

If you have multiple versions of firmware & kernels in the same folder, the script will present a menu allowing you to select between them! You can also have different variants of the same version in the same folder! To do so, change the first letter of the firmware name (NOT THE KERNEL!) to indicate who wrote the patch. G=Gradius and N=>NIL:

All of this is optional though. All you really need to do to use the program is download the kit and put your Firmware file(s) in the kit's folder. Then Double-Click the FlashIt file and you're on your way.

Please! If you try this, post your success or falure. If you know what the command-line should look like, when the DVRFlash Disclaimer appears, you can scroll up a bit to see the command as it was sent...

I've included XVI's port of Agent Smith's DVRFlash utility in the kit to simplify the process. All you need to do to complete the kit is add your Firmware file(s).

It will be available on my Dot.Mac site until it's offically posted on RPC1.ORG (When it's debugged if neccessary). To try the Kit, download it from here: FlashIt_Kit.

Update: I have updated the kit to version 1.1. A bit of cleanup and it now recognizes XL drives!

You know... I was thinking after I posted this... This script, even though it may not be perfect yet, isn't that dangerous.

At this point, if you only place firmware files in the folder that belong to your drive, the script couldn't possibly install them wrong. It might [*Profanity*] up and not install them, but that's the worse that could happen.

The design of the script should allow every Pioneer firmware in existance to be put in the same folder and the script would only choose those that belong to your specific drive. But you don't need that feature! You just want it easy to flash your drive!

Go for it! I assure you, FlashIt will just make it easy...

Will your script work with a Pioneer DVR107D with refA707 from Apple ?
Thanks, Jo

Yes.

It won't undo though, and it can't extract the original firmware from Apple's installer... It's likely that you could pull the firmware with a little OS X knowledge from Apple's installer package and use it with the script...

EDIT: Actually... I just looked. You're going to have a heck of a time trying to extract the firmware out of Apple's intstaller applications. They're stored within the code of the installer...

But do I have to extract the Apple firmware to complete the operation ? I think I don't but the programmer of genius is you.

Thanks again for your work.

Will try it to morrow, I think.
Jo

If you are asking whether DVRFlash will flash an OEM DVR-107D that has A707 firmware, then yes, it will. If you are asking if you can flash a drive with the A707 firmware, then yes, you can if you can get the A707 firmware files somewhere.

And No. You do not need to extract the A707 files. If you are using Panther (10.3.4), your Mac will have no problems with any firmware from version 1.13 to present. They will all appear as Apple Supported/Installed.

Do NOT flash a Mac 107D drive with any firmware prior to 1.13!

Still Desperate

I've tried the kit and I'm still getting the same problem. As you suggested I shutdown the computer before running the script. If I do not force to kernel mode I get "Could not set Kernel mode". If I do force it I get "Could not open device PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D".

The pioneer site has different procedure for updating the firmware could that work? FYI I tried both the 1.07 and the 1.08 files and they both give the same results.

__________

CEZ

I have the same problem with my DVR-107D since I updated it to 1.16. I understand this is a problem with DVRFlash that XVI's is aware of. It is supposed to be corrected in the, soon to be released, v2.0.



You're welcome to try! Let us know your results if you do.

EDIT: Corrected name above... Gave credit to >NIL: for some crazy reason!

Huh? Am I?
Just to make things clear, I'm not involved with the Mac version of DVRFlash at all. It's really all xvi's hard work there (and I think he is aware of the problem you mentionned).
People seem to be giving me a little too much credit these days...
Please allow me to step back then and leave Mac issues with Mac experts.

My mistake! I meant xvi...

I finally found a copy of the DVRFlash that works reliably on my Mac (no hang on Kernel Mode) running 10.3.4. It's now included as part of the FlashIt Kit.

You may wonder what the difference is between my "FlashIt" script and XVI's (I think?) "Mac Update" script? The answer is simple.

To use the "Mac Update" script with a different firmware or drive, you have to manually edit it to identify what and where you want to install.

"FlashIt" was writen to automatically scan for the drive you have and proceed to list only the scripts present that are appropriate for your drive. Theoretically, you could place every version of every firmware for every variant of Pioneer DVR Drive, and FlashIt will only let you install those that will work. You simply cannot install the wrong firmware into your Pioneer DVR using FlashIt. If the firmware added to the folder is appropriate for the drive, FlashIt will tell you what you're about to install, and ask for confirmation. If you answer "Yes", it then builds the correct command for DVRFlash and executes the script. You don't have to figure anything out anymore!

Please let me know of your success and failures! Note: Failure simply means you didn't get your drive flashed. With the FlashIt Kit, you won't destroy your new DVR-107XL, because you just can't install DVR-107D firmware in it (or visa-verse).

I'm not ready to try any new flashs on my new Pioneer 107D, but am hoping a hacked 1.18 is in the works, and then I'm going to use your installer and report back then. I'm sure by then there will be lots of feedback as this is a GREAT thing you have done, something sorely missing for a long time. I'm also glad you gave "FlashIt Kit" a version number so we can track it's progress.

Keep up the good work, I was a little weary of doing the one from the French site, it worked fine doing the simple Pioneer "official" 1.18 update, but I think your on to something BIG.

Las Vegas,

I tried the v.1.1 of your kit, and as you mentioned no hangs on kernel mode, but I still have the "Could not open device PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D A6" message. It seems that Xvi might know the solution, and ver 2 of DVRFlash will fix the problem. I have my finger crossed for a soon release.

Yet, if anyone else has any other suggestions I have no problem being the guinea pig.

I took a look at the pioneer package for firmware update and it comes in an independent application, so I guess that is out of the question as a solution.

I want to thank all of you that have been working hard to fix this manufacturing idiosyncrasies

__________

Ces

I have absolutely no experience in flashing drives of any description, or in using the command line.

I just flashed my Pioneer 106D drive using FlashIt and Gradius' firmware 1.08 RPC-1. Flashed fine without using force kernel.

Backed up one DVD since flashing using xvi's Region X to change to region 4. It ripped very quickly and burnt fine at 4x.

Thanks very much to everyone involved, it's fantastic that there are people writing quality code like this for the Mac.

If for some unforseen reason I want to change back to the official Pioneer firmware, can I just download the 1.08 firmware from their website and use FlashIt? Do I need to downgrade the kernel as well?

Thanks again.

Did you try without and with the Set Kernel Mode option?



The kernel, as far as I've been able to determine, isn't patched. The same kernel would be used for both the official and the patched version.

If you do download another version, just add the firmware files to your kit. If you download the official version, that is the same as a patched version, change the first letter in the name of the patched version to "G" (Representing Gradius' Version. Use "N" for >NIL:'s.) prior to adding the Official firmware to the folder. If FlashIt see's more than one set of firmwares in its folder, it will present a menu offering you the choice.

Thanks guys for testing! It looks like the script works fine on other Macs then my own!

Las Vegas,

I had tried both options before, that is forcing the drive to kernel mode and not, but it didn't work. I just tried it again and... I'm the proud owner of an RPC-1 player!:lol: I do not know why it did not work the first couple of times, the only thing different this time was that I had no start-up applications.

Thanks for your patience and two thumbs up for FlashIt.

_________
Ces

FlashIt has been updated again to support older firmware that left the hyphen out of "DVD-RW." It is now at version 1.1.1 (Thanks Edualc!).

@LasVegas

Hello,

Yesterday I downloaded Flashit from a link in your topic and added 2 upgrade files (R7100007.116 and R7100107.118) to the FlashIt_Kit folder.

I downloaded the 2 files from a french firmware site. They were originally in a folder containing an other installer script, a DVRFlash file and the 2 files.

I used only the files of the folder because I was mainly interested in the promised higher ripp speed, up to 12x.
See the info below that I copied from the french site:

"3 - Firmware non-officiel 1.16, d

and

Doesn't THAT look strange to you???
FYI, there is no patched version of the 1.18 so if you have 1.18 you are running the official restricted version.

@>NIL:

Hello,

Thanks for your respons, indeed it looked strange to me. I was confused about the fact that after downloading the "1.6" modified firmware I found 2 files in the firmware folder (R7100007.116 and R7100107.118).

My guess is that the firmware folder contained both the non-restricted firmware (R7100007.116) and the restricted version (R7100107.118). But because there was also a download button on the download page for the restricted 1.18 firmware I am not sure about it.

Perhaps you can give me some advice, should I run the FlashIt script again, with only the R7100007.116 file, to downgrade to the non-restricted firmware 1.16 ?

If not, can you give me some advice what to do to get a non-restricted firmware 1.16 ?

Thanks, regards Wim.

Not really, R7100007.116 is the kernelfile (64k size) and R7100107.118 is the official 1.18 firmware file (1mb size).

You need the kernelfile only for transforming a drive from OEM>RETAIL or ressurect a drive from the failsafe mode back to normal.

As chef said, the ...007.116 is the kernel part of the firmware.
Pioneer DVR frimwares come in 2 parts (but you don't need to flash them both unless you need to convert your drive).

My advice: Pick up the 1.16 firmware from my site (follow the sig) and flash the normal part only (the ....107.116) since your drive has already been converted to a true Pioneer.

@ [_chef_]

Thanks for you explanation about the function of the files.

I downloaded the non-restricted firmware upgrader version 1.6 for a second time from the french site.

Confused again, now the firmware folder contained two files with the right names: R7100007.116
R7100107.116. Did I made a mistake the first time ? I don't know but I sure have now the right version.

As you explaned I only needed the R7100107.116 upgrade file because I already run the R7100007.116 kernel file.

After running FlashIt with only the R7100107.116 upgrade file, and a computer restart, I now have version 1.16 as stated by System Profiler.
I didn't test it yet but I am confidend that it is OK.

Thanks for your support, regards Wim.

UPGRADE,
Thanks to all of you for your help.

By this then, I'm assured that FlashIt handled the lack of a kernel file properly! TYVM!

Originally, I had a screen offering the user the option to choose wether or not to install the kernel file. I ended up concluding that most user's wouldn't understand when they should or should not install the kernel file. If they didn't install it when it was needed, I expect they would have a problem. So, instead, FlashIt was writen to "allow" installing without the kernel (If it just wasn't there), but automatically install it if present.

What do you think? Should I give the user a choice?

Also, should I remove the "Force Kernel Mode?" It seems to cause more problems than it solves...