UJDA 720 - First RPC-1 firmware RELEASED!!!!!!!

>NIL: · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 12:58 am

You've been whining for it, you've been arguing for it, people killed each other for it, and some even tried to raise money for it (tsssk! As if anyone that truly belongs to this forum would ever try to make ANY PROFIT from helping you guys), but here it is at last:

The Matshita UJDA 720 v1.03 RPC-1 firmware (Release Candidate 1 - IBM only!)

Don't worry, 710 and non IBM models will follow.

Officially supported with this firmware are models:
o TOSHIBA SD-R2002
o KME UJDA720

Those of you who thought the UJDA 710 and 720 could never be patched were obviously wrong. Remember what Police said in Synchronicity I: "nothing is invincible". That's the spirit!

Now, this is Release Candidate 1, so we need somebody to confirm that everything is in order before we can claim victory, but I'm pretty confident this should be a formality.
You will need to have an IBM UJDA 720 drive + a floppy drive to be able to do so.

Here's what someone would need to do:

1/ Install CDVDInfo & the ASPI32 layer from my site and check that CDVDInfo reports that the drive is RPC-2

2/ Download the patched IBM 720 RPC-1 firmware from my site:

http://www.rpc1.org/matshita/U720x103_IBM.zip

3/ Copy the files to a floppy, or a directory that you will be able to access in DOS mode

4/ Boot to DOS with a floppy or a bootable CD (opening a DOS window in Windows will NOT DO!!!)

5/ Go to the directory where you extracted the files and, run the command:

DRVLOADC /n xLDR_BM2.720

where n is:
- J for Primary Master,
- P for Primary Slave,
- M for secondary master,
- S for secondary slave
(eg: DRVLOADC /M xLDR_BM2.720)

6/ Wait for the flash to complete and reboot and run CDVDInfo again. Check that no region lock is reported

7/ If the Region Lock is gone, Install DVD Region Killer and try to play DVD's from various regions

Please report (with as many details as you can) the issues you might encounter here. A screenshot of CDVDInfo after flashing would be nice to confirm that it works...

[Updated instructions for DVRLOADC.EXE]

satria_wr · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 1:32 am

I try to use this in my laptop, with UJDA 720.
I have a bayswap, so i try to create the disk first. And after that i copy all the file to HDD. I boot my laptop via BOOT CD, but after i ran the exe file, nothing happen.

FYI, i'm using XP, with FAT32 file system.

Any help would be great!

Thanks.

orena19 · **Joined:** Tue Apr 02, 2002 2:09 pm **Posts:** 8

FANTASTIC news

this is really awesome, great work by you guys :wink:

dont have an ibm, and my udja is 710, so i'll help out when that becomes available

rhemsley · **Joined:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 7:08 am **Posts:** 2

Great News. Now when I get back to my UK collection of DVDs I'm sorted.

I have a Toshiba Satellite 5110 bought in Sydney, Australia. I think it has a UJDA 730 combo drive, though the online docs say it has a 720.

Does anyone else have this laptop to confirm, or how can I really confirm this on mine? :?:

Any help appreciated.

Rich

joebar · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 10:35 am

Great job >NIL: !!!

I am really impressed. I hope you people realize what a b_i_t_c_h this thing was.

>NIL: · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 10:40 am

satria_wr wrote:

I try to use this in my laptop, with UJDA 720.
I have a bayswap, so i try to create the disk first. And after that i copy all the file to HDD. I boot my laptop via BOOT CD, but after i ran the exe file, nothing happen.

You need to run the exe you D/L from IBM in XP.
This will create the bootdisk
Then you will need to replace the file from the bootdisk with the one you downloaded from my site, and boot from FLOPPY not CD!!!!

C'mon... Anyone with this drive and a floppy drive on an IBM machine willing to test?
The problem above don't come from the patch, and I'd like to get a confirmation that it works before going patching the rest...

satria_wr · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 10:53 am

I don't have floppy disk drive,....
Darn,...

TheShadowRunner · **Joined:** Sun Nov 11, 2001 6:48 am **Posts:** 144

I'm amazed !!! So long!!
But I can't test, I have a Matshita UJDA 710 firmware 1.50 on Toshiba laptop.
Later,

TSR

.tex · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2001 2:47 pm **Posts:** 38

That's good news! Thank's a lot for patching the bloody drive.

Unfortunately, I cant test neither (UJDA 710 fw 1.50 on Sony FX405 laptop).

But I look forward to the next patches...

Regards

.tex

onkeldave · **Joined:** Thu Jan 17, 2002 5:24 pm **Posts:** 4

OK - I tried to patch my UJDA-720 in my IBM Thinkpad T23. Downloaded and created the IBM diskette, replaced the firmware file.

Rebooted on my external floppy drive and FW.EXE launched. I was already at firmware 1.03 RPC-2, so the program told me, that I didn't have to update my firmware ! I couldn't even overule it, so I went to a DOS-prompt instead.

Launched LDR_BM2.EXE manualy, with the same result. "You're already at firmware 1.03, no upgrade needed".

So now, we have a possible working RPC-1 firmware, but no way to patch.

Arzeno · **Joined:** Sat Aug 25, 2001 1:41 pm **Posts:** 600

Try to use the flash utility DRVLOADC.EXE included in this file
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/noteboo ... 00_710.zip

>NIL: · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:09 pm

I knew there had to be a hickup somwhere, but patching the IMB flasher was eventually part of the process...

I'll take care of this tonight. Stay tuned.

onkeldave · **Joined:** Thu Jan 17, 2002 5:24 pm **Posts:** 4

Thanks it works. My UJDA-720 is now region free according to Drive Region Info 2.1

I used the DRVLOADC.EXE from:
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/noteboo ... 00_710.zip

Uli · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 5:46 pm

That's absolutely great news!

I thought, i had to get medical advice for me getting mad about this '710 MatSHITa-Drive.

>NIL: · **Posted:** Thu Oct 31, 2002 11:12 pm

onkeldave wrote:

Thanks it works. My UJDA-720 is now region free according to Drive Region Info 2.1

I used the DRVLOADC.EXE from:
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/TravelMate_61x/Bios/100_710.zip

Hehe, excellent news!!

Could I have my CDVDInfo screenshot please? And did the playout of DVD's from different regions work alright? Did you have any trouble using DVRLOADC.EXE?

It's better use DRVLOADC.EXE than the IBM stuff actually. I had a look at the IBM bootdisk, and I just realized that they were using 3 different exe for the flash.

FW.exe will detect the drive and call either of LDR_BM2.exe (KME UJDA720) or IN1230.EXE (TOSHIBA SD-R2002)
The FW.exe will cehck the current model ID & revision and only launch the relevant upgrade if it pleases it.

In short, this is a pain in the ass, and I'd rather be patching the UJDA 710 to RPC-1 than the IBM exes. So I updated my firmware to include the ACER flasher...

FYI, here's the IBM flashdisk readme:

Quote:

ThinkPad DVD/CD-RW Firmware Update Utility
=============================================

This utility will examine your system configuration and detect all
DVD/CD-RW drives installed. It will then check the firmware revision
of the drive and judge whether your system requires a firmware update
or not. If required, it will prompt you to run the appropriate firmware
update program for your drive.

Important Notice :

- This bootable diskette is made to automatically start the Firmware
Update Utility (FW.EXE).

- Drives that have been detected will be listed in the upper area of
the Main Menu. If a drive that requires an update is detected, it
will be shown with a blinking mark on the left.

- The diskette contains several executable files other than FW.EXE.
DO NOT RUN THESE PROGRAMS. Running these programs other than
FW.EXE could ruin your DVD/CD-RW drive.

- In some configuration a drive installed in a Docking Station may
not be detected. If, after running the utility, you find that the
DVD/CD-RW installed in your docking station is not being detected,
remove the drive and install it in your ThinkPad notebook via the
UltraBay or UltraslimBay, and re-run the program. If the DVD/CD-RW
drive cannot be installed into your ThinkPad notebook, please
call your local Help Center.

- In Windows XP, after updating the firmware,
boot the machine and shut it down again.
This is necessary the first time for the registry changes are recognition.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Next pages show Supported Model & F/W Level

Model Firmware

[ TOSHIBA ]
SD-R2002 1230

[ KME ]
UJDA720 1.03

Return to main menu to continue with the update process

There's an interesting note about XP's registery actually, which might explain why so many people experience pbms after upgrading their drives (often blaming RPC-1 for that).
When I tell you loosedows is an ass when it comes to hardware...

Now, to all you people asking for the UJDA 710 RPC-1 firmware, I'm afraid I won't have the time to do it tonight, but you should get it over the week-end...

djonsson · **Joined:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 12:30 am **Posts:** 2

I have a Fujitsu laptop with Matshita 720, I wan't to know if I can use the new firmware or if I have to wait for a different one?

satria_wr · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 9:18 am

It's IBM only.

a BIG n3wB · **Joined:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 10:01 am **Posts:** 2

I also have IBM T30 with UJDA 720 (firmware V.1.03) and i
have followed this link ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/noteboo ... 00_710.zip to d/l the patch ..

After patching and rebootin, I have found out my UJDA 720 has been turned into a UJDA 710 with firmware v1.0.

I 've tried the other patches u have posted , NIL , but it is still a UJDA 710 with region protection.

Please help........

>NIL: · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 11:32 am

Well, my friend, as your name tells your a big newbie...

The RPC-1 patch is NOT ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/TravelMate_61x/Bios/100_710.zip
This is an actual RPC-2 firmware for ACER UJDA 710 drives!!!!

As written at the beginning of this thread, THE FILE TO DOWNLOAD FOR THE RPC-1 PATCH IS:

http://firmware-flash.com/matshita/U720x103_IBM.zip

And I only ever published one and only one patch for the UJDA 720 which is the link above. Now if instead of jumping on the first link you see and confusing people you would actually read the full content of the post...

satria_wr · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 12:29 pm

When will 710 released??
Lot's of people need that to defeat the darn region protection on 710 drive.
Thanks.

zaphodnl · **Joined:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 3:12 pm **Posts:** 4

Finally succeeded. Parameters to DRVLOADC are wrong, should be:
DRVLOADC [/J|/P|/M|/S] [file name]

Option:
/J : Primary Master
/P : Primary Slave
/M : Secondary Master
/S : Secondary Slave

In my case, booted up with the IBM diskette, exited from the FW application, then switched diskettes to a diskette with DRVLOADC and xLDR_BM2.720, and entered the command
DRVLOADC /M xLDR_BM2.720
Apparently the two-letter combinations for the parameters are not accepted. There is also a /U parameter which is undocumented

HPGJG · **Joined:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 4:03 pm **Posts:** 2

I have a Dell Inspiron 4150 with the UJDA740 (with 1.00 firmware), it would be just great if someone would fix this drive :wink:

>NIL: · **Posted:** Fri Nov 01, 2002 7:46 pm

zaphodnl wrote:

Finally succeeded. Parameters to DRVLOADC are wrong

Oops, sorry. I don't have an UJDA drive

I will correct that shortly.

And the ACER UJDA 710 RPC-1 patch will definitely be published this week-end...

satria_wr · **Posted:** Sat Nov 02, 2002 1:10 am

Is Acer UJDA 710 RPC1 can be use in any UJDA 710??

>NIL: · **Posted:** Sat Nov 02, 2002 4:47 pm

Don't know. You have to tell me.

For the 710 RPC-1 firmware, have a look here

The Firmware Page

UJDA 720 - First RPC-1 firmware RELEASED!!!!!!!

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