Sebastian Mares
Mar 25 2006, 11:02
Hello!
I noticed that NEC recently released a new firmware version for my NEC ND-4551A and wanted to know if I really have to follow the upgrade instructions described in the readme:
QUOTE
Pls note following instructions for update procedure:
Connect drive to secondary IDE channel as Master
Disconnect all slave hardware from IDE secondary Master
Use standard UDMA-2 IDE cable
Update in Windows "Safe Mode"
Under Windows 2000 & XP login as administrator
Update without DMA mode, under Windows XP & 2000 in the device manager - "IDE ATA/ ATAPI controllers", you can switch from DMA to PIO mode
Disconnect all external USB/ FireWire devices.
Deactivate virusscanners, active desktop programs and packetwriting agents
Do not turn off power during the updating process.
It would be too much hassle to disconnect my Plextor device that is now set as slave on the secondary IDE channel just to put it back after updating. Did anyone upgrade the firmware of their NEC device with a slave attached? Also, did it work for you in DMA mode?
Regards,
Sebastian
while I didn't update any NEC drives ever, I did LG, Plextor and Pioneer drives (CD and DVD, burners and readers).
they where always connected as master, sometimes with another slave drive on the same cable.
no safe mode, disconnects or other tricks where ever necessary to make it all work out fine (well, antivirus was disabled though). so my guess is that this is also not needed with a NEC... I don't think that their firmwares and flashers are so much different. but sorry, I can't tell you for sure...
Sebastian Mares
Mar 25 2006, 11:27
I know that LG also have some weird recommendations, but JeanLuc (was it you at all?
) told me that the new Windows flashers should work regardless of the IDE channel.
john33
Mar 25 2006, 11:39
I have both an NEC drive and an LG drive, both connected as IDE masters, the NEC with a slave DVD-ROM drive. All are specified as UDMA. Both the DVD-RWs have been reflashed with Windows flashers 'as is' without any problems at all.
Sebastian Mares
Mar 25 2006, 13:08
OK, I just updated from 1.07 to 1.08 flawlessly without having to disconnect my Plextor or set the burner to PIO mode.
Fandango
Mar 25 2006, 13:47
I have a NEC ND-3500A and so far flashing was always successful and I never booted to safe mode, set PIO mode or re-connected the drive according to the readme.
I think those precautions only apply to some buggy mainboards (=I'm thinking of half a dozen out of hundreds of models) or sloppy horror-show windows installations with weird/malicious software installed that interferes with the cdrom subsystem.
That is definitely not necessary. It's just a protection on their side, if you screw it up and you were not following those slightly ridiculous instructions, then they can just point to that.
cartman
Mar 25 2006, 18:32
Check out NEC forum @
http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=86 . And use binflash to flash your firmware. Works fine here using Linux.
Societal Eclipse
Mar 26 2006, 00:23
I've flashed both of my NEC drives without doing any of that. They were on the same IDE cable the whole time and I had no problems. In fact I don't even recall instructions like that when I did. However I got the firmware upgrade from the Dell site so maybe that's why.
BTW, can you set the booktype of DVD+R to DVD-ROM now? I think that wasn't possible in the past.
Fandango
Mar 27 2006, 08:43
I think yes, but I guess you'll need a "hacked" firmware... better check the cdfreaks forum. Follow the link cartman provided.
john33
Mar 27 2006, 08:46
QUOTE(CiTay @ Mar 27 2006, 01:34 PM)
BTW, can you set the booktype of DVD+R to DVD-ROM now? I think that wasn't possible in the past.
Yes, you can. I have mine bitsetting +RWs to DVD-ROM which allows the disc to play in a Sony player that would otherwise not recognise it.
Fandango
Mar 27 2006, 09:30
Well, I got the official firmware 2.1A for my ND-3500A and I can only change the booktype for DVD+R DL, but not for DVD+R or DVD+RW.
It may depend on the model. Do you have a NEC ND-4551A, john33?
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