Firmware

[bounce]

Seen people talking about updating it - what is it? Why would I need to update it? Where do I get the updates?

If my burner works pretty well without it, why would I update it?

Sorry for the potentially dumb questions.

[Chewy]

Firmware's like the brains of a dvd burner, it tells it how to burn different media. When a drive is first released, there may be enhancements developed
to improve burning certain media and later on when new media is released the firmware updates add support for it. You may be buying brand X blanks and everything works great, then Brand X decides to go with a new company to make it's disks, old firmware won't do the new disks.

[utengineer04]

You can check to see if your burner has a new firmware and be able to flash it here.

[steveareno1955]

Or if you want a easier method and have dvddycrypter or imgburn istalled. Just start either one and right click on your burner and it will tell you what firmware you have and then will send you to the web site with your burner already picked out.

[bounce]

I just checked my burner, and it said current firmware is YS0F - but there's not even one listed on this page.

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_result.php?kaj=1&isces=LITE-ON+SHW-1635S

How would I update that firmware?

Also, would a ati2dvag error have anything to do with firmware of a burner, or is that a completely different monster? I only get that notice when I'm running shrink, with the burner plugged in (it's a laptop with an external burner, usb connected.)

[smkymntgrl]

I found out that updating firmware was needed for my burner to recognize newer blanks, for example it didn't want to read the Verbatim 16x but would read 8x. After firmware update the problem was solved. My external is a LITE-ON SHW-1635S and had to be updated.

[Chewy]

Also, would a ati2dvag error have anything to do with firmware of a burner

usually a bad video driver or conflict, try temp solution of turning off preview
in shrink

How would I update that firmware?

I usually flash in safe mode, you will have to see if your computer sees the drive, probably not
make sure the drive is empty and shut down extra programs(antivirus etc)

latest for your drive is here

http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/English/e_downloads/e_firmware_dvd%20rw.asp?Flag=1&Item=DR16YS0X&Model=SHW-1635SX

download, extract and just click on the file

[bounce]

Maybe a ridiculous question, but I've never done anything with firmware. What do you mean by flashing it? Do i just download from the link you gave me, reboot in safe mode, and install what i downloaded to my drive?

[geno888]

"Flashing" a firmware it's writing a new firmware on the burner's eeprom. I'm not an expert in these things, but eeprom are electronic components that can be overwritten many times, and this writing is called "flashing". For this reason update a firmware is called "flashing".

Usually firmwares come with a windows executable. You only need to double click on .exe file, and it will update your firmware.

Be careful to select the correct drive: if you flash (for example) a liteon with a LG firmware, you'll have a serious problem: it will be very difficult to recover the drive.

If you are in doubt, the safest way is to open computer and disconnect all drives but the one you are updating (really is not necessary, but it will avoid for sure a wrong flash).

I hope that it's enough clear; sometimes my english is really confused