[qanda]This thread is about the Mad Dog Multimedia Megastor MD-16XDVD9. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]I have a Mad Dog Multimedia Megastor drive with MD00 firmware. It has the infamous “Lead-In Writing” problem. I’d like to re-flash it with the KC03 firmware I got from the Samsung Korea site, but the TSDNWIN program says “Not compatible with this drive” (of course). Anyone know of a hacked version?
Thanks,
Keith
Hi and Welcome!
are you sure, your drive is a recycled TSST TS-H652D (or M)? There is a tiny sticker about that on the back of the drive then.
If so, then you may have a look into my signature 
Michael
Hi,
Yes, I’m sure. The drive model is “MAD DOG TF-DVDRW TSH652D”, the version is “MD00” and the OEM code is “MD”. Because of this, the Toshiba and Samsung flash utilities [U]would not[/U] work. I tried hacking the Samsung Korea “KC03” firmware with a Hex Editor to say “MAD DOG” (etc) in the right places, but it did nothing, and now the drive is hosed – but I can still flash it. What I really need is the real MDMM flash utility and firmware. The company is out of business and the MDMM.COM web site is unresponsive. Does anyone have what I need???
(…and your signature?)
Cheerio - Keith
[QUOTE=n0ty;2291904]Hi,
Yes, I’m sure. The drive model is “MAD DOG TF-DVDRW TSH652D”,[/quote]Okay then. Manually editing a firmware file is not a good idea, since there are a couple of checksums which don’t fit after such a “hack attempt”. Let’s hope you haven’t permanently damaged your drive with that.
Does anyone have what I need???
(…and your signature?)
It has anything you need. Start with the firmware chapter of the Samsung Mini-FAQ
Michael
Well, I couldn’t wait for someone to come up with the Mad Dog utilities… I found the latest TSST version of the firmware on the web. It took some trial and error to figure out how to hack it without blitzing the drive, but I figured it out.
The original Samsung version of the firmware I used is “200707101658479301_TS-H652D_KC03.bin”.
I made a copy as “TS-H652D_KC03_Hacked.bin”, and used used a hex editor on the “TSSTcorp” string at the very end of the file.
I used “Nero InfoTool” to determine the exact device string the drive reported, writing down exactly.
I changed the strings to the following:
[ul]
[li]The ID string “TSSTcorpCD/DVDW TS-H652D” became “MAD DOG TF-DVDRW TS-H652D”.
[/li][li]The Version string “KC03” became “MD00”.
[/li][li]The OEM code string “KC” below it became “MD”.
[/li][/ul]
I then ran the Samsung “sfdnwin.exe” flash utility and loaded the new firmware file. It flashed and automatically re-booted the system. Everything was great after that. The drive doesn’t have the infamous “Lead-In” writing problem any more, can read any other disk, and reads and writes a little faster!
Reporting from the Midwest…
Keith
Systems Analyst/Programmer
Hehe 
using Samsung’s official flash tool sfdnwin (or tsdnwin) with the -NOCHECK command line parameter would have been the faster (and safer) method 
Michael
Hi,
I’m just starting to rip my cd collection and I’ve got the same drive and firmware as you had. I’m not a computer guru so I can’t hack the firmware like you did. Would it be possible for you to send me a copy of the already hacked firmware? And a few words of how to install it would be appreciated too.
I’ll send you a PM just in case you don’t check this site very often–but it is the same request.
TIA, George
[RIGHT][QUOTE=n0ty;2292287]Well, I couldn’t wait for someone to come up with the Mad Dog utilities… I found the latest TSST version of the firmware on the web. It took some trial and error to figure out how to hack it without blitzing the drive, but I figured it out.[/RIGHT]
The original Samsung version of the firmware I used is “200707101658479301_TS-H652D_KC03.bin”.
I made a copy as “TS-H652D_KC03_Hacked.bin”, and used used a hex editor on the “TSSTcorp” string at the very end of the file.
I used “Nero InfoTool” to determine the exact device string the drive reported, writing down exactly.
I changed the strings to the following:
[ul]
[li]The ID string “TSSTcorpCD/DVDW TS-H652D” became “MAD DOG TF-DVDRW TS-H652D”.[/li][li]The Version string “KC03” became “MD00”.[/li][li]The OEM code string “KC” below it became “MD”.[/li][/ul]
I then ran the Samsung “sfdnwin.exe” flash utility and loaded the new firmware file. It flashed and automatically re-booted the system. Everything was great after that. The drive doesn’t have the infamous “Lead-In” writing problem any more, can read any other disk, and reads and writes a little faster!
Reporting from the Midwest…
Keith
Systems Analyst/Programmer[/QUOTE]
This is just a follow up in case anyone finds/needs this thread.
I followed mciahel’s instructions re updating Samsung firmware. It didnt work on a current Thinkpad running Vista Bus. I am a true novice at ths stuff and so the learning curve had a few drop offs. I probably should have closed everythng down and rebooted–trying from scratch. I didn’t.
Instead, I connected the Mad Dog to an old PIII running XPpro, downloaded the files and BINGOand it flashed the first time using the -NOCHECK option.
George
Hi,
one thing comes into my mind: Samsung has replaced sfdnwin by tsdnwin as flash tool. Perhaps Vista compatibility was one reason for that switch. And of course, tsdnwin supports the -nocheck parameter also
Michael
Hi Michael, I’ll bet you’ve hit on it. With the Vista machine I was trying to use sfdnwin and on the old XP I used tsdnwin both with -NOCHECK. The problem on the Vista machine was it never gave me a chance to switch to the USB Mad Dog–just immediately said the software was not for my machine and it was seeing the internal DVD.
George
I adjusted the FAQ accordingly.
Thanks for your input 
Michael