GWA-4164b Firmware/Media Compatibility

espiga 2006-04-30 19:22:32 UTC #1

Hello, guys!

When i bought my DVD burner i didnt care about the model, because i heard that LG was a good choice considering the price. But unfortunately that was not true, and i got one GWA-4164 :-(....

So, it came with the 1.00 firmware version and i burned a lot of Wisetech (TYG02) medias with good results. But everything was screwed since i decided to update to the 1.I0 version of the firmware (from HP). Since this update, almost all of the burned medias have some visible "rings" on the recorded area (usualy 2 of them: one near the center and other near the boundary). Usualy when i got these "rings" the burn quality is so bad that i cant read all the data back on the same recorder drive.
First of all i tried to change the media, and got some Arita (RITEKG05). The rings are still there. So, i tried the following firmwares:

-> GWA-4164b 1.I0
-> GWA-4164b 1.05
-> GSA-4166b 1.00
-> GSA-4166b 1.02

All of them i still get that rings on the most of the medias that i burn. And the most incredibly: with the 1.05 firmware the recorder only burns the RITEKG50 on 2x speed ( i didnt try to burn at this speed, this is ridiculus)...

Anybody knows what can be causing that visible rings?

I think i have 2 ways to fix it:

1) Get the 1.00 original firmware (wich is impossible)

2) Put the recorder on the trash

Im seriously thinking about the second one!

Thanks!!

pejakm 2006-05-01 01:07:11 UTC #2

You should be able to restore your original firmware. I don't think it's impossible.

Put the recorder on the trash

Let this be your last resort.

Regarding those rings, try to search this forum, you could find some useful information.

karangguni 2006-05-01 02:08:39 UTC #3

GWA models are OEM LG writers. They are really not the same as standard retail ones (GSA). OEM models are custom made by LG for various computer manufacturers who intend to bundle them with their systems. LG does not provide firmware support for them (which is why you cannot find updates for your model on LG's webpages) but expects the computer manufacturer it made the drives for to do so. The features are not the same, usually DVD-RAM support is missing. These models should not be on sale as bare units.

It is also hard to judge LG writers based on OEM models.

I can understand your frustration though. This is a rather strange policy only practiced by LG. In your position, this kind of performance would drive me away from a brand of writers for good.

I don't know about Wisetech discs, but RITEKG05 is really not good quality media. There are loads of complaints about quality control problems with these discs. Worse yet, Arita is apparently B or C grade Ritek discs. See if you can get hold of some Verbatim discs (8x or 16x DVD+/-R) and try with those.

Also, how do you know that the burn quality of those discs with rings is bad? Do you have another drive that performs quality scans? I am asking because I have other discs burned with certain writers which show such rings, but quality scans show that burn quality is fine.

espiga 2006-05-01 08:42:21 UTC #4

Yeah, i would completely understand if the LG logo was NOT printed on the front of the recorder. But this is not the case, there is a huge LG logo printed on the face of the recorder. This kind of policy makes me HATE LG...

No, i do not have another drive that can run quality tests. I said that because on some disks with the rings, i simply i CAN NOT read all the data of the disk back on the same 4164b drive... The read errors occurs always near the "ringed" areas. Simplifying, the data is LOST...

How would i get the 1.00 firmware if there is no program to dump the firmware of LG writers?

Thanks for the help!

pejakm 2006-05-01 09:51:44 UTC #5

O yeah, I forgot. Maybe you could try to ask for a help on the LG site: maybe they will give you the original firmware. I know it sounds crazy, but nothing costs to ask. Alternative is to wait for a new 4164 firmware...

karangguni 2006-05-01 12:53:31 UTC #6

He can't. GWA is an OEM model. LG does not provide firmware support for OEM models.

karangguni 2006-05-01 13:16:46 UTC #7

I can't say I blame you. Bear in mind though that nobody has figured out yet how those OEM models end up on sale on the market. It is either LG releasing it or computer manufacturers selling their surplus stock of drives left after systems are assembled (which they should not do because they know the drives will have no firmware support).

Either way it sucks because you the consumer suffer. It's a darn shame. I only wish you could have asked around here before getting it.

Alright, it is clear enough that the burns are obviously bad.

I don't think you can. I have only been able to find 1.05 for the GWA-4164B (not from TDB). In any case, you already cross flashed the drive to a 4166B so I am betting that the GWA-4164B firmware will refuse to flash your drive, claiming it is the wrong model.

There is one thing you can try though : here is a link for firmware 1.01 for the GSA-4166B. It is slightly different from normal GSA-4166B firmware because this did not come from LG. Try it and see if it fixes things :

http://italianjob.ifrance.com/

If 1.01 doesn't work, you can try 1.00 (also not from LG), but don't bother with 1.02 as that is the same as LG's 1.02 firmware and probably identical to what you already tried.

Try booting into safe mode first before flashing (i.e. flash in safe mode). There have been a few cases of people who had some driver or other that messed up the flashing process in a subtle way. Their symptoms were like yours - awful burns no matter what discs were used. For these people, flashing in safe mode bypassed the drivers and it returned their drives to proper working condition. I don't know if it will work but I think it is worth a try.

If that doesn't work, try the drive on another system, just to make sure some background driver isn't buggering up things during burning.

And if you still can't get decent burns out of that thing, bin the thing and get a Pioneer (110/A10/111/A11) or a BenQ DW (1640/1650/1655).

espiga 2006-05-01 16:01:00 UTC #8

I will not have this problem, cuz im using the HBLoader that do not check the model. I have the .BIN files of all that firmwares related on my 1st post.

Yeah, i already tried it... But no sucess.
By the way, i tried to flash the GSA-4164B, but the rings are still there!!

OK, maybe i should try it... But im thinking if this recorder deserves all this effort from me...im spending my time with this piece of junk

Today i discovered something new... I was using Imgburn 1.3, then i switched to Nero 6. With Nero, the 1st burn that i make after the PC power on is perfect, without that rings. But if i try to burn some media again, the rings appears and the data is lost...

Yeah, im completely thinking about it. But where i live its hard to find the Pioneers and BenQ... I saw a Sony DW-Q30A (Liteon 1635) by a good price. Should i go for it?

silentcircuit 2006-05-20 21:12:24 UTC #9

I've got a Sony DW-Q30A, and I've crossflashed to the latest (testing) firmware available here in the testing thread for the SWH-1635S. Never had the "ring" issue with the Sony/LiteON, though I have a TSSTcorp/Toshiba drive in my laptop that pulls the same crap, so I know exactly what you're talking about.

No ideas on how to avoid it, sorry, other than that the Toshiba seems to be very media-dependant/picky leading me to believe the write strategies suck or something. I have good luck with HP DVD+R's at 4x to avoid the rings, but they come back sometimes anyway.

Anyway... the Sony wouldn't burn DVD-R's for some reason prior to my crossflashing, but burns them and everything else I've tried flawlessly now. Zero coasters. Wish I could say the same for the Toshiba.

I'd definately recommend the drive. Check Mwave and Newegg for prices prior to buying.

That said, I have a BenQ in the mail now, due to all the frustration with DVD-R's before I figured out crossflashing, so... make your own decisions there.

-silence

Mike_G1 2009-07-22 07:47:11 UTC #10

[QUOTE=pejakm;1406038]O yeah, I forgot. Maybe you could try to ask for a help on the LG site: maybe they will give you the original firmware. I know it sounds crazy, but nothing costs to ask. Alternative is to wait for a new 4164 firmware…[/QUOTE]
Some people are comedians, I have tried the website for several LG models and none of them are listed. When asking for support the only response I get is instructions to contact the local support centre by telephone. I have tried this several times and all I get is ‘HOW YOU TRIED THIS WEBSITE’, which when addressed refers the user to the original website.
a

chef 2009-07-24 14:20:17 UTC #12

[QUOTE=Mike G;2312208]Some people are comedians, I have tried the website for several LG models and none of them are listed. When asking for support the only response I get is instructions to contact the local support centre by telephone. I have tried this several times and all I get is ‘HOW YOU TRIED THIS WEBSITE’, which when addressed refers the user to the original website.
a[/QUOTE]

Then you have chosen the wrong country…