LG GHB0N Drive Identification and Crossflash

Ascii2 · February 14, 2017, 5:54am

I have a drive that is identified as “GHB0N” and is loaded with A101 Dell OEM firmware (See http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=F1H8M for firmware download).

My guess is that this drive is an LG GH24NSB0. I am hinted to this from page 21 of a Fujitsu document that has the information as “KC No.”:

KCC-REM-HLD-GH24NSB0

The Fujitsu document may be found http://globalsp.ts.fujitsu.com/dmsp/Publications/public/GHB0N%20FTS%20AFCK101_R1%200_20131113a.pdf .

The DISCInfo, information, with an 11-character serial numbers substituted with “[Serial Number]”, for the drive is:

DISCINFO VERSION   : 1.7.0 BETA.12
VENDOR             : HL-DT-ST
MODEL              : DVD+-RW GHB0N   
REVISION           : A101
VENDOR SPECIFIC    : D118100 [Serial Number]
LOADING MECHANISM  : Tray
SERIAL NUMBER      : [Serial Number]
NUMBER VOL. LEVELS : 256
BUFFER SIZE        : 512KB
INTERFACE          : ATAPI
RPC2 SCHEME        : YES
STATUS             : Not Set
USER CHANGES       : 5
VENDOR CHANGES     : 4
CURRENT REGION     : Not Set
ANALOG AUDIO PLAY  : YES
COMPOSITE OUTPUT   : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT1 : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT2 : NO
READ UPC CODE      : YES
MULTISESSION READ  : YES
MODE 2 FORM 1      : YES
MODE 2 FORM 2      : YES
READ ISRC CODE     : YES
READ BAD CODE      : NO
BUFFER UNDER-RUN   : YES
MT. RAINIER        : NO
CAN READ CDR       : YES
CAN READ CDRW      : YES
CAN READ CDRM2     : YES
CAN WRITE CDR      : YES
CAN WRITE CDRW     : YES
CAN TEST WRITE     : YES
CAN READ DVD-ROM   : YES
CAN READ DVD-R     : YES
CAN READ DVD-RW    : YES
CAN READ DVD-RAM   : YES
CAN READ DVD+R     : YES
CAN READ DVD+RW    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-R    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RW   : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RAM  : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+R    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+RW   : YES
MAX CDR READ SPEED : 12
MAX CDR WRITE SPEED: 48

Is this drive an OEM version of another drive? Can the drive be cross-flashed to a different model?

blackened2687 · February 15, 2017, 2:48pm

It’s the OEM-version of GH24NSB0. It should be crossflashable with usage of patched version of BH16NS40 flasher (thanks to [B]DGalimov[/B] a.k.a. [B]bgrh[/B] on MyCE):

Here is an extracted binary suitable for crossflashing:

Don’t forget to make a post on the forums after crossflashing. Good luck!

Ascii2 · February 15, 2017, 2:48pm

[QUOTE=blackened2687;2757437]It’s the OEM-version of GH24NSB0. It should be crossflashable with usage of patched version of BH16NS40 flasher (thanks to [B]DGalimov[/B] a.k.a. [B]bgrh[/B] on MyCE):

Here is an extracted binary suitable for crossflashing:

[/QUOTE]Excellent. Thanks. I was thinking about trying the DOS SmartFlash flasher with the Force Download parameter ("/F" or “”/f") that is available with the DELL GHB0N A101 firmware update, but this should be more comfortable.

[QUOTE=blackened2687;2757437]Here is an extracted binary suitable for crossflashing:

http://www97.zippyshare.com/v/OckZzO1r/file.html[/QUOTE]Did you extract the firmware manually? Is there now a tool to extract firmware from more recent LG flashers?

blackened2687 · February 15, 2017, 2:48pm

I’ve ripped the binary from the memory dump of the official flasher’s process.

I was thinking about trying the DOS SmartFlash flasher with the Force Download parameter ("/F" or “”/f") that is available with the DELL GHB0N A101 firmware update

Wow, I even didn’t know about that DOS flasher, thank you! Very useful info!

Ascii2 · February 15, 2017, 2:50pm

Sorry for the long delay; I just cross-flashed the drive today and the cross-flash was successful.

I first tried using the Windows BH16NS40 patched flasher, but it would not work with the BIOS set to AHCI and Windows would not boot if the storage mode is set to IDE.

I then tried the DOS SmartFlash flasher with the Force Download parameter ("/F" or “”/f") in MS-DOS. The flash was successful and surprisingly quick; it was the quickest flash for an optical drive I have seen to date.

I checked the functioning and labeling of the drive in Windows, and indeed the drive did seem to be recognized as the LG GH24NSB0.

The DISCInfo, information, with an 11-character serial numbers substituted with “[Serial Number]”, for the cross-flashed drive is:

DISCINFO VERSION   : 1.7.0 BETA.12
VENDOR             : HL-DT-ST
MODEL              : DVDRAM GH24NSB0 
REVISION           : LN01
VENDOR SPECIFIC    : A129002 [Serial Number] 
LOADING MECHANISM  : Tray
SERIAL NUMBER      : [Serial Number]
NUMBER VOL. LEVELS : 256
BUFFER SIZE        : 512KB
INTERFACE          : ATAPI
RPC2 SCHEME        : YES
STATUS             : Not Set
USER CHANGES       : 5
VENDOR CHANGES     : 4
CURRENT REGION     : Not Set
ANALOG AUDIO PLAY  : YES
COMPOSITE OUTPUT   : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT1 : NO
DIGITAL PORT-PORT2 : NO
READ UPC CODE      : YES
MULTISESSION READ  : YES
MODE 2 FORM 1      : YES
MODE 2 FORM 2      : YES
READ ISRC CODE     : YES
READ BAD CODE      : NO
BUFFER UNDER-RUN   : YES
MT. RAINIER        : NO
CAN READ CDR       : YES
CAN READ CDRW      : YES
CAN READ CDRM2     : YES
CAN WRITE CDR      : YES
CAN WRITE CDRW     : YES
CAN TEST WRITE     : YES
CAN READ DVD-ROM   : YES
CAN READ DVD-R     : YES
CAN READ DVD-RW    : YES
CAN READ DVD-RAM   : YES
CAN READ DVD+R     : YES
CAN READ DVD+RW    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-R    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RW   : YES
CAN WRITE DVD-RAM  : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+R    : YES
CAN WRITE DVD+RW   : YES
MAX CDR READ SPEED : 12
MAX CDR WRITE SPEED: 48

Ascii2 · February 15, 2017, 2:50pm

Now I am waiting to see if an RPC1 (preferably) or RPC2 auto-reset is made available.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:58pm

[QUOTE=blackened2687;2757437]Here is an extracted binary suitable for crossflashing:

http://www97.zippyshare.com/v/OckZzO1r/file.html[/QUOTE]

Any chance you could make that file available again? It’s no longer available at that link.

I have an Acer Aspire desktop PC that has an HL-DT-ST GHB0N (firmware version 1.00) which can’t erase re-writable discs for some reason and I’d like to try flashing it with the latest firmware for the GH24NSB0 to see if that fixes it.

cvs · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=elekrin;2773217]Any chance you could make that file available again? It’s no longer available at that link.
[/QUOTE]

Here’s a fresh link which contains the following firmwares:

GH24NSB0_LN01.bin
GH24NSB0_LM01.bin
GHB0N_A101.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_A1B2.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_RK05.bin (HP OEM)

Link: http://www26.zippyshare.com/v/hcZTn7nd/file.html

Before crossflashing your drive, and since I do not have a copy of an Acer OEM firmware, could you please dump your current firmware by running DevilsClaw’s Flasher (https://github.com/devilsclaw/flasher/releases/tag/Current_Release) from a command prompt with the following command line:

flasher -d [drive id] -l firmdump.bin 6 00000000 00100000

If this is the only optical drive in your machine, the [drive id] = 1, so the command line will look like:

flasher -d 1 -l firmdump.bin 6 00000000 00100000

If you’ve got more than one optical drive in your computer, you can find out the drive id by running this command first:

flasher -D

Please note that the above switches (-D and -d) are are case sensitive. Once you’ve got your raw firmware dump please share it with us by uploading a copy to Zippyshare and posting the link.

Thanks!

jcroy · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

(As an aside).

Wonder how long Acer used this GH24NSB0 rebadge in their desktops.

According to amazon listings and the first postings on here, the GH24NSB0 first started appearing around August/September 2013.

My Acer desktop has a late-2013 era Celeron cpu, and it didn’t come with an LG rebadge dvd drive. Mine came with a garbage Matshita/Panasonic non-slim internal dvd drive, which is riplocked and really really noisy.

[QUOTE=jcroy;2774539](As an aside).

…

My Acer desktop has a late-2013 era Celeron cpu, and it didn’t come with an LG rebadge dvd drive. [B] Mine came with a garbage Matshita/Panasonic non-slim internal dvd drive, which is riplocked and really really noisy.[/B][/QUOTE]

(Going further offtopic).

For that matter, recently I’ve been noticing some current lower end Acer Aspire desktops are coming with a default Matshita/Panasonic [B]slim[/B] internal dvd drive. (After looking through the system configuration on the display models at retailers like Costco, BestBuy, etc …).

These are desktop models which come with windows10, and the computer case is shaped to accommodate [U][B]only[/B][/U] a [B]slim[/B] internal dvd drive.

If I had to guess, Panasonic is probably selling these Matshita dvd drives to Acer at a bargain basement price, that Acer was willing to ditch LG.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=cvs;2774519]Here’s a fresh link which contains the following firmwares:

GH24NSB0_LN01.bin
GH24NSB0_LM01.bin
GHB0N_A101.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_A1B2.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_RK05.bin (HP OEM)

Link: http://www26.zippyshare.com/v/hcZTn7nd/file.html

[/QUOTE]

Thank you. What is the difference between the top 2 files in the list? Do any of them correspond with the latest version of the firmware available from LG? And presumably all of these have been modified for crossflashing so that the drive in my Acer Aspire XC-603 will accept them?

Albert · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=elekrin;2774597]Thank you. What is the difference between the top 2 files in the list? Do any of them correspond with the latest version of the firmware available from LG? And presumably all of these have been modified for crossflashing so that the drive in my Acer Aspire XC-603 will accept them?[/QUOTE]

The binary firmware files don’t need to be modified for crossflashing. The only time a binary firmware file needs to be processed is if it is a raw dump, like what cvs requested of you (and then that’s only so it can be flashed in general).

To flash the binary firmware files provided, you just need to use an unlocked flasher – which LG has provided a couple of times. See post #2.

Once you crossflash, if the firmware isn’t the latest (you can check the firmware update thread, or directly check LG’s site), you can just update like normal.

I can’t explain the difference between LM and LN. They were both released simultaneously, in the same update package. I would sayâ€¦upload your firmware, let one of us glance at it, and wait for advice on which one might be a better match.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=cvs;2774519]Before crossflashing your drive, and since I do not have a copy of an Acer OEM firmware, could you please dump your current firmware by running DevilsClaw’s Flasher (https://github.com/devilsclaw/flasher/releases/tag/Current_Release) from a command prompt with the following command line:

flasher -d [drive id] -l firmdump.bin 6 00000000 00100000

If this is the only optical drive in your machine, the [drive id] = 1, so the command line will look like:

flasher -d 1 -l firmdump.bin 6 00000000 00100000[/QUOTE]

OK, I’ve run that command for the optical drive in my Acer Aspire XC-603 before doing anything else. Here is the file:
http://www81.zippyshare.com/v/MHMDwsZD/file.html

(EDIT: considering that I’ve done the extraction using command-line switches that are not documented in the readme that accompanies devilsclaw’s flasher, does that mean I need to use some undocumented switches to do the equivalent flash of the new firmware? Or can I just go ahead and do this: flasher -d 1 -f GH24NSB0_LN01.bin ?)

Albert · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=elekrin;2774614]OK, I’ve run that command for the optical drive in my Acer Aspire XC-603 before doing anything else. Here is the file:
http://www81.zippyshare.com/v/MHMDwsZD/file.html

(EDIT: considering that I’ve done the extraction using command-line switches that are not documented in the readme that accompanies devilsclaw’s flasher, does that mean I need to use some undocumented switches to do the equivalent flash of the new firmware? Or can I just go ahead and do this: flasher -d 1 -f GH24NSB0_LN01.bin ?)[/QUOTE]

â€¦.
Use a regular unlocked firmware flasher from LG. See post number 2. It, unlike some other stock LG flashers, is unlocked and will allow you to flash the firmware files cvs provided. (Yes, you will be using the BH16 flasher; it works for this drive, too.)

Use LN01. That seems to be a safe choice, just from glancing at your original firmware.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

[QUOTE=Albert;2774615]â€¦.
Use a regular unlocked firmware flasher from LG. See post number 2. It, unlike some other stock LG flashers, is unlocked and will allow you to flash the firmware files cvs provided. (Yes, you will be using the BH16 flasher; it works for this drive, too.)[/QUOTE]
Someone earlier said that it doesn’t work if the controller is in AHCI mode, which mine is. If I change from AHCI to IDE I won’t be able to boot into Windows. So I’m considering what the best alternative is.

(EDIT: Indeed, I’ve tried it out, and it doesn’t even see the optical drive in the system. )

[QUOTE=Albert;2774615]
Use LN01. That seems to be a safe choice, just from glancing at your original firmware.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for checking that.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

With Devilsclaw’s flasher, I’ve done a quick test to see whether using it’s standard command-line switches to verify the drive against the extraction I did earlier would succeed. But it doesn’t. So I don’t think it will be safe to try flashing the new firmware with this tool.

D:\flasher>flasher -d 1 -V firmdump.bin
Devilsclaw's LG Renesas Drive Utility
cmd_drive: Opening Drive: 1.
cmd_verifyfirm: Verification process started
firm_verify: Verifying firmware
firm_dumper: Failed to read from drive. Will write what we got so far
firm_verify: Failed to dump firmware for verification
cmd_verifyfirm: Verification process failed

So if I can’t use the BH16 flasher, and can’t use Devilsclaw’s flasher, what can I use?

Albert · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

Maybe the tool referenced here?

[QUOTE=Ascii2;2757451]…I was thinking about trying the DOS SmartFlash flasher with the Force Download parameter ("/F" or “”/f") that is available with the DELL GHB0N A101 firmware update, but this should be more comfortable.
[/QUOTE]

Which means creating a tool to boot into a DOS environment and flashing from there using the mentioned flasherâ€¦ I assume that is what is found in this download:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=F1H8M
[found by entering “dell ghb0n a101” into Google]

In that download is a DOS folder, with what looks to be a DOS-compatible flasher. Used as others have hinted in the thread [using the force flash/force download flag], after temporarily putting your SATA ports into IDE mode, it might work out.

elekrin · February 15, 2017, 2:59pm

Thanks Albert and cvs.

I was able to successfully flash the new firmware using the DOS version of the Dell tool, when booting in IDE mode. No special command-line parameters were necessary – it identified the drive and went ahead with the flashing procedure without any issues.

Unfortunately, the problem I was originally trying to solve has not gone away. I’m still not able to use the drive to erase any rewritable discs. I guess the drive must be defective. I wish I had tried erasing a disc during the first year of owning the PC, while it was still in warranty.

(EDIT: to clarify, I actually can’t perform any write operation on any rewritable disc. I can burn data to non-rewritable discs, and I can read from rewritable discs. Just not anything that involves writing/erasing a rewritable disc. I’ve got a few different brands of rewritable CDs and DVDs and I’ve tried one of each.)

Ascii2 · February 15, 2017, 3:01pm

[QUOTE=elekrin;2773217]Any chance you could make that file available again? It’s no longer available at that link.

I have an Acer Aspire desktop PC that has an HL-DT-ST GHB0N (firmware version 1.00) which can’t erase re-writable discs for some reason and I’d like to try flashing it with the latest firmware for the GH24NSB0 to see if that fixes it.[/QUOTE]Well, it looks like I arrived rather late.

I have uploaded the original file requested to the File Dropper file host here:
http://www.filedropper.com/flashhl-dt-stdvdramgh24nsb0ln01

File name: flash_HL-DT-ST_DVDRAM_GH24NSB0_LN01.zip
Size: 911,893 bytes
CRC32: 1fd58cf5
MD5: 112d88d96e176f6ef05ba7fc95275b55
SHA-1: 371bd7831f1de8b4a4f962b9d76cebd9f9e0833f
SHA-256: 229f0a34225b4bf814936327eff518350f9b3c0ec8df17847599460a716fc32d

The original size and checksums for its LG GH24NSB0 LN01 firmware binary file is:

1,048,576 bytes
CRC32: fd196577
MD5: 95f645b6ba38bf5f443f237134890c40
SHA-1: ef8cf4d77b863b1bb605559c39d29a0a3291cc33
SHA-256: caac02dec99270f45a28a8d0983283b385b1d563cf05b84fcea39028421a2ec0

If these match with the that of the extracted “GH24NSB0_LN01.bin” firmware file from the link by cvs in post #8 of this thread, the files from the different sources are the same.

bleki · March 12, 2017, 3:28pm

I have an LG GH24NSB0 and I need bin file for flash because I was accidentally erased firmware.

I’ts no longer available at that link.

cvs · March 23, 2017, 9:21pm

Sorry for the delay, I’ve just seen your post… Here’s a fresh link as requested: http://www36.zippyshare.com/v/F2vCrFmY/file.html

The archive contains the same firmware files as before (as far as I know, there haven’t been any new firmware releases since last time these files were posted) :

GH24NSB0_LN01.bin
GH24NSB0_LM01.bin
GHB0N_A101.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_A1B2.bin (DELL OEM)
GHB0N_RK05.bin (HP OEM)