Mad Dog / Samsung drive

vbimport
#1

I am pissed, I just bought a Mad Dog ms-20xstfi sata drive, and yes they are not on the web anymore, I did write to their tech support, and I got a generic reply saying they would get back to me, so some computer is still active, but I never got the reply, no more firmware, does anymone know if they can be crossflashed with a samsung sh-s203b?:a And to think I spent 70+ dollars for the damn thing!!!

#2

Might I suggest asking the retailer to accept it as a Return, given that the manufacturer is bankrupt and there is no warranty, using the false advertising argument. If they say “No” and you paid by credit card, I’d phone your credit card company and see if they’ll do a chargeback to the retailer and refund your money that way.

Maybe it is just me, but I feel that Retailers have the responsibility to remove goods from their shelves from bankrupt companies which can no longer honour warranties. Unless, of course, they clearly warn the retail customer what they are buying (“pig in a poke”).

#3

[QUOTE=jonedmonton;2101043]Might I suggest asking the retailer to accept it as a Return, given that the manufacturer is bankrupt and there is no warranty, using the false advertising argument. If they say “No” and you paid by credit card, I’d phone your credit card company and see if they’ll do a chargeback to the retailer and refund your money that way.

Maybe it is just me, but I feel that Retailers have the responsibility to remove goods from their shelves from bankrupt companies which can no longer honour warranties. Unless, of course, they clearly warn the retail customer what they are buying (“pig in a poke”).[/QUOTE]

thanks for the idea, the problem is i like the drive, it works better than the sammy s203n i had, but i am going to coinsider seeing if i can get it charged back, my credit card company makes it a long process, and i bought it while mad dog was still viable, any ideas as what to say in this case?:cool:

#4

As I understand Canadian and U.S. consumer protection laws, since we both bought the drives when Mad Dog was viable, and both of us are still within Mad Dog’s warranty period, we are in the same position. It is between us and Mad Dog (i.e. - its bankruptcy receiver) to settle.

In my experience, the only way it would make sense to deal with Mad Dog is if someone else has agreed to honour their warranty – unlikely, unless someone is going to continue the product line.

But there are still three avenues worth exploring:
(1) did you buy from a retailer that honours the warranty in-store? Locally, I recently learned that Best Buy Canada does just that.

(2) did you buy an extended warranty?

(3) do you use a credit card to pay for it that automatically includes an extended warranty?

All of these solution assume that you actually have a problem with the drive, not just want your money back because the company is bankrupt. And, solution (3) forces you to wait until your normal warranty would have expired, before you can collect on the extended warranty. Solution (2) probably does, too, though I’ve seen a lot of extended warranties that also “beef up” the existing warranty into a replacement with a new product, rather than a refurbished one or repair of the existing unit.

All that said, your retailer may be willing to “eat the loss” of accepting the product back, as a goodwill measure to keep you as a customer. But that is “above and beyond the call of duty”.

#5

[QUOTE=SLOVEHEART;2101028]I am pissed, I just bought a Mad Dog ms-20xstfi sata drive, and yes they are not on the web anymore, I did write to their tech support, and I got a generic reply saying they would get back to me, so some computer is still active, but I never got the reply, no more firmware, does anymone know if they can be crossflashed with a samsung sh-s203b?:a And to think I spent 70+ dollars for the damn thing!!![/QUOTE]

Wow. You paid $70 for a $35 drive. I guess you needed the software or something.

Anyway, the drive is definitely a Toshiba-Samsung (TSST) model, the only question is, which one? Once you figure that out, you can simply cross-flash it.

Can you take a picture of the drive label and show it to us?

#6

[QUOTE=negritude;2102528]Wow. You paid $70 for a $35 drive. I guess you needed the software or something.

Anyway, the drive is definitely a Toshiba-Samsung (TSST) model, the only question is, which one? Once you figure that out, you can simply cross-flash it.

Can you take a picture of the drive label and show it to us?[/QUOTE]
Do not have a digital camera but the device manager has it listed as MAD_DOG_CDDVDW_TS-H653B, so there is the ts number, i seem to remeber checking to see if it was the same as the s203b, and it wasn’t. However, someone here at cdfreaks did say it was the same as the s203b, but with different firmware. I would appreciate any thoughts you might have, sorry I did not respond sooner but I have had some problems lately, and the wife has been ill, so I have not been online. THANKS…:cool:

#7

VideoHelp.com says: www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters/samsung-sh-s203b-ts-h653b/2089

Another thread on CD Freaks says: club.cdfreaks.com/f105/dell-tsst-ts-h653b-samsung-sh-s203b-crossflash-success-244305/

I think you can crossflash. :wink:

[off-topic]BTW, hope the wife feels better. :slight_smile:

#8

Hi,[quote=SLOVEHEART;2108072]Do not have a digital camera but the device manager has it listed as MAD_DOG_CDDVDW_TS-H653B, so there is the ts number, i seem to remeber checking to see if it was the same as the s203b, and it wasn’t.[/quote]TS-H653B is indeed a OEM 203B. Same hardware. To make sure, remove the drive from your computer and check the sticker on it very carefully.
In order to “force” flash to Samsung SH-S203B, you might have a look into the FAQ (see my signature).

Michael

#9

[QUOTE=SLOVEHEART;2108072] someone here at cdfreaks did say it was the same as the s203b, but with different firmware. [/QUOTE]

i remember that :slight_smile:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/2098227-post36.html
http://club.cdfreaks.com/2098735-post50.html

#10

[QUOTE=Albert;2108082]VideoHelp.com says: www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters/samsung-sh-s203b-ts-h653b/2089

Another thread on CD Freaks says: club.cdfreaks.com/f105/dell-tsst-ts-h653b-samsung-sh-s203b-crossflash-success-244305/

I think you can crossflash. :wink:

[off-topic]BTW, hope the wife feels better. :)[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=mciahel;2108526]Hi,TS-H653B is indeed a OEM 203B. Same hardware. To make sure, remove the drive from your computer and check the sticker on it very carefully.
In order to “force” flash to Samsung SH-S203B, you might have a look into the FAQ (see my signature).

Michael[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=troy512;2108556]i remember that :slight_smile:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/2098227-post36.html
http://club.cdfreaks.com/2098735-post50.html[/QUOTE]

:bow:Thank You ALL, I have some reading to do, I know the s203b has had recent updates and I am worried because when I had the sh-s203n it wouldn’t write to verbatim sl 16x w/o failure using dvdfab, it was not the write speed, that only got to about 10.5 - 11x and the mad dog FW didn’t have problems writing to these discs, so if I crossflash and wind up with a samsung like I had before I will be up the creek and since there is no way to get the mad dog firmware it came with, no way out of it… any ideas on why the sammy didn’t work and weather to take the chance or not…:bow::cool:

#11

[QUOTE=Albert;2108082]VideoHelp.com says: www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters/samsung-sh-s203b-ts-h653b/2089

Another thread on CD Freaks says: club.cdfreaks.com/f105/dell-tsst-ts-h653b-samsung-sh-s203b-crossflash-success-244305/

I think you can crossflash. :wink:

[off-topic]BTW, hope the wife feels better. :)[/QUOTE] well I looked at your first link and found:

Note: Depending on your motherboard SATA chipset controllers you may have to use a pci sata controller card for this drive. Some SATA chipset controllers were equipped to only be used only hard drives not with SATA DVD Burners. This is especially true for older motherboards with the first generation SATA connectors. This would apply for any other manufacturer of SATA DVD Burners not only for this SAMSUNG S203B drive. Make sure in the BIOS of your motherboard you have “RAID” disabled or the drive will not work correctly.

my bios has raid enabled, and if i change it I get BSOD, in my device manager there is a sata raid controller under storage devices, I have tried IDE (w/BSOD), but not achi or ahci, maybe that setting would work, my hp is verry limited in user options they allow, but this explains why my use of sammy s203n did not work (maybe) THANKS!!! And the wife is doing better, she is a disabled RN (had a cerebrial anuerisim, she gets bad bad headaches, but she is tough. Thanks for the well wish…

#12

Hi,[quote=SLOVEHEART;2109723]
my bios has raid enabled, and if i change it I get BSOD, in my device manager there is a sata raid controller under storage devices, I have tried IDE (w/BSOD), but not achi or ahci, maybe that setting would work, [/quote]Won’t work either.
Your option is a PCI Sata card with Silicon Image 3512, 3112 or 3114 chipset (no idea if 3514 exists). In case the card comes as SataRaid, it must be flashed to Base Bios (non-Raid), which would turn the card into a SataLink card, which does fine with Samsung 203 drives :slight_smile:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f34/sata-ide-converter-235682/#post1972211

Michael

#13

[QUOTE=mciahel;2109921]Hi,Won’t work either.
Your option is a PCI Sata card with Silicon Image 3512, 3112 or 3114 chipset (no idea if 3514 exists). In case the card comes as SataRaid, it must be flashed to Base Bios (non-Raid), which would turn the card into a SataLink card, which does fine with Samsung 203 drives :slight_smile:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f34/sata-ide-converter-235682/#post1972211

Michael[/QUOTE]

thanks for the info, I maybe missing a marble, but could you give me an idea where I could find a card like that - I am in the states, I goggled the sata controller card, but how to find one with that chipset- I am lost???:cool: thanks for your help…

#14

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124018

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124020

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124008

There are a few others from distributors other than SYBA, but I knew SYBA had some cards that used Silicon Image chips. You might find a few more by tweaking your “Google-Fu” :bigsmile:

#15

[QUOTE=Albert;2110260]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124018

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124020

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124008

There are a few others from distributors other than SYBA, but I knew SYBA had some cards that used Silicon Image chips. You might find a few more by tweaking your “Google-Fu” :bigsmile:[/QUOTE]
THANKS…:bigsmile:I DID FIND ONE ON AMAZON, THRU MICAHEAL’S POST (link in post), but I really appreciate your input, I want to use my sammy burner, now I am finding out bit by bit that the hp I am tied to is set up so I am having problems due to it’s configuration (Thanks hp:a), nice that all you have helped in clearing up the mystery and finding a workaround. :bow::bow::bow:

#16

mistake

#17

[QUOTE=mciahel;2109921]Hi,Won’t work either.
Your option is a PCI Sata card with Silicon Image 3512, 3112 or 3114 chipset (no idea if 3514 exists). In case the card comes as SataRaid, it must be flashed to Base Bios (non-Raid), which would turn the card into a SataLink card, which does fine with Samsung 203 drives :slight_smile:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f34/sata-ide-converter-235682/#post1972211

Michael[/QUOTE]

what if I used another manufacter for the PCI SATA controller, could I still flash the BIOS and DRIVER with silicon image bios and driver’s? would I run into trouble with that process? thanks for any help:cool:

#18

As long as the board has a Silicon Image chip, and can be flashed between BASE and RAID capability [or comes pre setup for non-RAID use], then you’re OK; it shouldn’t matter with which brand you go.

#19

[QUOTE=Albert;2110672]As long as the board has a Silicon Image chip, and can be flashed between BASE and RAID capability [or comes pre setup for non-RAID use], then you’re OK; it shouldn’t matter with which brand you go.[/QUOTE]

THANKS:cool:

#20

[qanda]This thread is about the Samsung SH-S203N / TS-H653N. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]i have a samsung s203n (same as s203b except lightscribe), it will not burn verbatim sl 16x disks, i have an hp computer and the bios is set for sata in the raid option, any other option gives BSOD. someone told me that these dvd drives will not operate if sata is set to raid, only choice is to get a pci sata controller and use it in non raid configuration. does anyone have anymore info or ideas about this