Has anyone else experienced this?

I can upgrade my Aopen 16x10x32 to a 20x recorder using the 1.00 firmware and it works OK (thanks John!) However when I try the 1.01 firmware I get a SUM error (I assume this is a checksum because the firmware program does not seem to touch the drive at this stage).

I have downloaded the official 1.01 firmware from Aopen and I notice it differs from the OC one by 3 bytes, presumably some check bytes that the program uses to make sure the drive being upgraded is the correct one. Is it possible that the file is not working?

And lastly, does anyone know how the functionality of the hack works?

TIA -- Jason.

Further to the above comments, I have had a look at the two files and the only difference is that the string "16" has been replaced with the string "20", and the checksum has been increased by 5 (1+6 is 5 more than 2+0). I have reversed this just in case so that the checksum is decreased by 5 but this gives the same checksum error.

So assuming that the last byte *is* the checksum, this file *should* work. But it doesn't, for my machine? Why?? The other one works! So what's going on? Wierd... :(

(in reply to jase)

Hi jase

I didn't try it yet, because there is something strange:

- The included file: AOpen CRW1632 v1.03.BIN differs from the original AOPEN file: 16x_103.bin

- I got now 3 different Ricoh Flash utilities:
1. included in OC File: RFLASH.EXE
2. included in 1632 AOPEN-firmwareupgrade: RFLASH440A.EXE
3. included in 2040 AOPEN-firmwareupgrade: RFLASH440CAO.EXE

I think the Checksum are the last 4 Bytes, at least 2 Bytes. Maybe You can trick the Checksum by changing the file itself: change a FF-Byte at the end or middle of the bin-file from FF to 04 or FA(+5,-5). Remember a part of the file is excluded in checksum-counting.

gretings from Germany
pit

(in reply to jase)

The file is totally invalid. The firmware has a 32-bit CRC-like checksum, so changing 1 byte totally changes the value at the end. This file must be unchecked, and is invalid. However someone must know the mechanism for getting the 20x working otherwise the v1.00 file would not have been possible!!

BTW Pit, it is OK to use the firmware because the only difference between the official 1.03 16x firmware and the OC one is that the OC one has extra media info at the start, which the drive adds to as it encounters new media. This file must have been a dump. My dump of 1.03 also differs from the standard, in the first 8000h bytes of the file.

So, (and John please help!!) does anyone know the mechanism Ricoh uses? We need start and stop values for where it calculates from/to in the file, and also the CRC method used. I can't seem to get SFV to work from 8000h to 7FFFBh so it isn't that....

(in reply to jase)

The procedure to upgrade Aopen CRW1632 to CRW2040 or to Ricoh 7200A or to any other Ricoh 7200A based cdrw is very simple. This procedure works I have done it and if you chose to follow this procedure you are doing it on your own risk.

Download the flash update for cdw1632 or crw2040 and run them,

Click on setup, and after rflash starts
Go to start, search, files and folders and search for bin file listed
in the "source file" box
Copy the .bin file and the rflash to the temp folder you previously
created,

Do the same thing with the second file
You should end up with two .bin files in your temp directory and one
rflash file
Cancel out booth updates
Go to your temp folder and run rflash (RFlash440cao.exe)
Elect 16x (16x_103.bin) flash file and press next
Browse to your temp file and rename 16X file to something else and then rename the 20x file in to original 16x filename.
Press next and your drive will be updated to 20x. power down your pc and restart and now you can burn at 20x with the new firmware. Any consecutive update published by aopen for this drive (2040) will work without using this procedure. You can use the same procedure to downgrade your drive back to 16x.

(in reply to jase)

OMG! It works!!! I thought this was for older Ricoh drives only but... you're right!!!!

Thanks

(in reply to jase)

Hi mkimmer

Many Thanks to You. My Aopen 1632 works now as Aopen 2040 !!!!
First I tried to flash Ricoh 7200 1.30, flash was ok, TOC reading ok, but after few seconds system hangs. I think the drive didn't spin up.
Drive runs in PIO4 mode.
Again many thanks
Peter
(Munich-Germany)

(in reply to jase)

It isn't *overly* picky with media at 20x either -- in general anything which is rated at 16x will burn OK at 20x with JustSpeed switched off. 12x is a no-go though, unlike the Lite-On drive.

Now just waiting with anticipation for the 2410

(in reply to jase)

Yes, the Taiwanese have done it a long time ago and lots of successful cases reported. Some crazy guy even tried to update different firmwares to test the stability of the drive.

Mind you, there are three different series of CD-RW drives made by Ricoh, and the firmware of different series are not interchangable. The three series are:

1. MMP series (e.g. MP7200A)
2. PALSER series (e.g. MP7163A)
3. NS series (e.g. AOpen CRW1632)

That explains why MP7163A or CRW1632 can't be o/c to MP7200A.

And yes, CRW2440 is about to hit the market soon, and it's confirmed that it carries the same design as CRW2040.

(in reply to jase)

Hi to all
Thanks fpr Your information CDR Overclocker

@jase
Which burning prog do You use ?
Easy CD 5 got drivers for Aopen 1632, but not for Aopen 2040.
I got WinonCD 3.8 to work with 1632 and 2040 including JustLink by changing the registry to RIC022 driver. But I can't turn off/on JustSpeed.

greetings
Peter

(in reply to jase)

I use Nero 5.5.3.0. I think it came with the Aopen drive, although it might have been the LiteOn 24102B. Yes, I get through a lot of drives (lol).

I think we'll definitely need some brand-name 24x-rated media for 24x burning though. 16x rated media *just about* works at 20x, sometimes when reading back the drive slows down at the point where the Aopen switches from 16- to 20-speed. The firmware of the LiteOn does seem to be better than the Aopen....

I have found as well that it is possible to "fool" JustSpeed so that all writing software will write at 20x. Start both packages up (Nero and the one you want to use), switch JustSpeed ON in Nero, insert the blank, then switch JustSpeed back OFF then the other software should be able to write at the full 20-speed.

(in reply to jase)

Thank You jase

Nero comes with the Aopen, but I don't want to use Nero, because of its incompability to EasyCD5 and WinonCD3.8.
So I have to wait for drivers update.
This OC is real cool. CD Speed reported 18x to 42x for 2040 from 14x to 34x.

greetings
Peter

(in reply to jase)

Well, I don't want you to break your PC but I have Nero, DJ, Adaptec, CloneCD, Fireburner, VOB and WinonCD all on the same PC (all paid for or free with writers I might add!) and they all seem to coexist quite happily on this PC.

(in reply to jase)

does anyone know if i can also overclock my ricoh rp16/10a
(seems to be the same as 7163) to a ricoh 7200 ?
that would be cooool

greetings
alter ego

(in reply to jase)

Yes I know.
No you can't. Sorry.

(in reply to jase)

Hi
Now I got Easy CD Creator 5.02b to work with AOPEN 2040:

In Registry Adaptec.... insert a new device Nr 492 copy&paste the AOPEN 1632 driver Information, chanche 1632 to 2040, 161 to 171 and increse drivercount from 491 to 492.

The driver is 7125JL

greetings from Munich
Peter

(in reply to jase)