10/11/2004 Updated:
- Added 421.bin

(in reply to emperor)

I just flashed to the 4.21 firmware and I thought I should give some feedback on how it went. Formerly when I used the 2.x firmware I received a boot IDE error, but windows still detected the drive as Slave in PIO 4 mode. Now with the 4.21 firmware I get the boot error, but windows DOES NOT recognize the drive.

All is not lost though. Once in windows I can go to the device manager and scan for hardware changes and the drive is detected and not just in PIO mode, but as Master in Multi-word DMA 2.

Technically speaking the speed of PIO or Multi-word DMA 2 should be the same, however the burn time for a full DVD5 disk went down from 45 minutes to 13 minutes on a 6X memorex DVD-R. Also the CPU usage used to be maxed and now its quite minimal.

So for those looking at the 4.21 firmware I give warning. While windows was able to find the nd-6500 even after the error on my Toshiba m35-S359, I doubt it will on everyones. If you are having the same problem as I was with the drive being detected as Slave in PIO mode and you don't mind scanning for hardware changes everytime you turn on the laptop or come out of standby, then I'd say its a worthwhile flash, otherwise stay clear.

For those with the drive already being detected as Master and in DMA, stay clear, I am willing to guess it will only render you with a paperweight since your laptop will probably no longer recognize the drive and you won't be able to flash back.

Hope this helps, let me know if anyone else has had a more positive experience with the 4.21.

(in reply to emperor)

@Sensei88

Hello, it is not enough to flash the main flash with 4.21 by using binflash or nec6x00.
Normally the disk which produces the version 4.21 contains 2 flash programs:

1. 6500BOOT
This programs a "new" software. After flashing and rebooting the nd6500 indentifies as slave ND6100 v0.01. (in a gericom notebook)
I have saved the flash with nec6x00 and binflash. The whole file was filled with "0xFF", only the last for bytes are "L210"

2. 6500MAIN
This programs now the standard firmware. After flashing and rebooting the drive identifies as Slave ND6500 v4.21 (in a gericom notebook)

In a Toshiba Satellite 2800-600 doesn't now appear the bios ide error, and in winxp it is now detected as MASTER with ultra dma 2.

If i now reflash the standard 2.22 with binflash/nec6x00 i have the same behavior what you have if you flash only the 4.21 without running 6500BOOT.

But i have not found a way to reflash the flasharea which was modified by 6500boot.
There must be a separate flasharea, because the 6500boot.bat now always says "already new software".
It makes no different which "mainflash" 4.21 or 2.2x is flashed.

I think this flasharea is for this drive necassary for "jumper Ma/Sl/Cs emulation or replacement".
Perhaps the flash-program-specialists Liggy or herrie knows something about that.

I think if you use both (6500boot/6500main) the ide error will be away, but you have no chance to use an other version as 4.21.

Greetings

Bighardy

(in reply to sensei88)

@BigHardy,

could you send me the 6500boot and 6500main files, I'd like to give them a try.

Thanks,
john@kungfubrew.com

(in reply to BigHardy)

@sensei88

You have mail.

Greetings

Bighardy

(in reply to sensei88)

Alrighty, received the 6500boot/6500main and decided to go through with the flash, in case others are interested the following is what I had to do to get it all to work.

First of all, my laptop would not boot to the 6500 because of a bios error. I tried booting the computer w/ my old drive, then hotswapping, but this wouldn't work. Instead I aquired a friend of mines Dell Latitude D600. In the Dell the drive was immediately recognized as Master UDMA. I then booted to dos using a BootCD and ran the 6500boot at the prompt. I then rebooted only to get an error, the dell no longer recognized the drive. So I placed the freshly flashed drive into my toshiba to complete the processes only to find that the drive was not recognized in there either. So I put back in the old drive into my toshiba, booted w/ the bootcd, once at the prompt I hotswapped the 6500 into the bay and then ran 6500main. On reboot I now have a working Master UDMA drive w/ no more IDE errors. I was even able to flash the drive back from 4.21 to 2.23 and I still have no errors. Having said all that, long story short, if your drive is getting IDE errors or being recognized as Slave, there is a fix using 6500boot/6500main but it will require access to a laptop in which the drive is detected as Master UDMA and some patience.

(in reply to BigHardy)

I've a problem.
I've an Amilo M1425 (notebook) and Nec 6500.
It burn only at 4x, with the original and 2.23 firmware.
Nero InfoTool think that is a 4x recorder, he doesn't write that it is an 8x recorder!!!

Sorry for my english...

(in reply to sensei88)

Articman, have you tried quality media to see 8X?

(in reply to ArticMan)

Hi,

I want to flash a ND-6500 to slave modus. Where can I get the fw 4.21 ?

Thank you !

(in reply to emperor)

eb104 try the first page of this thread

(in reply to eb104)

I read this threat,

but I`m not sure what firmware I should take.

I installed the new NEC6500 in an old notebook.
The drive is running in Master-Mode (in the same mode as the HD).
Only if I disconnect the HD the DVD-drive is recognized by the bios.

Can I only use the v4.21 firmware ???
Where can I determine the behavior of the DVD-drive

You write about "6500main" or "6500boot".

Sorry I don`t find a description !


Geetings

Steinello

(in reply to emperor)

no just use the 2.23 firmware, which is the latest one

(in reply to Steinello)

I have a toshiba satelite 1415-s105 that wont let me change master/slave config. i have flashed teh nec-nd6500a with the 4.21 firmware but still get ide error#1. If someone can email the 6500boot/6500main i would greatly appreciate while i still have my friends laptop that can recognise the drive.

Glex25@yahoo.com

(in reply to emperor)

Hi emperor,

you wrote that I can use the actual 2.23 firmware.

But I`m still searching for the software to "switch" the drive to "slave"-modus.

Where can I load this software ?


Thanks for your help

Steinello

(in reply to Glex25)

Steinello in that case you have to use 4.21 with Binflash software (http://binflash.cdfreaks.com)

(in reply to Steinello)

@glex25

You have mail !

Greetings

Bighardy

(in reply to Glex25)