Hello, all.

I have an older laptop with a:
Model=Compaq DRN8040B, FwRev=2.25, SerialNo=2000/01/21
DVD (4x), CD-ROM (24x) combo drive in it which has some trouble reading some DVD media. I was wondering if there was a newer firmware for it. I tried to find on on Compaq/HP's web site, but I had no luck. Their information is all organized by their laptop models and not by the peripherial. Since it now resides in a completely different laptop, that kind of indexing does me no good.

So, does anyone know who might have been the OEM of this drive and therefore, if it would be possible to upgrade it to new firmware?

If I can make any other observations of the drive to provide more information, I would be glad to do so.

Cheers.

I searched the HP/Compaq web site again and this time I found something hopeful. There is mention of a DRN-8080B drive being made by LG. LG does have drives by that number (8080), but they have no 8040 drives. They do have an 8041, though, but the firmware numbers are quite different.

Still looking.

(in reply to willmore)

try over www.rpc1.org

(in reply to willmore)

Thanks, emperor. I had looked over there earlier, but the two references to the drive that I can find are confusing--but consistant with what I've seen elsewhere.

When the drive is refered to as a Compaq DRN-8040B, the firmware is 2.25 and it's called a RPC-2 drive.

When the drive is refered to as an LG DRN-8040B, the firmware is 1.09 and it's called a RPC-1 drive.

Very confusing. I'm assuming the former entry is the correct one and it only refers to the version of the firmware which is in my drive, so I guess I will assume that there is no more recent firmware and that I just get to live with it.

So, unless someone else has some magic, I think that's where I'll stay.

Thanks, again.

(in reply to emperor)

Although the drives are probably the same better avoid to use this different firmware. How about contact Compaq?

(in reply to willmore)

I could try that--again. The last time they were less than helpful. I've never had good luck with their tech support. But, I'll drop them and email and give them another chance. :)

Thanks, again, Iggy.

(in reply to Iggy)