roger01-- as long as you get the correct firmware for your drive then you should be fine! installing firmware is like installing a program just a few clicks here and there (although you dont have to, some companies suggest booting into safe mode when installing a new firmware) best of luck! -tripplite
Thanks all. I was intimidated by the following...since I'm not sure what some of it means. Connect drive to secondary IDE channel as Master Disconnect all slave hardware from IDE secondary Master Use standard UDMA-2 IDE cable Update in Windows "Safe Mode" Under Windows 2000 & XP login as administrator In problem case update without DMA mode, under Windows XP & 2000 in the device manager - "IDE ATA/ ATAPI controllers", you can switch from DMA to PIO mode Disconnect all external USB/ FireWire devices. Deactivate virusscanners, active desktop programs and packetwriting agents Do not turn off power during the updating process.
I would be hesitant to up grade that NEC too. I upgraded 2 benQs and an LG(external) without all that disconnect reconnect mumbo jumbo. I just took all discs out and closed programs including Norton and let it rip. Maybe be someone with an NEC drive will drop by and walk you thru it.
roger01, I have a Nec 3550A. I use Liggy's mod firmware, region free and booktype capabilities. There is nothing special about updating the firmware for a Nec drive. I don't know where you got that "disconnect reconnect mumbo jumbo" , like garmoon says. All you do is make sure you take any discs out of the drive, close any applications, use the proper firmware and have at it.No disconnect cables, no Safe Mode... Sometimes I disable the slave drive, sometimes I forget:~) http://support.necam.com/Optical/downloads/FlashFirmware/readme.asp?ID=4
LOL!!! Why? Like I said, there is nothing different that you do from any other drives!! Take any discs out and double click the exe firmware, follow the on screen instructions. If it is a bin firmware, use a binflasher,dump the old firmware and flash with the new one... nothing special. I don't know how the official support websites are for the other brands, but I guess they do scare you with a lot of "do this-don't do that" before you install, and the all "We're not responsible for any possible damage,blah,blah..."messahe. Those are just "Tips for a Successful Upgrade", suggestions. Might be some people that having 2-3 drives on the same machine will "accidentally" flash the wrong drive, with the wrong firmware(I guess that's why almost any web support will suggest to temporarily disable the other drives... Updating the firmware to a NEC DVD drive is as normal as possible, double click on the exe file and that's it. I like the NEC drives, there is tremenduous firmware support.
NEC doesn't make many personal pc parts(they only have a handful of pc models) , when they do its purely to spread there name,but since the drivers they make are a joint sony operation with them they tend to be quite good, not top of the line but for the normal user there fine http://www.necam.com/Optical/ -tripplite
You find NEC chipsets in a lot of drives now... They went in bed with Sony not long time ago( a year back maybe?)...
Did any of you read the NEC link for flashing? You even have to accept that you read and agreed to whatever before they will allow you the download it.
:~) Yes, read and agreed. That basically means that you as a user are the only one responsible if flashing doesn't go well. If you mess up, no one is gonna replace your burner.
