CDRLabs.com

DVDepressed wrote:So you all updated, but I don't see much info on how much it helps.

Tell us what brands of disks are working now that failed before!!!

I gave up and returned my dru500a for a refund (still out $40 for coasters). My new memorex drive ($199) is working great!!!

I think many people may not have the media anymore that didn't work with the old firmware, since they may have returned it for a different brand (as I did with that one batch of Prodisc 2X).

However, I will get some DVD-R media via UPS today:
One free test sample Princo 1X (never tried),
30 Princo 2X (worked already)
One free test sample Prodisc 2X (one batch didn't work with old firmware 1.0c) - will post my results with 1.0d.

The DRU-500A was (and still is) a new drive and the software didn't fully support it initially. That was to be expected, since it happens with ALL new drives initially.
Many DRU-500A users burned less coasters even BEFORE the firmware uograde, by simply upgrading to Nero 5.5.9.17 or better yet Stomp Record Now Max 4.5 once the updates became available.

The following media now work after the firmware upgrade.
This is only a list of media that did NOT work before (as per another forums' users' reports after upgrading to 1.0d):

DVDPro 2X DVD-R (32 discs burned by the user at 2X; 0 coasters)
DVDPro DVD-RW
Optodisc DVD-R
Optodisc DVD-RW
Bulkpaq DVD-R
Prodisc DVD-R
Cheap no-name DVD-R (brand not specified)
Princo DVD-RW

I have found some differences with the new firmware

I *think* it burns the bundled DVD+RW at full speed and erases a lot quicker now with Nero 5.5.9.17, although that could just be Nero.

Got my media shipment today.

Just burned a (sample) Princo 1X DVD-R with my DRU-500A
and Stomp RecordNow Max 4.5; no problems
The vendor told me some people had problems with these (this was before 1.0d came out).

Will test the sample Prodisc 2X later; or tomorrow.

I'm having problems with Sony DRU-500a firmware upgrade 1.0d. I'm trying to upgrade the firmware but it isnt working. Soon as I run the program (500A510d.exe), I 'confirm' the drive and click on "start update." Soon as I do this my pc restarts and I try to update again. Its the same thing over and over. My pc just restarts without upgrading the firmware. I had to atleast restarted my pc 30 times. When I check the current firmwire, its sitll at 1.0c. I'm running Windows XP Pro with SP 1. I've also tried installing the upgrade without the service pack being installed.

Anyone know what could be causing this? PLEASE I need help!

kenball wrote:I'm having problems with Sony DRU-500a firmware upgrade 1.0d. I'm trying to upgrade the firmware but it isnt working. Soon as I run the program (500A510d.exe), I 'confirm' the drive and click on "start update." Soon as I do this my pc restarts and I try to update again. Its the same thing over and over. My pc just restarts without upgrading the firmware. I had to atleast restarted my pc 30 times. When I check the current firmwire, its sitll at 1.0c. I'm running Windows XP Pro with SP 1. I've also tried installing the upgrade without the service pack being installed.

Anyone know what could be causing this? PLEASE I need help!

Sorry if you have done all of the following already:

Make sure to shut down all applications, disable Norton or other anti virus software, firewall software etc.
If it still does what it does, can only suggest moving the drive to a different controller/channel combo.
I have also heard of some people having problems with VIA IDE driver issues and then switching to generic Microsoft drivers to resolve the problem.

Here is my config in case it helps:
I ran mine on my Athlon DDR Win XP Pro box running SP1.
It has a FIC AD11 mobo with VIA 4in1 v4.37 I believe (haven't updated in a while since all is well).
The DRU-500A is primary master on a Maxtor/Promise Ultra100 PCI controller card running the withdrawn bios 2.30 (Promise removed it from the web site).
This latest Promise bios has an issue (bug?) showing the primary slave on the card in bootup, which may be why they removed it. It shows the drives connect to the other 3 connections fine.
I like it because it shows the transfer mode of each connected drive during card detection (e.g. Ultra DMA x), which 2.28 didn't.
In addtion, Windows works fine with any drive connected to primary slave anyway (just doesn't display in bootup).
I have 'only' 7 IDE devices hooked up right now (to leave some breathing room), so I leave the primary slave free anyway.

Anyway, I digress. I hope you get the problem resolved.

Somehow I updated the firmware to 1.0d but now my cd-r write speed is at 6x and wont go any higher. I tired using different cd-r media, same results. Anyone else having this proplem?

Nero 5.5.9.17
Sony DRU-500a (firmware 1.0d)
Win XP SP1
512 DDR