DVD drive firmware update for 770z

[Hamil33]

Received a like-new 770Z as a hand-me-up from my son-in-law. Have added more memory and updated firmware for original hard drive. I have hit a roadblock trying to update the firmware for the Matshita DVD. It reads commerical DVD movies with no problem. However, it will not read DVDs that I have recorded. For example, MP3 files. I know I need to update to firmware 079g. All goes well until I need to change the floppy (A)drive out and put the DVD drive in its place. I have tried booting from a usb floppy, with no success. I have tried booting from a pc card with no success. It seems that when I boot from the A drive it loads PCDos and apparently that is necessary to finalize the firmware update. I would welcome any help.

[pkiff]

The best solution is probably to attach your floppy drive via an external floppy cable to the proprietary IBM floppy connector (at the back, just above the parallel and video ports). But presumably you don't have that cable and that is why you are trying to swap the drives in and out.

I've never tried this, but you could try to use the firmware update instructions provided on mazochungo.net: FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR SR-8171 DVD DRIVE. It looks like with these instructions, you actually run the update using a DOS prompt, instead of using a boot disk.

Warning: You can ruin your DVD drive with a bad firmware update, and I cannot vouch for the files provided over on mazochungo.net. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Phil.

[Hamil33]

Thanks for the input. I have been using the site that you mentioned. The problem seems to be that unless the 770z boots from the A drive it does not load PC Dos and that with just a Dos prompt from XP the program will not run successfully. Apparently PC Dos is necessary. I have tried the workaround where you work from the hard drive, but again, the lack of PC Dos seems to be the problem. Apparently PC Dos is loaded in the IBM CMOS since I can not find it in any of the files on the hard disk. Any other ideas would be welcome.

[Hamil33]

Hey, PKIFF -- I have been researching your suggestion about using the floppy connector at the back of the 770z. That cable is available for about $10. Do you think that would allow the machine to boot from that connector? If I follow your thinking, that way I would boot from that connector while the DVD drive is already in place. What do you think?

[Hamil33]

Thanks for the DVD+R suggestion. I had been using -R since that is what I use in all my other applications. I went to my Vista PC, burned a quick MP3 to a +R and bingo, the laptop played it immediately with Media Player. Joy!

Depending on how PKIFF responds to my last message I may go ahead and order the cable. Now at least I can use the +Rs with no problem.

I have my first IBM even though my son-in-law has sworn by them for years. I am amazed at how rugged and sturdy the 770Z is. The thing is 10 years old and according to press releases when it was new, it sold for over $4500. It weighs a ton but I have a case with rollers attached, so there!! My last laptop was a piece of junk.

I am amazed that a forum like this still exists that provides info for equipment that is 10 years old. You guys provide an invaluable service.

[pkiff]

I have been researching your suggestion about using the floppy connector at the back of the 770z. That cable is available for about $10. Do you think that would allow the machine to boot from that connector?

Yes, absolutely. It's designed to do that. The one I have here on my desk is P/N 83H6276 or FRU P/N 12J0432.

If I follow your thinking, that way I would boot from that connector while the DVD drive is already in place. What do you think?

Yes, exactly what I was thinking. I have done this many times with my 770Z. In a standard config, no special changes to the BIOS or anything are necessary to do this: just plug the floppy in and boot up and it should try to boot from the plugged in floppy just like it would if the floppy were in the "UltraBay II" where the DVD is.

It weighs a ton but I have a case with rollers attached, so there!!

Ha ha! I haven't gone that far, but I've got an old Targus case that fits it perfectly (i.e. it is HUGE).

Phil.