I found this thread regarding Vista and LiteOn Drives. I don't know if his issue is legit or not, I don't have a liteon drive (thinking of getting one), but I thought I would post this: http://forum.digital-digest.com/show...508#post534508.

I am sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

Regards

He never mentioned what is his drive. I will not believe in him unless there are others reporting this.

I agree, if this were actually the case I think we would have heard about it already.

Hi
I should go back & check what this virgin poster had to add to the thread.
Or see post here:

DeJa Vu

Hi
To save you the trouble of going there,
the post:
"Hi
Firstly I have a couple of Lite-Ons & not experienced any problems whatsoever.
Drivers for DVDRWs in Vista?? Nope definately not.
Flashing of firmware, according to Lite-On is to be done in safemode.
This would mean that Vistas' UAC is not loaded so no prevention of any kind present to 'get in the way of flashing'.

BTW All 4 drives installed are currently using patched f/w.
Pioneer 112 - Plextor 760 - BenQ 1655 - Lite-On 20A1P

On the 'write protection'. Microsoft hasn't any rights or arrangements with Lite-On or any other manufacturer to be able to add commands to the EEPROM. I doubt if this is even possible without your (the users) involvement."
With the permission of the postee (zebadee)

Nice one! zebadee

This is foolish. I have lite on drives on 2 vista machines and haven't had an ounce of problem with either. Unless they can provide a link to this supposedly locked down firmware and tell us what drive this is, I have trouble believing it, as well. Very screwy if you ask me.

I have no intention of debating what I experienced. You can simply read my warning in my column in next month's Computer Shopper Magazine to understand just how experienced I am (Lost's Corner); Or read the July issue of PC Week Asia (John Says: Support, Warnings And Questions from elsewhere) [loosely translated]. I covered my issue in both columns.

I was kindly asked to back the statements here by another user on another site so: here is the info needed if you wanted to track down and try to replicate this yourself; all of which you could read in the magazines later when they hit the news stands.

2 Drives; same issue:
LH-18A1P-186
lite-on software page

SHW-160P62
site

Microsoft Driver update came from Microsoft Update via the Windows Update function in Vista's Explorer.

Windows Vista Ultimate Retail edition.


BTW: for those interested in discussing the ramifications that such a revision in methods has on the industry as a whole; I'll check back here from time to time over the next few weeks. I just have no intention of battling it out in a flame war; I get enough of that in my mail. -_^

Because you pretend to know everything but actually you know nothing
No offence, but this is my conclusion after reading your posts/threads at Digital Digest

@Alan1476: I think this thread should be closed.

I tried to do the right thing in alerting various communities about a potential issue.

Instead of "..seek first to understand, then be understood..", it has come to something else I did not intend. I hope you understand.

Kindest Regards to all.

I havent had any problems flashing any of my drives in Vista. And I have done it in regular mode, just change campatibily to run as Administrator.

Yes gary I see where you are coming from but it appears that the message has got lost some where along the way.

Hi
I don't know if anyone else has looked into the links provided by lostinlodos.
But I cannot replicate or find anything that remotely resembles this users problem.
I have responded to his latest post @ the other forum.
Feel free to have a look. but please folk do not make this personal. It the differences in us that makes life interesting.
So my final comment.
"Hi
@lostinlodos2
Well I don't want to get embroiled in some debate.
All I will say in is that I have/am beta testing both Vista 32 bit & IE7 variations.
I have never experienced the problems to which you relate. (Even when trying to-Have seen links in other place thank you).
I find it strange that so little is being experienced by the masses who auto update.
As far as this 'write protection' If this is the correct terminology (so it is what you really mean). Then this involves adding to or editing the bootcode of the EEPROM. Something that even under flashing f/w updates would not usually happen. It would certainly require the manufacturers permission in order to do this officially.
As for the "lock" being of MS user functions (thereby taking a software route). I've not seen this in relation to the statement you make regarding ODs'. All of the 'permissions' can be accessed via Defender > Explorer. You can turn on or off, even remove any & all instructions that are to be found here."

Hi
I understand that this user has had a bad experience. These posts are not personal, they are trying to look into this & the why. It is something that has be debated if we are to progress. I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted. But it's almost inevitable I'm afraid.

I agree with Zebadee on this one. There should *NOT* be any personal attacks, however, the ISSUE can and should be debated. Just saying "this is what happened" is not sufficient on an issue with this much potential to cause havoc. If this is really happening on many people's machines, then we need to understand what it's actually doing and potentially how to prevent it from happening. Zeb and I both have liteon drives with updated firmware and Vista...I know I've not seen this issue at all. Nor have I seen any Windows Update pertaining to my drive. So, in my opinion, more investigation into the claims needs to happen.

No free advertising here. I believe it's against the rules.

On another note. If no one can replicate your problem here at CDF's.....then maybe you have problems elsewhere.

No i'm not trying to flame. Just stating what i have read here so far.

Here's an example of our way to get to the bottom of problems

This might be slightly off topic but I feel it should be posted anyway. And please note; I'm not taking anybodys party in this clash about "Warning for Vista Users".

First of all I think some kind of copy restriction is already silently implemented (or will soon be implemented) in Lite-On/Philips/HP dvd writers.
Why? Simply because Philips have begun to mess with Lite-On, linky, which also means they are trying to implement the Philips/HP invented Video Content Protection System (VCPS).
We have even seen some indication of this in working here at our forum.

Contrary to many others posting here, I believe it is possible to activate a protection like just mentioned via firmware. But I'll not speculate if explicit M$ Vista is needed for this kind of protection to function.But again, all this might be well off topic.

Hi
Thanks pinto2.
Indeed an interesting post.
I myself was aware of these points & accept it is possible to have such restrictions/protections introduced into f/w.
The OP of the thread in referred to is saying that MS & Lite-On may well be taking a path of this nature.
At present I do not think this has happened in this case.
I would like to find out what & why this user has had this 'problem' however.
It is something (developements of the nature referred to in your links) that we need to be aware of & keep a close eye on any further steps made in this respect.

@pinto2

From what I've read, VCPS is for encrypting data on DVD+R/RW, just like CSS/CPRM on pressed DVD-ROM but you have the option to use VCPS or not to use it, manufacturer have the option to support it or not not to support it. They are mainly for making your own copy-protect DVD+R/RW, not a restriction. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

@listinlodos
Those 2 firmware links are the official latest firmwares available at official Lite-ON website. No hidden things there.

http://us.liteonit.com/us/APPS/downl...oduct=LH-18A1P

http://us.liteonit.com/us/APPS/downl...uct=SHW-160P6S

And the date on the second one is from September of last year. You'd think that if there was a problem with that firmware that we'd have heard about it by now. And I still don't know what Windows Update listinlodos is referring to as I never got anything like that on my machines.

Hey, listinlodos, could you provide a KB number for the Windows Update that caused this issue? It should be in your history. I'd really like to check it out. Like I said, before I hit the panic button on this one, I'd really like to put some more research into just what is happening and why. Thanks!!

Take your time and check out some links at Philips page I linked to, and I'm sure you'll see it's not only about "your own copy-protect" DVD+R/RW...
Also remember, many drives nowdays can hold/perform some kind of hardware "encoding" and you can easily imagine what will come next.

Alright: here's the update...
I tracked the problem by going back (records/history) to day one and steping through everything I did update/upgrade/patch wise on a clean-bill system. I think I found where the issues are and it may not be a mass-population issue YET; but at the rate that the content protection updates are being rolled out; it will probably be in one of the next few updates

Related Tech info:
Vista64 Ultimate Edition (Direct from Microsoft) (OEM version)
Drives affected: LiteOn SHO SHOW SHW drives (maybe more)
>note< completely uninstalled windows firewall, windows defender, windows messenger and turned off automatic updates (set to not check for updates)

Installed Microsoft Update from the Windows Update centre

Updated completely from Microsoft Update (NOT Windows Update). If it was there; I installed it. Tested after each single update; no problem.

Initialized my Windows Live account and logged my system in with the MSDN server; and registered for "Show Beta Services and Updates in Microsoft Update...".

Ran Microsoft Update again and still no noticeable problems

Updated firmware from LiteOn site: drives locked. Can't flash backwards at all.

Updated Drivers for the DVD burners by:
right clicking one the drive in device manager and clicking "Update Driver Software"
choosing Search Automatically
Clicking on install for the update it found.

AnyDVD no longer recognizes DVDs when they are inserted with the software running. Windows reports DVD-ROM movies as being blank media.
AnyDVD hangs system reading VCDs
AnyDVD hangs system reading HVDs
>note< AnyDVD and Windows can both read/recognize DVDs, VCD, ...... if the disc is inserted BEFORE I turn on AnyDVD. AnyDVD works fine if it is loaded after the disc is inserted.

Updated the Driver by right clicking on the drive in device manager and choosing search Windows Live MSDN network and selecting the 'new' driver found in that search.

All non-Microsoft DVD/CD related software can no longer read discs. Nothing reads anywhere when AnyDVD running. AnyDVD can no longer read a disc if it is loaded after the disc is inserted.

Windows Media Player can read CDs/DVDs still at this point if the system is booted with AnyDVD not set to auto-load and it is not loaded at any point. Nero still can not recognize writeable blanks. IMGBurn can not recognize writeable blanks. The windows feature to burn data to a blank disc still works.

Guess it's a two-pronged issue. The update seams to lock out my drives ONLY on this system at the point that I updated them. If nothing else; it's a sign of what's to come and still a valid warning for the NEAR-future.

Let's hypothetically say they roll this out to the world. Suddenly their sales of Vista drop to 0. "All non-Microsoft DVD/CD related software can no longer read discs." Yea, the first time a windows update eliminates my ability to use my $100 HD-DVD/DVD player software, that will be the end for me. Vista will come off my machine to never return. So yea, I believe they're probably toying with this idea, but, God help them from all the lawsuits they'll get if they actually do it. Sounds to me more like a bug than a protection system...

P.S. Did you try a patched version of the firmware for your drive to see if you can go back to a previous version?