firmware update 1.06 for uj-210s has borked my drive

[jumbles1971]

I tried to play a Blu-ray disc last night and it wouldn't play so I updated to the most recent version of WinDVD BD that was available on VAIO Update and I noticed there was a new firmware version available so I updated that too. The firmware updater program said it completed successfully and I rebooted but now my drive doesn't work at all. The drive light is permanently on and if I look under Device Manager it says it still has 1.05 firmware. I've tried re-applying the firmware but it says it is up to date.

I have an AR21S with XP SP3.

Does anyone have any ideas how to get it working again.

thanks
Jumbles

[Blencogo]

Hi Jumbles,

You are the second person with this problem and as things stand I don't think there is a solution.

I will ask Sony if a "Roll-Back" to the previous firmware version is possible and to suggest they remove the 1.06 firmware upgrade from the download site.

I have noticed that the 1.06 upgrade is only listed for Vista - I wonder if this is the problem as 1.05 is the latest XP upgrade.

[jumbles1971]

Thanks. I'll keep my fingers crossed as I just got Ghostbusters BD and REALLY want to watch it.

[Blencogo]

Sony have taken sympathy on you and withdrawn this update and are testing a roll-back firmware and a revised update.

Hope this works or it will be the old Recovery Two-Step for you!

[jumbles1971]

Excellent! My fingers are crossed!

Thanks for keeping me updated.

[jumbles1971]

having given up on it many weeks ago, i noticed last night that the drive light had finally gone out i put in a disc and windows recognised it :smileygrin: i fired up windvd and i got a message about my aacs key having expired when i click "yes" to update nothing happens

any ideas?

thanks
Jumbles

I just managed to get it to update before it crashed again Now it just crashes when I try and play a disc

[johmckeo]

Hi Blencogo,

Is there any update from Sony on this? I encountered exactly this same problem when I did an update (Windows Media Center) at Christmas, I was offered the Blu-ray 1.6 update and not knowing any better I applied it with the net result that my Blu-ray reader/writer is no long Blu-ray as it cannot read let alone write Blu-ray media!!!

I tried very hard to get in touch with Sony Support but all I experienced was being held in a queue on a premium rate phone line for long periods without human intervention. Sony finally contacted me last month (March) as a consequence of my negative and highly critical comments in a customer feedback questionnaire they asked me to complete online.

What I now find most annoying is that the individual from Customer Support I actually spoke to on a number of occasions denied that there had been any reports of problems with this 1.6 firmware upgrade. Clearly this topic highlights that this is not true. As part of this discussion with Customer Support I asked why, if they had tested it and had no issues reported by their customers, it had been withdrawn from the Sony VAIO website for XP/Media Center installations? I was informed that this was an error and that it would be made available again!!!

The upshot is that I spent nearly €3,000 on an otherwise excellent laptop, I applied recommended updates as directed by the Sony VAIO website and when the update goes wrong they are not interested. I have now been informed that if I wish to have the laptop repaired it will cost me €250. To say I am disappointed and frustrated with Sony would be a major understatement on my part.

Regards

John