Because of problems with LG-based CD-ROM drives MandrakeSoft delayed the public
download of their Mandrke 9.2 ISO images. Firmware updates & restoration procedure
are now available from LG’s
website and from Dell
Support.
A problem has been discovered with certain LG-based CD-ROM drives and Mandrake
Linux 9.2. The kernel that comes shipped with Mandrake Linux 9.2 and early updates
would send a FLUSH_CACHE command to the drive which would make drive inoperable
by overwriting its firmware. Unfortunately, many Dell computers (possibly others)
come with these CD-ROM drives.
The problem was that the kernel would send a FLUSH_CACHE command to the LG
CD-ROM drive which would make the drive inoperable by overwriting its firmware.
This is because some LG CD-ROM drives are not compliant with the ATAPI specification.
The specification does not require an implementation of the FLUSH_CACHE command
in the driver, and returning an error (or doing nothing) would have been the
correct behaviour for the drive. Likewise, reusing a command is against the
specification and LG has reused the FLUSH_CACHE command to modify the firmware
of the drive, but they are unwilling to disclose exactly what the command does.
This FLUSH_CACHE command is supposed to be supported only by CD-RW or DVD-RW
devices; the LG-based CD-ROM devices are understanding this command as the UPLOAD_FIRMWARE
command. Get
more information here.
The ISO images are now available for public download.
Find a FTP server next to you here:
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Link: Linux-tip.net
Category:
- Linux
