Matshita SW-9571 Wrong Region. Help!!

[uklad24]

I live in the UK and have what should be a region 2 Matshita SW-9571 DVD/CD-RW/RAM combo drive. This evening I went to play a DVD (region 2) and PowerDVD just wouldn't play it. It kept getting a message telling me the disk was the wrong region for the player and would I like to change it. I kept chosing Region 2, but PowerDVD just wouldn't play the disk,Windows Media Player would just begin to play it but would then crash suddenly, and WinDVD just didn't want to know.. I downloaded DVDGenie to try and force the region, but that didnt work either.
I then wandered into the recorder's properties in Device Manager, and on the Region Tab, it said the recorder was Region 1 (!) and that I had one chance remaining to change the region of the drive. At this point I thought 'Ah Ha! I can change it here'. I selected United Kingdom from the list, ignored the warning that I could not ever change the region again, and pressed OK. An error message popped up saying Region could not be changed, make sure you have a region 2 disk inserted (which I did) or have administrative rights (which I do). After hours of endless searching online, and even an update to the very latest firmware for my drive, the Region is still locked to Region 1, and I am about 5 mins away from ripping the drive from its bay and hurling it as hard as possible out of the window!
Does anyone know of a way to do change the drive's region correctly, as neither windows is letting me, or any downloaded softwear like dvdgenie or dvd-region free. The last thing I need this month is the added expense of having to buy a new drive to replace this one!
thanks in advance

[The village idiot]

Maybe hacked firmware? I forget where to look for it though, maybe someone else can provide the link.

[jrdunn78hawk]

Yeah I agree with the village idiot what you need is the hacked firmware for your drive. The following is a good site to obtain it from:

http://forum.firmware-flash.com/portal.php

However if it doesnt have the firmware to unlock your drive the software which you have caled DVD Region free should do it thats usually very reliable. Are you sure you have the settings correct. When it runs its icon is in the system tray. Right click on it and make sure the writer drive is selected.

If that doesnt work try clicking on the region tab and click on customized region and select region 2.

Hope it fworks for you.!!!!

[jrdunn78hawk]

I have just had a quick look round for the firmware for your drive and its become apparent that there isnt any firmware available that unlocks its region yet. All i can suggest is the option of messing with dvd region free or maybe going to a firware site and requesting that someone makes it.

Seems others are having trouble too so your not on your own.
http://dvd.box.sk/board.php?thread=8733&did=multDVD%20drives%20firmware&disp=8733&closed=1