What is firmware??

[newhere]

Hi all
A dumb question from a Newbie

1. What is firmware???
2. How should I get the make of DVD writer..
3. How should I get the Latest firmware for the Drive
4. How should I upgrade it ??

[celtic_druid]

1. Basically the software in your hardware that controls how it functions.
2. Usually written on the drive and the box that it came in. Also tools like NeroInfo and in most burning apps it will tell you as well as device manager.
3. Generally found at the manufactures site.
4. Instructions generally come with it or can be found at the download location.

Here's a question for you. Why do you want to update it so bad?

[newhere]

I have I/O Magin DVD Drive and it is giving me I/O error while burning.
I was reading other post and someone suggested to upgrade the firmware.

[zak_swan]

personally i would'nt touch firmware with a barge pole.
mainly coz i knackered a DVD writer doing it in my newbie days.
do it at your peril. lol
plus i do'nt see the point in it.
i suppose other ppl that know a lot more than me will disagree.
anyway your problem may have nothing to do with firmware.
oh and go to my computer right click on writer and select properties it will tell u make.

[bazooka]

personally i would'nt touch firmware with a barge pole.
mainly coz i knackered a DVD writer doing it in my newbie days.
do it at your peril. lol
plus i do'nt see the point in it.
i suppose other ppl that know a lot more than me will disagree.
anyway your problem may have nothing to do with firmware.
oh and go to my computer right click on writer and select properties it will tell u make.

Firmware updates will allow you to handle newer discs and often gives you speed updates both burning wise and ripping wise.

[celtic_druid]

Well one of the main purposes of firmware (at least in terms of optical drives) is to update to better handle media that didn't exist when the drive was made.

If you are having trouble with the same media that you have always been using then I don't really see how a firmware update would help, probably cleaning the laser would be more usefull.

Personally I have flashed numerous optical drives, DVD players and motherboards without issues. Some drives like Lite-On's can always be hard flashed if something goes wrong. Maybe your IO Magic is Lite-On anyway? Presumably it is a rebadged someting... BTC maybe?

[bazooka]

The main thing when flashing firmware is to not run any other programs while updating.