Iomega ZipCD 12x10x32 burner can be converted to a Plextor 1210A!

SDTom

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
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Cool, I see that we can now change the ID string also.
Anyone try the ID change yet??

Tom
 

BuckNaked

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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yes I did. I had upgraded the firmware to 1.07 using the hack, then thanks to LiQiCe, updated the ID string as well.

Dave
 

Equivicus

Junior Member
Jan 3, 2001
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I haven't done the hacked firmware with hopes that someone would figure out how to change the vendor ID. It was just a matter of time! ;)

Has anybody done the convert that hasn't already done the hack too? I mean from factory default to Plextor ID and then update with the 1.07 firmware?
 

Nessism

Golden Member
Dec 2, 1999
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Help me here for a moment, I am guessing that updating the ID string will allow future firmware upgrades using the standard Plextor firmware. True? Are there any other benefits to this conversion?

PS: mrVW, thanks again for your lead on this Iomega deal!
 

Equivicus

Junior Member
Jan 3, 2001
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Changing the vendor ID string to Plextor is said to allow firmware updates directly from Plextor. All programs should see the drive as a Plextor too.

Those two are pretty good reasons to do the conversion. Iomega has yet to release an updated firmware with the latest Plextor fixes. And Plextor most definitely has better standing when it comes to software developers supporting their hardware vs Iomega.

Just remember though if the update fails you may be SOL. Not even counting the other issues mentioned on RoundSparrow regarding other drives in your system being changed too.
 

Fumiup

Senior member
Sep 24, 2000
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I just changed my ID string without a hitch in WinME. Ran the program, rebooted and it reads as a Plextor :)

Before, Siren Jukebox keep saying it didn't recognize the Iomega with the 1.07 firmware, now it runs just fine.
 

andrey

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,238
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Just curious, why would anyone want to change the name of the drive? Drive still retains the same speed and functionality. In other words, if I stick Ferrari label on Toyota, it is not going to make Toyota drive like Ferrari :p
 

Werddrew

Member
Feb 23, 2000
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Unless, of course, someone tore the Ferarri label off of your Ferrari and replaced it with a toyota label, then claimed that only toyota could repair your car, you're just replacing the label with the RIGHT one, and thereby, getting Ferrari support...

;)
-drew

EDIT: someone please tell me that theirs worked in windows2000, i wanna do dis!
 

kgatwork

Member
Feb 5, 2000
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Mine worked flawlessly! Thanks to all involved! I even left the cdrom drive on and had no problems. It did not over write the CDROM drive.
 

Lore

Diamond Member
Oct 24, 1999
3,624
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I think it would be rather difficult to permanently hose your drive; if the person screws up their drive they could just rename it back to what it was by using the new name as a starting point.

edit: Although if you changed a different drive (like your Zip drive) by mistake then you may have a problem.
 

DefRef

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
4,041
1
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TDK has a 1.07 firm on their site and has had it since last month. I'm running my VeloCD 12/10/32 just fine. So, what's the diff?
 

DaveNCheez

Senior member
Mar 26, 2000
734
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pirootofpi.com
I noticed on TDKs site that their 16x10x40 burner is availiabe or will be soon
wonder if this is the Yamaha we've been seeing, or is it another brand (sanya was supposed to have one comming out that is REAL 16x, not variable speed like Yamaha)
 

mrVW

Senior member
May 18, 2000
992
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One guy reported to me that he hosed his drive, but I don't think it was the program that did it.

I think he HOSED HIS SYSTEM by trying to install all that aweful Adaptec ASPI stuff. Junk, 5 different varations...

He said he was at 1.03 before firmware update, did the firmware update (but it just started and never said it was downloading or completed) ... and he had 1.03 after the update... but that none of his programs would work.

I tested the firmware update program extensively... if it doesn't show the "sending bytes..." window... it doesn't find your drive and does nothing. SO I think he just hosted his Windows and a clean install would get his drive working again... so he never really touched the drive.

Other than that... no other reports of problems.

I've had other people who have HOSED their windows (and know they did and aren't blaming the drive) because they just don't know what they are doing. A good program like Nero doesn't need ASPI, too bad that Plextor wrote their firmware download program for ASPI. I suspect Plextor did this so they could have one program to update both their SCSI and IDE drives... but they didn't consider that 90% of the drives sold are IDE and using "SCSI emulation" is tough given how many fouled-up variations Adaptec has released. EZCd Creator is one of the junkiest programs I have ever seen. Works great on a clean install system, but it conflicts with most everything else and the version to version upgrades rarely work right (best to delete windows, install windows, then install the new version of EzCD creator -- I'm not joking).

Stephen -- Roundsparrow.com webmaster
 

HeavyB

Senior member
Oct 28, 2000
370
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My experience with the hacks
Upgraded from 1.04 to 1.07 firmware. Worked as advertised, saw the increase in DAE. Very happy.
Tried using CloneCD to back-up some copy-protected CDs. Said the ZipCD did not support subchannel reading. Sad.
Took a chance and changed the ID string of the drive to the plextor equivalent after removing my Pioneer 16X DVD (which also does not read subchannel data). Updater worked like a charm, my drive ID now says Plextor PXW-1210A in device manager.
Tried CloneCD again. Worked flawlessly at backing-up CDs that wouldn't work when the drive was a ZipCD. Very happy.


HeavyB

 

Fumiup

Senior member
Sep 24, 2000
357
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mrVW I have Adaptec's latest ASPI drivers which don't need a qualifying Adaptec product to upgrade.



<< Description: ASPI layer version 4.60 (1021), for Windows 9x and Windows NT. This includes updates to the following files: WINASPI.DLL, WNASPI32.DLL, APIX.VXD, ASPIENUM.VXD. Simply execute ASPIINST.EXE to install/upgrade the ASPI drivers. This upgrade DOES NOT require that either an Adaptec host adapter an Adaptec version of the ASPI layer be installed on your system.

Note: Do NOT install ASPIINST.EXE with Windows 2000, Windows ME, Easy CD Creator 4.x, or with Windows Media Player 7.0. If you have one of these applications (or OS), you will be using a different aspi layer that will conflict with the one provided in this file.
>>




It came on a CD that I had and the file is 191kb. It just extracts them and makes a backup of your old files. It's from Adaptec, just not posted. If you'd like to host it I'll send it to you.
 

Lore

Diamond Member
Oct 24, 1999
3,624
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You know, I've wondered often at that DO NOT INSTALL IN WIN2K warning - what ASPI layer should you use then? I know Goldenhawk's CDRWIN requires an ASPI layer to be loaded.
 

LiQiCE

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I'm using Windows 2000, and I use Adaptec's ASPI layer. There are programs that will install ASPI for you regardless of having EZCD or whatever. Here's directions on how to install an ASPI layer manually in Windows 2000, if you have the right files:

Extract files to the following directories and then run aspichk.exe to verify proper extraction. The run aspi32.exe to update and reboot.

aspi32.sys = f:\winnt\system32\drivers
winaspi.dll = f:\winnt\system
wnaspi32.dll = f:\winnt\system32
wowpost.exe = f:\winnt\system


The makers of Nero and CDRWIN also make their own ASPI layer, which I believe you can download free of charge from them. So you may want to try theirs as well, I have heard good things about the Nero ASPI drivers.

Please remember that the ID change utility does *not* work in Windows 2000. It will only work in Windows 9x/ME.

PS-I know this is a longshot, but if anyone is interested in selling me an Iomega drive for a reasonable price, please email me. I hacked the ID string utility to change the Iomega drive to a Plextor, but I dont actually have a drive myself to use! If anyone is interested, please email me: rchung@monroe.k12.nj.us Thanks :)
 

subpar

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
633
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I just wanted to thank everybody for helping out with this deal. Thanks to LiQiCe's utility, I was able to change my Iomega into a Plex and use it with the Plextor Manager I received with my other Plextor drive purchases. I much prefer being able to flash up to the most recent Plextor firmware upgrades as soon as they are available :)

This forum has really been a tremendous help for me to maximize the power of my meager income.

Cheers,
subpar
 

maninthebox

Member
Oct 28, 1999
72
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Why would you be SOL if you had a problem after the name change? As long as the drive isn't totally hosed, can't you just change the name back before you return it?