26 replies to this topic

[assarbad]

Hi,

 

I recently learned that the ZM-VE400 from Zalman is a relabeled iodd device. I also heard from someone on a forum it'd be possible to flash the original iodd firmware onto the relabeled device, but it would require some modification. The ZM-VE400 appears to be identical with the following product: iodd2541.

 

Does anyone here know how to flash the iodd firmware onto the relabeled device?

 

One of the motivations is the recent filing for bankruptcy by Zalman. In case they don't continue support, I'd be able to use this alternative route.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I found a promising pointer which I better add here:

 

• http://sourceforge.net/projects/iodd/

Edited by assarbad, 19 November 2014 - 11:42 AM.

[assarbad]

It appears that no sophisticated tricks are required.

 

When you start the iODD firmware updater (and btw, the Zalman version contains several references to iODD and Fujitsu), you'll get to see

Device does not matched

First I thought I'd have to change the INI file, but that's not necessary.

 

Use a tool such as my age-old EDA in order to enable the button labeled Update in the firmware updater dialog. You can also tinker with any other controls there. Point is, once enabled you have overcome all hurdles to make your Zalman ZM-VE400 back into an iodd2541.

 

After you finished uploading the firmware, exit and unplug, then replug the device. Voila: it'll start flashing the new firmware. After that you'll be greeted by Korean glyphs and have to use the navigation and Menu and Enter buttons to make your way to the settings menu and change the language to English.

 

And you're golden.

Whenever you replug the device it will now report as iodd2541 in the display.

 

There are also some hidden features in the firmware updater which I am currently investigating.

[steve6375]

I am not familiar with EDA. How exactly do you use it (in Windows 10)?

 

Also, it would be very handy to use the IODD Update program to update Zalman drives with Zalman firmware - have you done this and how did you do it?

[assarbad]

I am not familiar with EDA. How exactly do you use it (in Windows 10)?

 

Also, it would be very handy to use the IODD Update program to update Zalman drives with Zalman firmware - have you done this and how did you do it?

Simply use the finder to select the disabled (greyed out) button, then check the checkbox that says enabled.

 

Damn it, bankruptcy? Really? I had the ZM-VE400 for awhile, extremely useful, was really hoping they would release a newer model. There was talk awhile back that they had done so, I guess they're probably either going to liquidate their assets and dissolve as a corporation, or sell out, so it will probably be pulled from the market. No use in buying a product that will presumably be unsupported even if it remains available, unless Zalman stays solvent.

 

I did flash the firmware once if I recall correctly, so I could try different filesystems, it involved running an EXE file. Very simple process.

Uhm, actually you should realize that Zalman is the reseller in that case. iODD creates the product and it gets rebranded to Zalman. So having the ability to flash the iODD firmware really helps in that case, because you can technically make your Zalman into an iODD device proper.

 

And flashing the firmware from iODD onto the Zalman and vice versa is trivial, but you still need to know how. That's what this topic is about.

[steve6375]

OK, In case anyone else is having trouble with the eda_preview270.exe tool...

 

1. Run the iodd firmware updater tool (e.g. iODD_2531_user_fw_writer_04(R1558N)_x86.EXE ) 

2. Run the eda_preview270.exe as Admin,  Click on Modify Window

3. Left-click-down on the CD icon (bottom right) and drag the cursor to the button you want to enable on the iodd fw form (in this case 'Update') - release the mouse button.

4. On eda  form, untick the WS_DISABLED check box and click on 'set the windows text' button - the Update button should now be enabled.

5. Now you can click on the Update button in the iodd fw utility to update the firmware.

 

I tested this under Win10 x64 and it seemed to work, but I don't have an equivalent Zalman to actually run an update.

[ambralivio]

I tested this under Win10 x64 and it seemed to work, but I don't have an equivalent Zalman to actually run an update.

 

NO.

 

Maybe the procedure will work in the case of VE400-iODD 2541, but not for VE300-iODD2531 case.

 

I tried to inject the last iODD 2531 firmware (R1558N) in a Zalman VE-300 (with actual firmware R1288) following the above procedure but, unfortunately,  it doesn't work.

 

ambralivio

[ambralivio]

I found a very useful and interesting "piece"/source of information on Zalman/iODD enclosures here :

 

VE300

VE400

 

ambralivio

[Wonko the Sane]

Isn't it just a matter of editing a couple .ini files?

 

Or am I missing something? 

 

Wonko

[Zharif]

I recently bought the Zalman ZM-VE500.

Although it works great for common usage I'm a little bit dissapointed cause this model seems to support ISO files only.

I was not able to flash the firmware except with the one provided from their website.

[ambralivio]

Isn't it just a matter of editing a couple .ini files?

 

I think so, but also to substitute some file, or rename them, according to the procedure chosen.

 

I do hope to make some trial in this sense.

 

ambralivio

[Wonko the Sane]

Hmmm.

 

We have available:

http://www.usbdev.ru/files/zalman/

 the files for Zalman VE300 1288N:

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5300

and the files for iodd2531, both 1288N (with two different installer/fonts) and for 1558N

http://www.usbdev.ru...dd2531fwwriter/

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5332

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5333

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=6368

 

It shouldn't be that difficult to find the differences between the iodd and the Zalman .ini settings.

The executables/dlll's seems a lot like the same stuff.

 

Wonko

[ambralivio]

It shouldn't be that difficult to find the differences between the iodd and the Zalman .ini settings.

 

I agree but, as you well know, working with firmware changes generally can put on some risk the device under test.

Therefore the activity should be made with a certain care...

 

The executables/dlll's seems a lot like the same stuff.

 

...hoping there are no "strange" dependencies between files...

 

ambralivio

[Wonko the Sane]

The differences between the .ini's are really minimal, just a few  names and filenames, a Reload value 0/1 and - of course - the hashes.

Without attempting to actual update, only running the firmware install and detecting the device what is written to the .csv in the \result folder?

I mean, if you run the original Zalman 1288N firmware update tool (but do not upgrade it) it should be populated with some data that may be useful.

 

 

Wonko

[ambralivio]

Without attempting to actual update, only running the firmware install and detecting the device what is written to the .csv in the \result folder?

 

What .csv and \result folder are you talking about ?

 

 

I mean, if you run the original Zalman 1288N firmware update tool (but do not upgrade it) it should be populated with some data that may be useful.

 

 

Wonko

 

What do you mean with it ?

 

ambralivio

[Wonko the Sane]

Here (without any Zalman or iodd device) if I run any among:

iODD-fw-updater-02.exe
iODD2531-fw-updater-04.exe

zalman-fw-updater-02.exe

the program creates a sub-folder \report and in it a flie [date]-[time].csv with contents:

Date,Time,F/W Ver,VID,PID,S/N,Manufacturer,Product,Capacity,Speed,Update,Verify,Format,Install,Result

it .

I am expecting that doing the same with a device connected the file (it) is populated with some data.

 

Wonko

[ambralivio]

Hi Wonko.

 

Unfortunately your expectations failed, since (with the Zalman attached) the .csv file has no data and is not populated at all; only the contents you reported before :

 

Date,Time,F/W Ver,VID,PID,S/N,Manufacturer,Product,Capacity,Speed,Update,Verify,Format,Install,Result

ambralivio

[crashnburn]

Maybe the 2531 does not match with VE 300 but with VE 350 (the recent re-released one?)? Anyone try that? 

NO.

 

Maybe the procedure will work in the case of VE400-iODD 2541, but not for VE300-iODD2531 case.

 

I tried to inject the last iODD 2531 firmware (R1558N) in a Zalman VE-300 (with actual firmware R1288) following the above procedure but, unfortunately,  it doesn't work.

 

ambralivio

 

 

Hi Wonko.

 

Unfortunately your expectations failed, since (with the Zalman attached) the .csv file has no data and is not populated at all; only the contents you reported before :

 

Date,Time,F/W Ver,VID,PID,S/N,Manufacturer,Product,Capacity,Speed,Update,Verify,Format,Install,Result

ambralivio

 

Thanks for sharing that Source code link. 

 

Hi,

 

I recently learned that the ZM-VE400 from Zalman is a relabeled iodd device. I also heard from someone on a forum it'd be possible to flash the original iodd firmware onto the relabeled device, but it would require some modification. The ZM-VE400 appears to be identical with the following product: iodd2541.

 

Does anyone here know how to flash the iodd firmware onto the relabeled device?

 

One of the motivations is the recent filing for bankruptcy by Zalman. In case they don't continue support, I'd be able to use this alternative route.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I found a promising pointer which I better add here:

 

• http://sourceforge.net/projects/iodd/

 

 

So was anyone able to get iodd firmware onto any zalman device? I mean they should be the same hardware/ oem stuff. 

[crashnburn]

I found a very useful and interesting "piece"/source of information on Zalman/iODD enclosures here :

 

VE300

VE400

 

ambralivio

 

 

Hmmm.

 

We have available:

http://www.usbdev.ru/files/zalman/

 the files for Zalman VE300 1288N:

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5300

and the files for iodd2531, both 1288N (with two different installer/fonts) and for 1558N

http://www.usbdev.ru...dd2531fwwriter/

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5332

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=5333

http://www.usbdev.ru/?wpfb_dl=6368

 

It shouldn't be that difficult to find the differences between the iodd and the Zalman .ini settings.

The executables/dlll's seems a lot like the same stuff.

 

Wonko

 

Very interesting threads and discussions. For some reason I can read but I cannot find a way to Register or Login to discussions on HDD SSD forum. Is there a way? 

[Wonko the Sane]

Very interesting threads and discussions. For some reason I can read but I cannot find a way to Register or Login to discussions on HDD SSD forum. Is there a way? 

Sure, it is not a forum .

Those links are an automated translation of some Russian forum:

http://forum.ixbt.co...cgi?id=11:43919

http://forum.ixbt.co...cgi?id=11:44853

 

Wonko

[crashnburn]

So was anyone able to get iodd firmware onto any zalman device? I mean they should be the same hardware/ oem stuff. 

 

I need to flash VE 350 > with > iODD 2531 Firmware. How? 

So was anyone able to get iodd firmware onto any zalman device? I mean they should be the same hardware/ oem stuff. 

 

PS: I found this tutorial and files

https://www.dropbox....400mod.pdf?dl=0

on a blog post comment - http://ma.ttwagner.c...n-ve400-review/

 

It has files for Zalman to iODD and iODD to Zalman for 2541 

 

Can anyone go through the files and share how we could replicate the same for VE 300/ 250 to iODD 2531? 

[D5AA96]

Hi all,

 

I found an easy solution to get the latest IODD firmware on my Zalman VE-300.

 

1. Get the "eda_preview270.exe" tool from post #2
2. Get iODD2531_user_fw_writer_02R1288N_x86.zip from the iodd.kr homepage (Support - Downloads - 2531 (VE300) - NTFS - Old) and unpack it
3. Get iODD_2531_user_fw_writer_04(R1558N)_x86.EXE
4. Run the firmware writer 02R1288N (as administrator)
5. Run the EDA tool (as administrator)
6. Drag-and-drop the crosshair of the EDA tool on the disabled "Update" button of the firmware writer
7. Activate the "enabled" checkbox in the EDA tool, right below the checked "visible" box. With your VE-300 device connected, press the update button. The old updater is not so picky about the installed firmware on the device as the recent one.
8. After finishing the update, power off the VE-300 and reconnect it. Now you have a "iodd2531" device with an outdated firmware.
9. Run the latest firmware writer_04(R1558N). Since you have a valid iodd firmware on your device, the updater is happy with it. Just press the update button.
10. After finishing the update, power off the VE-300 and reconnect it. 
11. Enjoy :-)

 

Disclaimer: You do everything at your own risk. It worked for me. The firmware mentioned above is for the NTFS file system.

[shoe]

Hi all,

 

I found an easy solution to get the latest IODD firmware on my Zalman VE-300.

 

1. Get the "eda_preview270.exe" tool from post #2
2. Get iODD2531_user_fw_writer_02R1288N_x86.zip from the iodd.kr homepage (Support - Downloads - 2531 (VE300) - NTFS - Old) and unpack it
3. Get iODD_2531_user_fw_writer_04(R1558N)_x86.EXE
4. Run the firmware writer 02R1288N (as administrator)
5. Run the EDA tool (as administrator)
6. Drag-and-drop the crosshair of the EDA tool on the disabled "Update" button of the firmware writer
7. Activate the "enabled" checkbox in the EDA tool, right below the checked "visible" box. With your VE-300 device connected, press the update button. The old updater is not so picky about the installed firmware on the device as the recent one.
8. After finishing the update, power off the VE-300 and reconnect it. Now you have a "iodd2531" device with an outdated firmware.
9. Run the latest firmware writer_04(R1558N). Since you have a valid iodd firmware on your device, the updater is happy with it. Just press the update button.
10. After finishing the update, power off the VE-300 and reconnect it. 
11. Enjoy :-)

 

Disclaimer: You do everything at your own risk. It worked for me. The firmware mentioned above is for the NTFS file system.

 

Hi D5, just tried your method on a VE300 and still receive a "Update Failure".  Drive still works though...  Although I do run the FAT version not NTFS.

[D5AA96]

Hi shoe, you could try to upgrade your device first with the latest available NTFS firmware from Zalman. From there it should work as described.

[shoe]

Hi shoe, you could try to upgrade your device first with the latest available NTFS firmware from Zalman. From there it should work as described.

 

Hi D,

 

Found some time to re do this... Found my issue, looks like I did not get the old 02 version of the iodd updater.  I was using the 04 version initially, all set to go using my new IODD "2531".  Thanks again!