Friday 20 June 2014

Modifying Dell PD01S USB DVD to work as a normal USB DVD Rom

Found a old DELL DVD-ROM and decided to get it to work for fun.



Inside the PD01S consist of Cypress CY7C68013A. This device required a firmware to work and this firmware is store in the EEPROM highlighted in RED rectangle.


 
After much time probing and checking the circuit, conclusion was made that there is no way to get original firmware working by itself without the original notebook. So the first attempt to rewrite the firmware is planned.

To get the cypress development tool to reprogram this eeprom, the first step is to stop the existing firmware to work. This is easy by lifting pin 1 of Eeprom and connect to pin 2 of EEprom.

There was no intention to develop any new firmware so a search on the internet review one possible firmware candidate comes from below work.

http://www.siphec.com/project/USB2ATA/

Once the PD01S boots up without the original firmware, it will be detected as the cypress EZ USB development kit. Using the tool from cypress and following the above link to write "cy4611b_AT2_PINOUT.iic" into the PD01S.

As a summary the correct step to re-flash this firmware is as follows:-

1. Lift EEPROM Pin 1 from the board and connect it to Pin 2. Please make this temporary as this needs to be changed back to the original state for new firmware writing.
2. Connect EEPROM Pin 7 to Pin 2.
3. Connect the PD01S to the USB. The lower USB port of PD01S can connect to a USB cable extender.
4. Start Cypress "EZ-USB interface" application tool and it will detect the development board.
5. Reconnect EEPROM Pin 1 to the original connection.
6. Follow USB2ATA step to flash the new firmware
7. Disconnect the USB
8. Connect a 12V supply to the red circle point as below.
9. Connect the DVD Drive back to the unit.
10. Connect USB Cable
11. PC will detect the DVD-ROM.
 
 
12. Connect the Floppy Driver Unit Still works
 
 
13. Connecting an external 12 Volt power unit.
 
 
 
14. ALL Done