1. FirmwareforSamsungSM308.zip Driver
2. Firmware for Samsung SM308.txt File Contents

Firmware for Samsung SM308.txt Driver File Contents (FirmwareforSamsungSM308.zip)

Samsung SM-308 (combined CdRw & DvdRom -drive) flash-eeprom programming utilities and bios-rom image-file (firmware).
Supercedes and includes the content of the previous upload.
This update is to be run in Dos from the floppy, and is suitable for all windows versions since windows95.

Full instructions are contained in text file 'Firmware for Samsung SM308.txt', included in the zipfile.

Note:
The firmware of your drive may not need updating.  The problem(s) that you are having may not be firmware-related, see 'Additional notes', (below).  The most common actual reason for firmware update of a dvd-rom drive is to overcome the limitation of 5 Rpc2 language-format changes, because updating the firmware resets this counter.


To use this fileset:
Firstly format a system floppy, either using windows or Dos (or in a dos-window);
 -In windows, open 'My Computer', right click on the '3 1/2" Floppy (A:)', select format, then ensure that the box for 'Copy system files' is ticked and click the Start button.
 -In Dos (or a dos-window), type 'format a: /s /q').

Copy the files SFDNDELL.EXE, T106DEL.BIN, and Autoexec.bat, to the formatted system floppy.

Boot to this floppy for fully-automatic execution of the Dell-provided utility, with the Dell-provided bios image file, (which allows the use of Dvd-R+ disks).  The program will skip any drives that do not fit the description it is looking for.


Older versions:
Two alternative flash-eeprom programming utilities and two other bios-rom image-files have been provided here, from Compaq and Samsung, they are older and should probably not be used unless a problem is observed in the newer versions.

If the Dell-provided utility refuses to work (when run on a non-Dell system, although this does not actually appear to be a problem), then the Compaq-provided utility can be used instead, and if that refuses to work (when run on a non-Compaq system, although this does not actually appear to be a problem), then the Samsung-provided utility can be used instead.

Changing which utility program will be used, by editing the file autoexec.bat: Substitute the command, i.e. 'SFDNDELL.EXE' can be changed to 'sfdncpq.exe' or 'sfdndos.exe' (retain the -F parameter).

Changing which bios-rom image-file will be written-in, by editing the file autoexec.bat: Substitute the named image-file for the other named image-file that you wish to use, i.e. 'T106DEL.BIN' can be changed to 'T103.BIN' or 'T101COM.bin' (retain the -F parameter).


Additional notes:
I have just thrown away six of these drives (and kept one, which works) because they cannot read audio Cds or any of my Cd-R (a variety of memorex, mirror media, and samsung disks were tried), although they do read Dvd-Roms.  This is possibly due to optical alignment, although I have tried to align them, and possibly due to laser strength (which can be turned-up, but often blows the laser diode soon afterwards).

Samsung do not bless us with much support for these drives, I have only found reasonable support from Compaq and Dell, because they developed this support, and have a good policy on supporting all of what they supply as part of any system.

If I were to be buying combined Dvd/CdRw-drives at this time (which I am not), it would not be any Samsung model, on the basis of the premature early failure of these drives, and the lacking support.  I believe that Sony, LG, and others may be better, but not necessarily much better, and Sony are expensive.


Firmware updates for many other Samsung Cd-Rom, Cd-Rw, Dvd-Rom, and 'Combo' drives are available from (respectively):
www.samsungelectronics.com/odd/support/downloads/301232_index.html
www.samsungelectronics.com/odd/support/downloads/400054_index.html
www.samsungelectronics.com/odd/support/downloads/400055_index.html
www.samsungelectronics.com/odd/support/downloads/400058_index.html

 --jez