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Dreamcast PSA!!! USB-GDROM firmware contains code that will brick the device after some time forcing fw update

Maverick

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I have used my GDEMU clone for almost a year now. Will be a year in August, but it has worked great for myself. So if you can't get an official one, a clone is a smart choice if it is your last resort. In fact some new ones were going for $25 on eBay brand new earlier in the week! Just keep searching around.

After failing 4 times to get in on that pre-order, including last week. I am giving it one more shot before I just go the clone route. So it's satisfying to read people are happy with their clones.

He says the newest GD-USB update removes the expiration timer:

me:


Him:


I still say I don't know if the timer was removed, because I never had a GD-USB ode to begin with so I can't verify either way. But he's now said to two different people in this topic, through email correspondence, that the expiration timer has been removed.

Burned bridges. Even if he did remove it, there are a whole lot of people who will longer trust him anymore.

My early clone is flawless, and for $70 I don't regret at all

Good to know, I did read some clones had the wrong crystal oscillator installed. Though, replacing it with the right one is pretty simple if you know basic soldering. I believe that is no longer the case though.
 

Wombat

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For those wanting to buy a legitimate GDEMU, with this trick you will exactly now when it's possible to make an order :cool:

1. Make a free account at https://uptimerobot.com
2. Configure a monitor for the page; https://gdemu.wordpress.com/ordering/ordering-gdemu/
3. Set keyword "closed" and set it on "keyword does not exists"
4. Now it's just a question of waiting until uptime robot sends you an email that they keyword is down, meaning the order page is up =)

6Gr33Ff.png


The e-mail you'll get once the pre-order page is active:
TzcAReE.png


Aaaaaaaaand it's gone!
jU1WK9w.png
 

8bitplus

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Guess I'll have to update the firmware on my USB-GDrom. Haven't used it in months, hope it still works.
 

Plavix

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Guess I'll have to update the firmware on my USB-GDrom. Haven't used it in months, hope it still works.

You should try it out first before updating and see if it works?
 

Maverick

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For those wanting to buy a legitimate GDEMU, with this trick you will exactly now when it's possible to make an order :cool:

1. Make a free account at https://uptimerobot.com
2. Configure a monitor for the page; https://gdemu.wordpress.com/ordering/ordering-gdemu/
3. Set keyword "closed" and set it on "keyword does not exists"
4. Now it's just a question of waiting until uptime robot sends you an email that they keyword is down, meaning the order page is up =)

6Gr33Ff.png


The e-mail you'll get once the pre-order page is active:
TzcAReE.png


Aaaaaaaaand it's gone!
jU1WK9w.png

Awesome, setting one up now. Thank you
 
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truemaster

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ha mnemo define the word don't buy. im happy that I have gdemu. now the va0 owners can do the ide mod dreamshell is improving. ps nice to see familiar faces here
 
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Skylark

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This is both a poor business decision and an even worse technical choice. Bad press aside, single points of failure are bad. What if he's hit by the metaphorical bus and is put in a position where he's simply unable to release new firmware?
 

Chaotic Mind

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As the guy who runs the official GDROM EMU community I'm so damn close to banning the USB one from discussion and boycotting it period. IF he keeps this timed firmware bullshit up I will do just that. MY hopes is that if the guy who got this all started makes it clear he does not appreciate it then perhaps changes will come. (I doubt it but worth a try.)

Other reason for ban if I do is to save people the heartache this has caused.
 

darcagn

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As the guy who runs the official GDROM EMU community I'm so damn close to banning the USB one from discussion and boycotting it period. IF he keeps this timed firmware bullshit up I will do just that. MY hopes is that if the guy who got this all started makes it clear he does not appreciate it then perhaps changes will come. (I doubt it but worth a try.)

Other reason for ban if I do is to save people the heartache this has caused.

The firmware that was released on 6/6 is supposed to have removed the time out, though no one can really confirm that at this time.

A ban on discussion might be a little harsh, but I certainly can't endorse the product or the creator in any way. He really is scum.
 
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Chaotic Mind

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The firmware that was released on 6/6 is supposed to have removed the time out, though no one can really confirm that at this time.

A ban on discussion might be a little harsh, but I certainly can't endorse the product or the creator in any way. He really is scum.
Hence why I'm not set in stone to make the decision. I know of the 6/6 firmware release and supposed removal of the time bomb thing. I'll give it time to see if he corrected this stupidity.
 
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rey_1178

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You won't know until you try. If it does just get a hold of him for replacement.
I think you're misunderstanding. If you connect up your DC now it probably won't launch images, but it doesn't prevent you from updating the firmware, which was his point. Basically by making all firmware expire he forces people to rely on him for firmware updates, so he could write new firmware that blocks clones which would leave all the clones dead, but he could also blacklist serial numbers of legitimate owners he decides he does not like, etc.



The first complaint about it I can find on the internet was in January 2017 on AssemblerGames. Looking at archive.org, the current firmware at the time was December 4, 2016. 1-2 months seems really short for a timeout, so I'm guessing it was implemented in the August 16, 2016 firmware or earlier.

So after 3 almost 4 years I am pulling all of my consoles out of the closet and putting them in this large unit I installed in the room. After testing all of my consoles I got to the dreamcast and had no issues booting up and running games. It's on firmware from 2015 so I may just leave it alone.
 

logi26

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For those wanting to buy a legitimate GDEMU, with this trick you will exactly now when it's possible to make an order :cool:

1. Make a free account at https://uptimerobot.com
2. Configure a monitor for the page; https://gdemu.wordpress.com/ordering/ordering-gdemu/
3. Set keyword "closed" and set it on "keyword does not exists"
4. Now it's just a question of waiting until uptime robot sends you an email that they keyword is down, meaning the order page is up =)

6Gr33Ff.png


The e-mail you'll get once the pre-order page is active:
TzcAReE.png


Aaaaaaaaand it's gone!
jU1WK9w.png

This is very good advice.

I have been wanting a Phoebe for a while, but I always forget to check the GDEMU site.
I also don't often check my emails quick enough to spot when something like this is on sale.

But I own a NAS drive that runs 24/7 and it has a full Ubuntu OS on it.
So just for an experiment I created a simple Python web scraper style app that would send an email and a text message to my mobile phone whenever any of the devices where available for sale.

I left the script running on my NAS and basically forgot about it.
About 3 weeks later I recieved an email and a text message at the exact same time and I happend to be sitting in front of my laptop.

The result, this arrived yesterday:
0L5eEEol.jpg



I don't know why I had not thought of this earlier. It enabled me to get the device on first attempt with very little effort.

The sales window for Phoebe was closed within about 2 minutes.
So this gives an idea of how quick you need to be.

Because of this, you may need to monitor the site at much shorter intervals than 5 minutes.

Good luck to others.
 
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Greg2600

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So I updated the USB GD-Rom firmware, and while the menu is working, it will not load any games. I select the game or the CDI/GDI and it just sits there. Terrific. Now I have to contact mnemo.
 

rey_1178

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So I updated the USB GD-Rom firmware, and while the menu is working, it will not load any games. I select the game or the CDI/GDI and it just sits there. Terrific. Now I have to contact mnemo.
Ugh! Let us know how it goes.
 

truemaster

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that meen poor or not at all testing from the dev. what an unprofessional guy
 

krisk77

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Ideally, we need a proper 100% legit response (clean translation) or some way to actually determine whether the timer is actually removed now or not. It's easy for him to give some vague response and say it has, yet how do we know for sure?

For all we know he could have extended the timer/trigger code for a much longer period and by then, he could have done a golden runner and left every buyer in the dark with a brick board.
 

Greg2600

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Oops, forgot to respond. I emailed MNEMO, he provided some kind of firmware cleaner version, and that fixed the issues.
 

EvanSki

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looking at the firmware
Code:
USBD
OBSD
fw update v. 19/06/08
for USB-GDROM Controllers           

ÏÐÅÄÓÏÐÅÆÄÅÍÈÅ!
Ìîäèôèöèðîâàíèå ýòîãî ôàéëà ïðèâåä¸ò
ê îòêëþ÷åíèþ ôóíêöèè îáíîâëåíèÿ.
WARNING!
Do not modify this file.
In case modify- update features will be disabled
changes:
- MCU code                       

(c)MNEMO, www.3do-renovation.ru
funny, but to my point
theoretically if you could isolate the exact code of the timer in the fireware of an old version and compare it to the latest version, you could tell that the timer code is there, but if you could do that you could 1.disable the timer or 2. make your own firmware

I dont own a dreamcast or have messed with this USBD stuff but reading about this is interesting, reminds me of how the xbox360 disk drive firmware was hacked
 

Meringues

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I just wanted to add that the firmware I'm on is 2016/12/08 and all seems to be working fine so I'm pretty reluctant to upgrade. Does anyone know what else is different other that the black background? personally I like the blue one.
 

keropi

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if you have older usb-grdroms (like I do) then you also need to use that extra special update MNEMO gave long ago (USB-GD_special update.rar) , once you put the new fw you also drop that update file in the root of the usb device, usb-gdrom will grab it and delete it
He is still hosting it, just ask for the link. It's the same file since 2016 old devices just need it... not a big deal but you do get freeze on load if you don't apply it
 
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