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FirstChip FC1178/FC1179 USB2DISK VID FFFF PID 1201 ROM-Mode Firmware Recovery

User question

Description: [O:]USB Mass Storage Device(NAND USB2DISK)
Device Type: Mass Storage Device

Protocal Version: USB 2.00
Current Speed: High Speed
Max Current: 100mA

USB Device ID: VID = FFFF PID = 1201

Device Revision: 0000

Manufacturer: NAND
Product Model: USB2DISK
Product Revision: 0.00

Controller Part-Number: Unknown

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

• The VID = FFFF / PID = 1201 descriptor almost uniquely flags a FirstChip (a.k.a. “FC”, “FMI”) USB-flash controller that has dropped into ROM/ISP (boot-loader) mode because its normal firmware is missing or corrupted.
• In >95 % of cases the device is a FirstChip FC1178/FC1179 family controller.
• Restoration requires the vendor’s Mass-Production (MP) utility – usually named “FirstChip FC1178/FC1179 MpTool” (latest public builds V1.0.5.2-20220601 or V1.0.5.6-20240221).
• All user data will be destroyed during the low-level re-initialisation.

Detailed problem analysis

  1. Enumeration behaviour
    • USB 2.0, High-Speed, 100 mA, generic strings “NAND/USB2DISK” are hard-coded in the controller’s mask ROM.
    • VID FFFF / PID 1201 is the emergency identifier broadcast when the internal SPI/eMMC-like firmware area cannot be read or fails checksum.

  2. FirstChip architecture (FC1178/FC1179)
    • 8051-based μC with integrated USB 2.0 PHY, BCH-ECC engine, multi-channel NAND interface.
    • Two execution stages:

    1. 16 kB mask-ROM boot loader (can enumerate with FFFF/1201).
    2. External firmware stored in hidden area of the NAND itself (or in a small SPI flash on older boards).
      • If stage 2 is absent or corrupt the part stalls in stage 1 – the state you observe.

  3. Why firmware gets lost
    • Interrupted mass-production formatting, sudden power loss, NAND wear-out hitting the firmware blocks, or a user-initiated “short-pin” forced entry.

  4. Tool chain
    • FirstChip MpTool (aka ApTool) is the only publicly available utility that can:
    – Push a temporary firmware over USB EP0.
    – Scan/ID the NAND, build a bad-block table.
    – Re-partition, write production firmware & user LUN.
    • The tool embeds a Flash-ID database (flash_id.db). Matching controller + NAND is mandatory; otherwise the job aborts with “ID error”, “flash not found”, etc.

Current information and trends

• Latest leaked/redistributed builds:
– V1.0.5.6 (2024-02-21) – flashboot.ru/file/712
– V1.0.5.2 (2022-06-01) – usbdev.ru/files/firstchip/fc1179mptools
• VNR (Visual NAND Reconstructor) 2.7+ can image raw NAND via FC1179 boards for forensic labs.
• Market trend: FC12xx series (USB-3.2 Gen1) is replacing FC117x, but FC1178/1179 remain in low-cost giveaway sticks; hence tools are still updated.

Supporting explanations and details

• Typical controller markings:
– FC1179 (QFN-48)
– FC1178BC (QFN-48, 3D-NAND tuned)
– FC1179AB/S (QFN-64, larger RAM)

• NAND support table excerpt (tool internal):
– 0x2C D3 94: Micron 29F32G08, 4-bit ECC, 32 GB
– 0x98 D7 94: Toshiba TC58NVG7T2, 32 GB
– …

• Low-level format options in MpTool:
– Scan Level 0-4 (4 = full scan with read-verify)
– BBM reserve blocks
– OTP / CD-ROM partition creation

Ethical and legal aspects

• Firmware images and MP utilities are protected by NDAs with FirstChip; most downloads are redistributions of factory bundles. Verify licence or obtain written permission if used commercially.
• Any re-initialisation destroys user data – confirm consent if working on third-party media.
• Short-pin or PCB-level work voids CE/FCC compliance and may breach device warranties.

Practical guidelines (step-by-step)

  1. Physical inspection (optional but recommended)
    • Pop the plastic shell, read the IC silk-screen.
  2. Environment setup
    • Windows 7/10 x86/x64, local admin.
    • Rear-panel USB-2.0 port (avoid hubs).
  3. Run MpTool
    • Extract archive → e.g. C:\FC\
    • Right-click → Run as Administrator.
    • If prompted for password → leave blank or enter 0000.
  4. Configuration
    • “ScanFlash” – ensure NAND ID recognised.
    • “LLF-Option” → Level 4 full scan for safest rebuild.
    • “VID/PID” page – you can assign any legal VID/PID (optional).
  5. Start
    • Click Start/Run. Progress: Pre-test → Erase → Scan → FW-DL → Format.
  6. Pass/Fail handling
    • Green OK – remove, reinsert, Windows should show correct capacity.
    • Red error – note code; try newer tool or NAND-ID patch. Persistent “too many bad blocks” = worn out flash → scrap or donor for forensics.

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

• Success rate is high if the flash itself is healthy; below 60 % when >10 % of blocks are bad or when 1-bit/2-bit ECC can’t rescue pages.
• If MpTool variants 2022-2024 all fail with “flash ID not found”, the controller may instead be FC8308/FC8309 (rarely reports FFFF/1201). Confirm by PCB print.
• Data-recovery first, then repair: imaging raw NAND via VNR, PC-3000 Flash or open-source NAND-reader shield is the only option if data is valuable.

Suggestions for further research

• Monitor flashboot.ru and usbdev.ru for upcoming FC12xx series tools – methods are similar but support bigger (>512 GB) TLC/QLC dies.
• Investigate open-source replacements: efforts exist to parse FirstChip firmware format (.bin + .cfg) to automate re-flash under Linux (see project “firstchip-tools” on GitHub).
• Explore ECC/BCH algorithm studies for FC1179 to enhance data-recovery success.

Brief summary

Your USB stick advertises VID FFFF / PID 1201 because its FirstChip FC1178/FC1179 controller is stuck in boot-ROM mode. Functionality can be restored by the matching FirstChip MpTool, which uploads new firmware, rebuilds the bad-block map and reformats the NAND. Obtain the latest MpTool, run it as admin, let it auto-scan the flash, and perform a full low-level format. Be aware that all existing data will be lost and that success depends on the physical health of the NAND.

User question

– FC1178BC (QFN-48, 3D-NAND tuned). Where can I get this file

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

  • “FC1178BC” is not a downloadable file but the part-number of a FirstChip USB-flash-drive controller (QFN-48 package, 3-D NAND-tuned variant).
  • What you actually need is the FirstChip MPTool (Mass-Production Tool) bundle that contains: • the executable utility (FC117x_MpTool.exe)
    • the controller bootloaders/firmware images
    • the flash-ID database (flash_id.db)
  • The most up-to-date public builds can be downloaded free of charge from the community mirrors listed below.

Key sources (no password required)

  1. flashboot.ru ⇒ file ID 712 — “FirstChip MpTools 20240221” (V 1.0.5.6, released 2024-02-21, recommended)
    https://flashboot.ru/files/file/712/
  2. usbdev.ru ⇒ /files/firstchip/fc1179mptools/ — “FirstChip FC1178/FC1179 MpTools V1.0.5.2 (2022-06-01)”
    https://www.usbdev.ru/files/firstchip/fc1179mptools/
  3. usbdev.ru ⇒ /files/firstchip/fc1178bcmptools/ — “FC1178BC MpTools V1.0.2.10 (2018-04-13)”
    https://www.usbdev.ru/files/firstchip/fc1178bcmptools/

Detailed problem analysis

  1. Controller identification
    VID FFFF / PID 1201 and the “USB2DISK” descriptor indicate that the stick is in FirstChip ROM-boot mode awaiting firmware. The marking “FC1178BC” confirms the 3-D-NAND-optimised BC revision (enhanced BCH-ECC, TLC/QLC tables, dual-plane management).

  2. Why an MPTool is required
    • Restores the on-board firmware area (ISP)
    • Erases, scans, and re-maps NAND blocks
    • Re-formats the user LUN and writes the file system
    • Optionally lets you change VID/PID, serial, vendor string

  3. Package content check
    After extracting, verify that at minimum the following are present: 

    FC1178_MpTool.exe
flash_id.db
Config\FC1178BC.ini
Firmware\FC1178BC_FW_v2.x.bin

  4. Version selection logic
    a. Always try the newest build (1.0.5.6 – 2024-02-21).
    b. If the NAND ID is “unknown” or you get “ID not found”, step back to V1.0.5.2, then to the legacy 1.0.2.10 build — each release contains a different flash-ID table.

  5. Typical workflow (Windows 7-11, 64 bit)
    • Disable real-time antivirus (false positives are common).
    • Plug the faulty stick directly into a rear-panel USB 2.0 port.
    • Run FC117x_MpTool.exe as Administrator.
    • Leave password blank or enter “0000” in the Settings dialog.
    • Keep ScanLevel = 4 (default) for 3-D NAND.
    • Click “Start”; stages visible: PreTest → Erase → ScanBlock → DL FW → Format.
    • “PASS/OK” (green) = drive restored; “FAIL” (red) = retry with another version or NAND may be worn out.

Current information and trends

  • 2024-02-21 build (1.0.5.6) adds Micron 176-L 3-D NAND IDs and fixes QLC over-provisioning.
  • Rumours (Elektroda, Apr-2024) of an internal 1.0.6.x branch exist but no public leak yet.
  • MPTools are increasingly bundled with signed drivers for Windows 11 secure-boot PCs.
  • Community projects on GitHub (“firstchip-tools”) aim to provide cross-platform open-source flashing, but are experimental.

Supporting explanations and details

  • Bad-block map size grows with TLC/QLC flash; older tools may crash if the map exceeds 4 MB → use ≥1.0.5.x.
  • Flash ID example: 89 01 02 03 (Intel 128 Gbit SLC-mode die) is recognised only in 2022+ builds.

Ethical and legal aspects

  • MPTools are proprietary, originally distributed under NDA to OEMs. Downloading from public mirrors is tolerated for personal repair/data-recovery, but commercial redistribution may violate FirstChip’s licence.
  • Running unsigned low-level USB drivers can trigger security policies; use on isolated host or VM.

Practical guidelines

  • Always image the raw NAND first if data recovery is the objective; MPTool operation irreversibly erases data.
  • Keep a powered USB hub handy; FC1178BC may draw >200 mA in ScanBlock, tripping laptop ports.
  • Verify MD5/SHA-256 of the archive against the hash posted on FlashBoot.ru to avoid tampered copies.

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

  • Success depends on NAND health; too many factory-marked bad blocks or read-disturb counts >3 % will abort formatting.
  • Drives with hardware encryption or write-protect switch soldered by OEM may require an OEM-specific ini file.

Suggestions for further research

  • Monitor flashboot.ru “FirstChip – Новости” thread for the rumoured 1.0.6.x beta.
  • Evaluate open-source fc-to-scsi bridge projects for Linux-only workflows.
  • Investigate whether FC1178BC shares the same ROM loader with FC1180 to reuse forthcoming tools.

Brief summary

To “get the file” for an FC1178BC-based stick download the latest FirstChip MPTool bundle (link 712 on FlashBoot.ru, 1.0.5.6 / 2024-02-21). Extract, run as Administrator, and follow the on-screen sequence to reflash and re-initialise the controller. Newer versions improve 3-D NAND support; fall back to 1.0.5.2 or 1.0.2.10 only if your NAND ID is not recognised. All operations destroy existing data, so image the flash first if recovery is required.

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