FirstChip FC1178BC USB2DISK VID FFFF PID 1201 Firmware Recovery for Intel QLC 1GB

User question

Description: [D:]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 Vendor: FirstChip
Controller Part-Number: FC1178BC
Flash ID code: 89D3AC32C600 - Intel - 1CE/Single Channel [QLC] -> Total Capacity = 1GB

Tools on web: http://dl.mydigit.net/search/?type=all&q=FC1178BC

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

• Your stick is in boot-loader / factory mode (VID = FFFF, PID = 1201) because its internal firmware is missing or corrupt.
• To restore it you must re-flash the controller with a FirstChip “Mass-Production Tool” (FC_MPTool) build that explicitly supports:
  • Controller = FC1178BC
  • Flash ID = 89 D3 AC 32 C6 00 (Intel, single-CE QLC, 1 GiB)
• After a successful low-level format the drive will re-enumerate with a non-generic VID/PID and can then be (quick-)formatted in the OS.
• All data on the NAND will be lost; there is no way to keep it when the controller is already in boot mode.

Detailed problem analysis

Controller & flash anatomy

1. Controller – FirstChip FC1178BC is a USB-to-NAND SoC. It boots from an internal ROM; if it cannot find valid firmware inside the NAND it exposes itself with the emergency VID/PID FFFF:1201.
2. NAND – Flash ID 89 D3 AC 32 C6 00 decodes to Intel 16-kB page, 1-MB block, QLC, single channel, nominal capacity 1 GiB. QLC requires a firmware build with the proper ECC and wear-levelling tables.
3. Symptom – “NAND USB2DISK, no media” or “0 B” in Windows; Linux dmesg will show usb 2-1: new high-speed USB device... followed by Read capacity failed.

Why reflashing is mandatory
The FirstChip boot ROM stops after the USB descriptor if:
• Firmware sectors are unreadable (bad blocks, wrong ECC scheme)
• Firmware parameters do not match the flash table
• Somebody tried to “over-program” the size (common in counterfeit sticks)

Current information and trends

• The newest publicly leaked FC_MPTool versions that still include FC1178 support are v07.09.xx (2022-Q4) and v07.10.xx (2023-Q1). These builds add Intel/Kioxia QLC tables missing in older 2019 tools.
• Starting with 2021 the tool has an “Auto FW” button – it will fetch the correct firmware blob from its DLL if the flash ID is in the database.
• FirstChip announced an FC9100 successor line in 2024; FC11xx is considered legacy and sources for firmware will slowly disappear.

Supporting explanations and details

1. Where to get the tool (mirrors are volatile, check hashes):
   • usbdev.ru/files/firstchip/FirstChip_MPTool_FC1178_v07.09.02.zip
   • dl.mydigit.net/2022/FC_MPTool_07.10.15.rar
2. Default passwords: empty → “1234” → “320” → “FCMP”.
3. Key parameters inside SETTINGS → Flash:
   • Flash IC: Intel 89D3AC32C600 (auto fills)
   • CE number: 1
   • Scan Level: Full
   • ECC: Auto (tool chooses 60-bit BCH)
   • Target Size: Auto (should resolve to 983 MB ≈ 1 GiB)
4. VID/PID – you can leave FirstChip default (VID 058F PID 6387) or enter any JEDEC-assigned pair; it is cosmetic.
5. After pressing START the sequence is: Erase → Write FW → Build FTL → Verify → Format FAT32. A full cycle on 1 GiB QLC takes ~90 s on a native USB-2 port.

Ethical and legal aspects

• Tools and firmware are proprietary; most copies available online are leaked. Use strictly on hardware you own.
• Reprogramming VID/PID to impersonate another vendor can violate USB-IF licensing terms.
• If the stick was advertised as >1 GB and downgrades to 1 GB after repair, reselling it as larger capacity would be fraudulent.

Practical guidelines

Step-by-step implementation

1. Boot a Windows 7/10 PC with all power-saving disabled.
2. Extract MPTool, right-click → “Run as administrator”, disable AV temporarily.
3. Plug the faulty stick into a rear-panel USB-2 port (avoid hubs).
4. Confirm that a slot in the tool turns blue and shows FFFF:1201.
5. Press F7 (Settings) → enter password → verify Flash ID.
6. Adjust VID/PID if desired, tick “Erase all blocks” and “Do full scan”.
7. Press F9 (Start). Wait for green PASS.
8. Safely remove, re-insert; Windows should now prompt for a normal format.
9. Run H2testw (Win) or F3write/F3read (Linux/macOS) to confirm real capacity and health.

Common pitfalls & cures
• “Flash ID unknown” → use a newer MPTool DLL set.
• “Bad Block over limit” early in scan → NAND end-of-life, drive scrap.
• Tool freezes at 98 % → front-panel port sagging below 4.75 V, switch port.

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

• There is no way to recover user data once the controller enters boot mode; raw NAND extraction with a programmer is theoretically possible but not economical for 1 GiB QLC.
• If the procedure repeatedly fails with GOOD power and latest tool, assume hardware damage (ESD, cracked die) – do not invest more time.

Suggestions for further research

• Monitor community repositories (usbdev.ru, flashboot.ru) for parameter-file updates as new flash IDs appear.
• Explore open-source NAND translators (e.g., Open-SSD projects) that may in the future allow generic firmware replacement without manufacturer tools.
• Investigate the economics of counterfeit capacity manipulation – useful case study for product-design courses.

Brief summary

Your USB stick’s FirstChip FC1178BC firmware is missing; the controller therefore enumerates with the emergency VID FFFF. Download a recent FirstChip MPTool (≥ v07.09), run it with administrator rights, let it autodetect the Intel QLC flash (ID 89D3AC32C600), and perform a full low-level format. After a successful PASS the drive will come back with its real 1 GiB capacity. All previous data is irretrievably lost, but the hardware should be usable again unless the NAND is physically worn out.

Disclaimer: The responses provided by artificial intelligence (language model) may be inaccurate and misleading. Elektroda is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the presented information. All responses should be verified by the user.