Before diving into the software, it is crucial to identify which controller you are dealing with. While both are produced by FirstChip, they have distinct characteristics and subtle differences in how they interact with tools.
To help find the exact variant you need, could you share the your USB drive displays? Alternatively, Share public link
Scans the NAND chip and maps out corrupted sectors to stabilize the drive.
One of the most common points of confusion is tool compatibility. While the official documentation suggests iTe_MpTools for the FC1178BC and FirstChip_MpTools for the FC1179, real-world experience has shown that later versions of the unified FirstChip_MpTools (including v1052) have merged support for both. In practice, many users have successfully used FirstChip_MpTools to restore FC1178BC drives that refused to work with any other utility.
MPTools (Mass Production Tools) is factory-level engineering software. While manufacturers use it to initialize fresh flash drives, consumers use version as a powerful repair utility. It bypasses standard Windows formatting restrictions to rewrite the controller firmware and re-map bad sectors. Common USB Issues This Software Resolves firstchip fc1178 fc1179 mptools v1052
| Error / Symptom | Likely Cause | Solution | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | The drive is not in "ROM Mode," or a driver conflict exists. | Unplug all other USB devices. Open Device Manager, find the "Unknown Device" or "FirstChip" entry, uninstall its driver, and rescan. Try a USB 2.0 port. | | Error: "Bad Block over setting" | The drive has too many physical defects to function reliably at its rated capacity. | Re-run MPTOOLS with "Scan Level" set to "Clear + Factory" . If the error persists, the NAND chip may be dying or counterfeit. | | Error: "Compare Flash fail" | The selected flash ID in the "Flash Setting" tab does not match the physical chip. | Double-check your ChipGenius Flash ID code. Manually select the exact flash name from the list. For FC1179 drives with 453C98B3766B , this is a common firmware ID for SanDisk TLC chips. | | Drive capacity is smaller than advertised after flash | This is normal. MPTOOLS has likely hidden a large number of bad blocks to create a stable drive. | This is a success. A smaller, honest drive is infinitely better than a large, corruptible one. The h2testw tool will confirm the new capacity is real. | | Tool crashes or freezes at 50% or 99% | Power instability or a poor USB connection. | Use a direct USB port on your PC's motherboard (avoid front-panel ports or hubs). Ensure your PC is plugged into a stable power source. Retry the process. |
is the official mass production (MP) utility provided by FirstChip Microelectronics. It is designed to configure, repair, format, and test USB flash drives using FirstChip controllers.
FirstChip MPTools (Mass Production Tools) version 1.0.5.2 is a proprietary Windows utility used by manufacturers during production and by technicians for data recovery and repair. Key Capabilities:
If successful, the slot will turn green. If it turns red, it usually indicates a hardware failure or incorrect firmware selection. Safety Tips & Troubleshooting Antivirus: Before diving into the software, it is crucial
Right-click on FirstChip_MPTool.exe and select .
This technical guide provides an overview of the software capabilities, hardware identification methods, firmware flashing steps, and troubleshooting techniques. Understanding FirstChip FC1178 and FC1179 Controllers
This tool is essential for:
FirstChip MPtools is the official mass production tool developed by Shenzhen FirstChip Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (FirstChip) for its in-house controller chips, specifically the FC1178 and FC1179 series. Unlike ordinary user-level formatting tools, MPtools is a professional, hardware-level programming platform designed for OEM/ODM manufacturers, flash drive solution providers, chip distributors, and firmware engineers. Alternatively, Share public link Scans the NAND chip
When these controllers lose synchronization with their NAND memory chips, standard Windows formatting tools fail. MPTools bypasses the operating system's standard storage stack to communicate directly with the controller chip. Key Features of FirstChip MPTools v1.0.5.2
Download the (or later) from a reputable firmware repository like USBDev.ru .
Disable your Antivirus temporarily, as these tools are often flagged as "false positives" due to their low-level hardware access.
Run the diagnostic tool and look for the and Controller Part Number . It must explicitly list FirstChip (MpTool) and FC1178 or FC1179 . Step 2: Prepare the Environment
| Version | Date | Key Improvements | |---------|------|------------------| | 20190228 | Feb 2019 | Fixed multi-CE detection; merged Toshiba/SanDisk capacity/speed tools | | 20190506 | May 2019 | Fixed USB detection under XP; improved Hy 3D yields | | 20190725 | Jul 2019 | Enhanced Toshiba/SanDisk 3D Flash support; added FC1179S | | 20200408 | Apr 2020 | Added FC1179AB; improved Micron 3D speed/stability; added Samsung 3D Flash | | 20201118 | Nov 2020 | Major UI refresh; enhanced multi-device support | | v1.0.5.2 | ~2021 | Unified FC1178/FC1179 database; enhanced SanDisk TLC scanning | | 20211024 | Oct 2021 | Comprehensive update; deep SanDisk OEM support; multi-port batch production | | 20220604 | Jun 2022 | Latest stable version referenced in community forums |