After searching for this error, I found that if I shut down my computer and hold the "Eject" button during the re-boot process, I could apply the update. The first time, my computer hung up on rebooting. I applied the firmware update again and the computer is now running normally and the optical drive has the new firmware. Quite a few of these blu ray drives were sold - they were shown only under LG's commercial (OEM-?) products. Getting a firmware update was impossible until now and the real trick is to hold the "Eject" button during re-boot.
THANKS!