[Battlemesh] Don't flash from AirOS 5.6.X to OpenWRT

[Ilario Gelmetti]

From AirOS 5.5.X to 5.6.X the size of memories on the flash changes so
that flashing OpenWRT (or other non AirOS firmwares) bricks the device.

From https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/ubiquiti/airmaxm

"Special Firmware Note: AirOS XM.v5.5.X images used U-Boot 1.1.4.2-s594
(Dec 5 2012 - 15:23:07). The OpenWRT image can be successfully flashed
onto these versions of firmware. However, in July 2015 Ubiquiti released
a new version of firmware XM.v5.6.X. With this firmware a new U-Boot
version was released, U-Boot 1.1.4.2-s956 (Jun 10 2015 - 10:54:50). The
newer U-Boot version changes the memory size and starting address for
rootfs, cfg, and EEPROM. LOADING AN OPENWRT IMAGE ON A U-Boot
1.1.4.2-s956 WILL CAUSE THE DEVICE TO BE BRICKED!!!

If the device has XM.v5.6.X, an older version of XM firmware can be
loaded from the AirOS webgui (for example XM.v5.5.10) and U-Boot will be
overwritten with the older version. OpenWRT can then be loaded onto the
device successfully."

Anyway if you know a way for un-bricking such devices let me know, as I
have 4 devices bricked this way :/

There's also a bug report on this problem
https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/20982

Bye,
Ilario

-- 
Ilario Gelmetti
iochesonome at gmail.com
igelmetti at iciq.es
ilario.gelmetti at estudiants.urv.cat



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