CRS309 stuck in "default" after every reboot

Every reboot falls back to:
RouterOs: 7.7
router identity: MikroTik
router mode
static: 0.0.0.0
netmask 255.0.0.0/8
uname: admin
psswd:

Currently at RoS 7.7 recently upgraded from 6.48.6. Unit purchased new two weeks ago.

Failures:
“damaged user-manager package: bad image” (v7.7)
Downgrade
uninstall packages
disable packages
Hard reset
Soft reset
default configuration
Netinstall (invalid IP 0.0.0.0)

IDK, seems like the current defaults are etched in non-volatile memory and config writes only to volatile memory? If anyone has any ideas, I’d appreciate a lead.

FWIW, I already own two CRS305s and have had no issues.
I also have supout.rif if it helps

thanks