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ffries
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Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:09 pm

Hello,

Following UpgradingRouterBoot document
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... RouterBOOT

All hardware were 7.6 when trying to upgrade factory firmware.

I could upgrade firmware to 7.6 on RB5009UG+S+:
/system/routerboard/print
routerboard: yes
model: RB5009UG+S+
serial-number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
firmware-type: 70x0
factory-firmware: 7.6
current-firmware: 7.7
upgrade-firmware: 7.7

Unfortunately factory-firmware on CCR2004-1G-12S+2XS is still 6.48.2.
/system/routerboard> print
routerboard: yes
model: CCR2004-1G-12S+2XS
serial-number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
firmware-type: al64
factory-firmware: 6.48.2
current-firmware: 7.7
upgrade-firmware: 7.7

Unfortunately factory-firmware on hap ac2 is still 6.42.3.
/system/routerboard> print
routerboard: yes
board-name: hAP ac^2
model: RBD52G-5HacD2HnD
serial-number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
firmware-type: ipq4000L
factory-firmware: 6.42.3
current-firmware: 7.6
upgrade-firmware: 7.6
Is this the latest available factory firmware for CCR2004 and the hAP ac2?

Kind regards,
Kellogs
Last edited by ffries on Sun Jan 22, 2023 3:35 pm, edited 4 times in total.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:36 pm

That is the version your device was shipped with (as installed in factory). You can not change it.
 
ffries
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:48 pm

Yes factory firmware can upgraded as explained on the webpage:
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... RouterBOOT

I could upgrade firmware on the rb5009 to 7.6 but not on the CCR2004.
Is this a bug?
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:50 pm

The factory installed one can never be upgraded. It is your backup routerboot in case of emergency. See the same documentation and https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... kuploaders
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:53 pm

I opened bug SUP-105018.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Wed Jan 18, 2023 9:49 pm

A bug report for what?
Both routers have the latest routerboot installed.
LE: Ok, I see some new stuff added there:
A special package is provided to upgrade the backup RouterBOOT (DANGEROUS). Newer devices will have this new backup loader already installed at the factory. If your RouterOS is v7, your factory-firmware version is lower than 7.6 and your device displays the message → The "protected routerboot" feature requires a backup-routerboot upgrade ← when trying to enable the feature, do the following:
So are you getting that message or why are you trying to risk the upgrade of the factory(backup) routerboot ?
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:04 am

Hello,

Sorry for my late reply.
Yes, factory firmware can be upgraded, as explained here:
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... RouterBOOT

A special package is provided to upgrade the backup RouterBOOT (DANGEROUS). Newer devices will have this new backup loader already installed at the factory. If your RouterOS is v7, your factory-firmware version is lower than 7.6 and your device displays the message → The "protected routerboot" feature requires a backup-routerboot upgrade ← when trying to enable the feature, do the following:
a) upgrade or downgrade the device specifically to the 7.6 release (from our download page or archive).
b) upgrade your current RouterBOOT version with "/system routerboard upgrade" then reboot the device, so that the RouterBOOT version (current-firmware version when checking "/system routerboard print") is the same as the firmware version ("/system resource print") installed, which should be 7.6.
c) drag and drop the v7 universal package for all architectures into the device's file system then reboot the device again. This will make your factory-firmware version 7.6, where you are allowed to enable the feature. After this step, you can upgrade the device to a newer release.

I installed OpenWRT on a couple of machines and noticed that it was possible to hack a Mikrotik device easily.

You only need to boot OpenWRT and dump the flash card on a USB stick. After dumping the flash card, you reboot the Mikrotik device and RouterOS is back. Hacking a Mikrotik device with an OpenWRT image only takes approx. 5 minutes.

This is not possible with recent factory firmware where it is possible to lock the device.
So I found more appropriate to install a recent factory firmware.

I could upgrade a couple of machines to 7.7 factory firmware. I don't understand why it is not possible with the CCR2004 and others.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:09 pm

Same issue with the hap ac2. I cannot upgrade it to factory software 7.6
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:28 pm

Same issue with the hap ac2. I cannot upgrade it to factory software 7.6
And the same issue again: You are unable to explain why.
You read the log?

Probably you have inssufficent free space...

And read my old 2017 post for the instructions, are still valids for 6.49.7 and for 7.6:
The RouterOS and the current RouterBOOT must be the same (6.49.7 or 7.6) before use the factory boot update (6.49.7 or 7.6)
viewtopic.php?t=94303#p580430
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:33 pm

He isn’t reading our replies or he is just plain….
Let it go.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:36 pm

He isn’t reading our replies or he is just plain….
Let it go.
backup bootloader = factory RouterBOOT....

And factory RouterBOOT can be upgradable on selected devices, when some specific conditions are meet.
 
ffries
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 3:34 pm

First thank you all for your answers.

Yes, I read the log, it says "installing package ...".
But the version is not 7.6 factory, so it seems that Mikrotik information is quite outdated.

I would expect to upgrade the CCR2004 to 7.6 factory firmware.
I got bored and upgraded from 7.6 to 7.7

Don't get mad after me because I realize that most Mikrotik hardware has old factory firmware which can be booted under OpenWRT and dumped. I would expect Mikrotik to allow upgrading all factory firmware to 7.6 or 7.7.

I am also reselling the hap AC2 which is too little hardware.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 3:45 pm

And in english? What are you trying to tell us?
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 4:00 pm

The whole thread keeps me wondering why exactly "factory firmware" (as opposed to "current firmware") matters? Yes, it's backup boot loader ... which is only needed when booting into netinstall mode (I guess). Otherwise it's not used at all. And I guess MT doesn't want us to mess with it because that would increase number of hard bricked devices (those that can really not be saved by netinstall).
And, FWFIW, that could simply ba a "non-changeable" part of memory, not referring to a single bit of softwarw/firmware currently installed. AFAIK it's used to restrict downgrading ROS version below certain value ... which might not work on a particular device due to some missing driver. Yes, MT could "burn" version of earliest ROS capable of running on that particular device but in perfect world we don't want to run too early anyway due to security reasons (because we believe we do see some progress in increasing ROS versions although sometimes it doesn't seem so).
The reason for certain version of "factory firmware" is simply because that was the version installed during fabrication of a particular device and that version was tested and verified to work in whatever QC they perform.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:57 pm

The reason is highlighted be me in a post above, it's only required if protected routerboot requires it.
The poster didn't mention his reason.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:57 pm

Some precision is needed:

RouterBOARD can read one from two distinct RouterBOOT on bootup,
one is FACTORY defined and is upgradable only on some devices (not all) and also is called backup booter
one is CURRENT RouterBOOT used to startup the device.

The factory (upgradeable on some devices) is used only on two way:
1) Set on routerboard setting to use backup booter, and reboot
2) Keep pressed reset before provide power to the device.

(perfectly useless force backup and try to upgrade it on "standard" way)

Since the protected routerboot can be bypassed if factory firmware is not upgraded to at least 6.43.7,
is completely useless if CURRENT is the last but you can boot the device with FACTORY (backup) booter that not have support for protected routerboot...

If you have FACTORY firmware 6.43.7 or bigger, and RouterOS v6, protected routerboot work as expected, but do not ask confirmation on status change (from enabled to disabled or vice-versa).

If you have FACTORY 7.x or bigger, and RouterOS v7, protected routerboot work as expected, and ask confirmation on status change (press something or reboot instantly the router).

So essentially it is worth updating the FACTORY RouterBOOT only if it has a version earlier than 6.43.7, otherwise if something goes wrong you can use the device as a doorstop.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:05 pm

And speaking of the "hack" of booting the RouterBOARD with OpenWRT,
it's like being surprised to be able to install another operating system on a smartphone that doesn't have device encryption enabled and the bootloader unlocked...

If you activate the protected-routerboot by dint of attempts you can get after about 300 attempts to boot the routerboard, but at first successfully boot time the NAND/flash is instantly formatted.

The memory chip can always be removed from the router and read/written separately by another device.
 
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Re: Upgrading Rooterboot factory software

Tue Jan 24, 2023 12:34 pm

And speaking of the "hack" of booting the RouterBOARD with OpenWRT,
it's like being surprised to be able to install another operating system on a smartphone that doesn't have device encryption enabled and the bootloader unlocked...

The memory chip can always be removed from the router and read/written separately by another device.

Even worse, with a screwdriver, mobile phone and a USB ISP Programmer + SOIC8 test clip, you can open the physical enclosure, dump/rewrite the flash in place (including unlocking/pwning the bootloader/kernel), and close the enclosure again, all in less than 2-5 mins.

Trying to boot OpenWrt through Netinstall on it would be just asking for trouble in a physical attack scenario.

@OP, Start reading at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_access when you have the time.

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