How to rollback Mavic firmware

fileophile · Dec 25, 2017

Just noticed something interesting. I was looking at the Platinum's firmware after downgrading form 1.4.0000 (which it shipped with), to 1.3.0400, to 1.3.0700 (with the 305 and 306 modules removed from the flashed bin), then back to 1.4.0000 with modules 305, 306 and 905 removed from the flashed bin. The flashing process went smoothly, and I took the bird out for a test flight which worked great, excellent video recording, RTH, everything worked as expected except Precision Landing (which I really don't know how to turn on yet). But in looking at the firmware after this test flight, modules 305, 306, and 905 are COMPLETELY MISSING from the drone.

Is this how it is supposed to be after modding? I thought I was supposed to have old versions of 305 and 306 (from the 1.3.0400 build) and 905 (from the 1.3.0700 build). I didn't expect to see them completely gone.

View media item 1486

Haloweenhamster · Dec 25, 2017

that's just a backup copy of the last thing uploaded so if you remove modules from bin they will be missing from upgrade/upgrade/backup
They will still be installed on the mavic as last version loaded

One way to see what's installed is by opening assistant 2 with mavic connected, go to
C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Roaming\DJI Assistant 2\log\
in the log it will show module versions except 905 it can't read
: = 0 eg 8 :1 = 801

[22:17:13][Q DEVICE Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :1) Ldr : 1.6.0.17 App : 1.6.0.17
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Controller (3 :5) Ldr : 34.4.0.23 App : 34.4.0.23
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Controller (3 :6) Ldr : 34.4.0.23 App : 3.2.13.16 NAVI wm220 20170112|132359
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] BAT.Mgr (11:0) Ldr : 3.3.0.2 App : 1.0.18.24
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:0) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:1) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:2) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:3) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :3) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 0.0.4.9
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :4) Ldr : 1.0.0.2 App : 1.0.0.11
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Gimbal (4 :0) Ldr : 1.20.0.0 App : 1.50.12.10
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_mcu_sky (9 :5) device no reply, request timeout!
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :2) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 1.1.0.2
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Camera (1 :0) Ldr : 2.8.506 App : 2.8.506
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Camera (1 :1) Ldr : 2.8.506 App : 2.8.506
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :5) Ldr : 1.3.0.95 App : 1.3.0.95
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_mcu_sky (9 :7) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 47.26.2.18

fileophile · Dec 25, 2017

Ok, that is more re-assuring. Getting the **** Assistant app to show me the “verification code”/CAPCHA so I can login is my next battle.

angusc · Dec 26, 2017

fileophile said:
Angusc, if you are asking me, the DJI Assistant is running on a Windows 10 PC.

Sorry, I didn't read your post properly and had thought you were talking about the Go4 app.......

Borntofly · Dec 26, 2017

The idea of being able to flash firmwares via mobile device is appealing, most will probably wonder why would you need that. No not really needed, but nice to have available.

I'm on Android and it just occurred to me that we may be able to flash via the DJI go app. Has anyone tried this yet? I did, by placing the bin into the dlupdate folder, tho the app didn't pick it up. Also tried the packages folder. Ofc I'm assuming they wrap the download nicely into a package format which means the app won't actually see the bin. That and it cross references against the servers.

I attempted to download the lastest version 4.0100 firmware via my phone and the app, to locate where they download the package and narrow things down from there. However, no luck in finding it anywhere on my phone through any of their folders.

It's a bit over my head, but I wanted to share the idea and see what everyone else thinks.

Merry Christmas everyone

jundat · Dec 26, 2017

anyone can rollback from lastet firmware

Kilrah · Dec 26, 2017

Borntofly said:
I'm on Android and it just occurred to me that we may be able to flash via the DJI go app. Has anyone tried this yet? I did, by placing the bin into the dlupdate folder, tho the app didn't pick it up. Also tried the packages folder.

Won't work. The fw.sigs are downloaded to the data folder that firstly you can't write to without being rooted, and like with assistant the bin is never stored anywhere, it's generated on the fly.

Would be possible for someone to write an equivalent to DUMLDore for android though.

Borntofly · Dec 26, 2017

Kilrah said:
Won't work. The fw.sigs are downloaded to the data folder that firstly you can't write to without being rooted, and like with assistant the bin is never stored anywhere, it's generated on the fly.

Would be possible for someone to write an equivalent to DUMLDore for android though.

That would explain why it wasn't found, but if it's generated at the moment, then we should be able to see it. I understand the rooting part of it. Question though, if it's generated (downloaded), and I disconnect the bird and phone from the rc, would the generated package stay on the phone or would it deleted? I ask because I did this last night just before it was switched to upload and that was when I couldn't find it. Wasn't sure if maybe it self deleted because it didn't get confirmation of upload complete. That and, after I reconnected everything, the app did the same firmware check and said I had to upgrade, but didn't say download for the option, just upgrade. So as you mentioned it being in the Data folder, it probably is still there.

Would be pretty nice to have a dumldore for Android.

Kilrah · Dec 26, 2017

As I said as far as I remember from when I checked months ago it's never actually written to the storage. The individual firmware modules are downloaded and written, but the cfg isn't and the bin with all of that is generated in RAM after validation that everything matches and sent straight from there.
That's also how Assistant 2 does it.

Rob666 · Dec 28, 2017

Guys, i have been looking at the Dronezbreak tool at github, but can't seem to figure out how to install this tool on my Macbook? I downloaded the repository but haven't found any clues on what to do with it in the readme file or even in this thread. It's probably a breeze for someone more familiar to github ... can anyone help?

Kilrah · Dec 28, 2017

Just extract "application.zip"...

Rob666 · Dec 28, 2017

Kilrah said:
Just extract "application.zip"...

Embarrassing ... I'd swear i tried that ... thanks.

fileophile · Dec 31, 2017

I'm starting to wonder if the Platinum Mavic's actually need to have the internal SD card installed at all. If an owner plans on downgrading to .400 or .700, but then (deleting modules) stepping up to 1.4.0000, why is the internal storage needed? I agree that if you plan on staying on .400 or .700 then it is needed because the drone writes its parameter changes (changed via DJI Assistant) to the internal SD card. But on 1.4.000 the bird writes these parameters somewhere else -- so why install the card?

Several posts have mentioned that each time you upgrade or downgrade FW you will need to reset your parameters changes using Assistant in debug mode. Why not just wait until you are back on 1.4.0000 -305/306/905 and then make the parameter changes one time -- and in that case since 1.4.000 is writing the changes somewhere other than the internal SD card, why have it in there at all?

fileophile · Dec 31, 2017

Haloweenhamster said:
that's just a backup copy of the last thing uploaded so if you remove modules from bin they will be missing from upgrade/upgrade/backup
They will still be installed on the mavic as last version loaded

One way to see what's installed is by opening assistant 2 with mavic connected, go to
C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Roaming\DJI Assistant 2\log\
in the log it will show module versions except 905 it can't read
: = 0 eg 8 :1 = 801

[22:17:13][Q DEVICE Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :1) Ldr : 1.6.0.17 App : 1.6.0.17
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Controller (3 :5) Ldr : 34.4.0.23 App : 34.4.0.23
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Controller (3 :6) Ldr : 34.4.0.23 App : 3.2.13.16 NAVI wm220 20170112|132359
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] BAT.Mgr (11:0) Ldr : 3.3.0.2 App : 1.0.18.24
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:0) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:1) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:2) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Esc (12:3) Ldr : 1.2.0.1 App : 1.10.0.0
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :3) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 0.0.4.9
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :4) Ldr : 1.0.0.2 App : 1.0.0.11
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Gimbal (4 :0) Ldr : 1.20.0.0 App : 1.50.12.10
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_mcu_sky (9 :5) device no reply, request timeout!
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :2) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 1.1.0.2
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Camera (1 :0) Ldr : 2.8.506 App : 2.8.506
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Camera (1 :1) Ldr : 2.8.506 App : 2.8.506
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_dm3xx_sky (8 :5) Ldr : 1.3.0.95 App : 1.3.0.95
[22:17:13][Q DEVICE ] Lb_mcu_sky (9 :7) Ldr : 0.0.0.0 App : 47.26.2.18

So is it possible (and how?) to get a complete backup of the currently installed FW with all modules accounted for?

Haloweenhamster · Dec 31, 2017

fileophile said:
I'm starting to wonder if the Platinum Mavic's actually need to have the internal SD card installed at all. If an owner plans on downgrading to .400 or .700, but then (deleting modules) stepping up to 1.4.0000, why is the internal storage needed? I agree that if you plan on staying on .400 or .700 then it is needed because the drone writes its parameter changes (changed via DJI Assistant) to the internal SD card. But on 1.4.000 the bird writes these parameters somewhere else -- so why install the card?

Several posts have mentioned that each time you upgrade or downgrade FW you will need to reset your parameters changes using Assistant in debug mode. Why not just wait until you are back on 1.4.0000 -305/306/905 and then make the parameter changes one time -- and in that case since 1.4.000 is writing the changes somewhere other than the internal SD card, why have it in there at all?

With the fc (305 &306) still on 400 or 700 it still doesn't work, it must be a parameter on the fc which specs where to write the file

fileophile said:
So is it possible (and how?) to get a complete backup of the currently installed FW with all modules accounted for?

Nope, there's ways to find what's installed but no way to backup

If you know what you have installed and have the installation files why do you need a mix match backup that won't install?

fileophile · Dec 31, 2017

<QUOTE>If you know what you have installed and have the installation files why do you need a mix match backup that won't install? </QUOTE>

I'm still hoping for the "holy grail" which would be a single firmware file with all the desired modules packaged as one .bin that I (or anyone) could install to their Mavic and be right there they wanted. Also, if they got messed up in the FW install chain (as I did at first) they could easily just re-install that single file and be back in action.

Haloweenhamster · Dec 31, 2017

Unless you can sign the cfg file that lists the modules that won't work

fileophile · Dec 31, 2017

Is the cfg file signed with DJI's private key? Or is the key available somehow?

Haloweenhamster · Dec 31, 2017

Private key unfortunately

Kilrah · Dec 31, 2017

fileophile said:
I'm starting to wonder if the Platinum Mavic's actually need to have the internal SD card installed at all.

You need a card if you want to run the flight controller firmware that comes in a package older than 01.03.1000. Easy enough.

fileophile said:
if you plan on staying on .400 or .700 then it is needed because the drone writes its parameter changes (changed via DJI Assistant) to the internal SD card.

Completely wrong and has nothing to do with parameters.

Older FC firmware expects to write flight logs onto the SD card. If it doesn't see a card it can't write logs and won't allow takeoff.