Potato Flash Utility Tutorial
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The potato-flash utility is provided as a means of safely flashing Mesh potato devices.
It is intended to be installed on a Linux PC (eg Ubuntu).
Download the potato-flash file, either 32 or 64 bit version depending on your PC operating system.
Save the file into /usr/local/bin
Make the file executable:
$ chmod +x /usr/local/bin/potato-flash
Connect the MP directly to your PC with an Ethernet cable with the MP power off
Execute potato-flash:
$ sudo potato-flash eth0 openwrt-atheros-root-rv287.squashfs openwrt-atheros-vmlinux-rv287.lzma (versaun rv278)
$ sudo potato-flash eth0 openwrt-atheros-root-SECN1_1-RC2-rv295.squashfs openwrt-atheros-vmlinux-SECN1_1-RC2-rv295.lzma
* Note that the order of the .squashfs and .lzma files on the command line is required.*
Wait for the program to start looking for the MP device - a series of dots will appear on the screen.
Switch the power on to the MP.
Wait for the flashing process to complete and for the MP to fully restart.
This may take a couple of minutes. This is a good time to have a coffee.
Wait for three minutes after the MP WiFi led starts to flash to ensure that flash process is complete.
Sample MP Flash Session
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$ sudo potato-flash eth0 openwrt-atheros-root-rv238.squashfs openwrt-atheros-vmlinux-rv238.lzma
Reading rootfs file openwrt-atheros-root-rv238.squashfs with 3801088 bytes ...
Reading kernel file openwrt-atheros-vmlinux-rv238.lzma with 720896 bytes ...
Note: The device has to be connected directly (not via switch/hub)
Device detection in progress..........................................................
<<< Turn the power to the MP device ON at this point >>>
….....................device detection: non-arp packet received..
Peer MAC: 00:09:45:58:1c:e7
Peer IP : 192.168.1.184
Your MAC: 00:ba:be:ca:ff:ee
Your IP : 192.168.1.0
Connecting to Redboot bootloader
WARNING: UNPLUGGING POWER WHILE FLASHING MIGHT DAMAGE THE BOOTLOADER
HOWEVER: IF YOU SEE NOTHING SHOWING UP BENEATH THIS LINE
FOR MORE THAN A MINUTE, START AGAIN...
A flash size of 8 MB was detected.
rootfs(0x006a0000) + kernel(0x00100000) + nvram(0x00000000) sums up to 0x007a0000 bytes
Setting IP address...
Initializing partitions...
Now uploading kernel...
Sending kernel, 1408 blocks...
Flashing kernel...
Loading rootfs...
Sending rootfs, 7424 blocks...
Flashing rootfs...
Flashing process completed...
Restarting device...
