R7800: upgrade 23.05.4 -> 24.10.0

[SharkScout]

I tried to upgrade a Netgear R7800 from 23.05.4 to 24.10.0.

I got hit with the error message:

The device is supported, but the config is incompatible to the new image (1.0->1.1). Please upgrade without keeping config (sysupgrade -n).
Config cannot be migrated from swconfig to DSA Image check failed.

The message is pretty clear, and I understand the switch configuration will be different. However, I have a bunch of configs other than the switch (wireless, banip, etc). And I think most of them should be unchanged?

Any tip on how to manage the migration, in particular, what I can keep the same, and what config needs to actually be changed?

Thanks

[psherman]

You must reset to defaults during the firmware upgrade per the message. Likewise, the restoring a backup file will not work properly (it will likely soft-brick your router) -- so you have to reset and then configure from scratch.

That said, if you make a backup first, you can decompress the file and then move some of the files over manually (via scp), such as DHCP, firewall, and probably your banIP config, too. I would recommend that you configure your wireless from scratch (don't copy that from the backup). In the case of the wireless and network files, you can use your backup as a human readable reference so you can remember what you had configured.

[hnyman]

@SharkScout

Config cannot be migrated from swconfig to DSA Image check failed.

...
Any tip on how to manage the migration, in particular, what I can keep the same, and what config needs to actually be changed?

The config breaking change there is the swconfig-->DSA switch config systax migration.

You can likely sysupgrade keeping all other config files than /etc/config/network, system (and sqm), which directly refer to network hardware.

I have been jumping from/to 23.05 due to my R7800 community build, and I have kept alternate versions of those three, and just renamed the correct version to be the actual before sysupgrade.

Old advice in

Build for Netgear R7800

22.03 is so long ago, that hard to remember. But I do not think that there was anything major between 22.03 and 23.05. For the DSA change after 23.05 to 24.10 and onward, the needed changes depend quite much from for network complexity. With a simple network, the only files are network (actual DSA changes) and system (compatibility value and wan LED config). In addition the config files for those apps that refer to interfaces by name. E.g. for me sqm refers to eth0.2 , which needs now to be wa…

You can get the new defaults by simply removing (or renaming) the /etc/config/network and /etc/config/system on the live system before sysupgrade to 24.10.

[SharkScout]

@hnyman

You can likely sysupgrade keeping all other config files than /etc/config/network, system (and sqm), which directly refer to network hardware.

I have been jumping from/to 23.05 due to my R7800 community build, and I have kept alternate versions of those three, and just renamed the correct version to be the actual before sysupgrade.

Old advice in

Thanks a lot for the detailed advice. It sounds like I can keep the wireless file as well then?

[hnyman]

Yes, at least I have kept it quite ok, going to both directions with R7800.

[SharkScout]

Got it. Thank you @hnyman and @psherman for the advice.