Hi,
I'm in the position where I need to reflash the chip on my TP-Link TL-WPA8630P(UK) Ver 2.1 powerline adapter. I have a serial to USB adapter and software but I need a clean dump of the ROM chip from the above device if anyone has one.
It's the GigaDevice chip 25Q64CSIG.
Thank you.
Actually, as my powerline device is currently bricked, perhaps a ROM from a slightly different unit would work. Maybe a Ver 2.0 unit or one from the (EU) region would help. I'm willing to try anything right now in order to get a working unit.
Thank you.
jwmullally - I noticed that you send a similar ROM in a thread from a few months ago. Are you able to let me have a copy too please?
Thank you.
Sure, i'll send you one for a v2.0 EU. Can you PM me your email address?
Hello, I have successufly bricked my TL-WPA8630P v2 Intl. version (DE) - by forcing a factory image instead of sysupgrade. I'm at the point that the device boot loops and I don't get anything from the serial console (soldered pins).
@jwmullally can you help me out as well with a ROM dump for this version please? I'll try tro resurrect this with a SOIC-8 clip, as described in the wiki.
Thank You!
Hi @eisengrau, I don't have an INT ROM dump, just one for EU, which might have different regulatory PLC settings (but I'm not sure). I can send it to you if you still want it, send me a direct message here with your email.
AFAIK, sysupgrade can only overwrite the OpenWrt DTS "firmware" (OEM "os-image" and "filesystem") partitions of the current running firmware, which means your other OEM partitions would still be intact.
You can make a backup of your current flash memory, then use tplink-safeloader to extract an old OEM DE upgrade file, then copy the os-image and filesystem partitions over your flash image (using dd or similar tool), then re-flash it onto device. That should recover it and return it to stock.
Hello, thank you for getting back. I guess the EU dump would work too, as the hardware is identical I suppose (?). I don't even understand why they released a different version, as EU = DE. Only for the different regulatory paramenters for Germany? Also in this case the difference would be on the PLC board and not on the router board, which is seprarate any way.
Nevertheless, thank you. I'll try to reflash it using the clip, and let you know if it's working.
Hello @jwmullally
I just had time to reflash the thing using an CH341S and a crocodile clip and your ROM dump. Worked like a charm! I was able to update the fw to the lastest stock EU and then to OpenWrt. Guess the device is EU spec now (instead of DE 
)
Nevertheless thank you for your tip and the ROM dump!
Ok, so my celebration was a bit too early. It looks like the PLC part of the device is completely busted now. I mean it does make sense now why.
@jwmullally if I send you the SPI flash dumps I made, would you be able to 'save' the factory data partitions from them somehow? I don't have access to another Intl. DE version device now. I have several others, all EU versons.
Thank You!
You'll need to try fixing a few different things in the flash and re-flashing every time to see if they work.
It could be that the MAC address in the flash you are now using does not match the original MAC of the device in the device-mac firmware partition, which the OEM firmware (and OpenWrt PLC button commands) use to calculate the address of the PLC (MAC + 2) to send commands to.
If you still have a copy of your original firmware (even if it's messed up a bit), you can copy the original values from the device-mac partition over your current image. Alternatively you can use a hex-editor to update your current image. See the flash layout partition tables and firmware version list. You should also preserve the radio partition data.