Upgrade NETGEAR WNDR3700v4

[Thobben]

Hi together,

i like to upgrade my router from

OpenWrt 19.07.4 r11208-ce6496d796 / LuCI openwrt-19.07 branch git-22.115.68448-712bc8e

to -23.05.5 using

openwrt-23.05.5-ath79-nand-netgear_wndr3700-v4-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

but i get an error message from the ui saying:

Device wndr3700v4 not supported by this image Supported devices: netgear,wndr3700-v4 Invalid sysupgrade file. Image check failed.
The uploaded image file does not contain a supported format. Make sure that you choose the generic image format for your platform.

Is it safe to continue here or should i make a clean installation with a factory image using for example the tftp method?

than you

[brada4]

Save config backup, forcing upgrade resets it and you have to type it using unzipped backup file as a reference.

This message notes change in devicetree invalidating significant configuration parts.
You can do step by step to save typing:
https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/?version=21.02.7&target=ath79%2Fnand&id=netgear_wndr3700-v4
then 22
thrn 23.05.5

[badulesia]

You can't upgrade directly from 19.07 to 23.05 as the device target changed in the meantime (ar71xx to ath79). Follow @brada4 's advices.
Another possibility is to use nmrpflash to directly install 23.05 factory image.
This device runs well on 23.05, but don't expect too much, you already know this.

[Thobben]

Thanks for the advice. Just to be shure - when i try sysupgrade from 19 to 21 i get the same error / warning message like in my first post ... so i understand its normal and i have to force the upgrade in this case. i will do it from 19 to 21, from 21 to 22, from 22 to 23 ... and i always try with the option to recover the configfiles or better not?

[psherman]

Yes, forcing from 19.07 > 21.02 is fine. But do not keep settings!

[brada4]

You can try 19.07.latest, architecture changed during 19.x for most ath79 devices.

[Thobben]

can i restore the config in this case when first going to 19.07 latest? and then upgrade to the newer versions stepwise? it would save me a little work ....

ps: openwrt downloadserver seems out of order in the moment

[brada4]

Check ubus call system board - there is no config migration from ar71xx to ath79

[brada4]

To expand - if there is no config migration - go directly to 23.05.5.

[Thobben]

i just force upgrade from 19.7.4 to 23.05.5 without migrating config ... its now 10 minutes and the green power led is just blinking ....

i then put the factory image via tftp and that worked

[badulesia]

I told you you can't directly upgrade from 19.07
TFTP would work, it's like nmrpflash.

[Thobben]

iam actualy preparing this openwrt router to test my new dsl connection (vodafone germany) that i wil get end of month. as for now this post can be marked as solved. thanks for your help.