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Nighthawk(R) X4S R7800 MD5 Verify Error
Getting an MD5 Verify error when trying to install new firmware. I saw some old posts about this but nothing recent. Any advice appreciated.
Wooohooo! Mine worked correctly. And BTW I did NOT have to do any sort of reset, just went to the update and it worked fine from a Chrome session connected wirelessly.
I'm also getting an "MD5 verify" error whenever I try to update from V1.0.2.84 to V1.0.2.90 via the Firmware Update Assistant in the router web interface:
After clicking the "Yes" button, the following message is displayed:
The router is downloading the new version now. Please wait...
then a few seconds later:
Failure
MD5 verify error.
I've been using this update method since day one and have never seen this before with any previous firmware release. I connect to the router from a laptop over WiFi, and using the latest Google Chrome, Firefox or Edge web browser doesn't make any difference.
I'd be surprised if the WiFi connection between the laptop and the router were causing this -- according to the messages from the Firmware Update Assistant, the browser merely seems to instruct the router to download the firmware on its own, not to get it separately on the laptop then transfer it to the router over the wireless network (which would indeed be inefficient and increase the risk of file corruption).
I'm not a big fan of the "manual update" solution, for the simple reason that the ZIP file that can be downloaded from the Netgear firmware and software downloads page has no separate checksum data available. MD5 alone is a pretty weak security measure against file tampering (compared for example to GPG signatures or equivalent), but at least it's better than nothing at all, and such checksum errors should not be taken lightly, especially in the case of software running on key devices where security breaches may have very unfortunate consequences.
(See also https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/R7800-Updated-to-1-0-2-90-now-wants-to-install-V1-0-0-423/m-p/2188576 for additional reports of MD5 verification errors.)
OK. A sane and detailed response that doesn't try to play smartypants with us all.
I will pass on a link to your helpful message to the people who may be able to do something about it.
Two things they need to check:
- what causes this error with the on-line update?
- why isn't there separate checksum data?
Thanks again for the feedback.
michaelkenward wrote:OK. A sane and detailed response that doesn't try to play smartypants with us all.
I will pass on a link to your helpful message to the people who may be able to do something about it.
Two things they need to check:
- what causes this error with the on-line update?
- why isn't there separate checksum data?
Thanks again for the feedback.
Thanks. I would also prefer to use the automated method for the next one. Just because it is easier :)
aprayiii wrote:Thanks. I would also prefer to use the automated method for the next one. Just because it is easier :)
Easier yes, but less controllable.
Fine with a connection that doesn't fail in the middle of the process.
Not so good on a wifi connection or an unreliable Internet link.
From messages that have appeared here, both of these events have interrupted updates resulting on routers with corrupt firmware and broken routers.
The updates process has been improving over the years, but some old hands still don't trust it, especially a completely automated process that happens when they aften't looking.
In some systems, the process downloads and checks the update before installing it. The update then goes into a second memory bank. When that is updated, the process switches over to the new memory, leaving the original there as a backup for when things go wrong.
This is beyond the capability of a domestic router, but it shows what happens in "mission critical" devices. I saw it in action in the "operating system" on an electric car, a Jaguar, impressive.