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docs:techref:image.format [2019/08/04 13:07] – someothertimedocs:techref:image.format [2020/12/14 14:04] (current) – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation tmomas
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 You can help to improve this page by adding explanations for the different firmware types below.\\ You can help to improve this page by adding explanations for the different firmware types below.\\
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
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 If you are confused by the many different firmware types and extensions in the [[toh:views:toh_fwdownload|OpenWrt firmware downloads]] table, this pages tries to explain a bit about this topic. If you are confused by the many different firmware types and extensions in the [[toh:views:toh_fwdownload|OpenWrt firmware downloads]] table, this pages tries to explain a bit about this topic.
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 ===== Standard formats ===== ===== Standard formats =====
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 ==== factory (.img/.bin) ==== ==== factory (.img/.bin) ====
 Use when flashing from OEM ( non-openwrt ) (([[docs:guide-user:installation:before.installation]])) Use when flashing from OEM ( non-openwrt ) (([[docs:guide-user:installation:before.installation]]))
  
 If only a sysupgrade image is available for your router, either the router is already running some kind of OpenWrt fork (which understands the sysupgrade format natively) or web flash via the OEM UI is not possible... Please consult the Table of Hardware for your device for installation instructions from OEM firmware. If only a sysupgrade image is available for your router, either the router is already running some kind of OpenWrt fork (which understands the sysupgrade format natively) or web flash via the OEM UI is not possible... Please consult the Table of Hardware for your device for installation instructions from OEM firmware.
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 ==== sysupgrade ( or trx ) ==== ==== sysupgrade ( or trx ) ====
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 Previously known as //trx image//, //sysupgrade// is designed to be flashed from OpenWrt/LEDE itself (([[docs:guide-user:installation:before.installation]])). Commonly used when upgrading. Previously known as //trx image//, //sysupgrade// is designed to be flashed from OpenWrt/LEDE itself (([[docs:guide-user:installation:before.installation]])). Commonly used when upgrading.
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 ===== Specific formats ===== ===== Specific formats =====
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 ==== ext4 ==== ==== ext4 ====
-This firmware contains a regular ext4 Linux partition.  Mostly used in x86 and x86_x64 systems.+This firmware contains a regular ext4 Linux partition. Mostly used in x86 and x86_x64 systems.
  
 ==== squashfs ==== ==== squashfs ====
 This firmware contains a type of partition that is compressed and mounts read-only. All modifications (file edit, new files, deleted files) are committed to an overlay. This firmware contains a type of partition that is compressed and mounts read-only. All modifications (file edit, new files, deleted files) are committed to an overlay.
 .bin/.chk/.trx .bin/.chk/.trx
-  * See also [[docs:techref:header|TRX vs. TRX2 vs. BIN]]+  * See also [[docs:techref:headers|TRX vs. TRX2 vs. BIN]]
  
 ==== initramfs ==== ==== initramfs ====
-Can be loaded from an arbitrary location ( most often tftp ) and is self-contained in memory.  This is like a Linux LiveCD. Often used to test firmware, as the first part of a multi-stage installation or as a recovery tool. ((https://forum.lede-project.org/t/toward-a-good-flashing-lede-instructions-page/52/5))+Can be loaded from an arbitrary location ( most often tftp ) and is self-contained in memory. This is like a Linux LiveCD. Often used to test firmware, as the first part of a multi-stage installation or as a recovery tool. ((https://forum.lede-project.org/t/toward-a-good-flashing-lede-instructions-page/52/5))
  
 An initramfs and initrd are basically the same. It’s a filesystem in memory, which contains userland software. In an embedded environment it might contain the whole distro, on bigger systems it can contain tools&scripts to assemble&mount raid arrays and stuff like that before passing userland boot to them. Both can have a uHeader, to let uBoot know what it is. An initramfs and initrd are basically the same. It’s a filesystem in memory, which contains userland software. In an embedded environment it might contain the whole distro, on bigger systems it can contain tools&scripts to assemble&mount raid arrays and stuff like that before passing userland boot to them. Both can have a uHeader, to let uBoot know what it is.
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 initramfs-uImage.bin: initramfs-uImage.bin:
 initramfs-kernel.bin: initramfs-kernel.bin:
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 ==== sdcard.img.gz ==== ==== sdcard.img.gz ====
 Used by few devices ( mvebu/RPi etc. ), most often a multi partition image which is uncompressed and written to external storage via PC. Used by few devices ( mvebu/RPi etc. ), most often a multi partition image which is uncompressed and written to external storage via PC.
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 ==== rootfs ==== ==== rootfs ====
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 ==== tftp ==== ==== tftp ====
-<color #ed1c24>Designed to be loaded from tftp server.  Device in recovery mode?</color>+<color #ed1c24>Designed to be loaded from tftp server. Device in recovery mode?</color>
  
 ==== u-boot ==== ==== u-boot ====
-<color #ed1c24>This is an image format designed for U-Boot loader.  Same as initramfs-or-uImage?</color> +<color #ed1c24>This is an image format designed for U-Boot loader. Same as initramfs-or-uImage?</color>
- +
 ==== ubinized.bin ==== ==== ubinized.bin ====
  
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 ==== zImage ==== ==== zImage ====
 zImage is a compressed plain kernel with a ‘pyggyback’. Some extra code which can decompress the kernel before booting it. zImage is a compressed plain kernel with a ‘pyggyback’. Some extra code which can decompress the kernel before booting it.
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 ===== Subformats ===== ===== Subformats =====
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 ==== bin, img, elf, dtb, chk, dlf ==== ==== bin, img, elf, dtb, chk, dlf ====
 These are raw binary data of the firmware file These are raw binary data of the firmware file
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 ==== xz, gz, tar, lzma ==== ==== xz, gz, tar, lzma ====
 These are compressed images These are compressed images
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 ===== Developer files ===== ===== Developer files =====
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 ==== sdk ==== ==== sdk ====
 SDK Toolchain for compiling single userspace packages ((https://we.riseup.net/lackof/openwrt-on-x86-64)) SDK Toolchain for compiling single userspace packages ((https://we.riseup.net/lackof/openwrt-on-x86-64))
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 ==== vmlinux ==== ==== vmlinux ====
 Linux kernel for build ((https://we.riseup.net/lackof/openwrt-on-x86-64)) Linux kernel for build ((https://we.riseup.net/lackof/openwrt-on-x86-64))
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 ====== Example Firmware image names ====== ====== Example Firmware image names ======
-~~NOTOC~~ 
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 ===== Firmware types ===== ===== Firmware types =====
-^ Target       ^ Install                                                                                     ^ Upgrade                                             ^ +^ Target ^ Install ^ Upgrade ^ 
-| adm5120      | squashfs.bin                                                                                | squashfs.bin                                        | +| adm5120 | squashfs.bin | squashfs.bin | 
-| apm821xx     | squashfs-factory.img\\ initramfs-kernel.bin                                                 | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar\\ ext4-rootfs.img.gz        | +| apm821xx | squashfs-factory.img\\ initramfs-kernel.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar\\ ext4-rootfs.img.gz | 
-| ar7          | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs-code.bin                                                            | squashfs.bin                                        | +| ar7 | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs-code.bin | squashfs.bin | 
-| ar71xx       | factory.img\\ factory.bin                                                                   | sysupgrade.bin                                      | +| ar71xx | factory.img\\ factory.bin | sysupgrade.bin | 
-| at91         |                                                                                             |                                                     | +| at91 | | | 
-| atheros      | squashfs-factory.bin                                                                        | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar                             | +| atheros | squashfs-factory.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar | 
-| brcm2708     | ext4-sdcard.img.gz                                                                          | -                                                   | +| brcm2708 | ext4-sdcard.img.gz | - | 
-| brcm47xx     | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx                                                  | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx          | +| brcm47xx | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx | 
-| bcm53xx      | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx                                                  | \\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx                      | +| bcm53xx | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx | \\ squashfs.chk\\ squashfs.trx | 
-| brcm63xx     | squashfs-cfe.bin\\ squashfs-factory.chk                                                     | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                             | +| brcm63xx | squashfs-cfe.bin\\ squashfs-factory.chk | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| cns3xxx      | -                                                                                           | sysupgrade.bin                                      | +| cns3xxx | - | sysupgrade.bin | 
-| imx6         | ?                                                                                           | ?                                                   | +| imx6 | ? | ? | 
-| ipq806x      | factory.img                                                                                 | sysupgrade.tar                                      | +| ipq806x | factory.img | sysupgrade.tar | 
-| ixp4xx       | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.img\\ zImage                                                        | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                             | +| ixp4xx | squashfs.bin\\ squashfs.img\\ zImage | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| kirkwood     | squashfs-factory.bin                                                                        | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                             | +| kirkwood | squashfs-factory.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| lantiq       | initramfs-kernel.bin\\ squashfs-factory.bin                                                 | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                             | +| lantiq | initramfs-kernel.bin\\ squashfs-factory.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| layerscape   | squashfs-firmware.bin                                                                       | -                                                   | +| layerscape | squashfs-firmware.bin | - | 
-| mpc85xx      | squashfs-factory.bin                                                                        | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                             | +| mpc85xx | squashfs-factory.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| mvebu        | sdcard.img.gz\\ squashfs-factory.img                                                        | \\ squashfs-sysupgrade.bin                          | +| mvebu | sdcard.img.gz\\ squashfs-factory.img | \\ squashfs-sysupgrade.bin | 
-| mxs          | ?                                                                                           | ?                                                   | +| mxs | ? | ? | 
-| orion        | not supported                                                                               | not supported                                       | +| orion | not supported | not supported | 
-| oxnas        | squashfs-ubinized.bin\\ ubifs-ubinized.bin                                                  | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar\\ ubifs-sysupgrade.tar      | +| oxnas | squashfs-ubinized.bin\\ ubifs-ubinized.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.tar\\ ubifs-sysupgrade.tar | 
-| ramips       | initramfs-kernel.bin\\ squashfs-factory.bin\\ squashfs-factory.dlf\\ initramfs-uImage.bin   | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin\\ squashfs-sysupgrade.tar   | +| ramips | initramfs-kernel.bin\\ squashfs-factory.bin\\ squashfs-factory.dlf\\ initramfs-uImage.bin | squashfs-sysupgrade.bin\\ squashfs-sysupgrade.tar | 
-| sunxi        | ext4-sdcard.img.gz \\ squashfs-sdcard.img.gz                                                |                                                     | +| sunxi | ext4-sdcard.img.gz \\ squashfs-sdcard.img.gz | | 
-| x86          | combined-ext4.img                                                                           | combined-ext4.img.gz                                | +| x86 | combined-ext4.img | combined-ext4.img.gz |
- +
- +
  
 ====== Image Formats General ====== ====== Image Formats General ======
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 ===== Known Formats ===== ===== Known Formats =====
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 by extension: by extension:
   * BIN   * BIN
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 ===== Other Formats ===== ===== Other Formats =====
 +  * see [[docs:techref:brcm63xx.imagetag]]
 +  * see [[docs:techref:headers]]
  
-  * see [[docs:techref:brcm63xx.imagetag]] 
-  * see [[docs:techref:header]] 
  • Last modified: 2019/08/04 13:07
  • by someothertime