Same here - always worked perfectly, firmware updated, has not worked since, totally unresponsive.
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Finally pressed update 2 days ago and my vacuum went offline. After a day of pulsing white lights, I tried wifi reset, full reset, unplugging the battery, etc. No luck. I have a several hundred dollar paperweight.
This vacuum was 100% functional until the Wyze update bricked my bot. It was only 2 years old. Very frustrating.
Has anyone successfully manually flashed the firmware? I see the Xiaomi Mi vacuum is very similar.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wyzecam/comments/lpiew1/wyze_vac_unbricked/
Those are the two links I have. I have a note that mentions the technique may no longer work on more recent firmware because the trick to get an SSH connection is blocked.
Which version were you updating to? (1.6.199 or the new certificate update?)
Yeah I read that too. I think that or the new certificate. I honestly can’t remember.
Wyze offered me $15 (roll eyes). I get that it’s out of warranty but I had a fully working vacuum until I installed their update. It didn’t wear out or something. It was only 2 years old.
They shouldn’t push over the air updates unless they have a backup SD card or micro USB tool to unbrick your device.
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With those instructions, it seems someone could definitely figure out how to flash the firmware on the Wyze models if Wyze would make the Firmware available for download somewhere like they do with their cameras. With those instructions I bet I could get it done if I blocked out an afternoon for it and was motivated enough. Now we just need to convince them to allow downloading a copy of the latest firmware.
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The instructions don’t seem too difficult but I don’t have another vacuum to pull the firmware. If you figure out how to unbrick this thing with a manual flash, I’d be grateful. Seems like wyze just totally abandons you if their own firmware bricks your expensive device. Such a shame.
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My 2.5 yr old vac also just got bricked with the certificate update. Was docked and fully charged before running it. Now for the past 3 days its pulsing white power light.
Tried powering down and up, draining battery, pulling battery, and resetting. Not responsive, the only thing I can do is turn it off and on when it’s off the dock.
When powering it back on by holding down both the power and home button it did make both the power and home buttons go solid red and stay there, but that also doesn’t seem to do anything. Powering it back down and up again it reverts to the endless power white light pulse.
I did verify it has never rejoined my wifi network since the incident for the last 3 days. Unit was never on beta firmware.
Disappointed that the firmware upgrade process has this risk with no resolution from Wyze.
Yeah is completely ridiculous. Firmware updates should not completely brick something this expensive. New, these things were $300. I paid $170 2 years ago. Now I have a brick.
I recently ordered a Xiaomi Motherboard. This should make the vacuum work again but I need to use the MI home app instead of the Wyze one.
Generally, firmware updates can fail, for multiple reasons.
I’ve always wondered if Wyze first downloads the firmware file to the phone (preferably to the camera itself) before doing the actual update? If it updates while downloading, it definitely is much more prone to bricking.
Also, it seems that for multiple updates, a download is repeatedly being done, for each camera of the same type.
It’s not downloaded to your phone. It grabs the firmware update over the wifi installs the firmware directly to the device.
True. However when done properly they should work. Else there needs to be an official method of recovery. Wyze should make this right.
Just wanted to give an update. The Xiaomi mop p motherboard worked! Vacuum is back in action. You have to set it to mainland China in the app and it speaks Chinese but it works. Might look into dust builder or something if I get the time. Ording the mop attachments soon.
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Is there a provision for a water tank and mop on your Wyze vacuum?
Also, as a retired auto mechanic specializing in computer controls, when a PCM (motherboard) fails, there is a reason it failed, Unless the cause of the failure is corrected, the new motherboard may fail again. Most electronics that fail will do so shortly after powering up for the first time. I’m guessing there was a poor connection somewhere that was corrected by replacing the motherboard.
+1 for the link. I have a tendency to get spare parts from AE for my vac ‘just in case’ like drive wheels, spare dust bin, and lots of brushes and filters.
Read above. The firmware update bricked my vacuum. The new motherboard is flashed with xiaomi firmware. No more using it in the Wyze app. Yes there are attachments for the mop system and setting in the app.
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Thank you for the clarification. I didn’t read before the last few posts.
As to the mop, in the list of accessories, only the brushes and filter are shown.
Excuse my old age ignorance.
Those are the available accessories from wyze. Wyze nuked a lot of the features of this vacuum. This vacuum is a rebranded Xiaomi Mop P. Look it up. Then you’ll understand more. You cannot use the mop stuff with the Wyze software because there are no settings for it.
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Other than setting the location for mainland China, do you have any other tips for getting this going? I was able to replace the MB but having trouble getting it to connect to the app - every time it tries to connect to the network, it fails.
Umm yeah I’m trying to remember. I had some sort of issue. It was either my ad blocker or I had to temporarily turn off the 5g network on my router. Mainland China then make sure to click the right vacuum. Also it needs to be charging if I recall.
Thanks. I did figure it out - it turns out you can’t have symbols in your wifi password, and it has to be 2.4ghz.