18. Reset to factory defaults and Venus OS reinstall
18.1. Reset to factory defaults procedure
A factory reset on a GX device is performed by inserting a USB stick or SD card containing a specific reset file. No buttons or display are needed.
Factory reset requires Venus firmware version 2.12 or higher.
How to reset to factory default
Download the venus-data-90-reset-all.tgz file.
Copy it (as-is: don’t unzip or rename) onto a blank, FAT32-formatted USB stick or SD card.
For devices running v2.12–v3.10, only a single file can be executed. Either:
Update to a newer firmware version, or
Rename the file to venus-data.tgz before copying it.
Boot with the USB-drive/SD card inserted and wait until the GX device has fully started up.
Remove the USB-drive/SD card from the GX device.
Power cycle the device, or, alternatively and when available, use the Reboot function in the Settings → General menu.
Once restarted, all settings will be reset to factory defaults.
When to use a factory reset
Typical reasons include:
The device is locked due to a forgotten Remote Console password on a model without a screen.
A clean slate is desired by the user, even without specific issues.
The device was used in a test environment, and residual data (e.g. discovered AC PV inverters) needs to be cleared.
The GX device is behaving unexpectedly; a factory reset may rule out misconfigured settings as the cause.
The data partition is full (usually due to manual modifications).
A rare bug, often found in beta versions, may require a reset.
After the reset
Previously saved Wifi access credentials will be reset - for devices without a physical interface and using WiFi to connect, consider how you will get access again to reconfigure.
A factory reset may require resetting the VRM authorisation token. After the reset, open the site in VRM. If needed, a notification will appear with instructions.
A factory reset does not affect the VRM site ID or stored data. To clear history before selling or reinstalling the device on another system, go to Site settings → General → Delete this installation in the VRM Portal.
18.2. Venus OS reinstall
Use this when the procedure described in Reset to factory defaults procedure doesn't work.
WARNINGS:
Before performing this procedure, first try the standard factory reset procedure as described in the previous section.
Only perform this procedure as a last resort: to fix a bricked device. A device that boots fine but has some strange behaviour in some features will not benefit from executing this procedure.
This procedure will wipe all data on the data partition, which means all settings and so forth.
Unlike the common reset to factory default instructions, this procedure does not rely on a properly booting device.
On the VRM Portal you’ll have to reset the Device token. The portal will accept no new data until that is done.
Ensure you have the appropriate manual for your GX device, as the procedures may vary slightly depending on the GX model.
PROCEDURE: