News JVTech This user hacked his broken washing machine after the manufacturer refused to send him the firmware
Share :
After the manufacturer of his washing machine refused to provide him with firmware that would save it from the garbage, the user of a Beko brand model had no choice but to hack it in order to be able to repair it. A situation that underscores a very persistently planned obsolescence.
Devices that break are a scourge and usually affect everyone. It’s hard to imagine going a lifetime without being confronted with it at least once a high-tech product or household appliance that requires maintenance. Today it should be easier to repair devices or have them repaired.
Actually in Europe, the “Right to Repair” is a very concrete issue and France is a pioneer in this area. Since 2022, the seller of a product in France has been obliged to inform the consumer about the availability of spare parts, but also about their unavailability. For certain electronic and electrical products, spare parts must be available for at least 5 years after they are placed on the market.. The aim is to allow users to repair their devices or have them repaired instead of throwing them away: an ecological approach but also economical.
If the brand prevents the customer from repairing it
Only, this position is not yet valid in all countries. In Europe for example Some brands don’t hesitate to use underhanded means to convince their customers to re-purchase.
On twitter, @MrCluxManposing as the head of a high-tech company, recounted his misadventure on the subject. His Beko washing machine broke downand he could tell The problem came from the power supply to the machine. To solve the problem, all he had to do was do something Replace the ATMEGA128A-AU microcontroller present in the devicebut one thing was missing for the success of the operation: the firmware of the device.
The user, fortunately also a self-taught developer, has contacted Beko to get the famous firmware. But the brand’s response was quick:
After we have sent your information, we would like to point out that we do not provide firmware for our devices. It is not computer equipment, it is electrical equipment and will be treated/repaired as such.
In other words, Beko simply refused to provide the firmware to his customer on the excuse that a washing machine cannot be repaired like a computer.
A repair proposal as expensive as the machine
ChuxMan persisted, but Beko didn’t want to know. The company offered its customers a repair included a complete change of the printed circuit of the power supply of the washing machine. A part almost as expensive as the washing machine itself, which clearly announces the will of the manufacturer: urge the customer to buy a new household appliancewhile the microcontroller in question costs in turn, less than 7 dollars.
The hobby programmer did not admit defeat. He decided to find a solution himself to extract the firmware from the damaged part of his washing machine. After several unsuccessful attempts, notably with an Arduino, it finally uses a TL866 programmer, he managed to extract the famous firmware.
It’s an Atmega128A which was supposed to reach 5V but got to 20V. The fact is it must be spartan, because when dumped via ICSP it worked. The data may be corrupt, but there are clear areas, and my mother has the same model, so it’s guaranteed. pic.twitter.com/hIk5daPRQl
— ChuxMan Skynetwalker 🍆 (@MrChuxMan) February 3, 2023
As of this writing, ChuxMan continues to work on his washing machine. He still has to transfer the firmware to the new chip and test its function, then integrate the chip into the device’s circuit board. But for him, being able to restore firmware that Beko refused him in order to repair his machine more cheaply is already a victory.. He has no plans to distribute the firmware himself, but hopes his story will change the way manufacturers think. You can follow the progress of the ChuxMan project on
his Twitter account.
