How to update OpenWRT while retaining existing configuration and all custom packages

OpenWRT upgrades itself by saving configuration files from known locations (plus manually defined files), overwriting the partition with the latest firmware and then restoring the saved configuration.

This usually works for the configuration itself, however the process doesn’t take care of any custom packages that were previously installed manually (either through LuCI or with opkg). These packages need to be noted down beforehand and then reinstalled.

How to update BIOS on AMD Ryzen motherboard – the hard(ware) way

As we know AMD motherboards need BIOS updates to support new generations of Ryzen CPUs. This can normally be done using a recognized older gen CPU to power on the board and access the built-in BIOS updater function.

When there’s no older gen CPU around to use or you’re simply in the mood for some hardware tinkering, you can get your elbows dirty (figuratively, since the board is brand new and not dusty yet) using an EEPROM programmer.