Milwaukee battery DRM: Difference between revisions
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==Industry comparison== | ==Industry comparison== | ||
The use of embedded diagnostic counters is not unique to Milwaukee. Reports indicate that competing brands such as Makita have implemented similar protocols in their lithium-ion batteries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hackaday.com/2024/01/22/makita-battery-protocol-reversed/ |title=Makita Battery Protocol Reversed |website=Hackaday |date=2024-01-22 |access-date=2025-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712104842/https://hackaday.com/2024/01/22/makita-battery-protocol-reversed/ |archive-date=2024-07-12}}</ref> Ryobi (which is owned by Techtronic Industries, which is the same parent company that owns Milwaukee) also uses the same embedded diagnostics in their batteries.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Badar's Workshop |date=2025-08-25|title=Ryobi Doesn't Want You To Know |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ_lyDyzEHY |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-15|website=YouTube}}</ref> The YouTube channel Badar's Workshop, was able to purchase 30 non-functioning or bricked Ryobi batteries on Ebay and got them all working again by simply flashing the code from a non-bricked Ryobi battery onto the bricked batteries ie. no physical repair was necessary, it was simply the DRM which prevented the batteries from being recognised by the Ryobi charger and receiving a charge.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Badar | The use of embedded diagnostic counters is not unique to Milwaukee. Reports indicate that competing brands such as Makita have implemented similar protocols in their lithium-ion batteries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hackaday.com/2024/01/22/makita-battery-protocol-reversed/ |title=Makita Battery Protocol Reversed |website=Hackaday |date=2024-01-22 |access-date=2025-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712104842/https://hackaday.com/2024/01/22/makita-battery-protocol-reversed/ |archive-date=2024-07-12}}</ref> Ryobi (which is owned by Techtronic Industries, which is the same parent company that owns Milwaukee) also uses the same embedded diagnostics in their batteries.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Badar's Workshop |date=2025-08-25|title=Ryobi Doesn't Want You To Know |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ_lyDyzEHY |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-15|website=YouTube}}</ref> The YouTube channel Badar's Workshop, was able to purchase 30 non-functioning or bricked Ryobi batteries on Ebay and got them all working again by simply flashing the code from a non-bricked Ryobi battery onto the bricked batteries ie. no physical repair was necessary, it was simply the DRM which prevented the batteries from being recognised by the Ryobi charger and receiving a charge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kayani |first=Badar Jahangir |date=24 Aug 2025 |title=Ryobi Battery Repair Guide |url=https://badar.tech/2025/08/24/ryobi-battery-repair-guide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250915030330/https://badar.tech/2025/08/24/ryobi-battery-repair-guide/ |archive-date=15 Sep 2025 |access-date=15 Sep 2025 |website=badar.tech}}</ref> | ||
==Company response== | ==Company response== | ||