Bobcat 300 · SN 285 · Recovery

Stuck on a Maskrom Error?
Recover It With an SD Card

If the PiLoader Auto Flasher detects your Bobcat but reports it's in Maskrom mode and can't install over USB, this MicroSD repair card brings it back — it reinstalls PiLoader OS automatically and powers the miner off when it's done. No USB cable, no special tools.

~10–15 minutes, mostly waiting
MicroSD card required
Bobcat 300 · SN 285 only
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When To Use This
Use this if the Auto Flasher detects your Bobcat 300 (serial 285) but says it's in Maskrom mode / can't be flashed over USB. This repair card boots the miner from a MicroSD, downloads the latest PiLoader OS, writes it to the miner's internal storage, and powers off when finished. A normal install does not need this — only use it after the Auto Flasher reports Maskrom.
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Serial 285 Only
This recovery is only for the Bobcat 300 whose serial number starts with 285. The G290 and G295 flash normally with the Auto Flasher and never need this. Check the serial number on the bottom label of your miner before you start.
Phase 1 What You'll Need
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MicroSD Card + Reader
Any MicroSD card 4 GB or larger, plus a way to plug it into your computer (a USB card reader or a built-in SD slot). The card is only used for recovery — it is not left in the miner.
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Balena Etcher
Free tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux that writes the repair image to your MicroSD card.
Free Download →
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PiLoader Repair Image
The MicroSD recovery image for the Bobcat 300 (serial 285). Download it below — about 110 MB.
Free Download →
Phase 2 Recover Your Miner
01
Phase 2 · Recover
Write the Repair Image to the MicroSD

Open Balena Etcher. Click Flash from file and choose the downloaded piloader-bobcat-285-repair.img.gz — there's no need to unzip it. Click Select target and pick your MicroSD card, then click Flash. When Etcher finishes, eject the card.

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Double-check you've selected your MicroSD card as the target — not your computer's hard drive or a USB stick you want to keep.

02
Phase 2 · Recover
Insert the Card & Power On

Make sure the miner is unplugged from power. Insert the MicroSD card into the miner's SD card slot, connect the ethernet cable, then plug in the power cable. The miner will boot from the card and the front LED will turn on.

🌐

The miner needs internet access to download PiLoader OS, so make sure the ethernet cable is connected to your router.

03
Phase 2 · Recover
Let It Work — Watch the LED

The repair card now downloads the latest PiLoader OS and writes it to the miner's internal storage. This is fully automatic and takes a few minutes. Leave the power and ethernet connected and let it run:

LED
Meaning
🟢 Light On
Working — downloading & installing PiLoader OS. Leave it alone.
⚫ Light Off / Powered Down
Done ✅ — the miner powers itself off when recovery is complete.
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The miner powering itself off on its own is the signal that recovery finished successfully. If the light is still on after about 10 minutes, check that the ethernet cable is connected and power-cycle to retry.

04
Phase 2 · Recover
Remove the Card & Boot PiLoader

Once the miner has powered off, remove the MicroSD card, then plug the power back in. The miner now boots straight into PiLoader OS from its own internal storage — the recovery is complete and the card is no longer needed.

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Don't skip removing the card — if you leave it in, the miner will boot from the repair card again instead of PiLoader OS.

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Recovered!

Your Bobcat is back on PiLoader OS. From here, follow the normal first-time setup — find the miner on your network (it shows up as piloader), open the dashboard, accept the terms, and set your password.

Continue to First-Time Setup →

Still stuck? Contact us or join the Down Home Crypto Discord and we'll help you get it sorted.