# Zigbee reset - alternate approach - would that work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [January 25, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780 "2021-01-25T20:00:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sharkys](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sharkys/32/54029_2.png) [@Sharkys](https://community.homey.app/u/Sharkys)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/1 "2021-01-25T20:00:07Z")
I might need to perform Zigbee network reset on v5 but with 61 devices and 300 flows, I’m looking for a simplified “How to”. I was thinking about following way to perform reset and Zones/Flows repair - what do you think, would that be working, any guesses ? 1. making backup via community tool [https://homeybackup.web.app/](https://homeybackup.web.app/) and full backup via Cloud backup option 2. create a checklist marking down existing Zigbee devices names (eg.via **devices.json** to CSV export - there are several online tools) 3. Zigbee reset 4. re-add all devices, keeping previous names, adding routers first (_this would be the most time demanding step)_ \*\*\*\* ZONES fix \*\*\*\* - making backup via community tool [https://homeybackup.web.app/](https://homeybackup.web.app/) and extracting new devices.json - matching newly added devices via those previously based on name and/or “zb\_ieee\_addr” (not all device types have zb\_ieee\_addr however in json backup) in related **devices.json** file and fix zones entries… - re-import “modified” devices with corrected zones via [https://homeybackup.web.app/](https://homeybackup.web.app/) by “modified” backup ZIP - Homey restart \*\*\*\* FLOWs fix \*\*\*\* - search and replace by name and/or “zb\_ieee\_addr” from previous devices and **replace all** instances new with new IDs in **flows.json** ![obrazek](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/0/e/0e97e81da8078de3827f085a7f24dcec9adc988f.png) _- delete all flows (or just those broken? Via HomeyScript?) - maybe not required at all ?_ - re-import “modified” flows via [https://homeybackup.web.app/](https://homeybackup.web.app/) - Homey restart \*\*\*\* Recovery \*\*\*\* If all of that fails or get broken, full Athom restore will revert all of this ? _For sure for someone scripting and ReGexp capable, that would be piece of cake yet I’m not that person._ _Also I’m not expert, so if this is non-sense, be nice when cometing it_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Edwin\_D](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/edwin_d/32/136417_2.png) [@Edwin\_D](https://community.homey.app/u/Edwin_D)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/2 "2021-01-25T20:44:16Z")
I did a full reset and re-added the devices and fixed the flows by hand. Yes, it’s a pain, but in the end it’s not that hard. What you describe also sounds like a daunting task with high chance on typo’s in names or mistakes when replacing Id’s. To me, the whole point of the Zigbee reset was to make sure there was no hidden flaw from the upgrade process, besides making sure the mesh was fresh (pun intended). Seems like your approach would keep those problems and maybe add some more. If you add the devices when the right zone is selected, those devices are in the right zone from the start. You could choose to name devices different if your original name was not perfect in retrospect. As for flows: flows that referred to the devices directly will get an error mark. These are quite easily found and fixed. I did not encounter flows where I was confused which device was meant while fixing. The most hard to find are those which tags are used. These don’t get the error mark, just a ? where it was used. I used the online flow editor because that was the fastest to navigate all flows and show all contents of each flow in a single screen. Also this editor allows cut and paste for tags, so that saved me some time too. All in all it was quite doable with 30+ devices and hundreds of flows, although I did use quite a few tags unfortunately. Now I know everything is fully V5 compatible, and it really is fully stable for me now. So I have no regrets for taking the long way. ---
**Author:** ![Sharkys](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sharkys/32/54029_2.png) [@Sharkys](https://community.homey.app/u/Sharkys)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 9:19am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/3 "2021-01-26T09:19:52Z")
Thank you, I’m well aware of all the aspects when adding and fixing all ZigBees/Flows after reset but my question is related to the idea itself - if anyone would suggest technically against it (eg.such devices would not work after such modifications of json), that’s answer/help I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![robertklep](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/robertklep/32/160628_2.png) [@robertklep](https://community.homey.app/u/robertklep)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 11:02am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/4 "2021-01-26T11:02:34Z")
I don’t think anyone has done what you’re suggesting, so you’re on your own. ---
**Author:** ![Sharkys](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sharkys/32/54029_2.png) [@Sharkys](https://community.homey.app/u/Sharkys)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/5 "2021-01-26T14:24:07Z")
Even this is fine unless someone will say - this is total nonsense 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sharkys](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/sharkys/32/54029_2.png) [@Sharkys](https://community.homey.app/u/Sharkys)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 9:23am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zigbee-reset-alternate-approach-would-that-work/41780/6 "2023-08-10T09:23:36Z")
Solution for this very old issue - [[HOW-TO][Pro][Cloud] - Tool to FIX (advanced) flows after removing and re-adding devices](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-pro-cloud-tool-to-fix-advanced-flows-after-removing-and-re-adding-devices/65018/1)