diff --git a/flash.c b/flash.c
--- a/flash.c
+++ b/flash.c
@@ -9,66 +9,69 @@
 static void __flash_write(therm_settings_t* tosave);
 
 
-#define EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX 16 
+#define EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX 0
 #define EEPROM_MAGIC_VALUE 0xbeef
 
 
 void flash_save(therm_settings_t* tosave)
 {
-    ssd1306_clearscreen();
-    ssd1306_drawstring("Erase...", 0, 0);
-    HAL_Delay(100);
-    ssd1306_drawstring("Save...", 1, 0);
     __flash_write(tosave);
-    HAL_Delay(100);
-    ssd1306_drawstring("Done!", 2, 0);
-    HAL_Delay(500);
 }
 
 
-void flash_restore(therm_settings_t *torestore)
+void flash_restore(therm_settings_t* torestore)
 {
-    ssd1306_clearscreen();
-    ssd1306_drawstring("READING SAVE", 1, 0);
 
-    if(eeprom[EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX] != EEPROM_MAGIC_VALUE)
+    if(eeprom[EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX] == EEPROM_MAGIC_VALUE)
     {
-        ssd1306_drawstring("No data to read!", 2, 0);
-        
-        return;
+        for(uint8_t i = 1; i <= 20; i++) {
+            torestore->data[i] = *(eeprom+i);
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        // load default settings
+    	flash_load_defaults(torestore);
     }
 
-    uint16_t i;
-    for(i=0;i<128;i++)
-        torestore->data[i] = *(eeprom+i);
+}
+
+void flash_load_defaults(therm_settings_t* torestore) {
 
-    ssd1306_drawstring("READ COMPLETE", 3, 0);
-
+	torestore->val.boottobrew = DEFAULT_BOOT_TO_BREW;
+	torestore->val.temp_units = DEFAULT_TEMP_UNITS;
+	torestore->val.windup_guard = DEFAULT_WINDUP_GUARD;
+	torestore->val.k_p = DEFAULT_K_P;
+	torestore->val.k_i = DEFAULT_K_I;
+	torestore->val.k_d = DEFAULT_K_D;
+	torestore->val.ignore_error = DEFAULT_IGNORE_ERROR;
+	torestore->val.setpoint_brew = DEFAULT_SETPOINT_BREW;
+	torestore->val.setpoint_steam = DEFAULT_SETPOINT_STEAM;
 }
 
 
 static void __flash_write(therm_settings_t* tosave)
 {
-
     // Erase mem    
     HAL_FLASH_Unlock();
 
+    //TODO: add checksum instead of magic value
+    //TODO: change checksum to invalidate flash instead of erase?
     // Erase the FLASH pages
     FLASH_EraseInitTypeDef erase;
-    erase.TypeErase = TYPEERASE_PAGES; 
-    erase.PageAddress = eeprom;
+    erase.TypeErase = TYPEERASE_PAGES;
+    erase.PageAddress = (uint32_t) eeprom;
     erase.NbPages = 1;
     uint32_t SectorError = 0;
     HAL_FLASHEx_Erase(&erase, &SectorError);
 
     CLEAR_BIT(FLASH->CR, FLASH_CR_PER);
 
-    uint16_t i;
-//    for(i=1;i<20;i++)
- //   {
-  //      HAL_FLASH_Program(TYPEPROGRAM_HALFWORD, eeprom+i, tosave->data[i]);
-   // }
-    HAL_FLASH_Program(TYPEPROGRAM_HALFWORD, eeprom + EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX, EEPROM_MAGIC_VALUE);
+    for(uint8_t i = 1; i <= (sizeof(therm_settings_t)/2); i++)
+	{
+    	HAL_FLASH_Program(TYPEPROGRAM_HALFWORD, (uint32_t)(eeprom + i), tosave->data[i]);
+	}
+
+    HAL_FLASH_Program(TYPEPROGRAM_HALFWORD, (uint32_t)(eeprom + EEPROM_MAGIC_INDEX), EEPROM_MAGIC_VALUE);
 
     HAL_FLASH_Lock();
 }