dirty upload

[royarcher]

What are the symptoms of a dirty upload of a particular firmware?.I am asking because since I updated to 384.13 some stability problems I was having seem to have gone.It may be a bit early to tell if they are in fact gone for good so I thought if I knew what the symptoms of a dirty upload are it may help .

 

[heysoundude]

a dirty flash is when you simply install updated firmware on a device without returning it to factory defaults first...and if issues seem to be resolved in doing so, you've had a successful reflash.
sounds like everything is all good...relax!

 

[OzarkEdge]

a dirty flash is when you simply install updated firmware on a device without returning it to factory defaults first...and if issues seem to be resolved in doing so, you've had a successful reflash.
sounds like everything is all good...relax!

Should it be, 'without returning it to factory defaults afterward'?

OE

 

[heysoundude]

Before or after, I’m not sure it makes a difference...but my gut suggests before may be more efficient somehow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[martinr]

Should it be, 'without returning it to factory defaults afterward'?

OE

You are right: as the correct method for carrying out a reset to factory default settings is to flash the new firmware and only then reset the router to the factory default settings, the word “afterwards” is appropriate. Well spotted, because when I first read it, it made sense to me in that I knew what was meant. (Or thought I did.)

 

[royarcher]

You are right: as the correct method for carrying out a reset to factory default settings is to flash the new firmware and only then reset the router to the factory default settings, the word “afterwards” is appropriate. Well spotted, because when I first read it, it made sense to me in that I knew what was meant. (Or thought I did.)

Thanks guys

 

[dosborne]

but my gut suggests before may be more efficient somehow

I believe afterwards is the important factor.

Doing it before may fix issues with the process of performing the actual update.

Doing it after ensure that any configuration remnants or extraneous bits are not lingering around causing bizarre behaviour,

The other key factor of course is to ensure any saved configuration files are only used (loaded) into the SAME firmware version with which they were created (saved).

 

[Val D.]

I never reset the router if there is no need to. If I see something abnormal, then may decide to reset. Happened few times only in many years after many firmware updates. And it happened because I read the change-log after the update, i.e. my mistake. I also always use a backup file with the basic configuration, present in every firmware version. Rarely something changes there and I never had any issues. General reboot/reset/nuke recommendations are for people who have no idea how to troubleshoot simple configuration errors. RMerlin has a history of making things right and rarely something goes wrong to the point the router has to be reset and configured manually from scratch. Things go wrong when people enable every single option available and install every single script that pops up on SNB, needed for their setup or not.

 

[royarcher]

I never reset the router if there is no need to. If I see something abnormal, then may decide to reset. Happened few times only in many years after many firmware updates. And it happened because I read the change-log after the update, i.e. my mistake. I also always use a backup file with the basic configuration, present in every firmware version. Rarely something changes there and I never had any issues. General reboot/reset/nuke recommendations are for people who have no idea how to troubleshoot simple configuration errors. RMerlin has a history of making things right and rarely something goes wrong to the point the router has to be reset and configured manually from scratch. Things go wrong when people enable every single option available and install every single script that pops up on SNB, needed for their setup or not.

I was having some issues with the last version 384.12 but since the latest version 384.13,my issues seem to have gone.That was why I was asking the question, I think the last upload may have been,,dirty,, I don't run anything fancy on my router just use a DNS proxy server and occasionally a VPN connection.Thanks for your knowledge much appreciated

 

[Val D.]

That was why I was asking the question

The short answer to your question is: If everything works as expected, then no action is needed.

"Dirty" flash is a forum slang. I'm sure at least 95% of stock ASUS firmware users "dirty" flash every update. And this is how the updates are offered from ASUS - just click here to update. The developer is the one to make sure things go as expected. If every update requires a reset of the device (router, phone, tablet, computer, etc.), then this developer has to find something else to do. In our case RMerlin knows things. He does recommend "clean" start because it's just impossible to know who did what. People here like to experiment and the results are hard to predict. Most of complaints are usually not related with RMerlin's work. And he doesn't have the resources of Google, Apple or Microsoft to address user related issues.

 

[royarcher]

The short answer to your question is: If everything works as expected, then no action is needed.

"Dirty" flash is a forum slang. I'm sure at least 95% of stock ASUS firmware users "dirty" flash every update. The developer is the one to make sure things go as expected. If every update requires a reset of the device (router, phone, tablet, computer, etc.), then this developer has to find something else to do. In our case RMerlin knows things. He does recommend "clean" start because it's just impossible to know who did what. People here like to experiment and the results are hard to predict. Most of complaints are usually not related with RMerlin's work. And he doesn't have the resources of Google, Apple or Microsoft to address user related issues.

I didn't think it was ) rmerlins work.I have never had any issues with his firmware. When I uploaded 12 I don't think I used the one that had a trx after it.I only just recently read that the file to upload was the one with a trx after it.Maybe I am mistaken I really can't remember all I know is since I uploaded 13 the dropouts I was having from time to time seems to have gone.Again I don't believe it's Eric's work for a moment so I think it was something I did and after the last update and reset it is all good again ( touch wood)

 

[Val D.]

for a moment so I think it was something I did

The good thing is you found a solution. In some cases reset and reload is faster then troubleshooting, especially when you don’t remember what exactly caused the issues.

 

[royarcher]

The good thing is you found a solution. In some cases reset and reload is faster then troubleshooting, especially when you don’t remember what exactly caused the issues.

Yes agreed

 

[martinr]

L&LD’s guide for the “dirty” upgrade is here:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...-384-11-is-available.56501/page-2#post-488583

His guide for the Manual and Minimal reset is here:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573

Xentrk’s guide is here:
https://x3mtek.com/asuswrt-merlin-firmware-upgrade/

And L&LD’s “Nuclear” Reset guide, together with other guides he’s written, is here:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/major-issues-w-rt-ac86u.56342/page-4#post-495710

 

[royarcher]

L&LD’s guide for the “dirty” upgrade is here:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...-384-11-is-available.56501/page-2#post-488583

His guide for the Manual and Minimal reset is here:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/n...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573

Xentrk’s guide is here:
https://x3mtek.com/asuswrt-merlin-firmware-upgrade/

And L&LD’s “Nuclear” Reset guide, together with other guides he’s written, is here:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/major-issues-w-rt-ac86u.56342/page-4#post-495710

Thanks martinr I'll save it a safe place for future reference .I'm sure it will come in handy more than once.You guys are full of great stuff thanks to both the authors you have posted as well cheers rgds Roy