Factory Reset and JFFS Problem - RT-BE86U

[Roman.T]

Hello,
I replaced my old AC86U Pro router with BE86U Pro. Of course, I loaded the new version 3006.102.5 of the Asus-Merlin software.
Everything was fine until I installed the Skynet add-on. Then the circus started with the saved settings in the WAN and System tabs. Half of the settings changed on their own, including the SSL certificate.
In addition, it did not accept any changes to the settings, I could save ten times and it still remembered the old setting. Checked on three browsers, another issue is that sometimes it showed something completely different in the settings despite clearing the memory.

The only solution was to reset to factory settings, but of course it didn't help, because everything was remembered from JFFS except for the WIFI settings. I even did a Hard Reset and it didn't help either. There is no JFFS format option in the panel.
Then I loaded the original software, did a hard reset and loaded Asus-Merlin again. After that, the software really pissed me off when I saw after the whole procedure that it still remembered everything !!!

How to disable or format this damn JFFS ? There is no way to turn it off in the panel
Thanks in advance for all all resolution

 

[bennor]

There is no JFFS format option in the panel.

That is expected behavior. The option was removed for certain newer routers because they use UBIFS not JFFS. And it was removed, on newer routers, because apparently many more settings are now being stored there. RMerlin explains it elsewhere, for example:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-7-is-now-available.89811/page-13#post-907028

It's never been there. These router uses the UBIFS filesystem, not JFFS. And since the router now stores a lot of its configuration there, erasing its content makes no sense unless you were doing a factory default reset.

The last router that used JFFS was the RT-AC5300.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-6-is-now-available.88559/page-24#post-894933

Yes, it's normal. That option does nothing on any of the AX routers, it was accidentally shown for some models.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...e-for-select-models.84524/page-24#post-840127

That option does not exist on that router.

That option never existed on that model, and if you ever saw it, it was shown by mistake since selecting it wasn`t doing anything.

Too many settings are now stored in the JFFS partition, an option to reformat it makes no sense today, as it will end up deleting portions of your router configuration. For instance that would cause you to lose every DHCP static reservations.

If you need to "reset" your custom scripts, then just go into the /jffs/scripts/ and remove the content.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

That is expected behavior. The option was removed for certain newer routers because they use UBIFS not JFFS. And it was removed, on newer routers, because apparently many more settings are now being stored there. RMerlin explains it elsewhere, for example:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-7-is-now-available.89811/page-13#post-907028

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...-6-is-now-available.88559/page-24#post-894933

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...e-for-select-models.84524/page-24#post-840127

OP is claiming that it does not reset after WPS reset and is retaining settings.
How is one supposed to reset that UBIFS area to clear all previous settings??? Is there a command line to do this?

 

[RMerlin]

OP is claiming that it does not reset after WPS reset and is retaining settings.
How is one supposed to reset that UBIFS area to clear all previous settings??? Is there a command line to do this?

 

[bennor]

OP is claiming that it does not reset after WPS reset and is retaining settings.

Obvious question is, was a hard factory reset performed properly?
[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

1. Turn the router off.
2. Press and hold the WPS button and turn the router on.
3. Power light is on (keep holding the WPS button).
4. Release the WPS button after the power light is off.
5. Reboot your router by manually pressing the power button.

On the subject of formatting UBIFS, RMerlin made this comment years ago.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/a...orted-wifi-6-models.82084/page-26#post-808928

These newer routers use UBIFS rather than JFFS2. Rather than trying to figure out if there is a safe way to reformat an ubifs partition I simply chose to remove the option for models that use UBIFS.

 

[Roman.T]

View attachment 67172

This doesn't work, neither does hard reset via the WPS button.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

This doesn't work, neither does hard reset via the WPS button.

See if flashing back to newest stock firmware, followed by GUI reset, clears that partition. Then try going back to RMerlin firmware, if that's what you want.

 

[Roman.T]

See if flashing back to newest stock firmware, followed by GUI reset, clears that partition. Then try going back to RMerlin firmware, if that's what you want.

I did this as my final solution to the problem I wrote in the first post. Nothing helped, the damn JFFS still holds the configuration.
I felt like experimenting with Merlin add-ons, and now I'm pissed because I wasted a lot of time trying to clean up the configuration.

 

[bennor]

I felt like experimenting with Merlin add-ons, and now I'm pissed because I wasted a lot of time trying to clean up the configuration.

As indicated in one of the RMerlin quotes about JFFS above:

If you need to "reset" your custom scripts, then just go into the /jffs/scripts/ and remove the content.

One option is to run amtm and see if it indicates the Addons you previously installed as being installed. If they are, then use the addon's CLI to remove/uninstall the addon. Or one can manually go through the /jffs folder and manually delete the addon script files and folders. Then reboot the router, then try doing a hard factory reset (or GUI reset with "restore to factory default" check box checked/enabled and see if things are truly being reset to factory default.

 

[Roman.T]

amtm doesn't show installed add-ons.
Can I delete everything from this directory?
I can't access the subfolders.

 

[bennor]

I can't access the subfolders.

why cannot you access the JFFS subfolders? What specific error message are you receiving if you attempt to access them (like the scripts subdirectory: cd /jffs/scripts)?
Most if not all the individual files in the main JFFS directory are used by the system. You shouldn't delete them. Typically addon script files (or user created script files) reside in in their own directories in the following JFFS subdirectories: addon, configs, and scripts. Unless the addon script creates its own subdirectory in the JFFS main directory. Careful deleting any individual file(s) outside of those found in the cd /jffs/scripts subdirectory.

 

[Roman.T]

why cannot you access the JFFS subfolders?

nothing shows up in all the folders, I don't believe they are empty
I would like to delete this directory /config, /addons

 

[jksmurf]

nothing shows up in all the folders, I don't believe they are empty
I would like to delete this directory /config, /addons

I am not sure about the effects of simply deleting, but if you comfortable to try, are you able to WinSCP in and just delete the contents of the two dirs?

 

[bennor]

nothing shows up in all the folders, I don't believe they are empty
I would like to delete this directory /config, /addons

What makes you think the folders are not empty if you are able to access them, list their contents and see nothing listed? Why do you believe the "JFFS still holds the configuration"?

If you do decide to delete the contents of those two folders or even delete those two folders themselves, it is possible the router's firmware may recreate the folders (or the core files the firmware needs within) them when the router is rebooted. As always standard warning: it is your entirely your own choice to delete files/folders on your router.

 

[sfx2000]

I am not sure about the effects of simply deleting, but if you comfortable to try, are you able to WinSCP in and just delete the contents of the two dirs?

Don't do that...

Personally - I see this as an opportunity for a CFE recovery install - this should keep all the important stuff (RF cal, MAC addresses, etc) while putting the device back into a factory fresh config...

 

[Roman.T]

What makes you think the folders are not empty if you are able to access them, list their contents and see nothing listed? Why do you believe the "JFFS still holds the configuration"?

It's obvious that they are not empty, because how could it be that after a hard reset and even uploading the original software - it still remembers everything, even the DDNS password!

Don't do that...

Personally - I see this as an opportunity for a CFE recovery install - this should keep all the important stuff (RF cal, MAC addresses, etc) while putting the device back into a factory fresh config...

So how do I delete this crap so it doesn't restore all the settings?

 

[bennor]

It's obvious that they are not empty, because how could it be that after a hard reset and even uploading the original software - it still remembers everything, even the DDNS password!

It should be noted that many settings are stored in the NVRAM. For example the DDNS password is stored in NVRAM at: ddns_passwd_x=
Edit to add: Erasing certain NVRAM values might cause instability or might render the router unusable. One can view/dump the NVRAM values by issuing the nvram show | sort command.

 

[sfx2000]

So how do I delete this crap so it doesn't restore all the settings?

See above - CFE recovery should clean everything up - yes, you'll have to do setting all over again (don't restore from previously saved)...

 

[bennor]

Do wonder if somehow the router became corrupted, like it got hit by malware due to AiCloud being used or one imported a different router model's saved router.cfg file. What ever the case. As @sfx2000 suggests at this point attempting to perform a CFE recovery should be the next step. Followed by a manual configuration (no imported router.cfg).

 

[Roman.T]

No, no and no, please read my first post. Nothing like that happened, I want to perform a full hard reset including clearing the settings from the router's memory.