GT-AX6000 won't update to 3.0.0.6_102.4

[OldManBrodie]

For a few weeks now, I've been trying to update my GT-AX6000 to the newest firmware version. Every single time, it fails. Whether I do automatic via amtm, automatic through the WebUI, or manual through the WebUI, it fails and reboots back to 3.0.0.4.

After reading up a bit on possible causes, I decided maybe I should try to reset to defaults and try again. I tried resetting via the WebUI and the hard reset method (hold WPS button while powering on). Same outcome.

Ok, maybe I'll flash the stock firmware? Same thing: the update fails and it reboots back to 3.0.0.4.

At this point, I'm ready to burn it all down and start fresh, so I put the router into rescue mode (hold reset while powering up, then go to the basic web interface and upload the firmware). I tried several times. Once with the stock 3.0.0.6 firmware, once with the 3.0.0.6 merlin firmware, and just for funsies, once with the 3.0.0.4 merlin firmware. Each time, I waited about 15 minutes for the router to reboot. When it didn't reboot on its own, I power cycled it. When it rebooted, I couldn't access it. My PC even said that the cable wasn't plugged in. I googled around and found a post on here saying "BE PATIENT, it can take up to an hour for the flash to finish and reboot." So once again I put it into rescue mode, uploaded the 3.0.0.6 firmware, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. I'm currently at over 3 hours since the screen refreshed and said "Update in progress." I've been pinging away at the router, and it hasn't missed a single ping. The ROG LED is fast flashing, and the power LED is blinking super slow (like 5 seconds on, 5 seconds off). To all appearances, it's still working on flashing the firmware. But 3 hours seems excessive. At what point do I give up?

What have I missed, screwed up, not tried, etc? People say it's super hard to brick these routers, and while it seems like I can reliably get into rescue mode, I can get no further. Is this router toast?

 

[jksmurf]

There’s been a few folks who struggled with getting devices into rescue mode for various reasons, often after a long period of frustration it is missing one step, that might be worth a try.

See here for some feedback on this, including a dumb one from me; and this post regarding static address on the PC.

You didn’t mention putting the PC you’re trying from onto a static IP address? Unplug and replug the cable, not using the power switch?

I’m guessing your continuous ping follows some of these pointers, pinging the router (although I think the router’s ‘recovery IP’
may now be 192.168.50.1 and not 192.168.1.1).

btw are you sure you’re pressing the WPS button when you hard-reset it, the lettering on some of the identical buttons can be pretty hard to read.

 

[FourthandShort]

For a few weeks now, I've been trying to update my GT-AX6000 to the newest firmware version. Every single time, it fails. Whether I do automatic via amtm, automatic through the WebUI, or manual through the WebUI, it fails and reboots back to 3.0.0.4.

After reading up a bit on possible causes, I decided maybe I should try to reset to defaults and try again. I tried resetting via the WebUI and the hard reset method (hold WPS button while powering on). Same outcome.

Ok, maybe I'll flash the stock firmware? Same thing: the update fails and it reboots back to 3.0.0.4.

At this point, I'm ready to burn it all down and start fresh, so I put the router into rescue mode (hold reset while powering up, then go to the basic web interface and upload the firmware). I tried several times. Once with the stock 3.0.0.6 firmware, once with the 3.0.0.6 merlin firmware, and just for funsies, once with the 3.0.0.4 merlin firmware. Each time, I waited about 15 minutes for the router to reboot. When it didn't reboot on its own, I power cycled it. When it rebooted, I couldn't access it. My PC even said that the cable wasn't plugged in. I googled around and found a post on here saying "BE PATIENT, it can take up to an hour for the flash to finish and reboot." So once again I put it into rescue mode, uploaded the 3.0.0.6 firmware, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. I'm currently at over 3 hours since the screen refreshed and said "Update in progress." I've been pinging away at the router, and it hasn't missed a single ping. The ROG LED is fast flashing, and the power LED is blinking super slow (like 5 seconds on, 5 seconds off). To all appearances, it's still working on flashing the firmware. But 3 hours seems excessive. At what point do I give up?

What have I missed, screwed up, not tried, etc? People say it's super hard to brick these routers, and while it seems like I can reliably get into rescue mode, I can get no further. Is this router toast?

I had the exact same problem and ultimately they replaced the router due to the issue.

One symptom I remember was my Jffs partition was locking (if I recall correctly) and it was having issues unlocking that.

 

[OldManBrodie]

See here for some feedback on this, including a dumb one from me; and this post regarding static address on the PC.

You didn’t mention putting the PC you’re trying from onto a static IP address? Unplug and replug the cable, not using the power switch?

Yeah, I'm using 192.168.1.10 as my static IP for my PC, with a subnet of 255.255.255.0, and no gateway. I can get to the rescue restore mini-web page, so I assume that it's properly entering rescue mode, and that I can connect to it.

Interestingly, I can't TFTP the FW file to the AX6000. It just times out. I tried that as a last-ditch effort, because it was the only way I was able to get an update to "take" on an RT-AX56U a while ago.

I haven't tried the firmware recovery application, as I'm running Linux, not Windows.

I’m guessing your continuous ping follows some of these pointers, pinging the router

Yup, though I missed the part about the TTL. That's interesting, because the TTL was 64 for me, even when I was in rescue mode. I'm not sure if that matters.

(although I think the router’s ‘recovery IP’may now be 192.168.50.1 and not 192.168.1.1).

Rescue is 192.168.1.1, for what I can tell on newer routers. 192.168.50.1 is the default IP after a factory reset.

btw are you sure you’re pressing the WPS button when you hard-reset it, the lettering on some of the identical buttons can be pretty hard to read.

No, I was holding the reset button in back while plugging it in. I think the WPS button is used when you want to factory reset, not go into rescue mode.

I had the exact same problem and ultimately they replaced the router due to the issue.

Huh, well I think mine is 2.5 years old, so I somehow doubt they're going to replace it for me, but I can certainly ask....

One symptom I remember was my Jffs partition was locking (if I recall correctly) and it was having issues unlocking that.

I wonder how I can check that. I can't SSH in, or get to any kind of WebUI besides the rescue page.

 

[jksmurf]

Yeah, I'm using 192.168.1.10 as my static IP for my PC, with a subnet of 255.255.255.0, and no gateway. I can get to the rescue restore mini-web page, so I assume that it's properly entering rescue mode, and that I can connect to it.

Okey dokey sounds like you’re on it.

Interestingly, I can't TFTP the FW file to the AX6000. It just times out. I tried that as a last-ditch effort, because it was the only way I was able to get an update to "take" on an RT-AX56U a while ago.

I haven't tried the firmware recovery application, as I'm running Linux, not Windows.

Windows sounds like a candidate for a last ditch “last ditch effort”

Yup, though I missed the part about the TTL. That's interesting, because the TTL was 64 for me, even when I was in rescue mode. I'm not sure if that matters.

I’m fairly confident @ColinTaylor would know if it does.

Rescue is 192.168.1.1, for what I can tell on newer routers. 192.168.50.1 is the default IP after a factory reset.

Ah ok. True, makes sense if the PC is on the 192.168.1.xx subnet … sorry, didn’t think that one through.

No, I was holding the reset button in back while plugging it in. I think the WPS button is used when you want to factory reset, not go into rescue mode.

True! Although presumably you tried the factory reset first, then the rescue mode.

Huh, well I think mine is 2.5 years old, so I somehow doubt they're going to replace it for me, but I can certainly ask....



I wonder how I can check that. I can't SSH in, or get to any kind of WebUI besides the rescue page.

 

[OldManBrodie]

Ok @jksmurf, I have some more info, and while I only partially understand it, I'm pretty sure I'm boned. But I'd love to be proven wrong.

I picked up a USB serial cable to try and see wtf is going on with this guy. First off, I noticed a million lines like this in the console:

brcmnand_read_buf(): Attempt to read bad nand block 1068

Nonetheless, I kept on until I got into rescue mode. Once again, used the mini-web interface to upload a stock firmware image, and for once, I could actually see the router doing something. In the serial interface, I saw this:

=> Starting update software
Upload file size: 68520600 bytes
Loading: http_update_image: downloading image to 0x0000000001000000
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         #######################################
         ########################### Checking hash(es) for FIT Image at 01000000 ...
   Hash(es) for Image 0 (bootfs_4912_a0+): sha256+
   Hash(es) for Image 1 (nand_squashfs): sha256+
Flashing bootfs (bootfs_4912_a0+: 0xa4e6c8 bytes from 0x10003d0) to bootfs1.....
Remove UBI volume bootfs1 (id 3)
Creating static volume bootfs1 of size 11855560
10806984 bytes written to volume bootfs1
Flashing rootfs (nand_squashfs: 0x370a000 bytes from 0x1a4ea98) to rootfs1.....
Remove UBI volume rootfs1 (id 4)
Creating dynamic volume rootfs1 of size 58761216
57712640 bytes written to volume rootfs1
INFO: loader not found in configuration conf_4912_a0+_nand_squashfs ...skipping!
INFO: HTTP Image upgrade successfull!!
Read 2048 bytes from volume metadata1 to 000000003dda51f0
read from metadata1 returned 0
Getting committed 2 valid 1,2 seq 15,16
Remove UBI volume metadata1 (id 1)
Creating static volume metadata1 of size 4736
Remove UBI volume metadata2 (id 2)
Creating static volume metadata2 of size 4736
Setting committed 1 valid 1,2 seq 17,16
Resetting in 3 seconds....
resetting ...

Awesome! It says it was successful. Great news. I let it do its reboot thing, and again I see a million messages about bad blocks, and then it reboots. It keeps on rebooting, and it's going too fast to see, but looking at my minicom.cap file, I see this:

[start_envrams][5152] start envrams
firmware version: 3.0.0.6.102_34825-g26269d5_404-ge7bfb, dev:(/20:CF:30:00:00:00)
lo: File exists
wlcsm_nvram_commit:659 could not open nvram file 
wlcsm_nvram_commit:659 could not open nvram file 
ubi0 error: ubi_open_volume: cannot open device 0, volume 10, error -19
ubirmvol: error!: cannot UBI remove volume
     ubi0 error: ubi_create_volume: not enough PEBs, only 96 available
     error 19 (No such device)
ubi0 error: ubi_create_volume: cannot create volume 10, error -28
ubimkvol: error!: cannot UBI create volume
          error 28 (No space left on device)
reboot: Restarting system
kerSysSoftReset: called on cpu 0

I don't really know what a UBI volume is, but it sounds like maybe all those bad blocks, plus this, indicate that I have no good nvram left? Or am I completely missing the mark?

I can still use the serial connection to get into the router, either interrupting it and dropping into the U-boot interface (I think that's what it is.... it's got a very limited set of commands that seem to all do with booting or the hardware), or by letting it load the firmware and interrupting that to drop into the main router console. But I can't get it to start up properly.

Is this router toast now? Do I have any options left to try and fix this? I don't know enough about working at this low of a level in the hardware, so I'm hesitant to do more than just poke around a little.

 

[jksmurf]

I don't know enough about working at this low of a level in the hardware

Yikes. Like you, this is way beyond me. Perhaps @ColinTaylor, @Tech9, @CrashXRu, @chavo or @RMerlin have a view on this.

 

[CrashXRu]

Yikes. Like you, this is way beyond me. Perhaps @ColinTaylor, @Tech9, @CrashXRu, @chavo or @RMerlin have a view on this.

as far as i know, new models AX: gt6000/ax86 pro,ax88 pro, xt12, et12, BE: ALL models
do not boot when configuration is lost, asus knows about this problem, but does nothing

you can restore such a router using a direct connection to the UART and working with the recovery mode, as well as preparing a new factory config, also through the web interface of the recovery mode the necessary section is sometimes available and you can upload someone else's dump,

 

[OldManBrodie]

as far as i know, new models AX: gt6000/ax86 pro,ax88 pro, xt12, et12, BE: ALL models
do not boot when configuration is lost, asus knows about this problem, but does nothing

you can restore such a router using a direct connection to the UART and working with the recovery mode, as well as preparing a new factory config, also through the web interface of the recovery mode the necessary section is sometimes available and you can upload someone else's dump,

Is a factory config different from stock firmware? Because I've loaded the stock firmware (or tried to), but I have all those NAND read errors.

 

[CrashXRu]

these are not nand errors
the error says that the required section is missing or damaged

this is last year's hack

Malware damaging ASUS routers?

Nothing really new and unusual in the EULA and Privacy Notice. They are there because some countries/regions now require full disclosure of what user data will be collected, where is will be stored and how it will be used. Asus does whatever they were doing before, just informing you now in a...

www.snbforums.com

Solved - RT-AX86U dead WiFi asking for country code?

Thanks a lot Mates, yes i had do a factory reset (power cut) and then it shows ""The Country Code is not exist!"" with 3.0.0.4.388_24243 then I upload (manually) to 3.0.0.4.388_24323 it fix this error. Is this permanent or has Asus not released a patch yet? Every time I do a factory, will this...

www.snbforums.com

 

[OldManBrodie]

these are not nand errors
the error says that the required section is missing or damaged

this is last year's hack

Malware damaging ASUS routers?

Nothing really new and unusual in the EULA and Privacy Notice. They are there because some countries/regions now require full disclosure of what user data will be collected, where is will be stored and how it will be used. Asus does whatever they were doing before, just informing you now in a...

www.snbforums.com

Solved - RT-AX86U dead WiFi asking for country code?

Thanks a lot Mates, yes i had do a factory reset (power cut) and then it shows ""The Country Code is not exist!"" with 3.0.0.4.388_24243 then I upload (manually) to 3.0.0.4.388_24323 it fix this error. Is this permanent or has Asus not released a patch yet? Every time I do a factory, will this...

www.snbforums.com

I'm sorry, there's a lot going on there; what needs to be done?

 

[pharaoh9]

Were you able to resolve this. I'm experiencing the exact same issue.

 

[OldManBrodie]

Were you able to resolve this. I'm experiencing the exact same issue.

Nope. The router will power on and go through the motions, but the core config is corrupt or something, and I haven't been able to figure out a way to restore it, even via the UART connection. I'm holding onto it for now, in case someone comes up with a solution, but I'm not optimistic

 

[aussiebro]

I got mine to work now . Had to keep going back to old firm wares and reset the device heaps and was loading settings heaps then I just went to the 388.7 version then went to 388.8 then to 388.8_4 then to the latest and it worked. Usually it would keep failing. Because of bad blocks or something I think. Also my jffs was full now its empty lol. I'm glad it finally worked I spent like 10 hours trying to fix this. Yesterday I was stuck on latest asus and merlin wouldn't flash and now it's flashed the latest merlin. Keep trying guys keep Resetting and rescuing to. I dno the exact process that got it to work though just kept repeating things till it worked.