Invalid firmware upload error...

[josefismael]

Sorry - I know this forum is full of these posts, but I feel like I've read them all and still having no luck

I Bought a refurb T-Mo AC1900 and followed instructions to flash to AC68U using a combination of these 2 guides:

https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=92529215&postcount=2163
http://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/

This was a few months ago, now trying to update to latest Merlin (from ASUS 3.0.0.4.384_20308-gead790e) and getting the following error:

Firmware upgrade unsuccessful. This might result from incorrect image or error transmission, please check the model name TM-AC1900 and version of firmware from support site and try again

Tried:
-multiple browsers
-rebooting router
-removing USB devices

I do see that the banner, fw update page and fw update error all show as AC1900. Is this why it's failing?

I've done a little searching and saw that you can dig into the CFE to get model and bootloader info,:

XXXX@TM-AC1900:/dev# strings mtd0 | grep model
model=RT-AC68U
XXXX@TM-AC1900:/dev# strings mtd0 | grep bl
bl_version=2.1.2.6
gblI}

Any ideas on what to try next? I have not done a factory or NVRAM reset yet, but if that's the next step(s) then let me know! thanks!

 

[RMerlin]

trying to update to latest Merlin

Please be more specific: which exact firmware are you trying to flash?

 

[josefismael]

Sorry - tried the last 2 releases from sourceforge: RT-AC68U_384.3_0.trx and RT-AC68U_380.69_2.trx.

 

[john9527]

XXXX@TM-AC1900:/dev# strings mtd0 | grep bl
bl_version=2.1.2.6

Somewhere along the line your bootloader got rewritten to the TMobile version. You need to go back to the guides and re-write it to an AC68 version (1.0.2.x)

 

[josefismael]

Ah. Makes sense, thanks.

I'm going through this guide and it's having me upload my existing CFE to cfeditor.pipeline.sh (assuming it's to "build" a new CFE using my existing hw info). Will that tool be able to accommodate the fact that the CFE I'm supplying is a higher version? Also, the guide directs me to use 1.0.2.0 US as Source, but I see that there's a 1.0.2.1 as well. Any guidance there? Sorry, hope I'm not making this harder than it needs to be

 

[john9527]

The 2.1.x.x CFE is specific to the T-Mobile routers. You can't use that one.

You need to find the right CFE for your version of nand chip from here
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-routers-cfe-dumps-collection.17793/

and edit that with your current MACs and PIN code per the instructions.

Be sure to double check your work. This is the one operation which can easily brick the router if you make a mistake.

 

[josefismael]

Think I got it sorted. In case anyone else has this same issue and runs accross this thread:

I went ahead and used that web utility from the guide to build a new cfe. Then I downloaded “MTD-Write v2” from the link this site: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-routers-cfe-dumps-collection.17793/

I copied the new mtd-write I just downloaded to the router in the same folder as my new_cfe.bin (used WinSCP to do this)
Then I doublechecked that new_cfe.bin and original_cfe.bin MAC and Secret code matched:

grep mac ./original_cfe.bin ./new_cfe.bin
grep secret ./original_cfe.bin ./new_cfe.bin

Then I ran this command
mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d boot

When the router rebooted, I checked the nvram version and I was back to 1.0.2.0. From there I downloaded the latest firmware .trx from the Merlin sourceforge, upgraded via the regular web GUI and everything is working as expected!

thanks!

 

[New2This]

I get the same thing trying to update my 87U-- 384.3beta is what Im trying to flash, Ive already loaded the 384.2 beta, its been running smooth for days

Firmware upgrade unsuccessful. This may result from incorrect image or error transmission. Please check the version of firmware and try again.

My CFE does say its 1.0.3.2

 

[ColinTaylor]

I get the same thing trying to update my 87U

Your problem is not the same as the OP's, which is specific to the T-Mobile AC1900.