RT-AC86U Bootloop - Unable to Restore via Asus Tool

[kfp]

Got bitten by this boot loop as well. It would first randomly stop working, but nothing a power cycle can't fix. Then it needed several power cycles to boot up properly. Now even with power disconnected for a few days it still refuses to come back to life. I think it might be some hardware failure and that Asus had a really bad batch of AC86u. Hardware details if someone wants to compare notes:

HW Ver. R1.5
Year: 2018
SN J5Ixxx000000

I have tried both tftp and CFE web upload, with various flavours both stock and Merlin, they always crash loading the same kernel module:

variant 1

Call trace:
[<ffffffbffc65c5e4>] dhdpcie_readshared+0x5c/0x700 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc660b48>] dhd_bus_init+0x48/0x118 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc64ec7c>] dhd_bus_start+0x7c/0x310 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc66342c>] dhdpcie_pci_probe+0x33c/0x600 [dhd]
[<ffffffc0002cd950>] pci_device_probe+0x78/0xd0
[<ffffffc000323ab4>] really_probe+0x104/0x298
[<ffffffc000323d5c>] __driver_attach+0xa4/0xa8
[<ffffffc000321ec0>] bus_for_each_dev+0x60/0xa0
[<ffffffc000323588>] driver_attach+0x20/0x28
[<ffffffc0003231f8>] bus_add_driver+0x150/0x208
[<ffffffc0003241d8>] driver_register+0x60/0x120
[<ffffffc0002cd5ec>] __pci_register_driver+0x3c/0x48
[<ffffffbffc662c44>] dhdpcie_bus_register+0x24/0x108 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc65d368>] dhd_bus_register+0x18/0x50 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc653e4c>] dhd_wifi_platform_load_pcie+0x204/0x290 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc6542fc>] dhd_wifi_platform_register_drv+0xbc/0x2c0 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc7ba184>] dhd_module_init+0x184/0x2c0 [dhd]
[<ffffffc000081034>] do_one_initcall+0x8c/0x1a8
[<ffffffc000506800>] do_init_module+0x5c/0x1a4
[<ffffffc0000f369c>] load_module+0x180c/0x1ca0
[<ffffffc0000f3ca0>] SyS_init_module+0x170/0x1a0
Code: 9101e3a0 97ffb9b4 350005a0 f9414e80 (b8756800)
---[ end trace c47601b9a8747f46 ]---

variant 2

Call trace:
[<ffffffbffc674c38>] si_doattach.isra.4+0x228/0x758 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc6751e8>] si_attach+0x80/0x120 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc65dcd0>] dhdpcie_dongle_attach+0xd0/0x598 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc65f4a0>] dhdpcie_bus_attach+0x88/0x250 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc6653a0>] dhdpcie_pci_probe+0x2b0/0x600 [dhd]
[<ffffffc0002beed0>] pci_device_probe+0x78/0xd0
[<ffffffc000315034>] really_probe+0x104/0x298
[<ffffffc0003152dc>] __driver_attach+0xa4/0xa8
[<ffffffc000313440>] bus_for_each_dev+0x60/0xa0
[<ffffffc000314b08>] driver_attach+0x20/0x28
[<ffffffc000314778>] bus_add_driver+0x150/0x208
[<ffffffc000315758>] driver_register+0x60/0x120
[<ffffffc0002beb6c>] __pci_register_driver+0x3c/0x48
[<ffffffbffc664c44>] dhdpcie_bus_register+0x24/0x108 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc65f368>] dhd_bus_register+0x18/0x50 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc655e4c>] dhd_wifi_platform_load_pcie+0x204/0x290 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc6562fc>] dhd_wifi_platform_register_drv+0xbc/0x2c0 [dhd]
[<ffffffbffc7bc184>] dhd_module_init+0x184/0x2c0 [dhd]
[<ffffffc000081034>] do_one_initcall+0x8c/0x1a8
[<ffffffc0004f3610>] do_init_module+0x5c/0x1a4
[<ffffffc0000f3564>] load_module+0x180c/0x1ca0
[<ffffffc0000f3b68>] SyS_init_module+0x170/0x1a0
Code: 52800421 aa1c03e0 97ffff42 91181000 (b9400000)
---[ end trace 8e471664e50e863c ]---

complete boot sequence: https://pastebin.com/raw/pHnndPAY

@john9527, @RMerlin any thoughts? Unless you guys can think of something, I'm ready to RMA it.

edit: and of course @ColinTaylor as well
edit2: sanitized SN

 

[st3v3n]

kfp, for my 2cents worth, we returned two to Amazon before we received one with no issues. A friend ran into the same problems with a new one last month, advised him to have it replaced by Amz. His 2nd unit upgraded o Merlin without incident for about a week. If you're past the return/exchange window, and nothing at all has any effect, an RMA is the final option, if you can get it to roll back to the original FW. Good luck.

 

[Dave Parker]

And my 2 cents worth. I guess I got lucky. Purchased mine used on eBay in November and have had no problems. It has been 15 days since last reboot. Got curious and checked the info on the box. MFG year is 2018, HW ver R1.5 SN J71xxx000000 It seems Asus has a problem. Shouldn't have to go thru 2 or 3 routers to get a good one.

Edit firmware is Merlin 384.8.2

 

[st3v3n]

Dave, our returns wer from early 2018 also.

 

[Dave Parker]

So, maybe it is the earlier units that are experiencing problems. No idea when mine was purchased new.