Bricked my ASUS RT-N16

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fggs
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 28 Jan 2008
Posts: 1741

PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, DLC5 is the unbuffered one. I know he fixed because I tested the version, but as the E3000 I was trying to fix was hit by a lightning it didn't detect the CPU, but the bug itself was the unbuffered cable wasn't even detected.

Have some patience, Tornado is a great guy and will answer will promptly! Wink
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JuiciPackets
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Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
I see. This makes sense and it also ties in with what he himself wrote about a month ago in another thread.

I'm sure he's a great guy, after all he supported everybody for years. I'm just a bit worried he may be on holiday now... Oh well, this is the most I can do for now, I'm going to hope for the best and go back to real life for a bit Wink
AlexHighTower
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Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
after upgrading dd-wrt fw from one version to higher one, my router stops to respods...

I can ping it, got reply
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100
like it is in recovery mode,
I tried to use tftp and asus fw recivery tool - result is the same...
After reboot i can ping it with ttl=100, power led is blinking... that's all...

what to do?

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Asus RT-N16: DD-WRT build 19545 (kingmod)
Murrkf
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Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Posts: 12675

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 15:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
AlexHighTower wrote:
after upgrading dd-wrt fw from one version to higher one, my router stops to respods...

I can ping it, got reply
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=100
like it is in recovery mode,
I tried to use tftp and asus fw recivery tool - result is the same...
After reboot i can ping it with ttl=100, power led is blinking... that's all...

what to do?


You read the peacock announcement. Notes 3, 4, 1 and SIX in particular.

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AlexHighTower
DD-WRT User


Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 17:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
Murrkf wrote:
You read the peacock announcement. Notes 3, 4, 1 and SIX in particular.

Yes, I do it...
I need to say that I did 30/30/30 reset _two_ times now and after that I became able to upload fw via tftp!!!
miracle...

_________________
TP-Link TL-WR1043ND: DD-WRT v24-sp2 (08/07/10) std - build 14896
Asus RT-N16: DD-WRT build 19545 (kingmod)
JuiciPackets
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Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 17:50    Post subject: SUCCESS!! :) Reply with quote
Hi all, I just wanted to finish the story here, maybe it will help somebody in the future.

Tornado sent me the v3.0.2 RC2-5 version of TJTAG (BTW, thanks a lot PayPal for messing up a very simple thing in such a royal way).
I used tjtag with the simple resistor parallel cable (/cable:dlc5) and it just worked.
I saved the CFE from the router twice. Both copies were byte-per-byte identical to the one I saved when I received the router. Good! Smile
Then I saved the kernel, too, just as a further check. It took 6h20min and it looks like it has the proper format (at least it does start with 'HDR0') but its length does not match the dd-wrt one that I flashed a long time ago. Whatever.
So I tried -erase:nvram and it seemed to work (no errors, finished with "*** REQUESTED OPERATION IS COMPLETE ***"), but the router would still act exactly the same way after a reboot (no LEDS on, no ping answer, no serial console output... just a brick).
Next I tried -erase:kernel - this one was stuck forever at "Erasing block: 3 (addr = 1C040000)..." so no luck.
I went on and I even tried -erase:wholeflash - this one was stuck forever at "Erasing block: 1 (addr = 1C000000)..."
At this point Tornado suggested I use the /byte_mode switch (not documented in tjtag's help output).
So I started again with just a -erase:nvram and this time it simply worked!! Smile
After that the router just booted and I even got output from the serial console! Smile It's now alive and kicking! Smile

Now I need to restore the nvram variables to the values they had just before the crash. I do have the ASCII backup for nvram variables (performed using Frater's http://wd.mirmana.com/backupessential script just a few days before the crash):
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 29989 Nov 19 23:04 485B39D47521.11202011.preferred.sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8697 Nov 19 23:04 485B39D47521.11202011.minimal.sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 41995 Nov 19 23:04 485B39D47521.11202011.essential.sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3824 Nov 19 23:04 485B39D47521.11202011.dangerous.sh
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 45719 Nov 19 23:04 485B39D47521.11202011.all.sh

Now I'll get in touch with Frater to see what is the safe(st) way to restore them as I am somewhat intrigued by the ones in the "dangerous" category. If anybody here already knows how to safely restore them please do let me know. I will not change the dd-wrt firmware this time (although I am toying with the idea I simply don't have any more time available to find the new stable dd-wrt version for RT-N16 to flash...), but I don't have a recent binary backup of the nvram so I have to rely on these ASCII backups.

Cheers
barryware
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Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 13049
Location: Behind The Reset Button

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 17:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
now you should be able to use the asus restore utility built into the router to flash firmware.

when it boots for the 1st time, it will build the nvram variables.. get dd-wrt back on and then just use fraters restore script to restore your settings.

You will not be able to use jtag to restore those settings. Well.. you can certainly flash the data, but it will not work.

restore the essential.sh

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JuiciPackets
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Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 18:43    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks barryware, but it's even better than you assumed! Smile
After I erased the nvram the router booted all the way into the dd-wrt version that I had flashed *before* the crash!
I was able to just log on with the default root password! Cool

I looked at the backups I have and "essential" has 1288 lines, where "all" has 1383 lines, so that means I may have to manually add just about 100 settings, which I find manageable. Definitely better that restoring everything via the GUI - I wouldn't even consider this!

Happy bunny! Cool I just can't believe it took almost a week... it's the bloody place I'm in Sad

Cheers!
barryware
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Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 13049
Location: Behind The Reset Button

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 19:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
JuiciPackets wrote:
Thanks barryware, but it's even better than you assumed! Smile
After I erased the nvram the router booted all the way into the dd-wrt version that I had flashed *before* the crash!
I was able to just log on with the default root password! Cool

I looked at the backups I have and "essential" has 1288 lines, where "all" has 1383 lines, so that means I may have to manually add just about 100 settings, which I find manageable. Definitely better that restoring everything via the GUI - I wouldn't even consider this!

Happy bunny! Cool I just can't believe it took almost a week... it's the bloody place I'm in Sad

Cheers!

essential + dangerous = all

you should not have to manually add anything. The dangerous.sh is the stuff that is pretty much hardware specific (board flags, clock speed, macs, ect.). All the correct data will be there in the router anyway. you do not have to change anything in the router except cpu clock speed if you changed it from default when using the essential.sh to restore.

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JuiciPackets
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Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 19:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
That appears to be the theory, but I checked manually the very first nvram variable after I erased nvram and I rebooted the router:

Code:

root@DD-WRT:~# nvram show 2>/dev/null | head -n 1
sb/1/ofdm2gpo=0x66666666
root@DD-WRT:~#


On my laptop, where I have the ASCII backups for nvram mounted on /mnt/loop0:
Code:

[loop0]# grep -l ofdm2gpo var/backups/*
[loop0]#


So it's slightly deeper than "essential + dangerous = all", some variables don't appear at all, is this how Frater's backupessential script is supposed to work?
barryware
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Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 13049
Location: Behind The Reset Button

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 20:24    Post subject: Reply with quote
I do not know all the mechanics behind fraters backup scripts. All that I know is that it works.

I restore preferred on diff hardware than the backup came from. This restores all my port forwards, mac filtering, etc.

I restore essential on hardware that the backup came from and all I need to do is check my processor speed and set it back to the overclock I use.

you can also change things a bit by editing the vars_to_skip file and the vars_preferred. Those files dictate where the backup vars end up.

why are you so overly complicating this?

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JuiciPackets
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Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 21:04    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very Happy

I bricked the router once trying to restore the settings using Frater's "all.sh" script - now I'd like to understand which one I should use to end up with *exactly* the same config I had before the crash. I will try essential.sh and then manually review the nvram variables.

And yes, I used the "all.sh" because I did not change router hardware or dd-wrt build - I assumed it would be safe to set everything back to what it used to be. Apparently not Confused I can't see why it would be "dangerous" to restore things like sshd_rsa_host_key, MAC addresses, interface names etc. on exactly the same router and dd-wrt build.
gatorback
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Joined: 04 Feb 2007
Posts: 426
Location: Fountain of Youth

PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:11    Post subject: NEVER use Firefox to flash Reply with quote
SiliconWarrior wrote:
I'd like to at least try to learn from this experience.

Can anyone suggest where I might have screwed this up?

After re-reading the peacock thread, the only mistake I can see for the first upload (via the ASUS web ui) was that I was using Firefox instead of IE. I'm not sure what difference that makes, though.

Using the ASUS recovery utility, I was able to upload the older version of DD-WRT and got the router to boot to the point where the wireless light was on, but still no web interface or telnet access. I reset the router (using the 30/30/30 method) several times, but it didn't help.

Finally, I guess my ultimate mistake was trying to put back the ASUS firmware.


Firefox boogered up your device. I did the same thing to a WRT54GL with Firefox. Never use Firefox.

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Last edited by gatorback on Mon Jan 02, 2012 20:00; edited 1 time in total
JuiciPackets
DD-WRT User


Joined: 26 Jan 2011
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 22:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
barryware wrote:
why are you so overly complicating this?


You know, you had a point there, barryware... since I already had the JTAG cable and I knew I could unbrick the router with it I said what the heck, let's be "adventurous" Cool

I enabled USB and mass storage support (/opt), run Frater's ...all.sh restore script, plugged in my old OTRW stick, rebooted et Voila! - it was back to what it used to be! Very Happy

I just wanted to close this saying that apparently not restoring the nvram variables from the ...all.sh script bricked it.

Cheers
yourbuddypal
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Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 19:03    Post subject: Re: Bricked my ASUS RT-N16 Reply with quote
I've had a very frustrating experience with this GD router. I had DD-WRT on it, got it all set up, and then about every 15 minutes the wireless clients would disconnect and reconnect after 1-2 minutes. No issues with the wired connections at all during this time.

After doing some research, it seemed to me that some firmwares worked better than others. I decided to give tomato a try. I set it to reset settings and flashed it to tomato using chrome. I had no response from the router so after a few minutes i rebooted.

I fail to get any IP address, and cannot ping it. I messed around with some of the Asus utilities and rebooted with the WPS stuff and tried to do a factory reset. I cannot figure out what is going on, I appear to have 0 access to the device. The asus utilties all fail to connect as well.

I'm not sure where to go from here, please assist!
Some dick who thought he was cute and has edit rights wrote:
Hopefully I won't have to read this thread to find out what it says. Thx!


@Aforementioned dickhead - I did read the thread and thats where I got the ideas for the past hour of troubleshooting.

MOD EDIT: You have missed and failed to follow much of the good information in this thread, and the links already provided, about how to test and fix your problem.


Last edited by yourbuddypal on Mon Jan 02, 2012 19:56; edited 2 times in total
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