somewhat bricked after enabling jffs

[crrodriguez]

Hi:


After enabling JFFS and reboot, some errors did show up in the console, which I was unable to capture... after a second reboot my router running version latest version appears to be bricked badly.

- combination between wps button + power on do not reset to defaults

- reset button while powered does not reset the router configuration

- the worst of all, combination between reset + power on does not bring the router into recovery mode as usual.

- 3 lights are always on, numbers 1, 2 and the "planet like" one, though plugging any cable is a futile exercise.

Currently waiting for THUMPA board to arrive in order to unbrick this thing ..I am wondering if anyone has another tip to revive the router.

 

[lfbb]

And how about the power light? What's the behaviour?

- lfbb

 

[crrodriguez]

And how about the power light? What's the behaviour?

- lfbb

It is off. does not light at all

 

[RMerlin]

This is probably just a coincidence, since the JFFS partition is totally separate from the CFE and firmware partitions.

I've seen at least a few other users (with all kind of different firmwares too, including DD-WRT) come up with what you describe (a few LEDs stay on at power on), so I suspect it might be an error code of some kind generated by the CFE.

Are you running the original or a patched CFE? Some versions of the CFE patch were buggy, preventing recovery mode from working.

Try following this precise procedure:

1) Unplug all cables from the router, including the power cable.
2) Turn it on for about 10 secs to make sure to drain all residual power from the internals.
3) Turn it off
4) Plug only the power cable back on
5) Press the reset button, and keep it pressed
6) Turn the router on, and wait about 5 secs
7) Release the reset button

What are the LED states? If it's now different, then try plugging a computer on one port, and running the Firmware Recovery tool from the Asus CD to see if it can detect the router being in recovery mode.

 

[crrodriguez]

Are you running the original or a patched CFE? Some versions of the CFE patch were buggy, preventing recovery mode from working.
What are the LED states? If it's now different, then try plugging a computer on one port, and running the Firmware Recovery tool from the Asus CD to see if it can detect the router being in recovery mode.

The original CFE.. I will try your suggestions and report back, thanks

 

[crrodriguez]

The original CFE.. I will try your suggestions and report back, thanks

OK, did it. no change , pluggin any network cable or attempting recovery is futile , ethernet link reported "down".

 

[lfbb]

Merlin says it's not a bug on the JFFS code, can be a defective router. Can you still send it to RMA?

- lfbb

 

[shimi]

Sorry I am not here to provide a solution but just to say I have JFFS enabled and using without any problem on Asus RT-N66U.

What is your routers model.

 

[crrodriguez]

Merlin says it's not a bug on the JFFS code, can be a defective router. Can you still send it to RMA?

- lfbb

RMA is neither factible (opened up router..etc) nor economically factible in this side.. (shipping/handling back and forth will likely cost more than the router)

 

[RMerlin]

Can you get any serial output while booting?

 

[KevTech]

May want to try this as well as it worked for me after a DDwrt testing session bricked the router.

Power off router

Hold down WPS button and power on router and then while still keeping WPS depressed also push the reset button

Release the WPS button but keep reset depressed until power LED shows router has entered recovery mode

 

[crrodriguez]

Can you get any serial output while booting?

No, no serial output :-|

 

[RMerlin]

No, no serial output :-|

Then it's either a HW fault, or a corrupted CFE.

 

[crrodriguez]

Then it's either a HW fault, or a corrupted CFE.

Ok, That means jtag.. do you know if someone has had success with the JTAG interface with a THUMPA board ?

 

[RMerlin]

Ok, That means jtag.. do you know if someone has had success with the JTAG interface with a THUMPA board ?

If it's a hardware fault (which is the most likely at this point), then a JTAG won't help you either.

I don't think anyone got JTAG working yet according to what I read on the DD-WRT forums.

 

[DaveMishSr]

May want to try this as well as it worked for me after a DDwrt testing session bricked the router.

Power off router

Hold down WPS button and power on router and then while still keeping WPS depressed also push the reset button

Release the WPS button but keep reset depressed until power LED shows router has entered recovery mode

Holding the WPS button while powering up should clear the NVRAM. The power LED should blink rapidly while the WPS button is being pressed indicating that the NVRAM has been cleared. Recovery mode can only be activated by turning on the router while pressing the reset button. I have found that powering off the router, pressing and holding the reset button for 10 seconds and then powering on the router while still pressing the reset button for another 10 seconds always puts my router into recovery mode.

 

[KevTech]

Holding the WPS button while powering up should clear the NVRAM. The power LED should blink rapidly while the WPS button is being pressed indicating that the NVRAM has been cleared. Recovery mode can only be activated by turning on the router while pressing the reset button. I have found that powering off the router, pressing and holding the reset button for 10 seconds and then powering on the router while still pressing the reset button for another 10 seconds always puts my router into recovery mode.

Ya but I bricked mine by putting regular DDWRT on it instead of the 64k Fractal build after I had updated the CFE and this was the only way I could bring it back to life.

I had no power LED and all other "normal" methods of recovery would not work. I tried what I posted as a last resort and the router went into recovery mode.

 

[crrodriguez]

If it's a hardware fault (which is the most likely at this point), then a JTAG won't help you either.

I don't think anyone got JTAG working yet according to what I read on the DD-WRT forums.

Last output I vaguely remember it told something about "mtd" errors.. I guess the MTD device is the internal CFE card right ?

 

[RMerlin]

Last output I vaguely remember it told something about "mtd" errors.. I guess the MTD device is the internal CFE card right ?

MTD manages the flash storage, splitting it in separate partitions for CFE, kernel, firmware and nvram. The JFFS partition uses the remaining space and the end of the flash space. Slight difference with the RT-AC66U, where I force it to not use more than 32 MB (out of the 90 MB available of unused flash space).

The mtd0 partition, for instance, has the label "pmon`and contains the CFE. Partitions are accessed by label, so erasing the JFFS2 partition is a simple:

"mtd-erase -i jffs2"

being run by the firmware.