Unable to update firmware from Asus 380.3264 to Merlin

[vrapp]

To compare QoS, I installed Asus firmware RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_380_3264-g79f6bde; now I can't go back.

When I try to upload Merlin firmware 380.59, there's popup "Firmware upgrade unsuccessful. It may result from incorrect image or error transmission". Re-downloaded the firmware and tried again, same result.

During my efforts to troubleshoot, I tried to upload an old Asus firmware RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_380_1842-g7414eb9. I saw progress bar like usual, but under it there was the following:

"To comply with regulatory amendments, we have modified our certification rule to ensure better firmware quality. This version is not compatible with all previously released ASUS firmware and uncertified third party firmware. Please check our official websites for the certified firmware."

After status bar reached 100%, the firmware remained 380.3264.

Reset router to factory settings. Did not help.

Tried to put the router into rescue mode and to upload Merlin firmware, or older Asus firmsare. In both cases, upload failed, and the router remains at 380.3264.

 

[vaszago]

read this

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-firmware-will-change-the-verification-method.32357/

 

[pege63]

To compare QoS, I installed Asus firmware RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_380_3264-g79f6bde; now I can't go back.

When I try to upload Merlin firmware 380.59, there's popup "Firmware upgrade unsuccessful. It may result from incorrect image or error transmission". Re-downloaded the firmware and tried again, same result.

During my efforts to troubleshoot, I tried to upload an old Asus firmware RT-AC68U_3.0.0.4_380_1842-g7414eb9. I saw progress bar like usual, but under it there was the following:

"To comply with regulatory amendments, we have modified our certification rule to ensure better firmware quality. This version is not compatible with all previously released ASUS firmware and uncertified third party firmware. Please check our official websites for the certified firmware."

After status bar reached 100%, the firmware remained 380.3264.

Reset router to factory settings. Did not help.

Tried to put the router into rescue mode and to upload Merlin firmware, or older Asus firmsare. In both cases, upload failed, and the router remains at 380.3264.

Try this:

1. Unplug the wireless router from the power source.


2. Hold the Reset button at the rear panel and simultaneously replug the wireless router into the power source.
Release the Reset button when the Power LED at the front panel flashes slowly, which indicates that the wireless router is in the rescue mode.

3. Set manually computer ip to eg. 192.168.1.11 netmask 255.255.255.0 and go to 192.168.1.1

 

[vrapp]

Try this (...)

Yes, already did that, then tried asus rescue utility to upload Merlin firmware, or older Asus firmware. Not possible. The utility finds the router and begins uploading, but soon fails. After that router still has 380.3264 and works OK.

read this: http://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-firmware-will-change-the-verification-method.32357/

I see; so it looks like now the only way is to wait until Merlin releases new firmware compatible with this verification? and, according to the text, Merlin (and others) will have to get every their firmware release certified by Asus?

 

[Blinkyz]

CFE miniweb server or Restoration Tools from asus should be good to downgrade
Know issue
Dig into this forum and you ll find

Download and install the Firmware Restoration utility from ASUS’ support site. Just enter RT-AC68u in the search box and you should be able to find it

 

[vrapp]

Firmware Restoration utility is what I already tried - that's what I called "asus rescue utility" in the previous comment. "The utility finds the router and begins uploading, but soon fails. After that router still has 380.3264 and works OK."

Will try miniweb server tonight.

 

[L&LD]

How long did you leave it when using the firmware restoration utility? It may need an hour or more to finish completely.

Ignore the messages that say 'upload failed' and others similar. Just be patient.

 

[vrapp]

ah.. OK. Sure, once I saw that it failed, I couldn't imagine that it's not the end... so I didn't leave it at all after that.

 

[bluepoint]

ah.. OK. Sure, once I saw that it failed, I couldn't imagine that it's not the end... so I didn't leave it at all after that.

If the restore fails again, from the same CFE menu do a "reset" to factory defaut then re-install the firmware.

 

[vrapp]

I finally was able to do it with firmware restoration utility. Uploading Asus old driver did not work, but yet another attempt to upload Merlin's has succeeded. The only change from before seems to be having now unplugged USB drive.

By the way, "just be patient" did not work (with Asus old firmware): after utility said that it failed, at about 25%, the router was no longer in recovery mode, it was in normal mode and working OK. I guess, it immediately decided not to downgrade, restarted, and 25% indicated the time it was restarting.

Yet another observation: CFE miniweb server did not work. And it's not because I did not configure something: I was able to ping the router, but it did not respond on port 80 (I even tried to telnet to it, to be sure). And yes, it was in recovery mode, slowly flashing. I also tried so called "30-30-30" method, with the same result.

I wonder if this all signifies Asus closing all possible ways to go back.

 

[L&LD]

I finally was able to do it with firmware restoration utility. Uploading Asus old driver did not work, but yet another attempt to upload Merlin's has succeeded. The only change from before seems to be having now unplugged USB drive.

By the way, "just be patient" did not work (with Asus old firmware): after utility said that it failed, at about 25%, the router was no longer in recovery mode, it was in normal mode and working OK. I guess, it immediately decided not to downgrade, restarted, and 25% indicated the time it was restarting.

Yet another observation: CFE miniweb server did not work. And it's not because I did not configure something: I was able to ping the router, but it did not respond on port 80 (I even tried to telnet to it, to be sure). And yes, it was in recovery mode, slowly flashing. I also tried so called "30-30-30" method, with the same result.

I wonder if this all signifies Asus closing all possible ways to go back.

Ah, I thought that you would have automatically removed any USB devices by default.

That is why it was failing before.

Also, there is no '30-30-30' reset method on Asus routers (and that is why that didn't work).

 

[vrapp]

> That is why it was failing before.

Can you elaborate? Why is it supposed to fail with connected USB?

 

[Karageek]

Does this method still work? i'm trying to install tomato on a new RT-N66U. We need the features of tomato.

 

[vrapp]

Does this method still work? i'm trying to install tomato on a new RT-N66U. We need the features of tomato.

Yes, I recently changed to Advanced Tomato, successfully, by following this article

 

[Karageek]

Yes, I recently changed to Advanced Tomato, successfully, by following this article

the problem i been having is when flashing with the asus utility it never uploads all of it it stop at about 15% the file is 21mb and it never goes over 5mb b4 quiting. i have a bandwidth monitor so i know exactly how much data is being uploaded. Nonetheless I did wait over an hour just to see and no luck.

I think my router is bricked at this point as it always boots into emergency mode (slow flashing power light) even trying to flash official asus firmware which does upload completely, it sits for every b4 eventually going back into emergency mode.