[ssamppa]

Hi

I have build 25697 on my router and it working fine, but I wanted to revert back to stock Asus FW to test something. However it doesnt work anymore.

I have tried:
- Flash from dd-wrt GUI by uploading asus firmware renamed to .bin
- Flashed with Asus recovery tool from windows in recovery mode
- Uploaded asus image with tftp

All of these lead to same, router booting with DD-WRT.

Is there some clitch with the flashing that I am not aware of?
Any advices for bullet-proof way to revert back to stock asus FW ?

Thanks!!

[UKEE]

What version are you trying to flash to, the latest?

If so, the latest needs a 64M rootfs partition to install. That is done via 3.0.0.4.376-3626 firmware, which must be flashed first, NVRAM cleared and then you can go to the latest (3.0.0.4.378.3873). 3626 will replace your CFE bootloader (if necessary) and repartition your rootfs from 32M to 64M.

[ssamppa]

That was the problem!!
Thank you very much UKEE

[UKEE]

Glad to help!

[Skagnatti]

I know this is a serious thread resurrection. However, after a ton of searching here and elsewhere, the info from UKEE saved my butt. I was unsuccessful flashing back to factory firmware from DD-WRT no matter all the methods I tried gleaning from threads here. Much like ssamppa was encountering.

I do not have a 'contributor' account for the Wiki ( seemed to not be allowing for new contributor accounts ) and it would be nice to have UKEE's info added to the AC68U Wiki, on the bottom of the page: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Asus_RT-AC68U#Original_Firmware_Install_Procedure


Here is my experience with the RT-AC68U:

1. I flashed the AC68U to a DD-WRT build right out of the box.
2. Shortly thereafter, decided to go back to stock firmware.
3. Could not flash back to the stock firmware for the life of me. The DD-WRT firmware would come back up no matter what method I tried.
4. Finally found the suggestion by UKEE that you would first need to flash to an initial stock firmware then to a current factory build.
5. Downloaded the ASUS Firmware Restoration Utility and installed on my laptop.
6. Downloaded this AC1900 firmware, linked from the Wiki.
7. Plugged an Ethernet cable into one of the LAN ports on the router from my laptop.
8. Put the AC68U in 'recovery mode'. This in itself was a chore as it didn't happen exactly as it would if it were already on stock firmware, I presume. Page 86 of their manual - Firmware Restoration - did not work for me. I instead had to power off the router by depressing the power button to turn it off ( yes, it was still 'plugged in', though ), ready the Firmware Restoration Utility with the base factory fw loaded, press the power back on while holding the reset button on the router for ~5 seconds, click the firmware restore from the restore utility on my laptop, release the reset button, then the upload of the factory firmware would start.
9. After the upload completed, the restoration task would start from the utility. This was another bizarre issue. It would make it to the 100% complete but then throw an error on the utility 'Firmware restore failed. Lost connection with router' or similar, but in fact it didn't fail. Windows wanted to launch the initial configuration page of the router despite the error. Big scratching my head time, but kept on truckin'.
10. FINALLY SEE THE ASUS STOCK PAGE! THERE IS A GOD! Logged into the router to get initial configuration started.
11. Wanted to load the most current ASUS firmware but the method built into the router would not work. The action would time out or error out during 'upgrade'.
12. Used the Restoration Utility again, and repeated step 8 & 9. Successfully got on the most current build of the ASUS firmware.

I've had good experience with DD-WRT builds on a Cisco-Linksys E4200 as the primary router and an E1200 as a repeater-bridge, but I think I'm going to finally put them to pasture as spares and get another one of these and run them both stock w/one in what ASUS calls 'Media Bridge'.


ANYWAYS... might be helpful for others out there to add to the RT-AC68U Wiki UKEE's tid bit about running back to base firmware then over to a current factory build. Not sure if it's the ARM based chipsets or what, but seems to be a bit more finicky then previous routers I have loaded DD-WRT on before.

[grinna]

[marsui]

I'm having the same issue, I bought my AC68U back in 2015, after a few weeks I went to DDwrt and have not updated since 2015. I want to go back to stock so I went into recovery and used the ASUS tool to install the latest firmware, it worked, I configured everything and then the router prompted me to update to a newer firmware.

I allowed to do so and now it refuses to work, I've tried the tool again and recovery again with the latest firmware, and something from earlier in 2018 as Asus doesnt have much on their website as far as firmware goes (only from 2018).

I can consitently get back into recovery, but I cannot get any firmware to stick, I even tried some older Merlin FW from like 2015 to no avail. Not sure what to do.

I keep reading about certain firmwares expanding certain partitions and I might need a specific firmware, but Asus doesn't keep anything prior to 2018 that I can download.

[kernel-panic69]

[marsui]