Cannot flash v24-sp2 on WNR3500Lv2 with .chk

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thoni56
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 16 Jul 2019
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 11:46    Post subject: Cannot flash v24-sp2 on WNR3500Lv2 with .chk Reply with quote
I'm on a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (03/25/13) mini - build 21061.

I've tried several of the currently supported builds (3.x) and can only find .chk-files.

I was under the impresssion that .chk-files where used when re-flashing from stock firmware, but read in some post that they should also work for upgrading already existing DD-WRT firmware.

So I tried that from the web interface, and it accepted the file, but the "flash" part took only some few seconds and the said "Your unit is rebooting".

And then I'm back at the same firmware (v24-sp2).

What am I doing wrong?
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adent
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 06 Feb 2018
Posts: 48
Location: Vienna, Austria

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 14:33    Post subject: Reply with quote
r38581M giga (02/06/19) worked for me. Some of the later builds were too large to flash. I've updated my device to r40xxx recently, but I can't tell exactly the version number since I'm on holiday this week.
thoni56
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 16 Jul 2019
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 14:33    Post subject: Re: Cannot flash v24-sp2 on WNR3500Lv2 with .chk Reply with quote
thoni56 wrote:
I'm on a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (03/25/13) mini - build 21061.


Maybe it is a memory size issue? Specs says the WNR3500Lv2 has 128M NAND Flash and 128M RAM.

But the Sysinfo of the current DD-WRT says:

Memory
Total Available 25.6 MB / 32.0 MB
Free 13.6 MB / 25.6 MB
Used 12.0 MB / 25.6 MB
Buffers 1.4 MB / 12.0 MB
Cached 4.1 MB / 12.0 MB
Active 0.8 MB / 12.0 MB
Inactive 0.8 MB / 12.0 MB

Space Usage
NVRAM 18.43 KB / 64 KB
JFFS2 (Not mounted)

That seems to indicate 32M. If this is a problem, what to do to make the current DD-WRT see the full memory so it can flash with a bigger memory available?
thoni56
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 16 Jul 2019
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 14:38    Post subject: Reply with quote
adent wrote:
r38581M giga (02/06/19) worked for me. Some of the later builds were too large to flash. I've updated my device to r40xxx recently, but I can't tell exactly the version number since I'm on holiday this week.


Thanks for that info, but I've already tried r38581 from https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2019/02-06-2019-r38581/netgear-wnr3500lv2/.

Unless the 'M' means something special?

I think the problem is with the current DD-WRT somehow...[/url]
jwh7
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 25 Oct 2013
Posts: 2670
Location: Indy

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 15:05    Post subject: Re: Cannot flash v24-sp2 on WNR3500Lv2 with .chk Reply with quote
thoni56 wrote:
I'm on a Netgear WNR3500Lv2 with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (03/25/13) mini - build 21061.

I've tried several of the currently supported builds (3.x) and can only find .chk-files.

I was under the impresssion that .chk-files where used when re-flashing from stock firmware, but read in some post that they should also work for upgrading already existing DD-WRT firmware.
A few things...

First, are you really sure it's a 3500Lv2? If so you shouldn't be using a k2.6 build, nor a build older than 28112 (2015-11-10), based on Supported Devices. So I'm surprised you didn't brick it, considering the v1 is a NOR flash device (8MB), while the v2 is NAND (128MB).

Secondly, I noticed that the /broadcom_K3X/ folder has a trailed file, but NAND devices normally have their own folder (like my WNDR4500v2). The 3500Lv2 has both. E.g.:

https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2019/07-12-2019-r40276/broadcom_K3X/
    dd-wrt.v24-40274_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-WNR3500Lv2.chk 12-Jul-2019 14:17 8147002

https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/2019/07-12-2019-r40276/netgear-wnr3500lv2/
    dd-wrt.v24-40274_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-WNR3500Lv2.chk 12-Jul-2019 14:22 23236666

What exactly have you been trying to flash? There was a post in May about builds after 38581 not working:
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=319783
...but they never provided the dmesg output. If you can provide that, I can ask BS about it.

What does your Status page show the router model/version as? Since you're running the wrong build, you may need to TFTP or CLI install new s/w, but I'd advise trying 38581 first, from the /netgear-wnr3500lv2/ folder. Even better, search new build threads for what others have done.

Also, the hardware thread:
https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=150789
...where I did find a TomatoUSB `cat /proc/mtd` output [less helpful than `dmesg`] showing the same linux size as OpenWRT: 0x1b00000 = 28311552 bytes = 27.000 MB.

_________________
# NAT/SFE/CTF: limited speed w/ DD # Repeater issues # DD-WRT info: FAQ, Builds, Types, Modes, Changes, Demo #
OPNsense x64 5050e ITX|DD: DIR-810L, 2*EA6900@1GHz, R6300v1, RT-N66U@663, WNDR4000@533, E1500@353,
WRT54G{Lv1.1,Sv6}@250
|FreshTomato: F7D8302@532|OpenWRT: F9K1119v1, RT-ACRH13, R6220, WNDR3700v4
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