Linksys EA6900 Corruption w/ maxpartialboots

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noparking247
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Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 15:57    Post subject: Linksys EA6900 Corruption w/ maxpartialboots Reply with quote
Good morning,

I have a Linksys EA6900 running CFE 1.3.0.7. This is now the second time this has happened so I figured I'd turn to the pros.

My working theory is this...

I have multiple partitions -- FreshTomato on 1, DD-WRT (v24-sp2 std) on 2. Whenever the maxpartialboots is triggered (eg: power outage during a storm), the router flips from FreshTomato to DD-WRT. When this happens, it retains "some" of the configuration -- WAN settings, for example. However, it's almost like when DD-WRT touches this "shared" configuration, it corrupts it in some capacity.

I can telnet in w/ DD-WRT and manually toggle the boot partition and get back into FreshTomato -- however, now it is essentially bricked and I have to go through a ton of hoops to factory reset, etc.

So my question is...

Is there a way to just disable the maxpartialboots setting entirely? Or how has everyone else done this?

Also partially related -- from DD-WRT:
root@EA6900:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev: size erasesize name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "boot"
mtd1: 00100000 00020000 "nvram"
mtd2: 01f00000 00020000 "linux"
mtd3: 01da0000 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd4: 01f00000 00020000 "linux2"
mtd5: 05ef34d4 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd6: 04000000 00020000 "ddwrt"

From FreshTomato:
root@EA6900:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/mtd
dev: size erasesize name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "boot"
mtd1: 00100000 00020000 "nvram"
mtd2: 03e00000 00020000 "linux"
mtd3: 03c534ec 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd4: 05fe0000 00020000 "brcmnand"
mtd5: 00020000 00020000 "crash"

I find it interesting that these don't match...
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kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 16:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
My suggestion is pick which 3rd party firmware you're going to run and not try and have two different firmwares coexist. The reason is obvious as you've pointed out already.
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noparking247
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Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 16:39    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank-you for the response.

How can I force load tomato into the second partition? I saw a blurb on the Wiki that DD-WRT supports it via the wget command -- can I just boot into DD-WRT, wget http://tomato.fw linux1 and everything magically installs/decompresses?
egc
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Posts: 12834
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 17:22    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree with @kp69, not only should you pick one (and I would choose DDWRT Wink ), I would convert the EA6900 so that it can use the full 64 K NVRAM, Freshtomato has a guide to do that so has DDWRT:

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=291230#291230

_________________
Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399
Install guide R7800/XR500: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614
Forum Guide Lines (important read):https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=324087
noparking247
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Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 17:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's fair. I thought simply replacing the CFE eliminated said bug?

Edit: Just checked the Tomato side of things -- looks like I'm in the clear based on this:
Used / Total NVRAM: 43.11 KB / 64.00 KB

So -- I guess it's just trying to force firmware onto partition 2 that's the next step. Anytime I try to do it from that partition, and run the upgrade through the GUI, it only flashes partition 1.
kernel-panic69
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Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 18:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you read crashman's post on Linksysinfo slowly and carefully enough, you'll know it's got the XWRT-Vortex CFE... Wink Razz

noparking247 wrote:
I have a Linksys EA6900 running CFE 1.3.0.7.

Quote:
P.S.2 For newer @XVortex CFE - like 1.3.0.7 there is a difference in MAC calculation and more info can be found on:
ASUSWRT Merlin Build 384.5 or later ON Linksys EA6900 or EA6700

Starting to get old and senile on us, @egc? I should be careful. I don't wanna get in trouble with anyone Rolling Eyes

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noparking247
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Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 18:36    Post subject: Reply with quote
Happens to the best of us -- I remember when my hair wasn't grey. I miss those days...

Any idea as to how to force DD-WRT (or Tomato) onto partition 2? Seems like something that should be a no brainer, but I'm absolutely at a loss.

Edit: In theory, I could do this?

cd /tmp
wget http://www.desipro.de/ddwrt/K3-AC-Arm/dd-wrt.v24-K3_AC_ARM_STD.bin
mtd write fw.bin linux (or linux2 if that is where you want to write)
reboot

(shamelessly stolen/borrowed from: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1111556&sid=8ba57acfce67d751d84fa062b5d1356d)
egc
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Joined: 18 Mar 2014
Posts: 12834
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 18:54    Post subject: Reply with quote
@kp69, you are not old and senile, you are in the prime of your life Smile

The "problem" at least with DDWRT and the EA6900 is that if you upgrade via the GUI it writes to linux2 because the router advertises itself as an EA6900 and DDWRT still thinks it has dual partitions and writes to linux2

My own build writes to linux but of course public builds do not so in our guide (I do not know about freshtomato) states that you can not use the GUI to update but have to use the command line and have to update to "linux"

Alternatively you can probably let the EA6900 identify itself an Asus AC68U but I have not tried that.

Bottom line at least for DDWRT you have to update via the CLI, from the guide (use the latest build this is just an example):

• cd /tmp
• curl -o webflash.bin "ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2022/02-09-2022-r48305/linksys-ea6900/linksys-ea6900-webflash.bin"
• Alternatively if cURL does not work use :
• wget ftp://ftp.dd-wrt.com/betas/2021/01-19-2021-r45493/linksys-ea6900/linksys-ea6900-webflash.bin (check and use the latest build)
mtd write linksys-ea6900-webflash.bin linux & (if this does not work use: mtd write -f, ignore error see below)
Once you have ddwrt running you can use the write command instead of mtd write
• nvram erase (optional only for the first time)
• reboot

_________________
Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399
Install guide R7800/XR500: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614
Forum Guide Lines (important read):https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=324087
noparking247
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 19:06    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank-you for the response.

It's good to know.

I guess stepping back here -- why is there still 2 (or more) partitions at all? Looking at some of your previous posts -- I thought simply replacing the CFE would have the router redo the partition schemes on boot/remove the second partition entirely -- something like:

root@EA6900:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev: size erasesize name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "boot"
mtd1: 00100000 00020000 "nvram"
mtd2: 03e00000 00020000 "linux"
mtd3: 03c60000 00020000 "rootfs"
mtd4: 04000000 00020000 "ddwrt"
root@EA6900:~#

Source: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=291230&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=165
kernel-panic69
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Posts: 14125
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 0:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
egc wrote:
@kp69, you are not old and senile, you are in the prime of your life Smile

Nice redirect, I feel the love Very Happy Cool

egc wrote:
The "problem" at least with DDWRT and the EA6900 is that if you upgrade via the GUI it writes to linux2 because the router advertises itself as an EA6900 and DDWRT still thinks it has dual partitions and writes to linux2

I think the intention was to flip-flop partitions with every flash(?), but it may be broken(?).

https://svn.dd-wrt.com/browser/src/router/rc/mtd.c#L352

I don't see anything that specifically addresses EA6900 and similar in the webUI upgrade functions, but I trust your judgement (it's probably a call from an mtd write function and I'm just getting too old and senile to see it that quickly Razz ):

https://svn.dd-wrt.com/browser/src/router/httpd/modules/upgrade.c

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noparking247
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2023 14:25    Post subject: Power Outage -- 3 times, ~5 minutes apart Reply with quote
Well crap. This came back.

I really don't understand how DD-WRT can exist at this point but here I am...

Any suggestions?
dale_gribble39
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1899

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2023 15:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you still trying to have FreshTomato and DD-WRT coexist as previously pointed out not to?
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blkt
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Joined: 20 Jan 2019
Posts: 5660

PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2023 15:50    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you asking how to start over clean, reinstall FreshTomato or Xwrt-Vortex with custom bootloader CFE v1.3.0.7?
If so, well maybe someone will help you here with their experience but for the most part this is for a search engine.

About DD-WRT? This is the right place! Linksys EA6900 Install Guide. Lazy solution: EA8500, R7800, XR450/XR500
From what I understand EA6900 with custom CFE combines nvram to 64KB, also only uses one linux boot partition.

Seems linux2 isn't overwritten, but FT CFE Xwrt have different mtd partition layouts. ASUS Recovery? TFTP? Serial?
There is also miniweb server method? Might need old browser such as Firefox 45.9.0. LinksysInfo: one, two, three
baboeska
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Joined: 22 Jun 2011
Posts: 48

PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:57    Post subject: Re: Power Outage -- 3 times, ~5 minutes apart Reply with quote
Windows features > additional programs > tftp
an appropriate tftp line ie tftp 192.168.1.1 put filenamehere.bin in one command prompt ready to go.
Cmd "ping 192.168.1.1 -t" from another, as soon as you see a ping response 100, press enter, if it fails, press up and try again.
Try the different things.
Just had a similar thing moving from fresh tomato to dd-wrt.
If you get it back alive, write dd-wrt to "linux" and "linux2/dd-wrt" and stick to the firmware you prefer, don't mix and match so much.
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