MI424WR Rev. D Factory Restore Issues

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nq4t
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Mar 2023
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 16:10    Post subject: MI424WR Rev. D Factory Restore Issues Reply with quote
Hi all,

I spent about 3 or 4 hours working on this last night before I gave up...so I'm hoping someone can provide assistance.

I put dd-wrt on my old MI424WR Rev. D a few years ago. I no longer have a need for it as a dd-wrt device and have more need for it as a MoCA bridge; so I'm attempting to flash the original firmware back on to it.

I have:

    rb-mi424wr-RAM.img
    my original firmware dump


Additionally, the MD5SUM of my -RAM.img file matches what I've seen on various Wiki's detailing these instructions.

I have no problem getting Redboot console access over telnet. It accepts the img file over TFTP. The problem happens after I issue
Code:
go
to execute. I lose the telnet console connection and I'm not able to initiate another. I found instructions somewhere that mentioned my PC's IP needed to be 192.168.1.3; but that did not gain me anything.

I attempted to load the ram image using the
Code:
load -h 192.168.1.3 -r -b %{FREEMEMLO} rb-mi424wr-RAM.img
option described in the redboot upgrade. This resulted in the red LED disappearing and no telnet console connection.

My last step was to hook in to the serial console port. I set the connection to 115200 8N1, but the display was just garbage. I tried several additional port speeds, bit options, and character encodings. Output is displayed after running the original
Code:
load -h
command; but since I can't seem to decode it I have no clue what it is.

When I attempt to set the baudrate in normal redboot (which likely doesn't matter since the RAM image would use it's own default); it indicates the current rate is unknown, and takes so long to respond it times out. I can pre-enter the 'y' to accept the changes, get the prompt to write it to the flash; but it apparently does not take. Upon reboot it just indicates unknown baud rate and my serial console is just spitting out garbage.

Anyone have any ideas?
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dale_gribble39
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1889

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 18:47    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seems as if the information is incomplete, or neither of us are following correctly. The second session after you issue the go is to flash another file, not the RAM.bin file as best I understand it. Is the file you're supposed to load your original flash dump or the stock firmware ROM file... that is the question, I s'pose 🤔

Restore MI424WR Firmware?

Please help me whit my actiontec

DD-WRT Wiki » Actiontec MI424WR

Old OpenWrt Wiki » Table of Hardware » Actiontec » Actiontec MI424WR

OpenWRT Wiki » Table of Hardware » Actiontec » Actiontec MI424WR

_________________
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"I am one of the noticeable ones - notice me" - Dale Frances McKenzie Bozzio

<fact>code knows no gender</fact>

This is me, knowing I've ruffled your feathers, and not giving a ****
Some people are still hard-headed.

--------------------------------------
Mac Pro (Mid 2012) - Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5645 processors 64GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM OpenSUSE Leap 15.5
nq4t
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Mar 2023
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 21:54    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, you have to load the RAM image to flash original firmware.

What happens is after issuing go to execute the second session...is nothing. I can't get to the point to flash the factory image.
dale_gribble39
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1889

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 1:29    Post subject: Reply with quote
Did you wait (at least) 5-10 minutes (if not 30 minutes) to see if you could reconnect afterwards?
_________________
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"I am one of the noticeable ones - notice me" - Dale Frances McKenzie Bozzio

<fact>code knows no gender</fact>

This is me, knowing I've ruffled your feathers, and not giving a ****
Some people are still hard-headed.

--------------------------------------
Mac Pro (Mid 2012) - Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5645 processors 64GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM OpenSUSE Leap 15.5
nq4t
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Mar 2023
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 1:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
dale_gribble39 wrote:
Did you wait (at least) 5-10 minutes (if not 30 minutes) to see if you could reconnect afterwards?


Yes. I could see garbage come across the serial console after execution...but since the baud rate seems to be unknown I couldn't tell what it was saying.

I put a bid on on a Rev I. If I win it I'll just toss the Rev. D in the trash.
dale_gribble39
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1889

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 14:14    Post subject: Reply with quote
The only time you worry about baud rate is serial, not for telnet. So, I don't know what you're doing.
_________________
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"I am one of the noticeable ones - notice me" - Dale Frances McKenzie Bozzio

<fact>code knows no gender</fact>

This is me, knowing I've ruffled your feathers, and not giving a ****
Some people are still hard-headed.

--------------------------------------
Mac Pro (Mid 2012) - Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5645 processors 64GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM OpenSUSE Leap 15.5
blkt
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 20 Jan 2019
Posts: 5650

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 15:45    Post subject: Reply with quote
Try another terminal emulator; if PuTTY see thread USB to TTL Tips - HOW TO FIX Garbage/Garbled PuTTY output.
TTL-232R-RPI, FTDI USB to TTL serial 3.3V, Adafruit 954 recommend FT232RL/Q or CP2102 and avoid counterfeits.

If you have an EOL Prolific adapter or clone try to disconnect ground just before power on, or maybe an old driver.
Never connect the 5V line. Never connect the 5V line. Never connect the 5V line...Baud rate is known 115200 8N1.
dale_gribble39
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2022
Posts: 1889

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 17:18    Post subject: Reply with quote
The methodology to handle this router does not use direct serial access, never has. Which is why I can't understand why the discussion of baud rates and other such irrelevant information.
_________________
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"I am one of the noticeable ones - notice me" - Dale Frances McKenzie Bozzio

<fact>code knows no gender</fact>

This is me, knowing I've ruffled your feathers, and not giving a ****
Some people are still hard-headed.

--------------------------------------
Mac Pro (Mid 2012) - Two 2.4GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5645 processors 64GB 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM OpenSUSE Leap 15.5
blkt
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 20 Jan 2019
Posts: 5650

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 18:00    Post subject: Reply with quote
Does OP still have Telnet access, or no? TFTPD: tftpd64.464.zip, tftpd32.464.zip (tftpd64.452.zip, tftpd32.452.zip)
nq4t
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 23 Mar 2023
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 18:20    Post subject: Reply with quote
blkt wrote:
Try another terminal emulator...
Never connect the 5V line. Never connect the 5V line. Never connect the 5V line...Baud rate is known 115200 8N1.


I have Putty and RealTerm. This is not my first rodeo dealing with serial devices.

I was not aware of the VT100 line drawing thing causing garbled output. This seems like it would fix seeing some garbled output amongst actual text.

I will try some of those suggestions though just in case it is something stupid.

dale_gribble39 wrote:
The methodology to handle this router does not use direct serial access, never has. Which is why I can't understand why the discussion of baud rates and other such irrelevant information.


In the absence of telnet access it would still allow me to issue commands...or more importantly....view the output while executing the ram.img so I can see if there's a failure or just inability to hit it via telnet due to needing specific network configurations. So far I've found info saying the ram image puts it on 192.168.1.1 and expects your PC to be 192.168.1.3, but that configuration has failed.

blkt wrote:
Does OP still have Telnet access, or no?


I can still get in to the Redboot ROM version via Telnet...that hasn't failed. It's just getting back in after issuing the go command after loading the ram img.

I have TFTP taken care of.
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