Belkin RT3200 Stuck in Recovery Mode can only force upgrade (which all fail)

[YourTheFinestIveEverKnown]

Initially I ran the 23.05.0 and got nothing after the reboot. I thought it was because I uploaded the unsigned 23.05.0 build.
Did a reset and the recovery mode comes back. Tried the latest signed build but was greeted by:

[ Wed Mar 27 02:17:10 UTC 2024 upgrade: Image metadata not present Wed Mar 27 02:17:10 UTC 2024 upgrade: Use sysupgrade -F to override this check when downgrading or flashing to vendor firmware Invalid image type. Image check failed.

The uploaded image file does not contain a supported format. Make sure that you choose the generic image format for your platform.

Image check failed:

Wed Mar 27 02:17:10 UTC 2024 upgrade: Image metadata not present Wed Mar 27 02:17:10 UTC 2024 upgrade: Use sysupgrade -F to override this check when downgrading or flashing to vendor firmware Invalid image type. Image check failed.

Force upgrade

Select 'Force upgrade' to flash the image even if the image format check fails. Use only if you are sure that the firmware is correct and meant for your device!](url)

-The time was default (1970...etc) at first, don't know if that even matters. So I thought it could be that, but after a time sync it's still not liking the signed firmwares and I'm still having the same problem. Forcing an upgrade, router doesn't respond, I do a factory reset and get back into WRT Recovery to try again.

-So far I tried 23.05.0 signed, 22.03.3 signed, and 22.03.1 signed, but getting the same message shown above. I tried to force the upgrade on each of these versions but it doesn't work.

I'm obviously still missing something. Do I need to find out the Hardware Rev. of this unit?

[drew7721]

I'm running in the same issue. Here are the STR:

• Latest original firmware 1.1.x (the one with the annoying persistent setup wizard and super complex password requirements) - **not on 1.2.x but the latest 1.1.x)
• I tried the initramfs-recovery-installer.itb _v1.1.1) - did not work ❌
• Then I tried the initramfs-recovery-installer-signed.itb v1.1.1 - it worked ✅ (since it seems latest original firmware on v1.1.x requires signed - linksys does not care about semantic versioning)
• then I installed openwrt-mediatek-mt7622-linksys_e8450-ubi-squashfs-sysupgrade.itb from release v1.1.1
  • at this point Luci UI is gone but I have DHCP and SSH working
  • I SSH in and seem to have two UBI mounts

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "bl2"
mtd1: 07f80000 00020000 "ubi"

uhttpd not running, no Luci

root@OpenWrt:/etc/sysctl.d# netstat -anpt
Active Internet connections (servers and established)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address           Foreign Address         State       PID/Program name
tcp        0      0 192.168.1.1:53          0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:53            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:22              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      1442/dropbear
tcp        0    196 192.168.1.1:22          192.168.1.101:50436     ESTABLISHED 2559/dropbear
tcp        0      0 fdf0:bd6b:a693::1:53    :::*                    LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 ::1:53                  :::*                    LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 fe80::daec:5eff:fe44:4e9c:53 :::*                    LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 fe80::daec:5eff:fe44:4e9c:53 :::*                    LISTEN      2285/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 :::22                   :::*                    LISTEN      1442/dropbear
root@OpenWrt:/etc/sysctl.d# ubus call system board
{
        "kernel": "6.1.79",
        "hostname": "OpenWrt",
        "system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
        "model": "Linksys E8450 (UBI)",
        "board_name": "linksys,e8450-ubi",
        "rootfs_type": "squashfs",
        "release": {
                "distribution": "OpenWrt",
                "version": "SNAPSHOT",
                "revision": "r25361-a86ff06d2e",
                "target": "mediatek/mt7622",
                "description": "OpenWrt SNAPSHOT r25361-a86ff06d2e"
        }
}

I think this is where I messed up...

I should have gotten this one: https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/?version=23.05.3&target=mediatek%2Fmt7622&id=linksys_e8450-ubi and maybe use the "Attended system upgrade"??

Instead, I downloaded the latest version from here:
https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/?version=23.05.3&target=mediatek%2Fmt7622&id=linksys_e8450
This is not the UBI version 🤦🏻‍♂️

I installed the non UBI version by using ssh (scp did not work) and sysupgrade.

Now I have Luci working but it's under initramfs mode..

I tried installing the correct UBI version through Luci UI but still stuck in initramfs mode.

Now I get this with cat /proc/mtd and ubus call system board

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /proc/mtd
dev:    size   erasesize  name
mtd0: 00080000 00020000 "Preloader"
mtd1: 00040000 00020000 "ATF"
mtd2: 00080000 00020000 "u-boot"
mtd3: 00080000 00020000 "u-boot-env"
mtd4: 00100000 00020000 "factory"
mtd5: 00020000 00020000 "devinfo"
mtd6: 00020000 00020000 "senv"
mtd7: 00020000 00020000 "bootseq"
mtd8: 01e00000 00020000 "firmware1"
mtd9: 01e00000 00020000 "firmware2"
mtd10: 01900000 00020000 "data"
mtd11: 01400000 00020000 "mfg"

root@OpenWrt:~# ubus call system board
{
  "kernel": "5.15.150",
  "hostname": "OpenWrt",
  "system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
  "model": "Linksys E8450",
  "board_name": "linksys,e8450",
  "rootfs_type": "initramfs",
  "release": {
       "distribution": "OpenWrt",
       "version": "23.05.3",
       "revision": "r23809-234f1a2efa",
       "target": "mediatek/mt7622",
       "description": "OpenWrt 23.05.3 r23809-234f1a2efa"
  }
}

On the openwrt forum there is a thread Linksys E8450 stuck in initramfs where is suggested to do:

cat /sys/fs/pstore/*
rm /sys/fs/pstore/*
reboot

I've tried that but that directory is empty.

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /sys/fs/pstore/*
cat: can't open '/sys/fs/pstore/*': No such file or directory

I've also tried running echo c > /proc/sysrq-trigger - this reboots the router and resets configurations but now running the cat command shows this:

Panic#1 Part1
<7>[    2.343631] pcieport 0000:00:00.0: saving config space at offset 0x2c (reading 0x0)
<7>[    2.351295] pcieport 0000:00:00.0: saving config space at offset 0x30 (reading 0x0)
<7>[    2.358971] pcieport 0000:00:00.0: saving config space at offset 0x34 (reading 0x50)
<7>[    2.366735] pcieport 0000:00:00.0: saving config space at offset 0x38 (reading 0x0)
<7>[    2.374412] pcieport 0000:00:00.0: saving config space at offset 0x3c (reading 0x20192)
<6>[    2.383435] mtk-pcie 1a145000.pcie: host bridge /pcie@1a145000 ranges:
<7>[    2.390015] mtk-pcie 1a145000.pcie: Parsing ranges property...
<6>[    2.395896] mtk-pcie 1a145000.pcie:      MEM 0x0028000000..0x002fffffff -> 0x0028000000
<6>[    2.621674] mtk-pcie 1a145000.pcie: Port1 link down
<6>[    2.626754] mtk-pcie 1a145000.pcie: PCI host bridge to bus 0001:00
<6>[    2.632961] pci_bus 0001:00: root bus resource [bus 00-ff]
<6>[    2.638449] pci_bus 0001:00: root bus resource [mem 0x28000000-0x2fffffff]
<7>[    2.645330] pci_bus 0001:00: scanning bus
<7>[    2.651129] pci_bus 0001:00: fixups for bus
<7>[    2.655317] pci_bus 0001:00: bus scan returning with max=00
<6>[    2.661517] mtk_hsdma 1b007000.dma-controller: MediaTek HSDMA driver registered
<6>[    2.736050] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00: configuring for fixed/2500base-x link mode
<6>[    2.745340] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00: Link is Up - 2.5Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[    2.754298] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan1 (uninitialized): PHY [mt7530-0:00] driver [MediaTek MT7531 PHY] (irq=147)
<6>[    2.775122] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan2 (uninitialized): PHY [mt7530-0:01] driver [MediaTek MT7531 PHY] (irq=148)
<6>[    2.795468] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan3 (uninitialized): PHY [mt7530-0:02] driver [MediaTek MT7531 PHY] (irq=149)
<6>[    2.815810] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4 (uninitialized): PHY [mt7530-0:03] driver [MediaTek MT7531 PHY] (irq=150)
<6>[    2.836351] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 wan (uninitialized): PHY [mt7530-0:04] driver [MediaTek MT7531 PHY] (irq=151)
<6>[    2.847637] DSA: tree 0 setup
<5>[    2.851420] UBI: auto-attach mtd10
<5>[    2.854870] ubi0: default fastmap pool size: 10
<5>[    2.859397] ubi0: default fastmap WL pool size: 5
<5>[    2.864103] ubi0: attaching mtd10
<5>[    2.924823] ubi0: scanning is finished
<3>[    2.928599] ubi0 error: 0xffffffc00855fefc: the layout volume was not found
<3>[    2.935635] ubi0 error: 0xffffffc008563b78: failed to attach mtd10, error -22
<3>[    2.943130] UBI error: cannot attach mtd10
<6>[    2.948381] Freeing unused kernel memory: 448K
<6>[    2.981658] Run /init as init process
<7>[    2.985317]   with arguments:
<7>[    2.988275]     /init
<7>[    2.990539]   with environment:
<7>[    2.993687]     HOME=/
<7>[    2.996039]     TERM=linux
<14>[    3.192012] init: Console is alive
<14>[    3.195542] init: - watchdog -
<14>[    3.202376] kmodloader: loading kernel modules from /etc/modules-boot.d/*
<14>[    3.212602] kmodloader: done loading kernel modules from /etc/modules-boot.d/*
<14>[    3.229324] init: - preinit -
<6>[    3.298684] mtk_soc_eth 1b100000.ethernet eth0: configuring for fixed/2500base-x link mode
<6>[    3.307177] mtk_soc_eth 1b100000.ethernet eth0: Link is Up - 2.5Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[    3.314160] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan1: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[    3.323743] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
<14>[    5.395197] procd: - early -
<14>[    5.398170] procd: - watchdog -
<14>[    5.936378] procd: - watchdog -
<14>[    5.939903] procd: - ubus -
<14>[    5.996256] procd: - init -
<14>[    6.179868] kmodloader: loading kernel modules from /etc/modules.d/*
<6>[    6.188956] Loading modules backported from Linux version v6.1.24-0-g0102425ac76b
<6>[    6.196481] Backport generated by backports.git v5.15.92-1-44-gd6ea70fafd36
<6>[    6.245622] mt7622-wmac 18000000.wmac: Invalid MAC address, using random address a2:34:b8:14:44:df
<7>[    6.262735] ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
<6>[    6.292098] mt7622-wmac 18000000.wmac: HW/SW Version: 0x8a108a10, Build Time: 20190801210006a
<6>[    6.292098]
<6>[    6.308133] PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
<6>[    6.321879] NET: Registered PF_PPPOX protocol family
<6>[    6.323954] mt7622-wmac 18000000.wmac: N9 Firmware Version: _reserved_, Build Time: 20220630094834
<14>[    6.340205] kmodloader: done loading kernel modules from /etc/modules.d/*
<14>[    6.432718] urngd: v1.0.2 started.
<6>[   14.126484] mtk_soc_eth 1b100000.ethernet eth0: Link is Down
<6>[   14.145384] mtk_soc_eth 1b100000.ethernet eth0: configuring for fixed/2500base-x link mode
<6>[   14.154292] mtk_soc_eth 1b100000.ethernet eth0: Link is Up - 2.5Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[   14.163287] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
<6>[   14.174922] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan1: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[   14.187678] br-lan: port 1(lan1) entered blocking state
<6>[   14.193008] br-lan: port 1(lan1) entered disabled state
<6>[   14.202351] device lan1 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[   14.206992] device eth0 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[   14.229127] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan2: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[   14.239704] br-lan: port 2(lan2) entered blocking state
<6>[   14.245033] br-lan: port 2(lan2) entered disabled state
<6>[   14.252971] device lan2 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[   14.268524] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan3: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[   14.281475] br-lan: port 3(lan3) entered blocking state
<6>[   14.286803] br-lan: port 3(lan3) entered disabled state
<6>[   14.295380] device lan3 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[   14.308063] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[   14.321753] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered blocking state
<6>[   14.326995] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered disabled state
<6>[   14.334822] device lan4 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[   14.348669] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 wan: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[   17.583792] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[   17.591812] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered blocking state
<6>[   17.597052] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered forwarding state
<6>[   17.603224] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): br-lan: link becomes ready
<6>[   17.955395] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 wan: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[   17.963346] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wan: link becomes ready
<6>[  121.405464] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.415007] device lan1 left promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.419491] br-lan: port 1(lan1) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.459276] device lan2 left promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.463840] br-lan: port 2(lan2) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.498161] device lan3 left promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.502724] br-lan: port 3(lan3) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.579268] device lan4 left promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.583932] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.643580] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4: Link is Down
<6>[  121.650150] device eth0 left promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.808452] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan1: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[  121.818681] br-lan: port 1(lan1) entered blocking state
<6>[  121.824020] br-lan: port 1(lan1) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.831122] device lan1 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.835847] device eth0 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.849744] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan2: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[  121.859876] br-lan: port 2(lan2) entered blocking state
<6>[  121.865151] br-lan: port 2(lan2) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.871941] device lan2 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.883047] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan3: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[  121.893399] br-lan: port 3(lan3) entered blocking state
<6>[  121.898629] br-lan: port 3(lan3) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.905562] device lan3 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.916796] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4: configuring for phy/gmii link mode
<6>[  121.927061] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered blocking state
<6>[  121.932324] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered disabled state
<6>[  121.939326] device lan4 entered promiscuous mode
<6>[  121.946952] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered blocking state
<6>[  121.952222] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered forwarding state
<6>[  122.451497] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered disabled state
<6>[  125.107018] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:00 lan4: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
<6>[  125.115059] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered blocking state
<6>[  125.120297] br-lan: port 4(lan4) entered forwarding state
<4>[  264.214150] mtdblock: MTD device 'mfg' is NAND, please consider using UBI block devices instead.
<6>[ 1746.476788] sysrq: Trigger a crash
<0>[ 1746.480222] Kernel panic - not syncing: sysrq triggered crash
<2>[ 1746.485968] SMP: stopping secondary CPUs
<0>[ 1746.489903] Kernel Offset: disabled
<0>[ 1746.493388] CPU features: 0x0,00001000,00000802
<0>[ 1746.497921] Memory Limit: none

I've tried deleting and rebooting and still nothing.

Is there anything that can be done to fix this? I've ran out of clues and knowledge on how to fix this.

🆘 Help!!

[mrkiko]

There is a kind of barrier between 32.x and snapshot.
In partcular, the installer has been modified in the aim of more reliability.
It's won0t help probably to repat some informations here - it makes more sense to look at the README.md file.

[drew7721]

OK, I've managed to fix this. These are the steps:

• ssh into router
• run echo c > /proc/sysrq-trigger
• Router reboots (you will no be in the UBI mode)
• Upload firmware from 1.1.1 openwrt-mediatek-mt7622-linksys_e8450-ubi-squashfs-sysupgrade.itb
• Router reboots (no-luci)
• From https://firmware-selector.openwrt.org/ download UBI version Snapshot but use custom build to get luci
• Download sysupgrade file (name it sysupgrade.itb for short)
• Use scp to upload file to router ssh [email protected] "cat > /tmp/sysupgrade.itb" < ./sysupgrade.itb
• ssh into router and run sysupgrade -v /tmp/sysupgrade.itb
• Router restarts
• Login to Luci and you're good to go!