DSL-2640T updated like a charm

Support forum for routers of all shapes and sizes. As long as it's router based and doesn't fall into the other categories, this is the place to ask your questions.
Post Reply
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:40 pm

Well, it seems that did not help as well. The AP is down again today when I turned on the router. I double checked the EEPROM values that were working and now they don't. The issue is, even the defragged mtd3 has duplicate values and I ran the script twice or thrice. Is that the reason why it is happening or is this possibly a partition corruption issue?
User avatar
thechief
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 12067
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: England, the Centre of Africa
Contact:

Post by thechief » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:52 pm

Probably a corrupt mtd3. I am not aware of any tool that can clean up a corrupt mtd3 partition, so you're a bit stuck there.
The Chief: :afro: Be sure to read the Firmware FAQ and do a Forum Search before posting!
No support via PM. Ask all questions on the open forum.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:05 pm

thechief wrote:Probably a corrupt mtd3. I am not aware of any tool that can clean up a corrupt mtd3 partition, so you're a bit stuck there.
what about that thread i referenced before? and what if i use the tiupgrade utility or the dlink-firmware fix utility with the "corrupted image mode" option checked?
mstombs
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 3753
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:54 pm

Post by mstombs » Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:46 pm

I'm not sure what is going on here - but something is not right! It seems to me that on cold-boot the router sometimes fails to initialize the wireless card so marks the "NVS_TFTP_LOAD to 1". This maybe a hardware fault in the comms to the wireless card nothing to do with the nvram.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:20 pm

Well, I'd agree with mstombs here. The reason is that normally one needs to set NVS_TFTP_LOAD to 0, such that when the router boots, it should not look for the EEPROM. The issue with my router is something strange. Even if I leave that setting to 1, the AP comes to life at random boots. What could be affecting it? Power, less voltage or a hardware failure?
mstombs
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 3753
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:54 pm

Post by mstombs » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:42 pm

Definitely worth checking/swapping the PSU, they can fail.

I can now also explain why your env cleaned itself up - the router code automatically defrags the env area if it fails to write - found this in the kernel code that handles the writing of to ticfg/env

Code: Select all

		/* write the variable/value pair to flash */
		if(adam2_env_set_variable(pvar, pval) != 0)
		{
			printk(KERN_WARNING "Defragginig environment variable region.\n");
			adam2_env_defrag();
			if( adam2_env_set_variable(pvar, pval) != 0 )
				printk(KERN_ERR "Failed to write %s to environment variable region.\n", pvar);
		}
older adam2 has similar using fixenv.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:11 pm

well, i'll try to switch the external power adapter tomorrow and let you guys know about the results because if the internal psu is failing then there is less i can do but buy a new router :(.

thanks for your help guys.
User avatar
thechief
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 12067
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: England, the Centre of Africa
Contact:

Post by thechief » Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:13 pm

Check the wireless card and ensure that it is well seated (i.e., not a loose connection). This will require opening up the router, and will probably invalidate any warranty that you might have left.
The Chief: :afro: Be sure to read the Firmware FAQ and do a Forum Search before posting!
No support via PM. Ask all questions on the open forum.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:06 am

ok, i'll try that as well.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:35 pm

ok guys, i tried swapping the psu and i opened up the router to check if the AP wire/connection was loose but it seems neither was the case. i think i'm running out of options here :!:
User avatar
thechief
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 12067
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: England, the Centre of Africa
Contact:

Post by thechief » Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:46 pm

What you really need is a clean mtd3 from someone with the same router. But that is not an easy option. The person would first need to reset to factory defaults, then backup the mtd3 partition, download it to hard disk, and send to you. You will then need to copy it over your current mtd3, and then reset the WLAN_EEPROM* variables to the correct ones for your router (from you backed up environment).
The Chief: :afro: Be sure to read the Firmware FAQ and do a Forum Search before posting!
No support via PM. Ask all questions on the open forum.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:43 pm

well, i suggested that earlier because i already have another factory stock DSL-2640T of a close friend. I already know how to backup the mtd3 and bring it to my computer. just let me know how should i go with restoring it to my my router.
User avatar
thechief
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 12067
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: England, the Centre of Africa
Contact:

Post by thechief » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:03 pm

Upload the image to the router's /var directory (you can use WinSCP). Telnet to the router, and run this command (assuming the file is called "mt33.bin"):

Code: Select all

cp /var/mtd3.bin /dev/mtdblock/3
and hope for the best. Reboot the router, and then restore the correct WLAN_EEPROM* variables.
The Chief: :afro: Be sure to read the Firmware FAQ and do a Forum Search before posting!
No support via PM. Ask all questions on the open forum.
MHAQS
Regular
Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:24 pm
Contact:

Post by MHAQS » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:38 am

thechief wrote:Upload the image to the router's /var directory (you can use WinSCP). Telnet to the router, and run this command (assuming the file is called "mt33.bin"):

Code: Select all

cp /var/mtd3.bin /dev/mtdblock/3
and hope for the best. Reboot the router, and then restore the correct WLAN_EEPROM* variables.
got that. one question though, should i use WEB to restore the values or the ones that were in my env from the original firmware, before using WEB or rebuilding them?
User avatar
thechief
RouterTech Team
RouterTech Team
Posts: 12067
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:22 pm
Location: England, the Centre of Africa
Contact:

Post by thechief » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:53 am

The saved working values should be the starting point.
The Chief: :afro: Be sure to read the Firmware FAQ and do a Forum Search before posting!
No support via PM. Ask all questions on the open forum.
Post Reply