Support for Asus ZenWiFi BT8 Tri-band Wifi7 (Mediatek MT7988)

[Pulver]

MT7988> ubi list
Error, no UBI device selected!
MT7988> ubi list UBI_DEV
Error, no UBI device selected!

[remittor]

@Pulver

Error, no UBI device selected!

ubi part UBI_DEV

[Pulver]

Oh, now we are getting somewhere, thanks

MT7988> ubi part UBI_DEV
ubi0: attaching mtd4
ubi0: scanning is finished
ubi0 error: check_av: bad attaching information, error 1
Volume attaching information dump:
	vol_id         3
	highest_lnum   240
	leb_count      55
	compat         0
	vol_type       3
	used_ebs       0
	last_data_size 0
	data_pad       0
Volume information dump:
	vol_id          3
	reserved_pebs   47
	alignment       1
	data_pad        0
	vol_type        3
	name_len        5
	usable_leb_size 126976
	used_ebs        47
	used_bytes      5967872
	last_eb_bytes   126976
	corrupted       0
	upd_marker      0
	skip_check      0
	name            linux
ubi0 error: ubi_attach_mtd_dev: failed to attach mtd4, error -22
UBI error: cannot attach mtd4
UBI error: cannot initialize UBI, error -22
UBI init error 22
Please check, if the correct MTD partition is used (size big enough?)

But its just the same error as before, right ?

[remittor]

@Pulver

UBI init error 22

Are you have backup of volumes? Or UBI_DEV partition?
Yes => try nand erase UBI_DEV and reset

[Pulver]

I have a backup of the original mtd0 that I have checked with binwalk:

binwalk -B mtd0_bootloader 

DECIMAL       HEXADECIMAL     DESCRIPTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2056          0x808           Mediatek File Info File Type: ARM-Bootloader Flash Type: NAND Sequential Flash Signature Type: PHASH Load Address: 0x200D00 File Length: 252776 Maximum Size: 254824 Content Offset: 0x300 Signature Lenght: 32 Jump Offset: 768 POST_BUILD_DONE
213632        0x34280         xz compressed data
253232        0x3DD30         Flattened device tree, size: 618 bytes, version: 17
2110125       0x2032AD        CRC32 polynomial table, little endian
2111445       0x2037D5        HTML document header
2111717       0x2038E5        HTML document footer
2111849       0x203969        HTML document header
2112667       0x203C9B        HTML document footer
2112693       0x203CB5        HTML document header
2113137       0x203E71        HTML document footer
2113585       0x204031        HTML document header
2114167       0x204277        HTML document footer
2114193       0x204291        HTML document header
2114559       0x2043FF        HTML document footer
2173003       0x21284B        LZO compressed data
2207092       0x21AD74        uImage header, header size: 64 bytes, header CRC: 0x70776D20, created: 2022-11-12 09:59:02, image size: 1768366128 bytes, Data Address: 0x20302031, Entry Point: 0x30303020, data CRC: 0x30007077, image name: "nfig 0 1 1000 0"
2340977       0x23B871        Flattened device tree, size: 10936 bytes, version: 17

This is the file that Daniel said was OK.

Thats enough, right ?

[remittor]

@Pulver

mtdparts=mtdparts=spi-nand0:1024k(BL2),512k(environment),2560k(FIP),-(UBI_DEV)

@Pulver

binwalk -B mtd0_bootloader

As I understand it, your backup is only 4 megabytes?

[Pulver]

Yes, Daniel asked me to send him the mtd0 4mb (bootloader) - I did not backup the others at that time (yes, we know now that I should have done that)

Thanks, tempted to try anyway - it sounds like it could work

[remittor]

@Pulver

I had an idea. Before flashing I saved my MTD0 (with nanddump) and sent it to Daniel - he checked that it was OK.

This is not OK at all! You should have at least backed up the Factory volume.

@Pulver

Is it possible for me to replace current MTD0 on the device with my backup ?

The point would be to be able to use Asus restore tool and get back the original firmware, and test the new methods to flash OpenWRT.

I doubt that the bootloader/RecoverTool can recover the contents of volume Factory.

[Pulver]

I meant that he checked that the bootloader file was dumped the correct way and that the file was OK - not that I made a proper backup of the entire router.

I will wait to see if there is new solution coming - thanks for your help and engagement

[Pulver]

@remittor

I doubt that the bootloader/RecoverTool can recover the contents of volume Factory.

Sorry to bother again, but I realized that I have two options if I try:

nand erase UBI_DEV

and

reset

I have the Asus original firmware file, and the OpenWRT factory file:

The proper way is to upload the OpenWRT factory file with Asus web-restore, then use the OpenWRT sysupgrade file.

Does it sound safer to do it that way ?

BTW - I have already tried the OpenWRT factory file in the current condition on my router but get the same results as with the Asus firmware file.

[daniel]

@Pulver

nand erase UBI_DEV

I don't think that's a good idea. You would loose everything, including calibration data, MAC addresses and so on. Unless you have a backup, it'd be much better to try to recover UBI using OpenWrt's initramfs system.

[Pulver]

OK, thanks

I understand that I have mount it somehow (if it is possible) and maybe delete some parts in it ?
If thats not possible, maybe run some diagnostics and a recovery program ?

I actually have some (simple) nand hardware equipment now and jtag coming so I will probably be able to rescue it somehow someday when I learn how to use the equipment , but I'd rather find a simple solution first (the nand equipment probably dont work with this nand anyway)

Im happy for any suggestions on how to mount and software to use that I can get from anyone

Edit:

And its unfortunate that I saw this easy option (that RolandoMagico was talking about earlier) 2 days too late

But I am doing this to learn so its probably for the best

[Pulver]

For anyone interested in this router - the latest testupdate is probably working just fine.
I have been running it in initramfs mode with wireless for several days without problems.

Im also making some progress in restoring my nand-flash:

I have been able to recreate the problem on my laptop by extracting the ubi file, mounting mtd and ubi but in the end getting the same -22 error, looking for software that can analyze and correct ubi or mtd somehow.

My cheap eeprom/nand/flash equipment turned out to be rather good and I have been extracting, editing and restoring complete backups from other routers. I have found a software compatible with the Asus nand-chip but am having trouble getting connected - so I have ordered a "professional" connector that is for this specified for the size of this chip

[daniel]

@daniel

• Create installer replacing the stock loader (see blogic staging tree) (12 votes, 75%)

16 voters

16 total votes

I've prepared the necessary bits in the asus-bt8-for-installer branch of my staging tree. The installer generator requires the binaries to be available on downloads.openwrt.org, so an installer can only be released after the commits now in my staging tree are merged. In the meantime, when building from source, it is of course possible to generate the installer locally.

GitHub - dangowrt/owrt-ubi-installer at asus-bt8

(README.md, installation video, ... still needs to be done, I hope to get to complete all that during the upcoming weekend)

To try, build OpenWrt, git clone the installer and create a folder dl in the tree of the installer, then copy the build artifacts of the openwrt build from target/linux/mediatek/filogic there. Prevent download and signature validation by patching the script:

diff --git a/build_installer.sh b/build_installer.sh
index 6d13808..5b76867 100755
--- a/build_installer.sh
+++ b/build_installer.sh
@@ -37,19 +37,19 @@ prepare_openwrt_ib() {
 	cd "${INSTALLERDIR}/dl"
 	gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring "${INSTALLERDIR}/openwrt-keyring" --list-key $OPENWRT_PGP 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null || gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring "${INSTALLERDIR}/openwrt-keyring" --keyserver ${KEYSERVER}	--recv-key $OPENWRT_PGP
 	gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring "${INSTALLERDIR}/openwrt-keyring" --list-key $OPENWRT_PGP 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null || exit 0
-	rm -f "sha256sums.asc" "sha256sums"
-	wget "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/sha256sums.asc"
-	wget "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/sha256sums"
-	gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring "${INSTALLERDIR}/openwrt-keyring" --verify sha256sums.asc sha256sums || exit 1
+#	rm -f "sha256sums.asc" "sha256sums"
+#	wget "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/sha256sums.asc"
+#	wget "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/sha256sums"
+#	gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring "${INSTALLERDIR}/openwrt-keyring" --verify sha256sums.asc sha256sums || exit 1
 
 	trap - EXIT
 	rm -rf -- "${GNUPGHOME}"
 	export -n GNUPGHOME
 
 	sha256sum -c sha256sums --ignore-missing || rm -f "$OPENWRT_SYSUPGRADE" "$OPENWRT_IB" "$OPENWRT_INITRD"
-	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_INITRD}"
-	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_SYSUPGRADE}"
-	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_IB}"
+#	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_INITRD}"
+#	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_SYSUPGRADE}"
+#	wget -c "${OPENWRT_TARGET}/${OPENWRT_IB}"
 	sha256sum -c sha256sums --ignore-missing || exit 1
 	mkdir -p "${OPENWRT_DIR}" || exit 1
 	tar -xf "${INSTALLERDIR}/dl/${OPENWRT_IB}" -C "${OPENWRT_DIR}" --strip-components=1

I've tested all that quite a bit now and it seems very solid and robust to me.

[Pulver]

I dont think that this is going to work with my broken nandflash, but I still wanted to compile to see if I could generate the files.

After some initial trouble I got the script going without errors, but the result turned out empty - I assume that 'unfit' only works on x86/64 ? (since its looking for openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst) I changed this in the build_installer.sh manually to openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-aarch64.tar.zst since i used an arm-computer to compile.

Setting up a x64 Ubuntu install as we speak.

[daniel]

If you change the name of the ImageBuilder to aarch64 all should work there as well, including unfit (which is built from source). You will probably need a Linux environment though, WSL2 or Darwin (or any other UNIX) is untested.

[Pulver]

OK, thanks - yes, this is Ubuntu 24.04 (Lenovo X13s)

[romanovj]

I have banana r4 with unstable cpu@3. System works only after removing fourth core from dts. And here is the question: is it possile to activate 4th core (cpu@3) on mt7988d?

[daniel]

@romanovj

is it possile to activate 4th core (cpu@3) on mt7988d?

MT7988D only got three cores. Trying to activate a 4th core (ie. removing /delete-node/ cpu@3; from DT) just results in a warning during boot that the 4th core could not be brought up.

[Pulver]

Hmm, im doing something wrong - the script seems to run OK, but it does not actually make anything ?

./build_installer.sh 
+ set -o errexit
+ set -o nounset
+ set -o pipefail
+ DESTDIR=/home/pulver/asus-bt8
+ OPENWRT_PGP=0x1D53D1877742E911
+ KEYSERVER=keyserver.ubuntu.com
+++ dirname ./build_installer.sh
++ cd .
++ pwd
+ INSTALLERDIR=/home/pulver/asus-bt8
+ OPENWRT_DIR=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib
+ CPIO=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/staging_dir/host/bin/cpio
+ MKIMAGE=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/staging_dir/host/bin/mkimage
+ APK=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/staging_dir/host/bin/apk
+ XZ=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/staging_dir/host/bin/xz
+ UNFIT=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/unfit
+ '[' -x /home/pulver/asus-bt8/unfit ']'
++ git log -1 --pretty=%ct -C /home/pulver/asus-bt8
+ SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1738896436
+ DTC=
+ FILEBASE=
+ WORKDIR=
+ ITSFILE=
+ asus_bt8_installer
+ OPENWRT_TARGET=https://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/targets/mediatek/filogic
+ OPENWRT_IB=openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst
+ OPENWRT_INITRD=openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb
+ OPENWRT_SYSUPGRADE=openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-squashfs-sysupgrade.itb
+ OPENWRT_ADD_REC_PACKAGES=(uhttpd luci-mod-admin-full luci-theme-bootstrap)
+ OPENWRT_REMOVE_PACKAGES=(kmod-mt7996-firmware kmod-mt7996e kmod-mt76-connac kmod-mt76-core kmod-mt7996-firmware mt7988-wo-firmware odhcp6c odhcpd-ipv6only ppp ppp-mod-pppoe wpad-basic-mbedtls)
+ OPENWRT_ADD_PACKAGES=()
+ prepare_openwrt_ib
++ mktemp -d
+ GNUPGHOME=/tmp/tmp.XOwsocsu3R
+ export GNUPGHOME
+ trap 'rm -rf -- "${GNUPGHOME}"' EXIT
+ mkdir -p /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl
+ cd /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl
+ gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-keyring --list-key 0x1D53D1877742E911
+ gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-keyring --list-key 0x1D53D1877742E911
+ trap - EXIT
+ rm -rf -- /tmp/tmp.XOwsocsu3R
+ export -n GNUPGHOME
+ sha256sum -c sha256sums --ignore-missing
config.buildinfo: OK
feeds.buildinfo: OK
mt7981-ram-ddr3-bl2.bin: OK
mt7981-ram-ddr4-bl2.bin: OK
mt7986-ram-ddr3-bl2.bin: OK
mt7986-ram-ddr4-bl2.bin: OK
mt7988-ram-comb-bl2.bin: OK
openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-factory.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-kernel.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8.manifest: OK
profiles.json: OK
version.buildinfo: OK
+ sha256sum -c sha256sums --ignore-missing
config.buildinfo: OK
feeds.buildinfo: OK
mt7981-ram-ddr3-bl2.bin: OK
mt7981-ram-ddr4-bl2.bin: OK
mt7986-ram-ddr3-bl2.bin: OK
mt7986-ram-ddr4-bl2.bin: OK
mt7988-ram-comb-bl2.bin: OK
openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-factory.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-kernel.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin: OK
openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8.manifest: OK
profiles.json: OK
version.buildinfo: OK
+ mkdir -p /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib
+ tar -xf /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-imagebuilder-mediatek-filogic.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst -C /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib --strip-components=1
++ ls -1 /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/build_dir/target-aarch64_cortex-a53_musl/linux-mediatek_filogic/linux-6.6.74/scripts/dtc/dtc
+ DTC=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/build_dir/target-aarch64_cortex-a53_musl/linux-mediatek_filogic/linux-6.6.74/scripts/dtc/dtc
+ '[' -x /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib/build_dir/target-aarch64_cortex-a53_musl/linux-mediatek_filogic/linux-6.6.74/scripts/dtc/dtc ']'
+ make -C /home/pulver/asus-bt8/openwrt-ib info
+ grep 'Default Packages:'
+ grep -q fitblk
+ bundle_initrd recovery /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb
+ local imgtype=recovery
+ shift
+ unfit_image /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb
+ INFILE=/home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb
++ basename /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb 
+ FILEBASE=openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb
++ mktemp -d
+ WORKDIR=/tmp/tmp.wVQ8P80F9a
+ ITSFILE=/tmp/tmp.wVQ8P80F9a/image.its
+ mkdir -p /tmp/tmp.wVQ8P80F9a
+ cd /tmp/tmp.wVQ8P80F9a
+ /home/pulver/asus-bt8/unfit /home/pulver/asus-bt8/dl/openwrt-mediatek-filogic-asus_zenwifi-bt8-initramfs-recovery.itb

There is no recovery.itb created.