Nighthawk MR1100 in Bootloop

[y3King]

Pls my nighthawk m1100 has been in bootloop for the past 2months and i can get it out of bootloop i need a help Rich Hathaway i can see you offer a lot of helpin to people in need here. Thanks in advance

[Rich Hathaway]

If it will go into download mode by holding power with the battery out and hold it while you plug the usb cable in and keep holding power until it shows downloading on the screen, then use one of the spk's to reload it via ftd.

[y3King]

Yes it show downloading mode. Can you pls send link to me and put me thru at least a bit. i can figure out the rest from here. Pls i need your guideline

[Rich Hathaway]

Send you a link to what? if you mean the firmware it is on the web so you don't need me to send you a link to it, do some searching of your own you will find it.
Put your device in download mode and run fdt to load it.
Make sure your pc loads the driver for it before you run it or it will not run/load.

[y3King]

OK. Understood the last time i did that it took forever so i assumed nothing was been done. i had to close it. Tell me how long does it take to get done i have Netgear Original not ATT

[Rich Hathaway]

10 min or less watch your devices screen to see the progress

[y3King]

I've tried everything on it. maybe i'm doing something wrong it won't load. i am using macbook

[Rich Hathaway]

Try on windows

[y3King]

I'll let you to if i make it through. I want to get Window PC first thing

[y3King]

Screen Shot 2022-08-15 at 9.01.49 AM.png

[w1lliam]

you would need to specify the image file with -f option, FDT -f image_file, and seems you did not put image file onto the folder where you launched FDT

[Rich Hathaway]

FDT will automatically search the folder it is called from without the -f option, that option specifies the name of the file in case you have changed it or something, if it is not located in there you can specify the folder with -fd [folder to firmware images].
The problem is likely he does not have the firmware in the same folder he calls fdt up from like w1lliam said.
Below is the help file for FDT for reference.
I include the file for 2 versions as the new version ( FDT version: 5.0.1501.1) is bit difference from the older ones

FDT version: 4.6.2.0

FDT usage:

fdt -o [normal/emergency] -d [9x00/9x15/9x25/9x35/9x45/9x55/g3k/g5k] -fd [folder name] -f [file name 1] [file name 2]
-p [port] -h -a -r -q -sc -force -slot [slot #] -baud [baud rate] -ssdp

-o [normal/emergency]
Specifies the operation type. Must be lower cases. This option is
optional, and if it is omitted, normal is the default setting.
- normal: This is a regular image download.
- emergency: This is an emergency download to an empty device.

-d [9x00/9x15/9x25/9x35/9x45/9x55/g3k/g5k]
Specifies the device type. Must be lower cases. This option is mandatory
for emergency download process, but optional for normal
image download process. If this option is omitted, 9x15 is the
default setting.
- 9x00: This is a 9x00 based device.
- 9x15: This is a 9x15 based device.
- 9x25: This is a 9x25 based device.
- 9x35: This is a 9x35 based device.
- 9x45: This is a 9x45 based device.
- 9x55: This is a 9x55 based device.
- g3k: This is a Gobi3000 device.
- g5k: This is a Gobi5000 device.

-fd [folder to firmware images]
This specifies the folder location of the firmware images. If this
option is omitted, the current folder is used for searching the images.

-f [image file name 1] [image file name 2]
This specifies the image file names (in normal image download).
This option is not required for G3K devices.
If this option is omitted, FDT will search for the image(s) in either
specified folder or the current folder location. If the user specifies
the images, the following rules applied:
For non-Gobi like devices, one image file is required.
For G5K devices, a pair of images (firmware and configuration) is required.
- image file name 1: This is required for normal image download for
9x00 and 9x15 based devices. It can also be used to specify the
spkg image file following the emergency boot loader download for 9x15
based devices. For G5K devices, this indicates the firmware image.
- image file name 2: For G5K devices, this indicates the configuration
image.

-p [<AT:DM:BHold]
2 or 3 serial ports that FDT uses to download firmware.
If omitted, FDT will search for serial ports.
If 2 ports are passed like "COM7:COM10", they are <DM:BHold>
and only the DM port is used to switch the device into BootHold mode
If 3 ports are pased such as "COM8:COM7:COM10", they are <AT:DM:BHold>
and the AT or DM ports are used to switch the device into BootHold mode
2 or 3 ports must be used in conjunction with -force in Gang Download mode.

-a Indicate the automated mode. If not specified, FDT requires user
input by pressing the Enter key to continue at the end.

-r Indicate to skip the final device arrival check after image download.
If not specified, the default is to check at the end.

-q Indicate if reset device is required or not before downloading the
images. In some scenarios, SetImagePreference is done via another
application, FDT is only responsible for downloading the image data.

-sc Final firmware update status check at firmware download completion.
If no specified, the default is not to check update status via QMI.

-force Force download. If specified, both images will be downloaded to
the modem. Must be used with -p in Gang Download mode

-slot [slot #]
Indicate the desired storage slot to store the download image.
This is designed mainly for Gobi devices, and has no effect on other
devices. If omitted, the device will decide the slot to use to store
the image. A valid slot number should be between 1 and 5 inclusive.
An example of usage would be "-slot 2".

-baud [baud rate]
This option specifies the baud rate to use for a specified serial
port. An example of the usage would be "-baud 115200".

-ssdp Indicate FDT to start with SSDP protocol to the device.

-timeout [value]
Impacts two timeouts:
A) wait [value] seconds for modem flashing new firmware.
B) wait 5 minutes + [value] seconds for Total download process.
The default [value] is 120 seconds if this option is missing.
Press Enter to continue ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FDT version: 5.0.1501.1

FDT usage:

fdt -o [normal/emergency] -d [9x00/9x15/9x25/9x30/g3k/g5k] -fd [folder name] -f [file name 1] [file name 2] -p [port]
-h -a -r -q -nsc -force -slot [slot #] -baud [baud rate] -ssdp -multi -reset -timeout [mins] -connectretry [retry #] -co
nnectdelay [delay in seconds] -statuscheckdelay [delay in seconds] -ignswto

-o [normal/emergency]
Specifies the operation type. Must be lower cases. This option is
optional, and if it is omitted, normal is the default setting.
- normal: This is a regular image download.
- emergency: This is an emergency download to an empty device.

-d [9x00/9x15/9x25/9x30/g3k/g5k]
Specifies the device type. Must be lower cases. This option is mandatory
for emergency download process, but optional for normal
image download process. If this option is omitted, 9x15 is the
default setting.
- 9x00: This is a 9x00 based device.
- 9x15: This is a 9x15 based device.
- 9x25: This is a 9x25 based device.
- 9x30: This is a 9x30 based device.
- g3k: This is a Gobi3000 device.
- g5k: This is a Gobi5000 device.

-fd [folder to firmware images]
This specifies the folder location of the firmware images. If this
option is omitted, the current folder is used for searching the images.

-f [image file name 1] [image file name 2]
This specifies the image file names (in normal image download).
This option is not required for G3K devices.
If this option is omitted, FDT will search for the image(s) in either
specified folder or the current folder location. If the user specifies
the images, the following rules applied:
For non-Gobi like devices, one image file is required.
For G5K devices, a pair of images (firmware and configuration) is required.
- image file name 1: This is required for normal image download for
9x00 and 9x15 based devices. It can also be used to specify the
spkg image file following the emergency boot loader download for 9x15
based devices. For G5K devices, this indicates the firmware image.
- image file name 2: For G5K devices, this indicates the configuration
image.

-p [port]
This option specifies the serial port number that the FDU should be
using to perform the firmare download. If omitted, the FDU will search
for the serial ports, and use the first available port for the specified
download purpose. An example of valid port number is "com12".

-a Indicate the automated mode. If not specified, FDT requires user
input by pressing the Enter key to continue at the end.

-r Indicate to skip the final device arrival check after image download.
If not specified, the default is to check at the end.

-q Indicate if reset device is required or not before downloading the
images. In some scenarios, SetImagePreference is done via another
application, FDT is only responsible for downloading the image data.

-nsc No final firmware update status check at firmware download completion.
If no specified, the default is to check update status via QMI.

-force Force download. If specified, both images will be downloaded to
the modem.

-slot [slot #]
Indicate the desired storage slot to store the download image.
This is designed mainly for Gobi devices, and has no effect on other
devices. If omitted, the device will decide the slot to use to store
the image. A valid slot number should be between 1 and 5 inclusive.
An example of usage would be "-slot 2".

-baud [baud rate]
This option specifies the baud rate to use for a specified serial
port. An example of the usage would be "-baud 115200".

-ssdp Indicate FDT to start with SSDP protocol to the device.

-reset Reset device only.

-timeout [mins]
Time out in minutes for the total download process.

-connectretry [retry #]
Total number of retries when connecting to device failed.
An example of usage would be "-connectretry 150".

-connectdelay [delay in seconds]
Seconds of delay before connecting to device when checking
FW update status. An example of usage would be
"-connectdelay 10" for delaying 10 seconds.

-statuscheckdelay [delay in seconds]
Seconds of delay before checking update status
An example of usage would be "-statuscheckdelay 10"
for delaying 10 seconds.

-ignswto Ignore switching to boot&hold mode time out error

Press Enter to continue ...

[y3King]

Screen Shot 2022-08-22 at 10.14.05 PM.png

[Rich Hathaway]

Its telling you what is wrong, your port is not available, if it does not have a port how can it load your device?
I assume this means your pc is not loading the driver for it, or it could be the device has a damaged usb port, or maybe you are using a charge-only cable, you will have to figure this out and make the port available for it to work.
Look in your device manager go to the network adapter tab to see if the driver is loading it should be
either RNDIS or Remote NDIS

[facimilies]

hi, ive got the same issue, when flashing my mr1100-100EUS it flashes and says successful then just sits in bootloop infinatley, does anyone have the exact command for my device to flash with fdt ? for example .\fdt firmware.spk -p AT:DM:Bhold - force ect ect ?? or even a fix ? i only flashed the device because it wasnt putting out a wifi signal and i couldnt connect to the router with http://192.168.1.1 no matter how i tried, ethernet, usb c to usb c, usb to usb c manuelly entering the wifi and couldnt connect with putty either even though i know it used to work.

so i flashed and no its in bootloop, any ideas ?

[Rich Hathaway]

For anyone reading this, do not try to load firmware to a working device and by working device I mean a device that boots up and especially one that has service, if you have an issue like @facimilies you do not need to try to reload your device or you will likely be here with the same issue.
Issues like cannot open the admin page or wifi is not working or data is not fast enough or most any other issues, if your device boots up and runs you will only likely do damage trying to load it, to fix issues like this does not require firmware, it is always something else so get on here and ask before trying to load firmware to it and getting it borked.
You were asking for a correct command but that would require more information from you like what image you are trying to load, and I assume you are using windows since you did not call it swiflash <--the name for the version that can run on Linux.

starteus.rar

there is a batch file for your device, I had to rar it for the forum to accept so you will have to unrar it to use it and possibly change the file name if yours is not the same, put it in the same folder as your firmware file and the fdt.exe, if it still wont load after that it prob will need to be erased back to 0 and then recovered with a byte by byte load.

[facimilies]

so that's basically what i did manually but i did try to bat file still no luck. is it possible for you could give me instructions on how to recover with byte by byte load? oh and the bat file worked smoothly and flashed ect but once it booted it was still in the boot loop. thanks in advance.

also as for the image its the stock image from Netgear, and yeah windows as for your above info it was basically the same as it is now because there was no internet connection or wifi output or anything and I couldn't connect to the router IP so yeah it was as good as a brick anyway. also no putty either so yeah.

[Rich Hathaway]

also as for the image its the stock image from Netgear

They made more than one image

That spk you have for it cannot be used in a byte by byte type of load. why dont you try to look around for a different spk for it, there are some out there on the web, you can use the AUS or NAS on it also.

[facimilies]

great so stock nas from netgear or ? also is this cmd what you mean by byte by byte load ? fdt

fdt -o emergency -f 100NAS_23113828_NTG9x50C_12.06.11.00_00_GenericNA_05.03.secc.spk -force -r -p AT:DM:Bhold ?

[Rich Hathaway]

No that type of load does not use FDT, it uses a patched loader instead that would look something like
ENPRG9x55.mbn &/or NPRG9x55.mbn the E for emergency (9008), the N for normal or dl mode(900E), or similar, it is a binary file sent to the device that handshakes it and tells it to get ready to accept
some firmware images either in single partition form or a complete all-in-one type of image containing all partitions that write it from 0 to 7ff.
These type of images have to be made for it nothing like this has been released or leaked from netgear.

[Hogwild]

Rich:

How reliable a process is reflashing an MR1100 with firmware this way? Does it ever fail? Does it matter which firmware is currently on the machine? I'm guessing not, since it isn't fully loading to do the flash?

[Rich Hathaway]

If you mean a byte by byte load it is extremely reliable if the person loading it knows what they are doing, there are some variables to deal with such as bad blocks and markers in the input file and such but if done correctly it is almost 100% success rate.
fdt not so much, there are a few keys that can accommodate some certain circumstances but it is I would say not near as reliable of a process and with minimal error handling built into fdt.

[tokarool]

@Rich Hathaway my MR1100-100EUS restart and booting. I tried upload firmware but not sure it's happened? (screen in attachment) but on screen i saw status bar progress till finish anyways still not working :/ What can do with that?

[Rich Hathaway]

Try a diff spk

[tokarool]

@Rich Hathaway i tryied:
MR1100-100EUS_23113509_NTG9x50C_12.06.11.00_00_Generic_10.03.secc.spk
and
MR1100-100EUS_23113509_NTG9x50C_12.06.03.00_00_Generic_05.01.secc.spk
from
https://www.netgear.com/support/downloa ... =MR1100EUS

Same result, do you have any diff ones?

[Rich Hathaway]

Look around on the web there a few diff ones out there try one of the NAS ones

[Klaus4]

same issue here I tried some spks. is it because of the drivers? Or Windows 7/10? I can exclude Zoomtext. it is not the problem with the screenenlager

the problem is that the wheel after the Netgearlogo turns and turns more than two hours

like this

[Rich Hathaway]

If no FDT will work then likely somehow you broke the bootchain and need a full load from emergency mode (9008)

[Klaus4]

If no FDT will work then likely somehow you broke the bootchain and need a full load from emergency mode (9008)

how can i get this emergency mode [9008] with Windows 7?

Thanks

[tokarool]

@Rich Hathaway


Is my firmware update process. I tryied:
MR1100-1EEEUS_23113575_NTG9x50C_12.06.03.00_00_EEUK_04.01.secc.spk
MR1100-100EUS_23113509_NTG9x50C_12.06.03.00_00_Generic_05.01.secc.spk
MR1100-100EUS_23113509_NTG9x50C_12.06.11.00_00_Generic_10.03.secc.spk
MR1100-100NAS_23113828_NTG9x50C_12.05.05.00_00_GenericNA_01.02.secc.spk
MR1100-100NAS_23113828_NTG9x50C_12.06.11.00_00_GenericNA_05.03.secc.spk

All this with this same result looping at Boot... @Rich Hathaway you mention on previous post "full load from emergency mode (9008)" how to do this? is frome *.spk file?

[Rich Hathaway]

Read this thread

[Klaus4]

Can you please give me the commandline for this with Zoomtext 400% is it hard to read all the postings correctly.

Thanks

[tokarool]

No that type of load does not use FDT, it uses a patched loader instead that would look something like
ENPRG9x55.mbn &/or NPRG9x55.mbn the E for emergency (9008), the N for normal or dl mode(900E), or similar, it is a binary file sent to the device that handshakes it and tells it to get ready to accept
some firmware images either in single partition form or a complete all-in-one type of image containing all partitions that write it from 0 to 7ff.
These type of images have to be made for it nothing like this has been released or leaked from netgear.

I understood you mean this? So I cant do nothing with my mr1100 is brick?

[Rich Hathaway]

I can recover it for you but you would have to mail it to me, that type of load can not be done over network, it would take a couple of days to complete it like that, even with a good fiber connection.

[Klaus4]

Send it from Austria to USA i Thinks its to expensive. I have a 400 mbit stable connection.

[tokarool]

@Rich Hathaway I am from EU too... if massage about mail it was to me becouse you not confirm is brick? Can I do something else?

[Klaus4]

@Rich Hathaway I am from EU too... if massage about mail it was to me becouse you not confirm is brick? Can I do something else?

where exactly?

[Rich Hathaway]

@Rich Hathaway I am from EU too... if massage about mail it was to me becouse you not confirm is brick? Can I do something else?

It was to the people in this forum, not any one person.
I just offer to help you recover your device but you would have to get it to me I cannot load it like this over network, I cannot tie up a pc for that long, I am in Kansas in the USA not EU.

[Klaus4]

If ill send it to you how long would it take to recover it?

Bye the way how far from the Speedway. Maybe friends willtravel the Nascarrace

[Rich Hathaway]

about an hour to recover it, and I am less than an hour from the speedway

[Klaus4]

Ok ill contact you later via skype

[tokarool]

@Rich Hathaway I am from EU too... if massage about mail it was to me becouse you not confirm is brick? Can I do something else?

It was to the people in this forum, not any one person.
I just offer to help you recover your device but you would have to get it to me I cannot load it like this over network, I cannot tie up a pc for that long, I am in Kansas in the USA not EU.

There is not any other solution? I know you have know-how but I cant do this on my computer? I can do solidering hardware if needed but I think is more software issue (so why I can do on my own). Rich thank you for all you help @Klaus4 I am from Poland

[Rich Hathaway]

To put it bluntly, The firmware I made for it I am not sharing, at some point I will be done using/selling it and at that point I will post it for the community to have freely, but for now, I am still making custom builds based on it and selling recovery services so I am not ready to give it away to anyone.
To answer your other question, you asked-

I know you have know-how but I cant do this on my computer?

You can surely do it on your pc, well Linux machine is more like it but it is much more than one can type out in a forum post.

[krzaknet]

@tokarool I have same problem, tried every single spk available on Netgear's site and ends the same - boot loop.

[GeauxQue]

@tokarool I have same problem, tried every single spk available on Netgear's site and ends the same - boot loop.

mine just started lastnight

[tokarool]

@tokarool I have same problem, tried every single spk available on Netgear's site and ends the same - boot loop.

mine just started lastnight

just like that? on what firmware? did you flashed something?

[mrmuse1155]

Rich Hathaway How do I contact you for service/price info? Firmware update bricked my MR1100? Can you email me? I'm in Missouri.

[Rich Hathaway]

https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?t=2696