TM-1900 still showing after RT-AC68U firmware took

For those that had your 68U rolled back to t-mo.. you have a problem with step 5,6, and 7. in this bayareatechpros guide.
Simply put, it just wont work.

So you follow the guide suggested at the guide. " Directions for rolling back to AC68 after AC1900 rollback:"
comment-1665
Direct Google Docs Link
Mega.nz Mirror
(Thank you SmithB)

You go to a link and follow directions. Where to start?
First things first,
Step 1 of this http://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/  guide it has a link for WinSCP, Putty, and a File Archiver (click this link for ez) - download that.. It contains Putty and 'PeaZip'
Step 3 says Download 'this file'. that contains firmware + "mtd-write"
* You will also need "384.21045"  firmware (for the very last part of this page) from :   (thank you: znnopy dog says 2018/06/01 at 7:31 AM)  http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/FW_RT_AC68U_300438421045.ZIP

When you download, you will be downloading "Ninite.." install it, it installs the things you need.
Every file that needed to be unzipped, I right click and chose properties to see what it was zipped as.. ( I have so many files zipped for this router, it gets confusing.. some say 7z some say Pea some are WinRAR ) I was picky and chose that program to unzip it eliminating everything that can make this router not work :P ( old versions of zipping programs etc.. BAH!)
WHEN you get to unzipping the "tmo2ac68u.rar" inside will be files.. one is "mtdwrite" - open this file and you find another rar file called " mtd-write-armV2 " You MUST unzip this as well ( with Pea)
NOTE: This mtd-write is a larger version of mtd-write files floating around. It is: Size 716 KB (733,422 bytes) I believe, make sure it is not: Size 511 KB (523,364 bytes) You want the larger size 'V2' version.
So you are unzipping  files. tmo2ac68u.rar and inside it, mtd-write-armV2.rar. (and in the END, FW_RT_AC68U_300438421045)


WHAT DIRECTIONS TO USE IN THE " Directions for rolling back to AC68 after AC1900 rollback:"
I tried to do the "No CFE USB Instructions" , ( I do have the origional_cfe.bin but wanted to try this method first)
It didn't work.  It might work for you.. Try it!


What directions I found that worked
I did the "USB Instructions" with CFE method found here:  https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/#comment-1665  after I clicked the link mentioned...

You will need 3 files. you already just downloaded 2 of them. Make sure they are unzipped.
1) mtd-write
2) FW_RT_AC68U_30043763626.trx
3) new_cfe.bin
This third file is created at step 15 of the guide at http://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/ .
I uploaded the origional_cfe.bin and chose 1.0.2.0 US AiMesh and it gave me ' new_1.0.2.0_am.bin '
I copied the words;
new_cfe.bin
I right clicked the file it gave me called: new_1.0.2.0_am.bin
NOTE: I went to change that name by right click- rename. It only highlighted part of the name (new_1.0.2.0_am) leaving '.bin ' not highlighted. I had to make sure to highlight ' bin ' as well  so the ENTIRE name is highlighted, and I chose paste. Now the ENTIRE name is new_cfe.bin. If not careful, you could end up with 'new_cfe.bin.bin ' . This is why some folks here are saying they messed up.
You want the name to be:
new_cfe.bin

Remember where you put this file, always chose ' copy ' it to use it, keep a back up. We need this file for later on. You should ALWAYS keep origional_cfe.bin and new_cfe.bin. I kept my origional_cfe.bin from over a year ago and now I used it again to create the ' new_cfe.bin ' (with AiMesh) the most recent 1.0.2.0 US AiMesh.. not the old 1.0.2.0 that I used a year ago to make new_cfe.bin. This origional_cfe.bin was kept and used NOW for the MOST recent new_cfe.bin.
Understand? ( if not, just keep reading )
Moving on....

Prepare the USB Thumbdrive in your PC.
.....As explained from the link found in this comment  https://www.bayareatechpros.com/ac1900-to-ac68u/#comment-1665 .. the "USB Instructions" mentioned to use a USB Thumbdrive. Erase it ( right click the USB drive in your PC and format it to fat32 then right click and rename it to " USB ".
Get those 3 files:
1) mtd-write
2) FW_RT_AC68U_30043763626.trx
3) new_cfe.bin
Put them into one folder on your desktop. Now zip that folder. Rename that folder:
files12345.zip

NOTE: This next step is NOT mentioned in USB Installation guide!!
Copy that folder: "files12345.zip" and paste it inside your USB Thumbdrive. The USB Thumbdrive now should have the zip folder called files12345.zip in it

==== Router must be connected to the internet now ====
(I cleaned my browser cache in Chrome next to the search bar are 3 dots, More tools, clear browser data)

Insert your USB stick into the router. Login to router 192.168.29.1 admin password - USB application - Service Centers -Network Place(Samba) Share - see the name of your usb stick by expanding the + next to the usb icon. it should read " USB ". This was the name you named it

( IF it does not say USB you might have to reformat that drive. the "USB Instructions" clearly have lines to copy and paste with this drive named USB. If you reformat the drive and rename it USB again, make sure you end up with that zip folder named files12345.zip in it and re-install the drive back to the router checking it says 'USB' )

Following the directions in the "USB Installation"... Under (notice capital letters) "STEP 2: Create" is another  "Step 2: " which explains how to get to "Console".
NOTE: The USB Instructions say to copy and paste into ' Console ', hit ENTER then hit DIAGNOSE.  keep reading below...That was confusing for me...
("Hit/click Diagnose" The Diagnose button is in the router User Interface, there is no   ' Diagnose ' in ' Console '. ) .
You press ENTER after pasting 1 line into Console. ( then X at the top right to close that window to go back to Router UI )THEN you press Diagnose in the Router UI.
So, the USB Installations guide, AS TOLD, copy a line, go into Router UI-Network Analysis page -right click, inspect, page opens- click "Console tab" and paste, hit ENTER. Close the window.. hit Diagnose in the Router UI.
Diagnose button is right in the middle of the Network Analysis page of that Router UI. I just had 2 tabs open the USB Installation guide and the router UI Network analysis page.  The 3rd pop up page when you hit inspect, disappears back to the page of the router UI where you will see Diagnose button. So its not that hard. Just confusing at first (for me).
Follow through this method the entire process for each line told to paste.
copy, Network Analysis page -right click, inspect, console tab, paste, X to close the window, hit diagnose. copy, right click, inspect, console tab, paste, X to close the window, hit diagnose. copy right click, inspect, console tab, paste, X to close the window, hit diagnose...........
 Got it?

In the end, I thought it didn't work.It seemed like it was waiting for a command.
I waited and unplugged the router, and pressed the WPS when powering back on.


I did not see RT-AC68U but was on 3626! That is a good thing! (I can enable telnet and ssh)
Once done, I saw 3626 but not RT-AC68U in the UI. I knew the new_cfe.bin didn't take.
So I remembered I might have used an old wdt-write (one is size 716 KB (733,422 bytes), other is 511 KB (523,364 bytes) )
At this point I SHOULD have tried with the larger wdt-write file ( Which SHOULD be the one downloaded, I think I accidently grabbed the wrong one).. but I wasn't sure it would work so I did an older way of changing the logo to say RT_AC68U . This was one of the processes to CHANGE the UI name from TM1900 to RT-AC68U.
I read others were having the same issue of TM1900 still showing.

Here is how I fixed it.
Doing this before, I did not use this bayareatechpros method. I used a telnet putty method found from slickdeals and youtube. I knew I had a 192.168.29.1 IP again since the revert took place..
 I changed my PC Local Area Connection - IPv4 to: IP: 192.168.29.5  Subnet: Default (255.255.255.0)  Gateway: 192.168.29.1
The method is used  to go through a beginning process which was to change the cfe.bin to be 1.0.2.0 in the router.
The only method I knew that WORKED was this old method.


==== disconnect router from WiFi/internet =====
Unplug ethernet.
I right clicked my local area connection and disabled-enabled. I cleaned chrome.

Go to  chrome 192.168.29.1 - admin/password into your router... admininstraor-system - turn on telnet apply..router reboots
Take the USB Thumbdrive and stick it back into the PC. Copy and paste all files into a new folder(Just incase we needed it... I didn't but it is there ), format the thumbdrive again.  This time make sure NOT to rename it.. it should say (E) or (F) something like that. If not do it the old way below.
--------
Remember we are still not connected to the internet.

I used CMD (run as admin) typed:
diskpart   (hit ENTER)
list disk  (hit ENTER)  (I  found the smaller size drive which was the USB drive and chose that number, that was #1 for me, the PC HDD was #0 )
select disk 1 (hit ENTER)
cle (hit ENTER)
create part prim   (hit ENTER)
format quick fs=fat32  (hit ENTER)
assign  (hit ENTER)
active  (hit ENTER)
exit  (hit ENTER)
exit .(hit ENTER)
-------

Unplug the USB drive from PC and plug into router, In the UI find USB Applications, chose Servers Centers, Network Place (Samba), expand the + sign next to the USB drive and find the name.. it should be ' sda1 ' What ever it is, remember it. If the drive was (E) in the PC it SHOULD be ' sda1 '. (NOT 'USB')
In your step 1 or step 3 download in bayareatechpros we spoke about the very top of this, is a tmo2ac68u. Inside that is 'commands'. Open Commands and change the name USBDRIVE, there are 3 places you see " USBDRIVE " change that " USBDRIVE " to the exact name of that thumb drive ( in my case was ' sda 1 ' )
So instead of USBDRIVE it will say
sda1
so,
cat /dev/mtd0 > /tmp/mnt/sda1/original_cfe.bin
dd if=/dev/mtd0 of=/tmp/mnt/sda1/original_cfe.bin
cd /tmp/mnt/sda1
With telnet checked in the router UI we did before, Open telnet folder in your PC - putty - log into the router 192.168.29.1 check 'telnet' - type in: admin (hit ENTER)  you wont see it but just the router password: password ( if your tmo-if not, you probably have obtain ip automatically and are 192.168.1.1.. but then you wouldn't be on this step now would you)
hit enter
In putty start to copy and paste lines:
cat /dev/mtd0 > /tmp/mnt/sda1/original_cfe.bin
hit enter
dd if=/dev/mtd0 of=/tmp/mnt/sda1/original_cfe.bin
hit enter
cd /tmp/mnt/sda1
type : ls
hit enter
you should see the list directory in green: original_cfe.bin
Remove USB drive and install to PC . Close putty. Open the USB folder ( this is how you get your original_cfe.bin when you bought the tmo router before you made it a 68u. BACK THEN) We only want the extra files it gives because I have no idea if they are needed in the next steps.

Remember that new_cfe.bin file I told you to save...
Put that  new_cfe.bin file into this thumb drive by copying it and pasting it into the USB Thumbdrive next to the other files.
Now find the mtd-write file that is the ' larger size' 716 KB (733,422 bytes) (Unzipped of corse ) and copy that into the thumbdrive.
So you have copied 2 files into the usb drive next to those other files the router put on there.

Take out the USB drive and stick it back into the router.

Open Putty- telnet/putty type 192.168.29.1 check ' telnet' - admin -enter.  password-enter

(Remember, your USB drive is 'sda1' see it in the command below?)
in Putty type:
cd /tmp/mnt/sda1
hit enter

when detected you will see:
admin@RT-AC68U: /tmp/mnt/sda1 (some icon)
If you get an error ('can't cd to /tmp/mnt/sda1' ), remove the thumbdrive, and reinsert it, do that command again.

type:  ls
hit enter
(you will see in green: mtd-write, new_cfe.bin, origional_cfe.bin )
type:
mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d boot
hit enter
wait 5 seconds Type:
mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d boot
hit enter
wait 5 seconds Type:
./mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d boot
hit enter
wait 5 seconds Type:
./mtd-write -i new_cfe.bin -d boot
hit enter
wait 5 seconds Type:
reboot
hit enter
Wait 1 minute. pull the USB drive out. uplug the router and plug back in..
Google Chrome; Go to 192.168.29.1 when the log in screen appears..Close Chrome.
Go to putty. Open putty 192.168.29.1 chose Telnet.. admin password.
In putty type:
mtd-erase2 nvram
hit enter
nvram erase
hit enter
wait 20 seconds type :
reboot
hit enter.
- After router boots up, unplug router plug it back in.

Hold WPS button on router and plug in the power cord back into router holding WPS until power light blinks then let WPS go ( the putty, clearing nvram commands no longer worked for me, no CLUE why, but I did them anyway.. so I am telling you to do WPS as this is what worked for me )
It is now ASUS RT-AC68U (if it is not, you need to clean nvram do WPS and the commands.. wait for 5 mins / or check your files and steps) .
Set IPv4 to "Obtain an IP address automatically/ Obtain DNS server address automatically - hit OK ( I had to go back and erase the faded subnet that still showed 192.168.29.1 by chosing custom.. erasing the subnet then chosing Obtain IP automatically again. It should look like this: IP: 192.168.1.1  Subnet: Default (255.255.255.0)  Gateway: blank
go to Chrome 192.168.1.1 admin admin in the Router UI, enable telnet.
- Putty admin admin - check telnet
type:
nvram get bl_version
Hit enter Should be 1.0.2.0

Done

Now erase the Tmo crap... ( if you wish ) Remember we are still not connected to the internet.
Now, you need to erase Tmo crap. This part was 'iffy' for me because we used the 'telnet' method of things so far and I never did the SSH method. I had all kinds of warnings pop up doing this.

In the router UI enable SSH. Use putty and the SSH should be checked. I had all kinds of errors and warnings pop up, i simply clicked yes and still went on.
In putty, SSH enabled.. logged into the router 192.168.1.1 user-admin it is now a (68U so password-admin). After copy and paste each line, hit enter.
cat /dev/mtd5 > /jffs/mtd5_backup.bin
mkdir /tmp/asus_jffs
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock5 /tmp/asus_jffs
rm -rf /tmp/asus_jffs/*
sync && umount /tmp/asus_jffs
rm -rf /jffs/.sys/RT-AC68U
nvram unset fw_check && nvram commit && reboot
Router reboots.
After full reboot I then unplugged the router and pressed WPS in, started it up again clearing NVRAM

Updating to latest ASUS Firmware
* Remember up top I mentioned about downloading this file... Because we are still not connected to the internet right?
In the UI of the router updated the firmware (thank you: znnopy dog says 2018/06/01 at 7:31 AM)  http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AC68U/FW_RT_AC68U_300438421045.ZIP
I updated the firmware using the Routers UI NOT CONNECTED to the Internet. I simply downloaded the file onto the pc from the above link, unzipped it. In the router UI searched manually for a firmware file in my pc, found that download  and updated the FW_RT_AC68U_300438421045 unzipped firmware.
Router reboots. Unplugged, held WPS, started up.. flashing power light, let go WPS

THEN I went and did the SSH Telnet to remove those tmo stuff (again) but did the extra two commands..(that are mentioned in the ' Appendex 2 ' in that USB Installation guide.. here are all of them once again including 2 more. Copy paste each one hitting enter after each.
cat /dev/mtd5 > /jffs/mtd5_backup.bin
mkdir /tmp/asus_jffs
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock5 /tmp/asus_jffs
rm -rf /tmp/asus_jffs/*
sync && umount /tmp/asus_jffs
ln -s /sbin/rc mtd-erase
./mtd-erase -d asus
rm -rf /jffs/.sys/RT-AC68U
nvram unset fw_check && nvram commit && reboot
It rebooted.
DONE.
sigh.