I fight with boot loop this week… and here my tips.
I use Win10.
I must disable ALL Bluetooth, Fortinet, VirtualBox, VMware interfaces in Connections. Open ncpa.cpl and Turn off all interfaces without your LAN=ETHERNET what you want use. Leave enabled only that one for Netinstall.
I must run wireshark to confirm if my device in boot-loop with this reset-button procedure send a request for bootp, my unit he send request but this was tricky, details below.
Final look at WireShark:
*) Blinking led & reset button..
About that . RouterBoard can have a protected mode enable. We can say that one LED who is blinking at start of powering he will:
1a) blink really fast - means not protected and info from manual should work
1b) blink with on/off period of 1s, means it’s protected mode and you should wait a configured time until you release button, default is 20s but this can have min and max time like 4:10-4:20 and you have 10s for unlock from 4m10s uptime :). Some ppl say waiting 5m and it’s work.
Hold this button during boot time until LED light starts flashing, release the button to reset RouterOS configuration (total 5 seconds).
- when blinking LED stay ON solid, we wait and still press button
Keep holding for 5 more seconds, LED turns solid, release now to turn on CAP mode. The device will now look for a CAPsMAN server (total 10 seconds).
- when blinking LED stay OFF - we should release button and see request in WireShark.
In my example this not giving me bootp request at all… but pressing still button show me req in wireshark in ~30sec and unit not have protected boot.
Or Keep holding the button for 5 more seconds until LED turns off, then release it to make the RouterBOARD look for Netinstall servers (total 15 seconds).
- when you see request then fight witn netinstall.exe begin.
Of course your LAN=Ethernet interface must have IPv4 like 192.168.88.2 and in NetInstall > Net Boot button > on checkbox and provide IP like 192.168.88.1 what will be given to unit.
Sometimes it’s must be enabled by RightMouseButton > Run as administrator
Sometimes second run it start answer at request of unit
Sometimes the Install button not work and re-open app help or selective folder with npk
Best way is have latest netinstall.exe and .npk place in the same folder to just autodetect npk file, then Install button should work.
Always use latest Netinstall from website
Ones I must disable AntyVirus bcs he block traffic at Layer2, sic!
This info should help you.
Some unit’s must be re-flash or re-soldered or other warranty stuff must be done to repair some units, but many many boot loops can be fixed by netinstall
I hope I help you with that.
EDIT:
*) ESET Firewall block bootp at UDP67-68 ports, this must be disable and Netinstall must be re-open.
*) From some time I do that remotely, the Ethernet and WiFi can be enabled Interface only, can be used both but all other like bluetooth… must be disabled.
*) At unit who works but you try do remote netinstall via TeamViewer, good help is enable “Try Ethernet Once” and end user only share you PC and reconnect ethernet cable to Ether1/PXE/Boot port.
{
system scheduler add name=TryBootP on-event="system routerboard settings set boot-device=try-ethernet-once-then-nand" start-time=startup
system routerboard settings set boot-device=try-ethernet-once-then-nand
system reboot
}
*) Sometimes RB must be few times rebooted with TryEthernetOne because he see PXE Reply but not show in NetInstall, then do few reboots and he showup :).
*) I detect some boot time schema when you see at remote PC the Ethernet who is UP/DOWN like this:
Normal Boot: 10s up + … + up with normal work
TryEthernetOne: 1s up + … + 10s up + … + up with normal work
TryEthernetOne: 20s up + … + up witth normal work
TryEthernetOne: 1s up + … + up with detected in NetInstall and you can press INSTALL button.