RT-AX89X going out of memory every 10 minutes (asd process?)

[shievan]

Hello, my router froze up overnight, so I rebooted it, and ever since the logs are showing that it is going OOM about every 10 minutes. First it starts spamming:

May 17 10:44:26 kernel: [ 5872.720019] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:26 kernel: [ 5873.235497] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:27 kernel: [ 5873.747543] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:27 kernel: [ 5874.259510] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:28 kernel: [ 5874.771556] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430

Then it looks like a high memory killer kicks in and kills a process called asd:

May 17 10:44:30 kernel: [ 5876.819570] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.219109] mcsd invoked oom-killer: gfp_mask=0x24004c0, order=2, oom_score_adj=0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.219144] CPU: 2 PID: 20987 Comm: mcsd Tainted: P                4.4.60 #1
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.225567] Hardware name: Generic DT based system
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.232709] [<8022001c>] (unwind_backtrace) from [<8021c8c4>] (show_stack+0x10/0x14)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.237296] [<8021c8c4>] (show_stack) from [<803b8590>] (dump_stack+0x78/0x98)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.245195] [<803b8590>] (dump_stack) from [<802a7d38>] (dump_header+0x44/0x164)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.252241] [<802a7d38>] (dump_header) from [<802a825c>] (oom_kill_process+0xcc/0x448)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.259775] [<802a825c>] (oom_kill_process) from [<802a8924>] (out_of_memory+0x2e4/0x354)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.267520] [<802a8924>] (out_of_memory) from [<802ac4d4>] (__alloc_pages_nodemask+0x67c/0x738)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.275752] [<802ac4d4>] (__alloc_pages_nodemask) from [<802ac5a0>] (__get_free_pages+0x10/0x24)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.284275] [<802ac5a0>] (__get_free_pages) from [<80225d70>] (pgd_alloc+0x18/0x144)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.293301] [<80225d70>] (pgd_alloc) from [<80228478>] (mm_init+0xcc/0x138)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.301027] [<80228478>] (mm_init) from [<802e1854>] (do_execveat_common+0x284/0x5f4)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.307697] [<802e1854>] (do_execveat_common) from [<802e1bf0>] (do_execve+0x2c/0x34)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.315695] [<802e1bf0>] (do_execve) from [<80209bc0>] (ret_fast_syscall+0x0/0x34)
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.323544] Mem-Info:
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211] active_anon:161197 inactive_anon:1485 isolated_anon:0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211]  active_file:90 inactive_file:127 isolated_file:7
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211]  unevictable:0 dirty:52 writeback:1 unstable:0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211]  slab_reclaimable:875 slab_unreclaimable:31662
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211]  mapped:220 shmem:1513 pagetables:602 bounce:0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331211]  free:4778 free_pcp:4 free_cma:0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.331557] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.365795] Normal free:18404kB min:3752kB low:4688kB high:5628kB active_anon:644788kB inactive_anon:5940kB active_file:648kB inactive_file:916kB unevictable:0kB isolated(anon):0kB isolated(file):128kB present:898048kB managed:881836kB mlocked:0kB dirty:208kB writeback:4kB mapped:1176kB shmem:6052kB slab_reclaimable:3500kB slab_unreclaimable:126648kB kernel_stack:1432kB pagetables:2408kB unstable:0kB bounce:0kB free_pcp:544kB local_pcp:0kB free_cma:0kB writeback_tmp:0kB pages_
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.395533] lowmem_reserve[]: 0 0 0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.421214] Normal: 4597*4kB (U) 0*8kB 0*16kB 0*32kB 0*64kB 0*128kB 0*256kB 0*512kB 0*1024kB 0*2048kB 0*4096kB = 18388kB
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.431371] 2010 total pagecache pages
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.432161] 0 pages in swap cache
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.435905] Swap cache stats: add 0, delete 0, find 0/0
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.439280] Free swap  = 0kB
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.444308] Total swap = 0kB
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.447454] 224512 pages RAM
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.450298] 0 pages HighMem/MovableOnly
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.453163] 4053 pages reserved
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.457046] Out of memory: Kill process 9710 (asd) score 684 or sacrifice child
May 17 10:44:31 kernel: [ 5877.459867] Killed process 9710 (asd) total-vm:625440kB, anon-rss:621348kB, file-rss:60kB

 Looking back at when the router locked up initially overnight, it seems like it tried to look for a firmware update automatically around 4am, (which is strange because I have auto updates turned off), then started spamming the 'NBUF alloc failed' message:

May 17 03:48:01 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7616)]do webs_update
May 17 03:48:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7634)]retrieve firmware information
May 17 03:48:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7649)]fimrware update check first time
May 17 03:48:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7682)]no need to upgrade firmware
May 17 03:48:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7616)]do webs_update
May 17 03:48:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7634)]retrieve firmware information
May 17 03:48:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7654)]fimrware update check once
May 17 03:49:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7616)]do webs_update
May 17 03:49:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7634)]retrieve firmware information
May 17 03:49:05 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7654)]fimrware update check once
May 17 03:49:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7616)]do webs_update
May 17 03:49:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7634)]retrieve firmware information
May 17 03:49:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7649)]fimrware update check first time
May 17 03:49:35 WATCHDOG: [FAUPGRADE][auto_firmware_check:(7682)]no need to upgrade firmware
May 17 03:57:55 kernel: [1382843.922889] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 03:57:55 kernel: [1382844.435933] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 03:57:56 kernel: [1382845.012988] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430
May 17 03:57:56 kernel: [1382845.525014] wlan: [0:E:QDF] NBUF alloc failed 12107B @ dp_get_ppdu_desc:3430

 Any help greatly appreciated!

[Mikomikotiger]

When I tried this last night, it just kept rebooting and the WAN light kept showing red even though the cable wasn’t plugged in. So I left the router off overnight in hopes it would’ve “cooled down”. 

Would hard resetting it be wise to try first before doing anything else? I wasn’t aware it could download firmware without being configured with my modem first. 

[hum0555]

Like @b4evrtru26 mentioned, do a hard reboot of the router. That should give you time to connect to the router via gui and download the firmware. That's how I did it. It took me a couple times, but I finally got it downloaded.

[Mikomikotiger]

When you say “a couple times” do you mean that it also started rebooting randomly for you?

[hum0555]

Yes, it was locking up after 10 minutes, not rebooting. The first time I rebooted,  the router locked up before I could start the firmware download. The second time I log in right away and started the firmware download as quickly as I could and it downloaded before the router locked up.

[Mikomikotiger]

Thanks. Was able to get the router to at least broadcast a 2.4ghz signal, but it cannot complete setup after hitting the applying settings button. 

Are you saying from here, I’ll need to keep hard resetting and set up as new until it works? It appears I’m starting from scratch.

[hum0555]

Here's the link on the Asus web site on ways to load the firmware on one of their routers. https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1010600/

[Mikomikotiger]

Update: now it’s stuck in that red WAN light/boot loop cycle again. It seems like after I tried to fix it/set up as new for 30 minutes, the router “goes dead” as in silent instead of whirring up like it usually does. Could that be the RAM problem? I have no access to system logs so I’m just postulating here.

[Giuliano79]

For a hard reset, power off the rt-ax89x and unplug it. Wait ten minutes then power on while holding the WPS button. 

Detailed instruction on asus support page. 

If you have saved your config, you can then import it and all will be running normally otherwise you have to reconfigure from scratch. 

If you go back a the beginning of this thread you'll find all explanations and tweaks that functioned. 

Personally I never uploaded the beta version. 

[Mikomikotiger]

I read the WPS method was only a NVRAM reset. Is the actual Reset button via paperclip the method that works best?

[Mikomikotiger]

it’s getting worse. After resetting it once, it goes into the same pattern of red wan light, then reboots on its own. How can I get it into the mode where I can quickly upload said firmware? I know at this point the router has been reset so I’ll need to connect to it and set it up very quickly.

as we speak it is rebooting over and over again, should I be leaving the wan cable unplugged during this process?