Restore to Sonoff stops at stage 3, and Home Assistant shows only restart and Wi-Fi

[adamsthws]

@gerardfarrell11 - I've started this from your two comments in the Tasmota discussion, so you don't have to. Everything you posted is below, so anyone reading along can see the story.

What happened

From your first comment:

I see a Tasmota device in the Tasmota integration, but it only has restart and WiFi entities. I assume I'm supposed to get it to appear in MQTT and have tried adding a hostname, user and password on the MQTT config screen in the web interface, but it never gets added as device. What is client - it says DVES_%06X. Do I have to set a topic etc.?

And a few hours later, with autoflash-state.json and the run log below:

I attempted to restore a plug back to SONOFF and it fails at step 3. Plug still responds on the web interface. Logs attached.

run.log (tool 2.1.0, Windows 11)

[13:54:00] === run started, tool version 2.1.0 ===
[13:54:00] Chosen at the start: a new plug. Left unfinished, on record:
[13:54:00]     the plug at 192.168.0.66, MAC <mac> (stopped at step X1, 13:53 today)
[13:54:00] This computer is kept awake with SetThreadExecutionState while the run works.
[13:54:00] 
[13:54:00] Converting a plug usually takes under 10 minutes. Some stages take a
[13:54:00] minute or two with little to see - that's normal. Keep the plug plugged
[13:54:00] in, and this computer on, until the last stage says complete.
[13:54:00] 
[13:54:00] Looking for plugs already running Tasmota or ESPHome on your network...
[13:54:14]     1. The plug at 192.168.0.66 (Tasmota, without the plug's template yet), running a firmware part way through a conversion
[13:54:14]     2. The plug at 192.168.0.69 (the mover), running a firmware part way through a conversion
[13:54:14]     3. The plug at 192.168.0.71 (the mover), running a firmware part way through a conversion
[13:54:14]     4. The plug at 192.168.0.72 (the mover), running a firmware part way through a conversion
[13:54:14]     5. The plug at 192.168.0.73 (the mover), running a firmware part way through a conversion
[13:54:14]     6. A plug still on Sonoff's firmware (it is set up in the eWeLink app)
[13:54:14]     7. Quit - stop here
[13:54:14] ? Which plug is this run for
[13:54:21]   -> 1
[13:54:21] The plug is now at 192.168.0.66.
[13:54:21] This run's record is now in captures\plugs\<mac>\runs\20261024-135400.
[13:54:21]     Its Sonoff firmware is backed up already (2026-10-24), in captures\plugs\<mac>\sonoff-backup.
[13:54:21]     This run is for the plug at 192.168.0.66 (Tasmota, without the plug's template yet), running a firmware part way through a conversion.
[13:54:21] 
[13:54:21] -- Choose the plug's new firmware
[13:54:21]     This plug was left part way through a conversion; it can go on to any
[13:54:21]     of these from where it is.
[13:54:21]     1. Tasmota
[13:54:21]     2. ESPHome
[13:54:21]     3. Sonoff's own firmware (back to eWeLink, from its backup)
[13:54:21]     4. Quit - stop here
[13:54:21] ? Which firmware would you like
[13:54:23]   -> 1
[13:54:23] Converting the plug to Tasmota.
[13:54:23] --- Stage 1 of 13 - Confirming prerequisites
[13:54:23] A0  Before you start
[13:54:23] 
[13:54:23] -- Before you start
[13:54:23]     - The plug on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi it should stay on, as it is now: the
[13:54:23]       firmware it gets keeps that network.
[13:54:23]     - This computer on the same network.
[13:54:23]     - The plug in a socket nobody will switch off until the run finishes.
[13:54:23]     
[13:54:23]     Nothing on the plug changes until you confirm, once, just before the
[13:54:23]     point of no return - you will be asked then.
[13:54:23] ? Press any key to continue, or q to quit...
[13:54:24] Stage 1 of 13 - Confirming prerequisites - complete (0s)
[13:54:24] A0 done
[13:54:24] --- Stage 2 of 13 - Validating local files
[13:54:24] A5  Offline preconditions
[13:54:24] bundle and pinned artifacts: OK
[13:54:24] published artifact checksums: OK
[13:54:24] both safety locks in place
[13:54:24] Stage 2 of 13 - Validating local files - complete (0s)
[13:54:24] A5 done
[13:54:24] --- Stage 3 of 13 - Installing startup firmware
[13:54:24] X1  Startup firmware, sent as an ESPHome update
[13:54:29] 
[13:54:29] ! Before going on
[13:54:29]     From here the plug's firmware is replaced. DO NOT UNPLUG IT during the
[13:54:29]     process. Changing firmware rewrites the memory map and the bootloader
[13:54:29]     for a moment each, when a power cut would leave a plug that has to be
[13:54:29]     opened to repair.
[13:54:29]     Only go ahead with a plug you can afford to lose
[13:54:29] 
[13:54:29] ? Type PROCEED to go ahead - anything else stops, changing nothing:
[13:54:34]   -> PROCEED
[13:54:40]     Read the Wi-Fi details the plug is connected with ('<wifi-name>') - none to type.
[13:58:41] Stage 3 of 13 - Installing startup firmware - stopped
[13:58:41] FAILED: ESPHome's update service did not answer within 4 minutes
[13:58:41]     That may have been the network - trying again in 10s (attempt 2 of 3).
[13:58:51] --- Stage 3 of 13 - Installing startup firmware
[13:58:51] X1  Startup firmware, sent as an ESPHome update
[13:58:55] 
[13:58:55] ! Before going on
[13:58:55]     From here the plug's firmware is replaced. DO NOT UNPLUG IT during the
[13:58:55]     process. Changing firmware rewrites the memory map and the bootloader
[13:58:55]     for a moment each, when a power cut would leave a plug that has to be
[13:58:55]     opened to repair.
[13:58:55]     Only go ahead with a plug you can afford to lose
[13:58:55] 
[13:58:55] ? Type PROCEED to go ahead - anything else stops, changing nothing:
[13:58:59]   -> 
[13:58:59] Stage 3 of 13 - Installing startup firmware - stopped
[13:58:59] FAILED: not confirmed - nothing has been written to the plug
[13:58:59] 
[13:58:59] Fix the cause, then carry on with the same command again:
[13:58:59]     start.cmd, or .\start.ps1 in PowerShell
[13:58:59] What happened, in full: captures\plugs\<mac>\runs\20261024-135400\run.log
[13:58:59] Stuck? Start a discussion or open an issue:
[13:58:59]     Start a discussion: https://github.com/adamsthws/Sonoff-OTA/discussions
[13:58:59]     Open an issue: https://github.com/adamsthws/Sonoff-OTA/issues/new
[13:58:59] 
[13:58:59] Please share how it went - a run that stopped helps as much as one that worked.
[13:58:59] Paste your results into the thread (they're already on your clipboard):
[13:58:59]     Test reports: https://github.com/adamsthws/Sonoff-OTA/discussions/1
[13:58:59] 
[13:58:59]     Result:               Stopped at stage 3 of 13 (Installing startup firmware): not confirmed - nothing has been written to the plug
[13:58:59]     Firmware:             Tasmota
[13:58:59]     Converted from:       Unfinished conversion
[13:58:59]     Tool version:         2.1.0
[13:58:59]     Plug model:           __
[13:58:59]     Plug type / region:   __
[13:58:59]     Stock firmware:       __
[13:58:59]     Sonoff backup:        Not taken
[13:58:59]     Computer:             Windows 11 (build 10.0.26300)
[13:58:59]     Python:               3.12.10 (portable)
[13:58:59]     Time taken:           4m 41s
[13:58:59]     Stage times:          1=0s, 2=0s, 3=4s
[13:58:59]     Plug busy:            Not recorded
[13:58:59]     Retries:              3 (1 retry)
[13:58:59]     Plug Wi-Fi signal:    Not recorded
[13:58:59]     Typed the Wi-Fi:      No
[13:58:59]     Joined setup network: No
[13:58:59]     Name in Tasmota:      Sonoff S60
[13:58:59]     Relay:                Not checked
[13:58:59]     Power meter:          Not checked
[13:58:59] 
[13:58:59] Fill in the blanks (__) if you know them.
[13:58:59] === run ended ===

I'm presuming your two posts are about the same plug.

Home Assistant issue: your plug is running Tasmota without the template, so Tasmota doesn't know where the relay and power meter are. Your MQTT setup is fine.

Restore stopping at stage 3: the tool saw a Tasmota without its template and mistakenly took it for a plug part way through a conversion. It couldn’t proceed, gave up after 4 minutes and nothing was written to the plug.

Fixing it

Open the plug's Tasmota web page at http://192.168.0.66, go to Tools → Console and run:

Backlog Template {"NAME":"Sonoff S60TPG","GPIO":[1,1,1,1,224,544,1,3104,1,32,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1],"FLAG":0,"BASE":1}; Module 0

The plug restarts. The switch and the power, voltage and current sensors should then appear in Home Assistant. If you'd still rather go back to Sonoff's firmware, run the tool again: it should now take the normal route.

Please send the log of your first run**, the one that converted the plug. It's in the oldest folder under captures\plugs\<mac>\runs\. It will help me understand how your plug lost it's template and prevent it happening again to other people.

Thanks!

[adamsthws]

Quick update: 2.1.1 is out, with fixes for everything your logs showed:

• A conversion now checks the plug's template is in place before calling it done, and puts it back if not.
• A plug running Tasmota without its template is recognised as one, and goes on as any converted plug does, so going back to Sonoff's firmware no longer stops at stage 3.
• Your other ESPHome devices (192.168.0.69, .71, .72 and .73) are no longer listed as plugs part way through a conversion.

With 2.1.1, if you haven't run the console command yet: run the tool, choose the plug at 192.168.0.66 and pick Tasmota. It gives the plug its template and keeps your MQTT settings. Or pick Sonoff's own firmware to go back to eWeLink.

If you still have the log of the run that first converted the plug, I'd like to see it. It's in the oldest folder under captures\plugs\<mac>\runs\.

[gerardfarrell11]

First, thanks for taking the time to help.

You're correct about the other devices being ESP32 devices, so we can ignore those. My 2 comments are about the same deice, which is an S60TGP (UK).

Running the backlog template console command has added the missing entities to the Tasmota integration so I now have control over the plug and see info such as voltage, energy etc. So I'm happy with the conversion and will keep it as is.

Log attached. Let me know if you need the additional files.
run.log

[gerardfarrell11]

I've just run v2.1.1 on a 2nd plug (same model) and can confirm that only my plugs appeared in the device list, and the conversion was successful. The device appeared in the Tasmota integration and all entities appear.

Thanks for the help.

Result: Converted
Firmware: Tasmota
Converted from: Sonoff
Tool version: 2.1.1
Plug model: S60TPG
Plug type / region: UK (Type G)
Stock firmware: 1.2.0
Sonoff backup: Completed
Computer: Windows 11 (build 10.0.26300)
Python: 3.12.10 (portable)
Time taken: 5m 30s
Stage times: 1=0s, 2=4s, 3=9s, 4=14s, 5=46s, 6=23s, 7=38s, 8=3s, 9=4s, 10=4s, 11=36s, 12=18s, 13=58s, 14=18s, 15=34s, 16=3s
Plug busy: 9=2s, 10=2s, 11=35s, 12=16s, 15=30s
Retries: None
Plug Wi-Fi signal: -74 dBm
Typed the Wi-Fi: No
Joined setup network: No
Name in Tasmota: Sonoff S60TPG
Relay: Switches (meter confirms)
Power meter: On: 227 V, 0 W; off: 0 V, 0 W

[adamsthws]

Thanks for the log - it looks like after conversion, Tasmota was restarted six times in a row which is treated as a boot loop so it switches to its "fallback module", dropping the template - This keeps the Wi-Fi config, but drops the relay and the power meter. (That would explain why Home Assistant showed only the restart button and Wi-Fi).

The next release prevents the reset from dropping the template by setting the plug's own template as Tasmota's fallback module.

New release (v2.1.3) checks this for you and fixes it if needed:
python3 tools/autoflash_cli.py step H1 --plug-ip <the plug's address>