ROM VER: 1.1.4
CFG 04
UART
********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************  ********************************************************************************
*****************************************

U-Boot 2010.06-LANTIQ-v-2.0.40 (Dec 04 2015 - 09:20:29)

CLOCK CPU 500M RAM 250M
DRAM:  64 MiB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   Internal phy(GE) firmware version: 0x841d
vr9 SwitchFailed to initialize SPI flash at 0:3
No SPI flash selected. Please run `sf probe'

Type "run flash_nfs" to mount root filesystem over NFS

Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
VR9 # setenv ipaddr 192.168.1.1
VR9 # setenv serverip 192.168.1.2
VR9 # setenv bootargs 'board=WD8970'
VR9 # tftpboot 0x80800000 restore_kernel_rootfs_org.bin
Failed to initialize SPI flash at 0:3
No SPI flash selected. Please run `sf probe'
Using vr9 Switch device
TFTP from server 192.168.1.2; our IP address is 192.168.1.1
Filename 'restore_kernel_rootfs_org.bin'.
Load address: 0x80800000
Loading: #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #################################################################
         #########################
done
Bytes transferred = 7995392 (7a0000 hex)
VR9 # sf erase 0x20000 0x7a0000
No SPI flash selected. Please run `sf probe'
                  1000000 0x20000 0x7a0000
No SPI flash selected. Please run `sf probe'
VR9 # sf write 0x80800000 0x20000 0x680004
No SPI flash selected. Please run `sf probe'
VR9 # resetے
ROM VER: 1.1.4
CFG 04
UART

  @xcoderx 

So, have you tried to execute the command "sf probe" before you did "sf erase" and "sf write"?

What is the response you get when executing "sf probe"?

  @woozle 

VR9 # sf probe
Usage: sf probe [bus:]cs [hz] [mode]
VR9 # sf probe 03
Failed to initialize SPI flash at 0:3
VR9 # sf probe 01
Failed to initialize SPI flash at 0:1
VR9 # sf probe 0
Failed to initialize SPI flash at 0:0

  @xcoderx 

Maybe try if you can find out what SPI devices exist and on which bus they are connected using the commands "dm tree" or "dm uclass" or "dm devres".

VR9 # dm tree
Unknown command 'dm' - try 'help'
VR9 # dm uclass
Unknown command 'dm' - try 'help'
VR9 # dm devres
Unknown command 'dm' - try 'help'

VR9 # help
?       - alias for 'help'
base    - print or set address offset
bootm   - boot application image from memory
bootp   - boot image via network using BOOTP/TFTP protocol
cmp     - memory compare
cp      - memory copy
crc32   - checksum calculation
echo    - echo args to console
go      - start application at address 'addr'
help    - print command description/usage
loadb   - load binary file over serial line (kermit mode)
loady   - load binary file over serial line (ymodem mode)
loop    - infinite loop on address range
md      - memory display
mm      - memory modify (auto-incrementing address)
mtest   - simple RAM read/write test
mw      - memory write (fill)
nm      - memory modify (constant address)
ping    - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
printenv- print environment variables
rarpboot- boot image via network using RARP/TFTP protocol
reset   - Perform RESET of the CPU
run     - run commands in an environment variable
setenv  - set environment variables
sf      - SPI flash sub-system
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
version - print monitor version

  @xcoderx 

Doesn't look like this version of U-Boot has any command that can display information about the hardware.

Anyway, if that procedure has worked for other people, but not for you, then maybe something is different on your particullar TD-W8970.

It is not uncommon that device manufacturers source parts like DRAM and Flash chips from a few different manufacturers, so even though your TD-W8970 is a "V1" it could still be that it contains a SPI flash chip that is not supported by this version of U-Boot. (which might explain the error message "Failed to initialize SPI flash at 0:3")