NETGEAR EX8000 fails to exit "factor reset mode" after power up.

After some lengthy trials, I tried both MAC versions and PC (Windows 10) versions of updating the firmware using TFTP client method.   The MAC version did not work and resulted in "Error 103" statement from the sw (or from the router).

The PC version worked, but not completely as described in the netgear support page.  Please refer to both of these: 

1: https://kb.netgear.com/000059633/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-TFTP-client

2: https://kb.netgear.com/000059634/How-to-upload-firmware-to-a-NETGEAR-router-using-Windows-TFTP

both instructions describe different methods of actually sending the firmware update file (EX8000-V1.0.1.192.img) to the EX8000 extender.   Neither are accurate!

What I actually did (successfully) was the following:

1) holding reset button in using a paperclip, turned the router on.  The power LED went from green to blinking red.  The number of 'blinks' never exceeded 6.  Then it went to static red.

2) release the reset button

3) initiate the TFTP command from a command line window on a WINDOWS 10 pc connected to the router using an "ethernet cable" (RJ45 male-male connectors with CAT5e cable between them).

4) the upload took approximately 20 seconds.  no change in any of the LED indicator lights took place during this time.

5) wait for the TFTP command to complete (it tells you when the file is completely transferred).

6) once that happens, the router indicator lights (ALL of them) shut down, even though  power is still applied and the power button is still depressed.

7) Wait 5 minutes.  

8) The router reboots and the power indicator light on the rear panel turns green and the front LED indicator shows active (no longer blinking).

9) unplugged the windows pc from the router and hooked the ethernet cable back to my MacPro laptop and initiated a direct connection to the router using "http://mywifiext.local" URL address.  This was successful!  The router was reinitialized to the expected factor reset condition.