I've searched a few times, and have found multiple tips, but now I'm at a standstill

I am attempting to read the tune on my 2000 S4, It is essentially a full stage 3 AWE package (rsk04, smic's, Twin 2 etc....) With the exception of an 85mm 034 maf housing, 72lb injectors and a custom tune by Vag Autowerks. I have connected, lowered the baud rate, cycled the ignition, tried all three of the 800 memory layouts and Pulled the cluster fuse and still no dice.

Is there anything else I can try before I give up and rule out reading the ecu due to the Vag autowerks tune?

Probably an encryption riser or obd reading is disabled. You'll have to pull the ECU, open it, make sure it doesn't have a riser.

If it doesn't, you may be able to boot mode it.

But there is no point, the flash will be encrypted and useless.

As has been pointed out OVER AND OVER again, start with stock, not somebody else's tune. There are a million reasons for this, none of which I care to repeat for the umpteenthbillionth time

   hahahaha pretty funny