Any way to unbrick an X88 King?

[bhavishyati]

I was trying to install magisk on my X88 King but ended up bricking my box. I booted into twrp and flashed the magisk_patched.img to boot. It failed to boot and was stuck on X88 logo for a long time so I pulled out the power cable.

Now it won't even boot from sd card using pinhole method, it isn't detected in UBT as well. Any way to bring it back to life?

[darkstar]

I was trying to install magisk on my X88 King but ended up bricking my box. I booted into twrp and flashed the magisk_patched.img to boot. It failed to boot and was stuck on X88 logo for a long time so I pulled out the power cable.

Now it won't even boot from sd card using pinhole method, it isn't detected in UBT as well. Any way to bring it back to life?

First try to install official firmware with Amlogic Burn Tool, if you succeed this will help.
You can try adb devices -l or fastboot devices -l commands. If your device is listed under adb or fastboot it can be unbricked easily.

[bhavishyati]

First try to install official firmware with Amlogic Burn Tool, if you succeed this will help.
You can try adb devices -l or fastboot devices -l commands. If your device is listed under adb or fastboot it can be unbricked easily.

Hi, thanks for replying.
I have installed the official firmware (at least I think so), but neither UBT nor adb can detect the device.

[bhavishyati]

I managed to unbrick my device. I had to short some pins while keeping it connected to my PC and UBT detected it. I cannot tell which pins did the trick as I was trying with random pins and at some point UBT detected it.

[kos25k]

I managed to unbrick my device. I had to short some pins while keeping it connected to my PC and UBT detected it. I cannot tell which pins did the trick as I was trying with random pins and at some point UBT detected it.

Bro may i ask the way you unbrick it?I have spent about 20 hours till now,many ubt versions,pin shorten method,usb csbles,but box doesnt want to boot.Everything i do just fails.Please someone help.

[ramoncio]

Bro may i ask the way you unbrick it?I have spent about 20 hours till now,many ubt versions,pin shorten method,usb csbles,but box doesnt want to boot.Everything i do just fails.Please someone help.

I am in the same situation.
Even shorting pins method don't work for me.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wCwesXNbXAHYtHSQ5_qbqMvuhUCXAkq0/view

I'll see if I can find a working UART port.

[ath156]

I am in the same situation.
Even shorting pins method don't work for me.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wCwesXNbXAHYtHSQ5_qbqMvuhUCXAkq0/view

I'll see if I can find a working UART port.

I don't know if your problem is the same as that of kos25k. As it came out his problem was a broken/"burnt" HDMI port (maybe due to "hot-plugging"??).
When he connected it to the AV port (with 3 RCA cables) he could get the picture but not through HDMI. If you would like to connect it to the AV port, please note that the colors of the RCA cables will not be as expected (i.e. the yellow color will not be the correct cable for video - as we all know - but you may get the video from red or white or ........!!!).

[ramoncio]

I don't know if your problem is the same as that of kos25k. As it came out his problem was a broken/"burnt" HDMI port (maybe due to "hot-plugging"??).
When he connected it to the AV port (with 3 RCA cables) he could get the picture but not through HDMI. If you would like to connect it to the AV port, please note that the colors of the RCA cables will not be as expected (i.e. the yellow color will not be the correct cable for video - as we all know - but you may get the video from red or white or ........!!!).

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll see if I can find a proper AV cable and try.
But if the problem was on the HDMI port, the computer should detect some device when connected with a usb type A-A cable, right?

This is the process I'm doing without success:

1) turn PC on
2) open Amlogic USB Burning Tool version 2.1.7.0 or newer
3) pick and load stock Firmware to be installed with Tool
4) click START inside Tool with Erase Flash and Erase Bootloader both checked
5) attach one side of USBa cable to PC's USB 2.0 port, use rear port if using a tower pc
6) attach other side of USBa cable to USB 2.0 port, also tried with 3.0 port
7) with small wire or small metal Tool create short between circled Pins, short should be held for only 1 second and released and the PC will beep and start installing firmware.

[ath156]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll see if I can find a proper AV cable and try.
But if the problem was on the HDMI port, the computer should detect some device when connected with a usb type A-A cable, right?

This is the process I'm doing without success:

1) turn PC on
2) open Amlogic USB Burning Tool version 2.1.7.0 or newer
3) pick and load stock Firmware to be installed with Tool
4) click START inside Tool with Erase Flash and Erase Bootloader both checked
5) attach one side of USBa cable to PC's USB 2.0 port, use rear port if using a tower pc
6) attach other side of USBa cable to USB 2.0 port, also tried with 3.0 port
7) with small wire or small metal Tool create short between circled Pins, short should be held for only 1 second and released and the PC will beep and start installing firmware.

Did you try after step 5) to press the Reset button (it is in the very small hole beside the AV port !!!!!) and then while still pressing the reset button to do step 6) ??????

[ramoncio]

This 4 holes at the left look exactly like a UART should look.
But in a standard UART the squared pin should be GND and it isn't, GND is at the pin at the opposite side, the one at the bottom in the picture.
I'll try later with a USB TTL UART adapter to see if I can get a serial connection.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ekTnvRQo7o9Wv9G96

[ramoncio]

Did you try after step 5) to press the Reset button (it is in the very small hole beside the AV port !!!!!) and then while still pressing the reset button to do step 6) ??????

My X88 King has an independent reset hole, but now with the board out of the enclosure I can see and access the button, close to the AV port.
I tried several times booting with and without pressing the reset button, but usb device doesn't get detected at all, using both USB 2 nor USB 3 ports.
It looks like UART is the only posibility I have left, I'll see if I can find my USB UART adapter, haven't used it for a long time.

[Guest]

...X88 King ..... usb device doesn't get detected at all .... looks like UART...

(right click, open link in new tab)

[ath156]

My X88 King has an independent reset hole, but now with the board out of the enclosure I can see and access the button, close to the AV port.
I tried several times booting with and without pressing the reset button, but usb device doesn't get detected at all, using both USB 2 nor USB 3 ports.
It looks like UART is the only posibility I have left, I'll see if I can find my USB UART adapter, haven't used it for a long time.

I think you must make clear what problem you have exactly:

(A) When you turn on your X88 King and after 1-2 minutes do you have time/or any other indication at the front display screen, but no picture through HDMI?? If Yes, than probably you have a damaged HDMI port and you should try the AV port. Sadly there is NO PROTECTION to the HDMI port.

(B) If on the other hand you have nothing at the front screen, even after 2-3 minutes than I think you should first try:

B1. Leave the X88 King completely bare (nothing connected to it)
B2. Start UBT. I think it is better to use version 2.2 which you can download it from here : https://mega.nz/file/E0MHyaDa#n5BHOV...RLgesKTiiuwFzY
B3. Load your firmware and press "START" after selecting "erase bootloader" and "erase all".
B4. Connect one end of your USB-A cable to the PC/Laptop.
B5. While pressing the RESET button, connect the other end of the USB-A cable to the USB 2.0 port of the X88 King (the black port). Do not use the blue (USB 3.0 port).
B6. Wait for the burning procedure to finish (100%).

(C) If you do not have (A) or (B) then of course try the short pin method, UART or whatever you find more suitable.

[ramoncio]

Thanks for your detailed explanation ath156!
My display was off all the time, the only sign that the board was on (only powered by the USB AA cable) was the red optical port light, so I was clearly at case B or worse.
I followed all your instructions but no success, no new hardware detected even with reset pressed.

But then, BIG thanks to mAtvXk, I shorted the 2 pins (pads) by EMMC_CLK sign in his picture to force mask rom mode for 1 or 2 seconds, and I got the hardware detected sound and UBT started flashing.

Thanks for this great forum!!

[ath156]

Thanks for your detailed explanation ath156!
My display was off all the time, the only sign that the board was on (only powered by the USB AA cable) was the red optical port light, so I was clearly at case B or worse.
I followed all your instructions but no success, no new hardware detected even with reset pressed.

But then, BIG thanks to mAtvXk, I shorted the 2 pins (pads) by EMMC_CLK sign in his picture to force mask rom mode for 1 or 2 seconds, and I got the hardware detected sound and UBT started flashing.

Thanks for this great forum!!

Glad that you managed to revive your X88 King
Just be very carefull with the HDMI port of it, as it is "officially" proved that there is no protection at all !!!! And it would have been a very low-low cost to have such a protection there!!!
So never try a "hot-plugging" of the HDMI cable at X88 King (it is wise not to do it anyway/anywhere, but at not protected ports it is a must).