Boot from SD

[BeReal]

Do you read this thread before you bought this card?
I don't think so, because if you read this thread you would know that sequential read/write is unimportant for the speed at "real life" but the random writes (also reads) and especially at the smaller blocks e.g. 4K (and maybe 512k))...

Here I found 180/530 random write

http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=4076&start=127

vs. 3600/18000 of the EVO
http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.p...l=1#post273037

Hi. Ya, I didn't do the proper research before I decided to purchase the card. I did the H2testw and every went fine, I also ran it through the CrystalDiskMark and it took a huge nose dive when it came to the random write, but the random read seemed to hold up.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3 x64 (C) 2007-2013 hiyohiyo
                           Crystal Dew World : http://crystalmark.info/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
* MB/s = 1,000,000 byte/s [SATA/300 = 300,000,000 byte/s]


           Sequential Read :    86.889 MB/s
          Sequential Write :    30.517 MB/s
         Random Read 512KB :    78.382 MB/s
        Random Write 512KB :     3.792 MB/s
    Random Read 4KB (QD=1) :     9.423 MB/s [  2300.4 IOPS]
   Random Write 4KB (QD=1) :     0.497 MB/s [   121.4 IOPS]
   Random Read 4KB (QD=32) :    13.494 MB/s [  3294.5 IOPS]
  Random Write 4KB (QD=32) :     0.476 MB/s [   116.3 IOPS]


  Test : 50 MB [F: 0.0% (0.0/29.9 GB)] (x2)
  Date : 2015/01/21 13:27:08

[donut4000]

I'm hoping to get a little advice here on SD ROM creation and use. I'm new to Android, having come over from a jailbroken Apple TV 2 which I have decided to upgrade to a Draco Meta. As I've seen in other threads, this box still has issues with the stock ROM: I got things up and running well, with Kodi installed a configured the day I received it. However, the next morning it wouldn't wake from sleep - even after cycles of unplugging, and plugging back in, waiting, repeating etc. As a last resort, I followed the flashing instructions, and after a lot of attempts, managed to get a stock ROM onto a 4 gb SD card, and get back to factory settings.
My issue is getting a non-stock ROM going - preferable as a Startup SD, though I've tried Product as well. The thing is the Draco does not seem to either boot, or flash according to which type of card I have created. In the very first post of this thread, there is a view of the steps made by PhoenixCard to create an SD card: I can now reproduce this to completion for both the Product and Startup write types. If I use the stock ROM (Tronsmart Draco AW80_141025.img), I can flash this onto the Draco. If I use the Finless 1.1 beta 2, or the Doveless 1.09 images, I simply get into a boot loop. All card creations seem to indicate that things have completed properly in Phoenix - but the outcomes are so different.
Is there something I might be missing when performing the Flashing? For the startup method, I understand you simply plug the card in, and power up the Draco. I am still a little fuzzy as to when you need to press the wee reset button - I have been plugging the card in, holding this button down then powering up - then leaving things alone for about 10 mins. The unit usually powers itself off at this point, and then I whip the card out, power back on and let it boot to the home screen. I never get any progress bars, logos etc when flashing - only the Tronsmart splash screen on a normal boot. i do believe there is a Finless progress bar when flashing - I have never seen it.

As a final note, I am using a newish MacBook Pro, with a build in card reader. I have boot Camp win 8.1, as well as a couple of VMs with Win 7 and 8.1. I have tried all permutations, finding I can create a Product SD card with stock ROM via the Parallels VM, and get the Draco running with this. Not at all with custom ROMs though . 3rd party card readers didn't help/work..


Sorry this is such a long post, but this forum seems stuffed with folk who know a lot more about this than me, I'd love to get a little help - and thanks for reading all this

[no_spam_for_me]

I think you mix two different things...

If you use FN (I think this means " you need to press the wee reset button") under the device (which I never used) I think the system will do a factory reset using the installed rom (but as I write, I never used it, so I can't be sure)...

If you want to work with the SD you only have to place it at the reader and power on the device... it will automatically went to the SD...
If you create the SD at PC with [Product] the Draco will flash the rom...
If you create the SD at PC with [Startup] the Draco will boot from the SD...

Some rom's get/produce an Error if you try to do [Startup] but maybe also able to boot at the Draco...

[trebor]

Hi donut4000

From what you are saying its looking ok. If Phoenix is not showing errors using Macbook
No need to push the button, just power off, plug in SD power on and that's about it.
You will see the Indication when you do a Product burn and its loading into the Draco.

Did you happen to read about startup ?

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.p...-ROM-1-1-BETA2.

Cheers

[donut4000]

Cheers for the replies guys - I have tried several times now creating a startup card, but the Draco simply will not boot off it. Earlier today, I tried booting the box from a Product write card, and left it for about 15 mins (no pressing of the wee button!). After, I unplugged, removed the card and powered on, only to get into a boot loop: the installation was gubbed. At this point, I used my trusty stock ROM card, powered off, wee-button-pressed and powered up. left it for 5-10 mins to see it power off. Yanked the card and rebooted to the home screen no problem.

@ No_spam: is it the case I >don't< need the SD rom card if I am using the fn button? Is there a copy of the stock rom stored in a safe place on the Draco?

@ Trebor - the Doveless install was a last-dash effort: it seems a bit complicated at this tender stage. I would prefer to just use the Finless rom. I have been trying to either: boot (Startup, 1st option), or install (Product, 2nd option), by putting the card in and powering up the unit without the fn button - but seeing nothing on screen. I'd have thought that booting off the Startup card would give me on-screen feedback like a stock reboot. Hmmmm.

I am not in any particular rush to get the custom roms working, as the Draco is working well on stock (as long as it doesn't fall asleep....). I'm generally very happy with this box as it is really an XBMC machine, and with Helix 14.1 (pre) on it, it plays everything in my collection and streamed without any effort, and glitch free. AnTuTu reports 52,500 as reported elsewhere, so all in all, once the initial meltdown was dealt with, all is good .

Once again - thanks for helping out here.

[CMJ]

hi guys i'm trying to burn the Draco_AW80_Andriod-5_0_20150317 to a 32gb sd card it's a samsung evo card.

but i keep getting card preprocess failed message pop.




not sure if i'm doing something wrong,but i get the same message with version 309 and 310.

any help would be great thanks.

[trebor]

Hi
Look for the HP format tool, small utility that will format the card may help

Could be card reader or adapter if not of quality.
If a Multi card reader disable all but the SD port also may help.

Cheers

[CMJ]

The adapters are fine i tried 3 different adapters,Going to give the sd card a full format using that hp format tool see if that helps.

I've tried a 8gb sd card and that gives me same message.

Thanks.

[no_spam_for_me]

Normally the tool check it by it self but are you running it with administrator privileges (if missing, normally you couldn't select a SD card reader/writer at "Disk")?

[CMJ]

Yeah I'm running it as administrator.

Just waiting on the 32gb card to format using that hp format tool then try again.

[CMJ]

It got to be down to my card reader on my laptop.

I'm going to see if i can pick up a usb reader see if that works.

But I'm just going off what i read here.

http://learn.linksprite.com/pcduino/quick-start/flash-kernel-using-phoenixcard-and-got-error-card-preprocess-failed-1012/

[blinkone]

It got to be down to my card reader on my laptop.

I'm going to see if i can pick up a usb reader see if that works.

But I'm just going off what i read here.

http://learn.linksprite.com/pcduino/...s-failed-1012/

Yes its your laptop crad reader/writer. I have a dell laptop, i get the same error with that.So I use a dirt cheap 7 in one card reader/writer & it works perfect..

Blinkone

[ruch]

Is there any way to boot to recovery if ROM is installed @ the SD?

Im using DOVLESS @SD + Stock in a MK80

Thanks

[no_spam_for_me]

"This is because many inbuilt card writers are not able to write partition tables."
Because of performance I'm always using my 'Transcend TS-RDF5K' at USB 3.0 (sometimes also 2.0)...

[CMJ]

ok i managed to get it to burn to sd card,it was my built in reader,as soon as i got a usb reader it burned fine.



it boots but stays on the logo and i get no power led on the box.

so will need to do bit more reading up on this 5.0 firmware.

thanks