A95X (S905X) eMMC boot for Ubuntu

[drdoolittle]

Where do I get the (latest) S905x image? The beta link you posted doesn't work, as well as the link to the armbian forum? Would love to try this out!

Update: Nevermind, found them here: https://yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2/Linux/ARMBIAN

[balbes150]

https://yadi.sk/d/pHxaRAs-tZiei

[drdoolittle]

https://yadi.sk/d/pHxaRAs-tZiei

Thanks! Is that the same site as https://yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2 ? Thanks for your effort, the images seem to work great. If our resposible IT deciders would be more open this would make a great & cheap replacement for our full clients, which are merely used as thin clients right now and in the future.

[balbes150]

Added to the website a test image with a Ubuntu. Which once included a test file "Test.mp4" to your desktop to quickly assess the health of the sound and video playback. At the same time changed in this manner, the resolution of the default screen from 1080 to 720. This will allow to start the system on any monitor whose maximum resolution is 720. If you want 1080 resolution - enough to rename the existing way the script (this can be done from a running system and then reboot it).

Armbian_5.24_Amlogic-s905x_Ubuntu_xenial_3.14.29_desktop_20161104.img

[bgnn]

I did basic test console version.
It works well.
apt-get install samba - OK.
smbd demon start and sharing - OK
I have two usb port on TX5 - both OK (I tested mount usb thumdrive)
You are amazing~~~~
Thanks for this

I'll test more.

Did you managed to get wifi working?

I booted "Armbian_5.24_Amlogic-s905x_Ubuntu_xenial_3.14.29_desktop_20161104" but no wifi/BT hardware is recognized. I'm yet to try ethernet, but I don't know even then how to install AP6255 drivers.

[balbes150]

GENTOO Linux

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s905/tronsmart-ac/firmware-roms-tools-at/565449-running-linux-from-sd-card-or-usb-flash-drive-using-balbes150-method-and-files?p=611203#post611203

[Dapra]

Please to those who have the opportunity to test the latest versions of the images (5.21) to run on different models S905X. Enough to try at least one image, it will show performance on a particular model. Primarily I am interested in how work auto detect the dtb file. By results of check, please write in this topic, the result is start the image or not. To check, you can use any media (Sd card or USB flash drive) 4 GB or more. Order check
1. Download image
2. Unpack
3. To record the program on recording media. Pay attention not to copy the resulting file, i.e. to record a special program. Alternatively, you can use a cross-platform program Rosa-imagewriter. It has a very simple interface and good quality records.
4. Connect the device and activate universal multiboot (as an option - via the regular application Update&Backup)
5. To check the system start up from external media.

I have a nexbox A95X (1G+8G). Did not upgrade software, installed recovery-twrp3020-nexbox_a95x.img and UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.78-20160905010000.zip f-droid terminal etc then took a backup.
Downloaded images from yadi.sk/d/pHxaRAs-tZiei and yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2 as the A95X owner wants linux desktop in some form.
To run the image from the card I have to update uboot, I tried the one from inside the Armbian_5.24_Amlogic-s905x_Debian_jessie_3.14.29_desktop_20161105.img after writing the image to a micro sd card using win32diskimager on an old xp laptop. The Android update&backup found the file and reboots, but the screen remains on the initial Nexbox logo or goes on to the blue and white NEXBOX logo. I don't find any network access so can't ssh.
I am thinking that I may have the wrong uboot file and would like to be able to check this using the command prompt and md5sum for the file.
Checking the Balbes150 Method page (freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s905/tronsmart-ac/firmware-roms-tools-at/565449-running-linux-from-sd-card-or-usb-flash-drive-using-balbes150-method-and-files) Downloading from yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2/update_uboot there are no obvious candidates for the A95X, arhiv.zip contains a tronsmart device that looks similar? The universal version contains uboot_32Mb_20161122.img which I don't see any instructions for or google results; it also contains v_0.6 folder with two files, aml_autoscript.zip and aml_autoscript. Copying this img and folder to a micro sd card and trying the update&backup it reboots to twrp recovery and asks if I want to install the zip file with a warning about making the device unbootable. At this point I would appreciate some advice, if this is the correct file and expected install process.

I have loaded images onto a fast micro sd card, the first card I was using had a 4MB/sec transfer speed, this new one has 18MB/sec. Images don't start as yet, but with the fast card I get into Android, which the slow card wouldn't do.

I would appreciate advice about the correct install files for S905X NEXBOX (1G+8G), the advisability of twrp install of the file, possible md5sum for the resulting system file as I have a root terminal at present.

[balbes150]

Copy of the dtb directory in the root of the FAT partition with the appropriate file for Your TV set-top box dtb data. Rename the copied file to "dtb.img". You can try to find suitable for Your TV set-top box dtb file on the website Kszaq for version 007 and 008. By default, the system tries to use the dtb data from the internal memory, if these data are not suitable for the system, you need to manually add a "dtb.img" in the root of the FAT partition on the media.

[Dapra]

I found files on http://kszaq.libreelec.tv/s905/ and downloaded images for LibreELEC-S905 versions 007 and 008. So these images should have the right dtb; in fact their boot partition has a dtb.img file already when I look, not a directory. Writing image 007 on fast micro-sd and rebooting the A95X goes into Android. Same with the 008 image. So I conclude that if these have the correct dtb.img files then I am either not doing the right boot process (simple reboot from su command prompt) or have not told it to check the external sd card by making correct mods, or the device isn't taking notice of the dtb.img.

Before all this I loaded the universal version boot files (I mentioned before) onto external sd and used recovery to flash the zip. Got error - could not find 'META-INF/com/google/android/update-binary in the zip file. I see from google that happens if using the wrong install process. So I conclude that you are saying to forget that idea altogether.

I mounted the libreelec images in turn, copied and pasted the dtb.img file into Armbian_5.24_Amlogic-s905x_Ubuntu_xenial_3.14.29_desktop_20161105.img desktop image. In each case, with power off boot, there was a slowly flashing nexbox sign. (Don't recall flashing before?) I tried this because of the possibility that the boot process varies between software and that your instructions were specific to the image.

Is there a way to be sure I have the right boot files on the A95X and that it is checking the external sd card. Perhaps finding file locations and boot log? I don't know the details of the boot process.
I am not sure that I upgraded the internal memory to do dual boot properly as the instructions did not cover the device and retrying the universal version with autoscripts in root folder of external sd still doesn't seem to make a difference. I am at a bit of a loss as to what to try next. Lack ways to check specific stages. I could load an newer Android version. This one is nexbox_a95x:5.1.1/nexbox-A95X/20160628/test-keys

[balbes150]

Armbian burn the image to media, and use the toothpick to activate universal multi-boot. 90% of errors when you activate the universal multi-boot connected with problems of preparation of media. Pay attention that in the latest images Armbian already have all the necessary files, or anything in addition to download is NOT necessary. Enough to capture the image Armbian to the media and use it to activate (using toothpicks or via the menu item Update&Backup). Universal multiboot compliant with the latest images of LE. Multiupload, which is in LE - NOT able to work with other systems, it (multiboot from Kszaq) can only run images of LE to external media. If, after activation universal multi-boot , image Armbian will fail to start, add in the FAT partition dtb file from the systems LE , with which You have LE normally runs.


I would be very grateful if someone who speaks English well, write instructions, as in the latter systems, to activate the multi-boot and run Armbian. I use machine translation, so my instructions are very rough and not clear.

[Dapra]

Still the slowly flashing logo with the old edited xenial_3.14.29_desktop even with toothpick.

Start over: load https://yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2/update_uboot universal boot files put on high speed external sd card root directory, not sure what the 30MB img is as it has the same two small files inside, but put it there too, just in case. Used Android update&backup to install file(s) on external card. Unzipped fresh image of Ubuntu_xenial_3.14.29_desktop on my olc xp laptop (as files on yadi.sk/d/pHxaRAs-tZiei still the same). Flashed external sd card with win32diskimager. Insert microSD into A95X. Power off, power up with toothpick stick held in, insert usb keyboard and mouse, release stick after 5 sec, nexbox logo off, then on constantly. Wait 10 min, no change. Retry powerup; hold stick in longer and logo flashes on and off until release. 10 min more, no change to the logo. Try again. No luck.

I could try installing the 30MB universal boot image file via twrp recovery but haven't seen any instructions online about this so will wait for advice.

Can adb pick up the boot messages? There is no microSD socket to put a wire from my linux setup to it, maybe this is possible with a special lead?

I tried the Odroid_c2 image from yadi.sk/d/srrtn6kpnsKz2 and with the toothpick it goes directly into twrp recovery. Booting normally (no toothpick) it starts android. From recovery I managed to save a log file which is attached. (recoverylog.txt)

"If, after activation universal multi-boot , image Armbian will fail to start, add in the FAT partition dtb file from the systems LE , with which You have LE normally runs."

Mounting LibreELEC-S905.aarch64-7.0.2.007.img it contains file dtb.img
sudo mount -t auto -o loop,offset=1048576 //media/rapi/4409EC02655D9751/A95X/Kszaq/LibreELEC-S905.aarch64-7.0.2.007.img //media/rapi/inspect
sudo cp //media/rapi/inspect/dtb.img //media/rapi/BOOT/

Should be the same as in the old edited xenial_3.14.29 at the top of the post, but that one I pasted to the mounted img file *before* flashing to the external sd card, this time I am pasting to the boot folder *on* the prepared external card.
Reboot with toothpick held in unti a few seconds after the logo appears.

Result: slowly flashing nexbox logo, as at the start.

Regarding the writing instructions or proof reading, I am willing to do some and have done similar for publishers in the past. I made a gmail under the name dapraa95x at gmail dot com if you want to send anything for me to look at. It should avoid too much automated spam this way; there doesn't seem to be a mailbox system of freaktab.com

[albundy]

Hello,

I downloaded amlogic buildroot and set up build environment.
u-boot and kernel builds ok.
In the botfaps github readme notes and amlogic application notes there are same commands to prepare sdcard:

Install to SD - Generic dev s905x

1. Create an SD card with one partition in ext2 format.
2. Copy boot.img, rootfs.tar.gz to this partition
   sudo cp output/images/boot.img /media/sdcard
   sudo cp output/images/rootfs.tar.gz /media/sdcard
   sudo sync
3. Extract rootfs.tar.gz on SD card
   cd /media/sdcard
   sudo tar zxvf rootfs.tar.gz sync
4. Write uboot to SD card
   sudo dd if=output/images/u-boot.bin.sd.bin of=/dev/mmcblkX bs=1 count=442
   sudo dd if=output/images/u-boot.bin.sd.bin of=/dev/mmcblkX bs=512 skip=1 seek=1 sudo sync
5. Access UBoot You'll need to access the serial console and enter into the UBoot prompt. On the Nexbox A95x S905x, there are 4 exposed test points next to the USB ports. The "top" pin (in reference to the text on the case and marked by the arrow on the board) is ground, below that is RX, followed by TX. The console runs at 115200 baud and you have to hold down enter while it's booting to enter the UBoot console.
6. When running into uboot, execute run bootsdcard under the prompt:
   env default -a
   env save
   run bootsdcard
7. (optional) To make this the default behavior (be careful, especially if you're changing the EMMC bootloader!), you can run the following commands at UBoot instead:
   env default -a
   setenv bootcmd "run bootsdcard"
   env save
   run bootsdcard

The Questions:
- SD cards boot partition is generally prepared in vfat format (balbes150's armbian fork, libreelec, balbes150 universal_boot etc.). u-boot "fatload" command works with vfat fstype. Does ext2 works with sd cards as primary boot partition? (I could not manage to load kernel from ext2 fs in u-boot. "ext2load" command does not exist in the build.)

-"run bootsdcard" command(steps 6 & 7 above) does not work in u-boot, "bootsdcard" is not defined. When power up; which u-boot we boot into? (emmc (stock) uboot or sdcard uboot we prepared?)

- if i prepare 2 partitions in vfat and ext4 formats, I can load kernel and initramfs, but aml-nftl-dev module cannot be loaded ("modprobe aml-nftl-dev" fails in init script). what is this module for (for sdcard or for emmc)?

- if i prepare 2 partitions in vfat and ext4 formats, I can load kernel and initramfs, but when init tries to mount rootfs in ext4, kernel panics and stops. Is ext4 fs not supported in the amlogic default kernel?

[balbes150]

@Dapra
I think that after so many activation attempts multi-boot, it is already activated. Burn the image Armbian (version 5.24) on the USB flash drive (SD card is very capricious and not everyone can work for starting from external system). Add in a FAT partition the file "dtb.img". Turn off the power. Connect it to your prepared flash drive. Turn on the power. Note - to run the system does NOT use the toothpicks. TV box should start.

@albundy
In the normal boot loader (u-boot) TV box no boot support ext2\3\4 and those teams that is described in the instructions. It is necessary either to replace the stock loader in the eMMC memory, or to lock the bootloader of eMMC memory and use the boot loader from SD card.

[Dapra]

After trying to update/reset the firmware I became aware that s905x and s905 are in fact different hardware versions of one set of devices named A95X. This might explain the problems, but not sure, there isn't a sticky for s905 hardware that I can see. Do the external microsd boot images work with this s905 hardware? Does multiboot work with this hardware?
It seems to be going into a boot loop when the images are present on external microsd and android starts normally when the sd is removed without a power off. I conclude that multiboot probably is working.
http://www.inexbox.com/the-differenc...905x-and-s905/ the hardware seems similar except for an extra video format in the s905x. The video drivers would require different firmware images, but are there are any android system calls used in the external sdcard images? Is it better to switch to the S905X hardware?
Reading about modifying the internal firmware http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/08/...x-s905-tv-box/
Is it possible to load Ubuntu or Debian internally on either model?

[balbes150]

1. According to Your description - universal multiboot You have activated. 2. Armbian burn the image to a USB flash drive. 3. If You have a processor S905. Add in a FAT partition, the correct version dtb data. The file name must be "dtb.img". You can try different variants of the dtb files. The main condition - name must be "dtb.img" and the file must be in root of FAT partition. I recommend to start with the files that are in directory "dtb" on the drive. In turn copy them to the root and don't forget to rename "dtb.img" (replacing the previous file).