@MMGen First, thanks for a great tutorial! I have a question about gpt. I maintain shrink-backup and I use dd to copy "boot sector" and rsync the rest (VERY easily described) But I do not distinguish any difference between if it's mbr or gpt when using dd, I just copy everything before root partition with dd (and a few MiB extra) then format root, rsync, yadayadayada... (not important) So I got curious why you skip the first 64 512b blocks in the dd for gpt? (for others reading, the 512 is because fdisk ALWAYS returns 512b blocks, even though gpt is actually 4k blocks) dd if=$(echo *.img) of=/dev/sda bs=512 skip=64 seek=64 count=32704 Can you explain why? I tried to find something online referencing the first 64 512b blocks of a gpt partition table, but could not find anything. I would really appreciate you educating me, or some links where I can read up on the reason. Thank you!

@chris178 im using this image ( r5 512 ) with the mem=4g param i tried the nick A image too, same problem. ( i tried the r4, r1, 512 and 4096 ) i didnt tried a different microsd, im going to buy a new one and make a new test maybe i got a faulty board. (im using npu and a lot of cpu, everything running fine) Srry about my poor english, is not my native language 😅

@tiobily Ram detect and training looks just fine above.... you could interrupt the boot and test memory. what OS image did you use above? I could try it on my device (also 8GB but modded). Did you try different microSD cards? Just tried @Nick A image and u-boot section is very similar. However boot continues with linux kernel at the point your debug stalled.... I can't see much clue as to why you're having that issue from the log above unfortunately... Just tried https://github.com/radxa-build/radxa-a733/releases/download/rsdk-r5/radxa-a733_bullseye_cli_r5.output_512.img.xz on a 8GB moded A7Z and it boot fine and free mem as expected...

Thanks, I ran from sdcard and these options work on Dolamee D5: overlays=cpu-hs emmc emmc-ddr-ph45 led-conf-default

hi @chris178! 1 - factory 8gb, not modded, lpddr4 2 - boot log: ▒...... [151]HELLO! BOOT0 is starting! [154]BOOT0 commit : {9f6fab4f-dirty} [168]dram_para_total:0xf [171]vaild para:6 select dram para10 [175][mmc]: mmc driver ver 2024-03-20 10:36 [184][mmc]: Wrong media type 0x0 [188][mmc]: ***Try SD card 0*** [197][mmc]: HSSDR52/SDR25 4 bit [200][mmc]: 50000000 Hz [202][mmc]: 59638 MB [205][mmc]: ***SD/MMC 0 init OK!!!*** [210]DRAM BOOT DRIVE INFO: V0.601 [215]DRAM_VCC set to 1100 mv [217]DRAM CLK =1800 MHZ [220]DRAM Type =8 (8:LPDDR4,9:LPDDR5) [320]Training result is = 7 [323]DRAM Pstate 1 training, frequency is 1200 Mhz [433]Training result is = 7 [436]DRAM Pstate 2 training, frequency is 800 Mhz [642]Training result is = 7 [645]DRAM Pstate 3 training, frequency is 400 Mhz [3829]Training result is = 7 [3832]DRAM Pstate 0 training, frequency is 1800 Mhz [3840]Actual DRAM SIZE =8192 M [3843]DRAM SIZE =8192 MBytes, para1 = 311a, para2 = 20001001, dram_tpr13 = 6067 [3858]DRAM simple test OK. [3864]error:bad magic. [3928]error: dtb not found for scp [3931]mmc not para [3933]Jump to ATF: monitor_base = 0x48000000, uboot_base = 0x4a000000, optee_base = 0x0 NOTICE: BL31: OP-TEE 32bit detected NOTICE: BL31: U-BOOT 32bit detected NOTICE: BL31: v2.5(debug):5fc237a6a NOTICE: BL31: Built : 09:05:28, Feb 26 2025 NOTICE: BL31: No DTB found. ERROR: Error initializing runtime service opteed_fast U-Boot 2018.07-12-boot-aw2501-gb2d229198b2-dirty (Jan 06 2026 - 03:45:33 +0000) Allwinner Technology [03.985]CPU: Allwinner Family [03.988]Model: Radxa Cubie A7A I2C: ready [04.052]DRAM: 8 GiB [04.061]Relocation Offset is: 75d89000 [04.114]secure enable bit: 0 [04.117]PMU: AXP8191 [04.119]PMU: AXP8191 VER_A FDT ERROR:fdt_get_regulator_name:get property handle twi-supply error:FDT_ERR_INTERNAL [04.131]bmu_axp515_probe pmic_bus_read fail [04.135][AXP8191] onoff status: 0x50 = 0x1, 0x51 = 0x0 [04.140][AXP8191] charge status: 0x4 = 0x0 [04.144]CPU=1014 MHz,PLL6=1200 Mhz,AHB=200 Mhz, APB1=24Mhz MBus=600Mhz [04.150]gic: sec monitor mode SPI ALL: ready [04.194]flash init start [04.196]workmode = 0,storage type = 1 [04.200][mmc]: mmc driver ver uboot2018:2024-10-18 9:01:00 -- uboot2018:2025-03-28 10:03:00 [04.208][mmc]: get sdc_type fail and use default host:tm1. [04.216][mmc]: can't find node "mmc0",will add new node [04.221][mmc]: fdt err returned <no error> [04.224][mmc]: Using default timing para [04.228][mmc]: SUNXI SDMMC Controller Version:0x50530 [04.246][mmc]: card_caps:0x3000000a [04.249][mmc]: host_caps:0x3000003f [04.252]sunxi flash init ok get value error [04.262]Loading Environment from SUNXI_FLASH... OK No ethernet found. [04.299]NOT support bridge yet [04.302]Warn: no find panel or bridge [04.403]drm hdmi get mode: 1920x1080@60Hz hdmi0@5520000: use force output detailed mode clock 139190 kHz, flags[5] H: 1920 2008 2052 2080 V: 1080 1082 1087 1115 bus_format: 0 clk_set_rate: <NULL> has NULL parent [04.505]suxni tcon hdmi set rate: 139190000Hz and get diff: -139190000Hz [04.577]the secure storage item0 copy0 magic is bad [04.589]the secure storage item0 copy1 magic is bad [04.593]usb burn from boot delay time 0 [04.599]usb prepare ok [04.902]overtime [04.906]do_burn_from_boot usb : no usb exist skip update boot_param cann't get the boot_base from the env [04.917]update part info [04.922]battery temp is -1 [04.926]update bootcmd [04.934](not enough data: expected >= 8 cells, got 4 cells) Link up timeout Speed change timeout PCIe speed of Gen1 Override default fdtfile to allwinner/sun60i-a733-cubie-a7z.dtb [07.376]libfdt fdt_check_header(): FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC [07.382]libfdt fdt_path_offset() returned FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC [07.388][mmc]: get sunxi-mmc0 string failed [07.392]The storage not support sample function [07.398]## error: update_fdt_dram_para_from_bootpara : FDT_ERR_NOTFOUND ret 0 [07.408]chip id : 0x00005100 0x00004900 0x00004810 0x00001d62 [07.414]mac addr => 08:51:49:58:7f:71 [07.417]chip id : 0x00005100 0x00004900 0x00004810 0x00001d62 [07.423]mac addr => 08:51:49:58:7f:70 [07.427]/chosen/rng-seed node not exit [07.430]no battery, disabled battery functons [07.434]Could not find nodeoffset for bat_supply [07.439]update dts curr_device:0 Device: SUNXI SD/MMC Manufacturer ID: ff OEM: 0 Name: SDU1 Bus Speed: 50000000 Mode : SD High Speed (50MHz) Rd Block Len: 512 SD version 3.0 High Capacity: Yes Capacity: 58.2 GiB Bus Width: 4-bit Erase Group Size: 512 Bytes [ufs]info:Driver version 0.0.24 2024.12.30 16:00 [ufs]info:Cal words 0x60:val 0xb0880000, 0x64:val 0x4f21a959 [ufs]err:uic c 16,uic a 0,1,0 [ufs]err:e 80000010,0,0,0,0 [ufs]err:int s 0,400 [ufs]err:Device not present [ufs]err:wait device link startup failed [ufs]info:peer link startup timeout [ufs]info:Cal words 0x60:val 0xb0880000, 0x64:val 0x4f21a959 [ufs]err:uic c 16,uic a 0,1,0 [ufs]err:e 80000010,0,0,0,0 [ufs]err:int s 0,400 [ufs]err:Device not present [ufs]err:wait device link startup failed [ufs]info:peer link startup timeout [ufs]info:Cal words 0x60:val 0xb0880000, 0x64:val 0x4f21a959 [ufs]err:uic c 16,uic a 0,1,0 [ufs]err:e 80000010,0,0,0,0 [ufs]err:int s 0,400 [ufs]err:Device not present [ufs]err:wait device link startup failed [ufs]info:peer link startup timeout [ufs]info:Cal words 0x60:val 0xb0880000, 0x64:val 0x4f21a959 [ufs]err:uic c 16,uic a 0,1,0 [ufs]err:e 80000010,0,0,0,0 [ufs]err:int s 0,400 [ufs]err:Device not present [ufs]err:wait device link startup failed [ufs]info:peer link startup timeout [ufs]err:link startup failed -6 [ufs]err:ufshcd_probe() failed -6 fail to init ufs sunxi_flash - sunxi_flash sub-system Usage: sunxi_flash sunxi_flash init storage_type sunxi_flash read mem_addr part_name [size] sunxi_flash read_mtd mem_addr part_name [size] sunxi_flash write <mem_addr> <part_name> [size] sunxi_flash write <mem_addr> <part_name> [offset] [size] sunxi_flash write_mtd <mem_addr> <part_name> sunxi_flash boot0 force_dram_update_size <new_val> sunxi_flash boot0 force_dram_update_flag <new_val> Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0 starting USB... USB0: start sunxi USB-DRD... config usb clk ok sunxi USB-DRD init ok... USB EHCI 1.00 scanning bus 0 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found USB1: start sunxi USB1-Host... config usb clk ok sunxi USB1-Host init ok... USB EHCI 1.00 scanning bus 1 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found Device 0: device type unknown ... is now current device ** Bad device usb 0 ** ** Bad device usb 0 ** mmc0 is current device Scanning mmc 0:2... Scanning mmc 0:3... Found /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf Retrieving file: /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf 1307 bytes read in 19 ms (66.4 KiB/s) U-Boot menu 1: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) 5.15.147-14-a733 2: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) 5.15.147-14-a733 (rescue target) Enter choice: 1: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) 5.15.147-14-a733 Retrieving file: /boot/initrd.img-5.15.147-14-a733 31153067 bytes read in 1310 ms (22.7 MiB/s) Retrieving file: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.147-14-a733 19030528 bytes read in 808 ms (22.5 MiB/s) append: root=UUID=6f750720-329a-45f0-a4b5-abc5797b040a console=ttyAS0,115200n8 rootwait clk_ignore_unused mac_addr=08:51:49:58:7f:71 mac1_addr=08:51:49:58:7f:70 quiet splash loglevel=4 rw earlycon consoleblank=0 console=tty1 coherent_pool=2M irqchip.gicv3_pseudo_nmi=0 cgroup_enable=cpuset cgroup_memory=1 cgroup_enable=memory swapaccount=1 kasan=off Retrieving file: /usr/lib/linux-image-5.15.147-14-a733/allwinner/sun60i-a733-cubie-a7z.dtb 193692 bytes read in 145 ms (1.3 MiB/s) [16.025]libfdt fdt_path_offset() returned FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC [16.034]The storage not support sample function ret 0 [16.136]mac addr => 08:51:49:58:7f:71 [16.140]mac addr => 08:51:49:58:7f:70 [16.145]no battery, disabled battery functons [16.152]update dts stop sunxi USB-DRD ok... stop sunxi USB1-Host ok... Loading Ramdisk to 4824a000, end 49fffbab ... OK ERROR: reserving fdt memory region failed (addr=48000000 size=1000000) [16.232]Starting kernel ... [16.235]total: 16235 ms [16.237][mmc]: MMC Device 2 not found [16.240][mmc]: mmc 2 not find, so not exit NOTICE: [SCP] :wait arisc ready.... NOTICE: [SCP] :arisc version: [d463b9da43dc50320f21ba51c6c51afe2db20d83] NOTICE: [SCP] :arisc startup ready NOTICE: [SCP] :arisc startup notify message feedback NOTICE: [SCP] :sunxi-arisc driver is starting NOTICE: BL3-1: Next image address = 0x40200000 NOTICE: BL3-1: Next image spsr = 0x3c5 nothing happen after that my workaround ( with claude help ) edit extlinux.conf and add mem=4G append root=UUID=0e1a597a-1884-4b41-a07c-733efecf176c console=ttyAS0,115200n8 earlyprintk=sunxi-uart,0x2500000 rootwait mem=4G clk_ignore_unused any higher value dosent work.