C0NPAQ

edit: sorry, was an error.

Its all the same, I am afraid. :'( Armbian_5.74.txt I noticed that in the new kernel the serial port is named ttyAML0 instead of ttyS0 . I tried both occasionally, but it made no difference, still no output. I am assuming that now ttyAML0 is the correct name?

Thanks a lot! Tell us if you need any help.

Result is identical with previous ones. It does not work.

How do I run the new uboot? My box has its internal MMC busted. I have USB Burn tool. Also check out this file I extracted from the Amlogic IMG file. Is it good for anything? dtb_from_amlogic_img_file.txt dtb_from_amlogic_img_file_2.txt

I literally tried all the dtb files in the 5.XX kernel image (plus the one you mentioned meson-gxm-q201-1gb.dtb), and the issue is always the same. I can't really believe that this is related to an improper DTB file, because: 1. In the 3.14 kernel, the gxl_p230_k1_pro.dtb and gxl_p230_2g.dtb worked well. Other dtbs also produced some kind of output over serial console, although they didn't boot completely. 2. So its not like we only had this one single proprietary DTB blob from the manufacturer to begin with, that only works with the 3.XX kernel. 3. Now although there are like 10 DTB files that are compatible and should run, for Ki Pro, Ki Plus, Kii Pro, P230 a, P230 b, etc. etc. - none work? 4. What about the FDT_ERR_NOTFOUND error? I read online, that more or less this relates to some bug in uboot? Excuse my doubts. This is all new to me. Maybe it is a uboot issue?

I also tried different dtbs on the 3.14 kernel .... 3.14 gxl_p230_k1_pro.dtb : works 3.14 gxl_p230_2g.dtb : works 3.14 gxl_p200.dtb: the kernel hangs after outputting one line 4.XX (I tried over a dozen dtbs): nothing works, no output

Ok, so here is the problem ... Note that I was using the meson-gxl-s905d-p230.dtb on the Armbian 5.44 image, and on the 5.73 I was using the meson-gxl-s905d-ki-pro.dtb file. The issue is the same though. Also I tried both ttyS0 and ttyAML0, none worked. @balbes150: So can something possibly be done? Here are the full logs: Mecool_Ki_Pro_boot_sd_card_with_Armbian_5.44_S9xxx_Debian_stretch_3.14.29_xfce_20180729.img.txt Mecool_Ki_Pro_boot_sd_card_with_Armbian_5.44_S9xxx_Debian_stretch_4.18.0-rc5_xfce_20180806.img.txt Mecool_Ki_Pro_boot_sd_card_with_Armbian_5.73_Aml-s905_Debian_stretch_default_4.20.2_desktop_20190130.img.txt

@olivluca: Do you have UART console, what did it say? We got to get this working somehow. These new kernels in balbes150 images got all sorts of miracles going, like hardware accel for video. I hope my new UART module arrives today.

You are in total error. Like I said, those files exist in the dtb folder in the images from balbes150 with the 4+ kernels Armbian, and they belong to that kernel. Please check the images yourself, if you are in doubt.

There are all the dtb files for Ki Pro, Kii Pro, Kiii Pro, Ki Plus, p230 in the images provided by balbes150 (see his post in this thread). This is exactly why I am asking about it. I am not trying to do something dumb, like boot without dtb file. They really exist, whereever he got them from. Both the P230 and the Ki Pro dtb ought to work 100%. Mostly all of the mentioned Mecool Boxes' dtb files should possibly work, since they are virtually identical in specs. They only have more or less RAM or don't ship with the DVB module, and stuff like that.

Thanks a lot. I will provide actual UART console output in a few days, when I get a new adapter.

I also tried to boot the images with the 4.XX kernels and it won't work. Only the 3.14 - no issues there. Why is that?

Btw. you need to load all the modules manually, as far as I gathered. Including wifi. Its called ... 8723bs I believe. And yes, it works.

What do you mean by "configure the dtb"? You mean, to copy the appropriate file from the dtbs directory to dtb.img (or use that envini script to point to the right file)? Or something else? Because we already needed to do that on 3.14 kernels.

I narrowed the issue now down to the kernel version: Mecool Ki Pro (905d with Mali-450 2GB/16GB) boots only the 3.14 kernels, but not the 4.XX kernels. Why is that? I saw the Odroid-C2 also having its own 3.14 kernel on archlinuxarm, while the main kernel was 4.XX. The Odroid-c2 is very very similar in specs to Mecool Ki Pro, but so should be any 905 box? And this thread is all about 905 boxes...? Please someone explain why the new kernels won't boot or why they are problematic.

Oh also I have another question: When I upgraded the kernel from inside the OS last time twice, it would not boot up but instead just power down. What do you have to do by hand that the scripts don't, when you do a minor kernel upgrade with a sysupgrade?

@balbes150: With my Mecool Ki Pro, I have already successfully used your Archlinux 9XXXX images with the 3.14 Kernel. Now the Armbian_5.73_Aml-s905_Debian_stretch_default_4.20.2_desktop_20190129.img doesn't work out at all, although I did all the steps required. First, like I did on the Archlinux image, I had to rename the s905_autoscript to aml_autoscript and remove the now-new aml_autoscript to get a boot response. But now screen remains without signal, instead of booting into Android recovery. I am somewhat puzzled by the excess of files and I don't know what could be at fault. My pressing question is: What's up with the 3.14 kernels being the standard for the ODROID-C2 (same specs as my Mecool Ki Pro) on arch and used by yourself, instead of the newer kernel versions? I have read of people running 4.xx on odroid-c2, but perhaps my box can't run newer kernels at all? Many thanks for all your good work!

Hello, has someone tried ArchlinuxARM vs. Armbian on this box Mecool Ki Pro specifically? I have also already used LibreELEC with it off SD card, since internal flash is busted, and LibreELEC ran all sorts of stuff it can do, like DVB-C tuner with TVHeaded2. So basically there should be no reason it won't all run on the bigger distributions (or not? ..). Someone wrote online, that the Ki Pro has possibly the best LibreELEC support of all boxes. But I am wondering, e.g. about xorg graphics drivers and kernel versions. Which one, ArchlinuxARM or Armbian, has newer and better stuff for the Ki Pro? The Ki Pro is like the Odroid-2 in specs, but it won't boot a normal ext4 partition you need to use u-boot stuff or something, which rather needs to be provided by an IMG file. Here Archlinux links: https://yadi.sk/d/BbH_N6HFzvjhm https://forum.freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/606133-linux-images-for-s802-s805-s812-s905-s905x-s912-sd-usb-emmc https://forum.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 OK, so here are the steps to install Archlinux on the Mecool Ki Pro : 1. First link, download any of S9xxxx images, like S9xxx_ArchLinux_MATE_20180207_3_14.img.xz - then extract .xz archive 2. Use this http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-Raw-Copy-Tool/HDDRawCopy1.10Portable.exe to write .img file to SD card (I believe, its simply like dd on linux) Now on Windows a new FAT partition appears (let's call that F:\ ). There you have to do two things: 3. Copy the file F:\dtbs\gxl_p230_k1_pro.dtb to F:\dtb.img 4. Rename F:\s905_autoscript to F:\aml_autoscript Now you can test if the SD card boots by unplugging the device, holding the power button until you see whatever picture, and plugging power back in while you hold it. You do not need to make any system modifications to boot from SD card, as described in the links above. It boots SD cards while holding power when powering on as factory default. If you fail to do any of the above steps, it won't work. And the last step is mentioned nowhere afaik. I only tried it because I recognized the file from libreELEC. You can also copy the appropriate remote.conf somewhere over from the LibreELEC site or here https://file.io/iUytX9 . I have a real keyboard/touchpad remote, so I don't care about that at all. Now, still at your PC, you can also do this: 5. Remove second partition, recreate, then use resize2fs to fit full size of SD card. (I have no idea how you would do that on Windows. It can't be done from the running system.) 6. Modify the F:\hdmi.sh to change screen resolution and stuff.