latest release works for me (Armbian_20.10_Arm-64_bullseye_current_5.9.0_desktop.img.xz)
extlinux.conf:
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LABEL Armbian
LINUX /zImage
INITRD /uInitrd
Hi Alexx,
Always check the pinned thread on this forum: Single Armbian image for RK + AML + AW (aarch64 ARMv8)
These instructions are in that post:
1. Take for example this desktop.img from Sep. 24: Armbian_20.09_Arm-64_focal_current_5.8.10_desktop.img.xz I've had really good results with 20.09 ubuntu focal & debian bullseye images.
2. now burn it to a usb with the program https://www.balena.io/etcher/
After it's done you're going to see 2 Partitions appear - you want to open the one says /BOOT.
3. Create your u-boot: Find this file: "u-boot-s905x2-s922" Copy and paste it with a new name of "u-boot.ext". It in fact works for s905x3 too.
4. Now inside /BOOT/dtb/amlogic these are your "Device Tree Binaries". Kernel uses it to detect all your hardware. The Trial and error part is finding the right one that makes your hardware work.
Scroll to the bottom you'll see 'meson-sm1-sei610.dtb' rforcen is talking about Normally you have to copy & past .dtb files into this directory. But for now try that one!
5. Configure your 'extlinux.conf'. Edit /extlinux/extlinux.conf and comment out or delete every line for other boards. Near the end you want to uncomment FDT & APPEND for '# aml s9xxx' put in your dtb file from step 4.
I have a very minimalist one looks like this:
LABEL Armbian
LINUX /zImage
INITRD /uInitrd
# aml s9xxx
FDT /dtb/amlogic/meson-sm1-sei610.dtb
APPEND root=LABEL=ROOTFS rootflags=data=writeback rw console=ttyAML0,115200n8 console=tty0 no_console_suspend consoleblank=0 fsck.fix=yes fsck.repair=yes net.ifnames=0
Now All you have to is try to use a 'toothpick' to make it boot from external media! Search Google see if your box has a "Hidden" recovery button inside the Audio Jack? most do, but some have it more visibly outside. Press it with power unplugged. When you plug it in, keep holding it down until after you see your device's Logo. I hold it about 6 sec after that. When you release it, the logo will go dark, and it's going into Armbian's boot process. Now it will reboot several times while it sets things up. Give it few minutes and you should have a running Armbian!
If this fails: try dtb files from earlier in this thread. I found almotra's list very helpful! And try different images, try a server only image instead.
Note: Only run from external media. Do NOT try to install to eMMC yet! it will brick your device. Take a backup with `ddbr`
It has been mentioned several times on this forum that .dtb files of different kernel versions are not compatible. Since Android 9 still uses a 4.xx kernel you cannot use these .dtb's to get your boxes booting the current Armbian images which use the mainline kernel (5.7 and soon 5.8).
Even when you convert your Android .dtb file to the corresponding .dts file it is converted to a 4.xx kernel description. You would have to translate the information you can gather from this .dts file to the 5.7 kernel description style.
It seems there are few or no people around here who are experts in converting 4.xx description style to 5.xx description style and that is the main problem we have to use a bunch of hacks to get things working on our machines.
Or if you want to learn more about device trees https://www.devicetree.org seems to be the right place to go.
I tested your newest debian server on my x96 mini with s905w dtb and it works well!
I was also able to install a desktop environment with armbian-config.
As expected wifi and bluetooth are not detected. It should require some specific firmware (armbian-firmware installed) but I had not open my box to see the chip.
I also saw a problem with zram service not working.
rforcen got a reaction from chinhhut in Armbian for Amlogic S905X3