MattWestB

Debian Bookworm minimal Armbian with desktop up and running and looks working OK but only very fast testing and im going back to my Ubuntu for getting my HA Thread and Zigbeed test system being online for testing.

Was doing one fast test with Multitool on my device that have updated eMMC with new bootloader and putting it on one USB-Stick and its booting with HDM is working and can navigating with keyboard so looks great. The video is not looking great then its one full HD TV and we is knowing all video modes is not supported but its more then OK. Shall testing the DEB but i only running Ubuntu on my Linux machines so im not installing it. Thanks for great work !!!

Then the box is starting in maskmode the chip ROM is not finding any loader in the internal or external storage, The its in that mode you shall flashing one loader to the flash and if its OK the box is starting the loader and doing logging if its working OK (I think the chip POM is not longing any at all then is not knowing the hardware).

I have seen it with ptty ssh and also on local console but with the old version before was getting the network accesses implemented in it.

@Benedito Portela Your board is having eMMC and if you having one backup try deleting the internal flash and then is shall loading the bootloader from the SD-card and armbian OK from SD-card and also new kernels. If you is getting it working you can write the bootloader to the eMMC with multi tool or with other programs. I was not getting it working with the standard bootloader but i have some in my git that was working OK on my board but its not identical. If getting current up and running first run RK-Tools and setting LED 2 or 3 and low CPU speed befor start doing updates and more configs and rebooting so its being stable.

@Benedito Portela Great work and you have finding all you was needing by reading and understanding it and learning little of Linux and SSH ;-))) If like getting the device boot on all media you need to delete or upgrade the boot bin on the internal flash. If you deleting the internal flash the ROM in the SOC is looking for it on the SD-card and then can booting USB and other storage by "jump starting". I prefer erasing the internal storage and writing one new updated boot bin on it => you can boot from every media also if having OS installed in the internal flash by putting in one USB drive and can "test drive" other versions. Bad thing is only supporting new kernels and not 4.X ones that need the original one for working. The HDMI is one long story and looks like not being solved but the box is working OK and its use less power then not connecting the HDMI so the SOC is not running so hot. Did you getting the WiFi working ?? I only using Eth then its more stable and is not making interference with my Ziggbe / Thread networks. USB is not stable and can needing repower for getting device coming back if they is getting problems. Great work done brave user !!!

@Benedito Portela Im not one code warier but was installing my first Linux fro 2 diskettes one with kernel and the other with root FS and i think the kernel was 0.95 or somthing but im not so deep in it so i can doing little but im better electronic hardware. The HDMI problem we dont have and fix for then the persons with knowledge has nit getting there hands on one for digging deeper in it. Is you Italian ? If yes our 2 best is the same and if you can getting your box to one of them it can being possible they finding that hardware tricks that is needed for getting it working OK. I think your box shall being possible getting up and running but the HDMI i think cant being done for the moment (its over 1.5 years old problem with some boxes). That is needed if doing it the easy way is soldering the comport and using one terminal program and one USB-TTL 3.3V for making the first configuration then you cant see what you is doing with only keyboard then the HDMI is not working.

@Benedito Portela The console is on the pads on the underside of the PCB as of the older version and you can see it in my tear down of the old version here https://github.com/MattWestb/R29-MXQ-LP3-V2.3-00908. The MASCROM pads i think being moved and looks being some pads near the memory but the photo is not sharp enough for see that and hopefully you dont need it but you need erasing the eMMC for getting the box booting external media with current kernel and if like getting it working good writing one new updated bootloader in the eMMC that making it booting all medias also USB storage by jump star from the eMMC to external media. I have not the HDMI and WiFi working but is not bad then i dont need them then using Eth and the HDMI is only making the CPU using more power and being heater so better not connecting it then have getting SSH working and using one good SHH terminal program to manage the box. Edit: The MASCROM pads is 110% the same only its little nearer the CPU then the layout is the same so shall working as the old version only look on the photos and you is finding them.

@sadp I using my box headless and by not connecting the HDMI its not running so warm (i doing the same with my RK3318 box that is having HDMI working OK last time i was looking) and i using local comport for the initial config and then SSH so no need for desktop for my. Also i running Zigbee and Thred RCP and WiFi is only making problems so i only using Eth for not getting interference with my 802.15.4 mesh networks. Only real problems beside the box is very easy running hot is that the USB implementation is nerving if one device is having problems and the system is disconnecting it the system must being repowered for the system finding it and its the same for the RK3318 box so its one RK thing that is not working very well. My firs problem was that the box was not liking the bootloader but i was finding one working one and flashing it to the eMCC and after that i have no problem installing armbian on the internal storage and can booting SD and USB storage for testing other armbian builds so its very good only the box is only having 8G internal flash so i have mounting the SD-card as docker data so HA supervised have enough storage for installing and working OK.

@TU-Student I have one little older version of the board and have finding the hardware pins for UART and MASK-ROM and its the same on your. Look on the posted images i haw done before and you is getting all you need. I can also see that your board have being "fixes" hard or software then its have new label over the original so very likely they have flashing one "updated" Android on it before shipping it. I have modded the SD-Card so i can have its mounted inside the box then i need it for running HA and its only having 1/8 G that is OK but not flash for running supervised version and is working very well if not using USB that is crashing and need hard restart for working OK.

@EmilB As long you is having the original u-bootloader on the internal eMMC the device cant boot armbian on external storage. Erasing the eMMC is making the internal ROM in the SOC looking for u-bootloader on the SD-card and you can then booting SD, USB and internal storage from it if doing the config OK. My box was not liking the standard bootloader but i was getting it working then finding one working one and flashing it from MASKROM mode on the eMMC and then i can booting from all connected device also USB if the internal not being OK and can fixing it from CLI.

@remlei OS agent for ARM 32 and supervised select Pi 3 (not 64 bit version) and also need patching the boot parameters for getting the install working OK by faking GRUB settings.

Great thanks for the archive of current version of armbian for rk3318 boxes !! Now its possible installing one good working version that is not braking more time in the mouths and is getting current updates :-))) https://imola.armbian.com/dl/rk3318-box/archive/

# cat /sys/kernel/debug/clk/dpll/clk_rate 1332000000 with 660Mhz set in rk3318-config.

RK322X Boxes archive https://armbian.hosthatch.com/archive/rk322x-box/archive/ or for only latest https://imola.armbian.com/dl/rk322x-box/archive/ RK3318 Boxes ??

@SteeMan You is not alone running important test rigs / production system on this (CY) hardware :-)) @jock I like the very edge build then having one test system and trying getting things that is not working and getting it fixed so its very OK. But im missing is image with more stable user space and kernel for installing for not critical production / test system for other things like my HA Matter / Thread (need Arm64) and HyperHDR that shall not being broke more times in the months and need reinstalling the complete system every time and must patching for getting the BT working for pairing Matter / thread devices. Way not adding it to normal armbian archive like RK322X and getting UB and DEB in Desktop, CLI and Minimal in latest major release of armbian so user can install "experimental stable" build that is getting updates and is not so likely being broken ? By the way the USB is the most crappy part in this boxes then the system cant handle reconnect of USB devices and is oft blocking all USB posts (both USB 2 and 3) if one device is getting problems and must re power the box for getting USB working. I think next box is being one aml-s9xx-box that have better hard / software implementation of the USB.

@jock Is it some planes making one more stable current release as the weekly edge builds ? Im using one box for HA thread testing (need arm64 and BT) and its very bad is its loosing BT then the edge kernel is being updated (that have happening) ? The RK3228 is possible finding in the armbian archive but the RK3318 is not being there and current stable is not build for it. Thanks in advance for your work on our devices !!!

@drigohighlander I think you have the same box i is having. For 11 months multitool was not working at all with it and not possible connecting to it and using multitool from CLI but it shall being fixed with the updated version. The large problem is that HDMI was /is not working on it. Your device dont have is having eMMC and then you is not getting options for step-nand option. I was erasing the eMMC and flashing one bootloader in it and booted armbian from SD-Card and it was working OK also from USB flash. Then working OK i was installing armbian from armbian-config on the eMMC and its working very good. Only thing i have not getting working is WiFi / Bt but i only using Ethernet so its OK for my and HDMI is also not braking thing for my then using SSH and docker / Portainer for doing the needed things on it.

@jockThen the device is MASK ROM is it also looking for bootloader on the USB or is it only then having bootloader on the MMC ?

Look here for the Gb and GB problematic https://telcom.uk/faqs/49/what-is-the-difference-between-megabit-mbit-and-megabyte-mbyte#:~:text=So%2C in short%2C 1 Megabit,used to measure file size.

The same with my. I dont knowing how the SOC is doing all things but the bus is 32 bit and the Die bus is using 16 bit and and then the Size is 2048 MB ? I think @jock can explaining it better.

You is having one good CH340 connected so look wot the bootloader is writing, its the true RAM the board is having

So : Density: DDP 4Gb C-die Banks: 8Banks Part Number: K4B4G0446C Package & Power, Temp. (-C/-L) & Speed: MC(L)F7/F8/H9 Org.: 1G x 4 and organized in 1Gb in 4 banks and 8 chips = 4 * 8 = 32 bit data bus on the SOC * 1 Gb. In your example you was having 8 bit databus for the RAM and i think its one 32 bit CPU and its using 32 bit databus for the RAM. But the normal for CE (Chinese Export) marked products is 32 G RAM in the device.

@Aapo Tahkola Pleas post one photo if you PCB so can see the model printed on the memory IC then the data chest is for the family if the chips and we is not knowing your box is having for model.

Great thanks for the workaround it was getting 2 RK boxes working OK with latest HA !! Only the Systemd Journal issues left to fixig if its possible.