Armbian Bookworm 25.8.1. (minimal)
Odroid XU4 with 32GB eMMc
After lots of searching and trying 2017 Hardkernel solutions and github etc - And this forum suggestions - I could never get get it to boot. I think this is partly because things have changed since 2016/17.
I did not have my eMMc on an usb adapter. Just installed, brand new (untouched from China) eMMc and a imaage install on MicroSD of Armbian.
The method I believed should work was "armbian-install". But, it had errors while using mkpartimage.
I put debug statements in the script and found the particular instance of invoking mkpartimage.
Actually the issue is; 2 files are missing from /boot folder.
Current SD installation image of Armbian minimal only creates one fdisk (MBR) partition on which /boot is a folder.
I tried for ages to create a separate /boot partition. Maybe, since I have now succeeded with an eMMc install, I might try doing a separate root and boot.
The 2 missing files are
armbianEnv.txt and boot.cmd
If one "touch"es armbianEnv.txt then - if it doesn't exist it will be created - if it does then no harm done.
If one copies boot.ini to boot.cmd then these two things will satisfy armbian-install.
Amrbian-install correctly changes the R/O of mmcblkXboot1 (where X is emmc device number) write the boot stuff and markit back R/O.
It also ensures that armbianEnv.txt has got correct entries in it.
In summary
Install eMMc and Micro SD in XU4
Ensure SD/eMMc switch set to SD and boot armbian from SD
Login as root or use sudo
touch /boot/armbianEnv.txt
cp /boot/boot.ini /boot/boot.cmd
armbian-install
choose the install and boot from eMMc option
shutdown
change switch to boot armbian from eMMc
boot
