I digged a bit in the forums, and it seems that the loop thing happens to several boards. I saw the commit in August 03 to go back to u-boot tag2020:10 (https://github.com/armbian/build/pull/2963).
This being said, I made a few additionnal tests, since it seems to me that there might be more than u-boot due to OUPS and kernel panics I have been issuing.
Context: BPI is connected via serial but has also a screen, connected to network, nothing plugged in USB.
** Armbian_20.11.6_Bananapi_buster_current_5.10.4_minimal.img + kernel 5.10.55: Pb 'Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 816ba440' at least, startup log is here:
https://postit.ilinux.fr/?da42320bdeeb734d#FUNpSTD5ogvCc57S84ZfYRLYTUMmXhmSHpxHXhcTNspu (I checked because I didn't read the commit yet)
** Armbian_21.05.1_Bananapi_buster_current_5.10.34_minimal.img
Here too, startups may be different. Always have a no signal on the screen. Kernel Panic. Log is here: https://postit.ilinux.fr/?52b0500d4a5d0741#BhCykEPZsg9Co9kL84rLJ3hikdtimN1fvedqsLK7iH4B
** Armbian_21.08.0-trunk.110_Bananapi_hirsute_edge_5.13.7.img, checked just in case, but startup ends at 'Starting kernel ...' (nothing happened during at least 5min). Again, no signal on the screen.
** I tried the very last version of u-boot, but like for one week or so, doing so lead me to the following, without anything happening next...
U-Boot SPL 2021.10-rc1-00240-gab97eb341c (Aug 05 2021 - 19:23:48 +0200)
DRAM: 1024 MiB
CPU: 912000000Hz, AXI/AHB/APB: 3/2/2
Trying to boot from MMC1
** Armbian_21.05.1_Bananapi_buster_current_5.10.34_minimal.img + Kernel-5.10.55, the idea here is to check both u-boot and the last kernel. Got some starts ending with 'Starting kernel ...', other with a kernel panic 'not syncing: stack-protector'
Log is here: https://postit.ilinux.fr/?0ddea25565f1695c#BXCFHWP2W5U3R2A89YsHmJfou8Num5oEgoNibzjD5q6W
** Armbian_21.05.1_Bananapi_buster_current_5.10.34_minimal.img + Kernel-4.19.201
I made 2 execs, both results in a no signal for the screen.
The 1st makes a re-mounted-ro of /, and writes Failed to start Armbian-ZRAM config. Log is here: https://postit.ilinux.fr/?7a95b34eb3fd27c6#8wwMV4q1ezMBEisLtJNezBAC6eZQ2p2ukaKHTQZat4tt
2nd exec went further, I don't know how ARMBian first boot may have impacted this 2nd exec. Still error ans script (ZRAM config and ntp). Exec seems to achieve something, but no login (serial) and no signal on screen either.
Log is https://postit.ilinux.fr/?ab16234f6bf18104#H6vUrPcuCmsR3ox57SW7ocDgwSBkC4vgNQx925bg8xe5
Note that kernels have been compiled with the sunxi_defconfig configuration.
I had to change a bit what is in /boot to make things work, like adding a script.bin generated from sunxi-tools, and used the boot.cmd taken from ArchLinux https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Banana_Pi (using ARMbian lead to errors, maybe initram :?
I'm more than willing to help further if instructed what to do...
Cheers.