Recover C2; uInitrd missing?

[w0ndersp00n]

A few weeks ago, after a firmware-upgrade my C2 bricked. It's blue led didn't flash any more and no serial console was available. Since I had everything setup just right I wanted to recover it using these steps here: https://docs.armbian.com/User-Guide_Recovery/#replacing-boot

 

Off course I replaced the packages with the ones for the C2. Specifically:

• https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/armbian-apt/pool/main/l/linux-5.9.14-meson64/linux-dtb-current-meson64_20.11.3_arm64.deb
• https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/armbian-apt/pool/main/l/linux-5.9.14-meson64/linux-image-current-meson64_20.11.3_arm64.deb
• https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/armbian-apt/pool/main/l/linux-buster-root-current-odroidc2/linux-buster-root-current-odroidc2_20.11.6_arm64.deb
• https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/armbian-apt/pool/main/a/armbian-firmware/armbian-firmware_20.11.3_all.deb

 

After following all the steps, I don't seem to have an uInitrd. I don't know if that would help booting up again, but from the symlinks section it's the only file missing after following all the steps:

 

Does anybody know what went wrong or guide me towards the right steps to recover my C2?

[tparys]

Generally, installing a kernel package triggers initramfs rebuild, but it's possible something got stuck or failed. This may not be your only issue.

 

Something you can try:

 

$ sudo apt-get install binfmt-support
$ sudo chroot /mnt/sdcard
# update-initramfs -u -k 5.9.14-meson64
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.9.14-meson64
W: Couldn't identify type of root file system for fsck hook
update-initramfs: Converting to u-boot format

 

If that doesn't work, and you're feeling adventurous, steal the kernel and boot environment from a known good Armbian image? Note the trailing slashes after the rsync arguments.

 

$ sudo kpartx -av Armbian_20.11.7_Odroidc4_focal_current_5.9.14.img
add map loop10p1 (253:1): 0 3088384 linear 7:11 8192
$ sudo mkdir /mnt/image
$ sudo mount /dev/mapper/loop10p1 /mnt/image
$ sudo rsync -av /mnt/image/boot/ /mnt/sdcard/boot/
$ sudo rsync -av /mnt/image/lib/modules/ /mnt/sdcard/lib/modules/
$ sudo umount /mnt/image
$ sudo kpartx -dv Armbian_20.11.7_Odroidc4_focal_current_5.9.14.img

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by tparys
Missed a step

[w0ndersp00n]

Thanks for this  Too bad in no cases my C2 wants to boot up I guess I should burn a new image all together. I still don't understand what went wrong during that last update... Guess I'm happy that I still can access the files on the eMMC card.