Boot from SSD using Hardkernel's Odroid HC4

[Bagel 1]

My current HC4-setup consists of 1 SSD and 1 HDD. The SSD contains the most recent Armbian-image (Buster-based) (https://redirect.armbian.com/odroidhc4/Buster_current).

Long story short: it won't boot from SSD, and Google tells me it is because Armbian is not compatible with Petiboot. Armbian suggests the following solution:

 

"Important: To be able to boot clean Armbian mainline based u-boot / kernel experiences, you need to remove incompatible Petitboot loader that is shipped with the board. From the Petitboot, go for “Exit to shell” and these commands to remove the Petitboot:"

# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd0
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd1
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd2
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd3

"This will make your SPI flash memory empty and would start from SD on next boot."

 

However, it doesn't mention whether this works for booting from an SSD. Does it? And if not, is there a possibility of booting Armbian from an SSD without using an SD-card?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

P.S. I found the following (unresolved) related question: https://www.reddit.com/r/ODroid/comments/moxxhl/uboot_from_sata_on_hc4/

[Werner 401]

For most boards at least the boot loader needs to be stored either on EMMC, SPI or (in most cases) microSD card. The system itself can be on an SSD or NVMe.

[Bagel 1]

Thanks for your response. Thus I could flash a separate boot loader to an SD-card? Which boot loader do I need?

[Werner 401]

I'm not familiar with this board(family) but did you try to simply use nand-sata-install script and choose OS on SSD and bootloader on microSD?

[lanefu 343]

Yeah either would need to modify ubooy config on sdcard or flash uboot to spi. (Which we dont have access to yet)

 

Hc4 support is early days.  If you're not an expert with uboot id suggest just booting from sdcard for now

[Green Daddy 5]

Boot from SSD without SD card is currently not supported on HC4. However, it is easy to have only the boot loader on SD card (as @Werner stated above):

- flash armbian image to SD Card

- erase petitboot as stated above

- boot armbian from SD Card

- run nand-sata-install within armbian

after this

- only the boot loader rests on SD card (i.e. you need the SD card plugged in for it to be able to boot) - but no I/O on SD card after boot loader

- OS root partition (and entire system) runs from SSD

- any update updates boot loader and kernel where they actually reside - so no special precautions needed (despite the usual "update may break something")

 

I am running on this setup and it works like a charm for me.

 

Hope that helps

 

Green Daddy

[Bagel 1]

Good to see so many responses (indicates an active community :))

@Green Daddythanks for your step-by-step-guide! My HC4 is happy with the provided solution.