Armbian for Amlogic S805 and S802/S812

[daniyo]

@balbes150 any way to get docker working on these?? docker-ce installs fine but no container runs because there is something funky in the kernel or mount points for it. 

[balbes150]

8 часов назад, daniyo сказал:

any way to get docker working on these??

I don't use docer, so I don't know what's wrong with it.

 

[SteeMan]

On 11/5/2020 at 10:04 PM, daniyo said:

DTB file attached here. http://www.mediafire.com/file/nlivankncyjionp/meson8b-m201-tvpad4.dtb/file

It would be more helpful for the community if you posted source instead of the binary (dts vs dtb) along with a diff/patch against current kernel soure of what you changed so that others would be able to maintain this for future kernels.

[daniyo]

@balbes150this is what I am seeing as the error even running a simple docker application 

root@aml-s812:~# docker run hello-world
docker: Error response from daemon: OCI runtime create failed: container_linux.go:349: starting container process caused "process_linux.go:449: container init caused \"rootfs_linux.go:58: mounting \\\"mqueue\\\" to rootfs \\\"/var/lib/docker/overlay2/bf89c12817cdfae406bfd9cf51c88d632ff1a1025aa0829d799f89d9c689ab53/merged\\\" at \\\"/dev/mqueue\\\" caused \\\"no such device\\\"\"": unknown.
ERRO[0018] error waiting for container: context canceled 

root@aml-s812:~# docker -v
Docker version 19.03.13, build 4484c46

root@aml-s812:~# uname -a
Linux aml-s812 5.9.0-rc7-aml-s812 #20.09 SMP Thu Oct 1 11:20:31 MSK 2020 armv7l GNU/Linux

Something to do with full LXC support or overlay2 storage driver?? Perhaps a incomplete kernel build?
I’m unable to even run a simple hello-world docker installation. I am aware that the S9xx and RKxxxx series images do work… (I've seen some kernel related discussion and overlay2 storage driver talks) but it would be nice to run it on S8xx as it opens up HomeAssistant and many other applications! Would really appreciate it if you can try getting docker working!

btw -- running another S805 box with OctoPrint and it blows my rPi gen1 out of the waters in terms of speed! This is why I want to have docker running on this machine too!

 

@SteeMan — my apologies, I’m still new with this! I attached the .dts here as requested. The only modified parts are all entities with USB and modified with [ status = “okay” ] from the original meson8b-EC100 file. http://www.mediafire.com/file/1j9nm5zpuu97s31/meson8b-ec100-tvpad4mod.dts/file

[brajomobil]

@balbes150  Docker is working fine on s905x(my other box)

 

@daniyo Did you install docker via "armbian-config" or manually ?

 

Best regards,

brajomobil

[daniyo]

10 hours ago, brajomobil said:

@balbes150  Docker is working fine on s905x(my other box)

 

@daniyo Did you install docker via "armbian-config" or manually ?

 

Best regards,

brajomobil

I tried installing it both ways. Hass.io only likes docker-ce and not docker.io. Any ideas on how to get this working on my S805? Thanks!

[obaldon]

Hi all,

 

I got a Magical MX2 box with g18ref board. Searched these forums but could not find the info on how to activate multiboot. What is the procedure?

I tried to boot the image Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_bullseye_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img written to SD card with Balena Etcher but the box boots straight into Android.

Tried to press the reset button during boot, but it boots into Android recovery.

My goal is to use this box as a Linux-based typewriter with email and some very basic browsing, so I am tempted to try Armbian.

 

Appreciate any help you could provide! I have tons of desktop Linux experience but none with Android or mediaboxes.

I absolutely do not care about Android on this box. If it is wiped out completely - it is fine. If I cannot boot into Android - it is fine. The only thing that matters is getting Linux desktop up and running.

 

Also, I have Bell Arris VIP2262 box w/o OS (scavenged HDD from it long time ago). If anyone has any idea how to flash it into Linux or FreeBSD, I would be in debt to you forever! Very much interested in running a MIPS box.

 

Oba Na

 

 

[serkho]

@obaldon You don't need to keep reset down: press it, insert power cord, press power, release reset.

Not sure about MX2, but MXIII has an Update&Backup app. To enable multiboot, run firwmare update from the app and select aml_autoscript.zip

Edited November 10, 2020 by serkho
make clearer

[obaldon1]

52 minutes ago, serkho said:

@obaldon You don't need to keep reset down: press it, insert power cord, press power, release reset.

Not sure about MX2, but MXIII has an Update&Backup app. To enable multiboot, run firwmare update from the app and select aml_autoscript.zip

Hi, Serkho,

 

Something went wrong with my account: every time I log in, the forum says the password is wrong, and then it says account locked, even though I saved the password in FF when I first logged in. Anyhow, I had to create another account just to reply.

 

First, it is not clear whether the SD card has to be inserted or not when enabling multiboot. I tried both with inserted or not, and the result of following your instructions is always the same: the box boots into a black screen with a white rectangle in the middle that says "Complete action using" and has 2x choices:

 

MediaBox Launcher or XBMC,

and the options below are

Always or Just Once.

If I hold the button until the boot process is over, I end up in a black screen with a droid lying on its back with a door in its stomach open and a red triangle with an exclamation sign over it. The blue text on top of the screen says

"Android system recovery <3e>

Volume up/down to move highlight;
enter button to select.

reboot system now

apply update from ADB
apply update from EXT
apply update from cache
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
set efuse item

 

When you are saying "run firmware update from the app", which app do you mean? Keep in mind: I know nothing at all about this device. I do not understand jargon or acronyms that are used on this forum.

[serkho]

4 hours ago, obaldon1 said:

it is not clear whether the SD card has to be inserted or not when enabling multiboot

The SD card should be inserted.

 

4 hours ago, obaldon1 said:

When you are saying "run firmware update from the app", which app do you mean?

I meant the Update&Backup app. I'm running a headless server on my box so cannot make any screenshots but you can follow this instruction (don't download any extra images, use Armbian card with it) or this one

Also there is a message from balbes150 that most problems are caused by faulty media.

Edited November 10, 2020 by serkho

[Jörg Partikel]

Am 4.9.2020 um 10:18 schrieb kiki:

Thank you @balbes150 for your hard work, managed to install and use on my 5+ year old android box.

 

- Minix X8H-Plus.
- Armbian_20.07_Aml-s812_bullseye_current_5.8.0-rc3.img
- Default dtb, the one in the uEnv.txt file (meson8m2-mxiii-plus). Tried above @ntux dtb (meson8m2-minix-neo-x8-h-plus), no HDMI output, but mac address shown up on my router
- Ethernet works, not sure about wifi and bluetooth
- Only best for server image, display automatically changed to 720p on my 1080p-60 display

 

Seems stable and currently testing Pi-hole and Emby server (for direct play).

Hi,

can you give me a brief tutorial on how you did it?

 

Thank you

Jörg

[obaldon1]

23 hours ago, serkho said:

I meant the Update&Backup app.

 

Awesome! Thanks a whole lot! Now I am beginning to find my ways around Android. My version has an Upgrade app. It allows me to select aml_autoscript.zip file and reboot.

But after it reboots, it again displays the black screen with a dead droid, and yellow text appears on the bottom:

-- Install /sdcard ...
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Verifying update package...
Installation aborted.

I tried two different images from both SD card and USB stick:

 

Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_bullseye_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img

Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_focal_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img

 

The result is always the same, as above. Once the text appears, the screen enters the same Android recovery mode as with a toothpick (which I have to hold until boot logo appears).

I also tried "apply update from EXT" recovery screen option from either SD or USB, but it prints the same yellow error message again.

Should the file aml_autoscript.zip be the same for my MX2 on g18ref as for 802/812? Or do I need a different file?

Edited November 11, 2020 by obaldon1

[SteeMan]

12 minutes ago, obaldon1 said:

I tried two different images from both SD card and USB stick:

 

Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_bullseye_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img

Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_focal_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img

What dtd are you using?  And have you tried all of the relevant dtb files?

[obaldon1]

On 11/11/2020 at 11:54 AM, SteeMan said:

What dtd are you using? 

To the best of my understanding, I am not yet using any dtd because I am not yet attempting to boot Armbian. At the moment, I am trying to enable multiboot, and it is not working as I described above.

When I simply insert an SD card with Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_bullseye_current_5.9.0-rc7_desktop.img burned onto it and with 1 random dtd.img copied to the root, the boot process blasts right through to Android.

This is why I am trying to enable multiboot by either pointing Upgrade app at aml_autoscript.zip or by selecting it from the Android recovery menu once it shows up, both times running into the verification error that I posted above.

 

Can anyone explain in simple terms, which Armbian image and which aml_autoscript.zip are appropriate for MX2 with g18ref? Piecing together this info from cryptic clues scattered over multiple forums is very hard for a noob like me. It is my understanding that it is not possible to tell me which dtd is appropriate, because they have to be found by way of trial and error. Correct me if I am wrong. Someone should have tried g18ref previously and figured out which dtd works, but I am not holding hope that this is documented anywhere.

 

PS: This forum is killing me with its 1 post a day limit. It is not achieving anything positive but delaying my responses and diminishing chances that anyone who knows answers still has patience to wait for me. Is this absolutely necessary?

Edited November 12, 2020 by obaldon1
typo

[SteeMan]

1 hour ago, obaldon1 said:

dtd.img copied to the root,

I don't think you are following the correct procedure.  While I don't have any experience with the S812 builds, I am assuming they are similar to the s9xx builds.  The current procedure there is that you need to be editing the extlinux.conf file. 

[serkho]

To try a DTB in Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812.... you need to change the corresponding entry in uEnv.txt. If you are stuck I suggest you try a different distro like OpenELEC (https://github.com/codesnake/OpenELEC.tv/issues/52, https://github.com/codesnake/OpenELEC.tv/releases) just as a proof of concept that your device supports custom Linux

[obaldon1]

12 hours ago, serkho said:

To try a DTB in Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812.... you need to change the corresponding entry in uEnv.txt.

Serkho,

 

I appreciate that you mention it because I have not seen this information anywhere. But first I want to understand if my box allows multiboot or not. Does the fact that it boots into Android with the SD card with Armbian inserted mean that multiboot is disabled? If it is disabled, what are the steps to enable it?

 

Since I never saw the box do anything other than its normal Android boot, I have no way of knowing whether it is even trying to boot Armbian. What should happen if I am not using the correct dtb? From what I read on this forum, it either shows black screen or crashes. Am I wrong?

 

Anyhow, my eEnv.txt is vanilla, and it points at meson8m2-mxiii-plus.dtb

 

Thanks to you, gentlemen, for holding my hand. It is very difficult to piece together information about what is essentially a "black box" from disparate internet sources.

 

Regards,

Oba Na

[dreamstrider]

On 11/2/2020 at 11:47 PM, dreamstrider said:

Hi

I have an MXIIIG 4K (2G,8G) Gigabit edition. All these years I moved from openelec to libreelec to the eMMC and until today I used only Armbian (Armbian_5.77_Aml-s812_Ubuntu_bionic_default_3.10.108_desktop_20190326.img) with an SD card (pi hole etc).

I was looking for a way to transfer the Armbian Ubuntu OS to the eMMC to be faster and more reliable, but there was neither nand-sata-install command installed nor I could find the armbian config option to install to nand/emmc.

So I was tinkering around looking for a way to do it and while I was using the gparted under root I did the mistake to delete and format  the eMMC partition because I wanted armbian to recognize and mount it...

So now the device is bricked (not booting from libreelec eMMC of course neither from Armbian Ubuntu SD card.

Can someone help me restore it? Thank you in advance!

Hi. I was wrong.My MXIIIG works ok from USB and SD card even though I have deleted the eMMC partition. I have some questions if someone can answer them. I currently run SD card the Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812_focal_current_5.9.0-rc7 version fom my BOX with the default dtb file and it works mostly.

1) I cannot enable the wifi with the command modprobe dhd which used to worked with the previous image (Armbian_5.77_Aml-s812_Ubuntu_bionic_default_3.10.108_20190326.img) that I used. Is it a kernel problem (I cannot even see the wifi device).

2) Is it possible to install this on the eMMC?

3) If not, can I install libreelec again on the eMMC? 

 

Thank you in advance!

[obaldon1]

On 11/13/2020 at 2:47 AM, serkho said:

To try a DTB in Armbian_20.09_Aml-s812.... you need to change the corresponding entry in uEnv.txt. If you are stuck I suggest you try a different distro like OpenELEC (https://github.com/codesnake/OpenELEC.tv/issues/52, https://github.com/codesnake/OpenELEC.tv/releases) just as a proof of concept that your device supports custom Linux

So far I've tried all DTBs in the image that I have and none booted. I am back to square #1: not sure if it even tries to boot from SD.

I also downloaded libreelec but got stuck because it is not an image that I could burn onto the SD. It is just a bunch of files. What do I do with them?

I want to try a previous version of Armbian but they do not seem to be around anymore. Someone deleted them from Yadisk. Does anyone still have older versions stashed anywhere?

[SteeMan]

1 hour ago, dreamstrider said:

1) I cannot enable the wifi with the command modprobe dhd which used to worked with the previous image (Armbian_5.77_Aml-s812_Ubuntu_bionic_default_3.10.108_20190326.img) that I used. Is it a kernel problem (I cannot even see the wifi device).

The old build you had was a legacy kernel (3.10.x) and the current builds are mainline kernels (5.9.x).  There are about 6 years of differences between those two kernels.  The legacy kernels which are generally no longer supported (as they are no longer maintained and thus open to security vulnerabilities) were the kernels used by the original android versions on these boxes.  It was easier to port drivers for box specific hardware like wifi when the kernel version was the same.  With mainline kernels, often the wifi and other board specific chips aren't supported, because the chip/board manufacturers don't intend to support anything other than the android kernels they need to.  Thus you may not find support in current builds for some features.  Even if the driver in in the mainline kernel, there may be an issue with the dtb file as those formats have changed significantly between the legacy kernels and mainline kernels. 

1 hour ago, dreamstrider said:

2) Is it possible to install this on the eMMC?

I'm not familiar with the s8xx builds as I don't have an s8xx box, but in the s9xx builds there are scripts located in /root that copy to emmc

1 hour ago, dreamstrider said:

3) If not, can I install libreelec again on the eMMC? 

I would think you should be able to install libreelec on emmc and still boot armbiantv from the sdcard if you want, but I haven't tried this myself (especially not with s8xx hardware).

[RaptorSDS]

@dreamstrider@SteeMan

thats because manything thange in the dtb files over the year -> dtb for 3.10.99 kernel was direct usable from android 4.4 ; ->dtb for 5.8 kernel many things are disable by default because of compatibili settings or get new interpreted ( i have the Realtek 23bs chip and in the old dtb it was a chip enable high in the new kernel i need a chip enable low) 

 

secound there are no nand install ( because of unknow uboot settings for new kernel to boot from nand; risk to brick the box is to high )  most of use use only sdcard or usb , i know that "xdarklight" has testet the nand driver in the 5.8 kernel but its still beta 

 

@obaldon1 thats correct u have to use the right dtb file in the uenv.txt ( normally when u use wrong dtb u should only the black scrren or color screen and not android boot when multiboot works )

[obaldon1]

@RaptorSDS Thank you for clarifying the boot question! So now I am back at where I started, I guess: multiboot has to be enabled. Can anyone tell me how to enable it? I've already tried to apply aml_autoscript.zip through both Update app and directly from Android restore screen. It is rejected either way (Verifying update package... Installation aborted.)

Is there a previous, old version of Armbian desktop that is known to work on older MX2 hardware? I read this forum and gleaned that it has likely been deleted from whatever Yadisk that they use as a repo. If the old one worked, but had purported security holes, then it is a whole lot better for my situation than the new one that supposedly has no security holes but does not work at all. This box is going to just sit behind a router and firewall and allow me to type text files and read an odd email.

[brajomobil]

Managed to connect USB uart cable to ATV1200 meson6 with SD or USB and image: Armbian_20.06.0_Aml-s812_focal_current_5.8.0-rc2_20200626.img

 

This is the debug of log, hope someone can point me in the right direction...

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9rjdsg9z4cvlxqc/ATV1200_meson6_SD_boot.txt?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/obhndw9xlbjh84b/ATV1200_meson6_only_USB.txt?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xofxpmusueq4zi8/ATV1200_meson6_SD_plus_USB.txt?dl=0

 

 

Best regards,

brajomobil

 

[serkho]

On 11/15/2020 at 12:40 AM, dreamstrider said:

1) I cannot enable the wifi with the command modprobe dhd which used to worked with the previous image

You need a proper DTB. Correct me if I'm wrong but your device is similar to MXIII+, you might want to check this message

 

On 11/15/2020 at 1:36 AM, obaldon1 said:

So far I've tried all DTBs in the image that I have and none booted. I am back to square #1: not sure if it even tries to boot from SD.

I also downloaded libreelec but got stuck because it is not an image that I could burn onto the SD. It is just a bunch of files. What do I do with them?

I want to try a previous version of Armbian but they do not seem to be around anymore. Someone deleted them from Yadisk. Does anyone still have older versions stashed anywhere?

I got Armbian_5.77_Aml-s812_Debian_stretch_default_3.10.108_desktop_20190326.img.xz

[RaptorSDS]

@obaldon1

 

maybe this help

 

1. root the box or/and install TWRP -> toothpick methode

1.1 maybe get debug output from serial port at board ( !!! soldering  !!, but its help a lot , Serial Console TTY)

2. activate Multiboot with aml_xx.zip for uboot bootloader at TWRP ,

3.use old or new Image

3.1 old image befor 5.xx Kernel take the right dtp from dtb folder to boot folder and rename to dtb.img ( Android 4.4 dtb files are more in common to Kernel 3.10.xxx dtb files ) 

3.2 new image 5.xx Kernel edit uEnv.txt and point to right dtb file

4 repeat step 3 with other dtb files if not boot  ( !!! dtb from 3.10.xx not working with 5.xx Kernel)

5 if something not working like eth or wlan remeber its beta or work in progress maybe to study to edit dts files help

 

@balbes150please PM me if something missing i edit  this post

[AzuriAdore]

On 11/9/2020 at 12:35 PM, daniyo said:

I tried installing it both ways. Hass.io only likes docker-ce and not docker.io. Any ideas on how to get this working on my S805? Thanks!

To get docker working, you need to re-build the kernel, enable the missing required configs, and replace the default uImage from the boot partition.
I was able to get it working with docker-compose as well. I will attach my personal uImage file. It is for kernel v5.9.0-rc7 for aml s8xxx.

 

<link_removed>

 

Extract and rename the file to uImage, then copy it to the root of the boot partition on the sd card.

Make sure you backup your sd card before you apply this kernel, I am not responsible for your actions if anything goes wrong.

 

--EDIT--

My uImage uploaded does not work. I will write steps on how to make it work in a future post.

 

[obaldon1]

3 hours ago, RaptorSDS said:

@obaldon1

 

maybe this help

 

1. root the box or/and install TWRP -> toothpick methode

Hold right there! What does this mean? It's like French to me. I know how to use a toothpick to get into Android recovery, and my knowledge ends there.

3 hours ago, RaptorSDS said:

1.1 maybe get debug output from serial port at board ( !!! soldering  !!, but its help a lot , Serial Console TTY)

2. activate Multiboot with aml_xx.zip for uboot bootloader at TWRP ,

Same as above: I do not know what this means. What is uboot? What is TWRP? How do I activate multiboot? I've already tried running aml_autoscript.zip through both Upgrade app and recovery to no avail.

 

3 hours ago, RaptorSDS said:

3.use old or new Image

3.1 old image befor 5.xx Kernel take the right dtp from dtb folder to boot folder and rename to dtb.img ( Android 4.4 dtb files are more in common to Kernel 3.10.xxx dtb files ) 

Where can I d/l an old image? I've just tried 5.77 from @serkho 's link above and it did not boot nor its aml_autoscript.zip worked. Same validation error as with the latest image.

3 hours ago, RaptorSDS said:

3.2 new image 5.xx Kernel edit uEnv.txt and point to right dtb file

4 repeat step 3 with other dtb files if not boot  ( !!! dtb from 3.10.xx not working with 5.xx Kernel)

5 if something not working like eth or wlan remeber its beta or work in progress maybe to study to edit dts files help

 

@balbes150please PM me if something missing i edit  this post

 

[brajomobil]

@AzuriAdore

Thank you for help with docker.

 

Best regards,

brajomobil

[AzuriAdore]

27 minutes ago, brajomobil said:

@AzuriAdore

Thank you for help with docker.

 

Best regards,

brajomobil

 

You're welcome.

 

I am writing steps on how to build the kernel to make it work with Docker.

In the future, people can use my written guide on how to create the uImage themselves.

 

 

[RaptorSDS]

@obaldon1

Andorid has follow file system

1.Boot Loader  (uBoot System)

2.Recovery ( 3e or TWRP or...)

3.Backup SystemFiles (backup of android 4.4)

4Android SystemFiles ( andoid 4.4)

 

toothpick -> most box have behind analog Video(Chinch) or Audio Port a push button to get into Emergency recovery mode ( you found it already)

 

Team Win Recovery Project ( TWRP) is a alternate Recovery for Android .

most 3e Recovery system have also adb/fastboot ( or in android USB Debug Mode) its like a special Serial Console to speak direkt to the Kernel/3e System  files

adb->android debug bridge , fastboot is part of adb to flash boot or recovery img to file system