CSC Armbian for RK322x TV box boards

[fabiobassa]

@Jaisere
this COULD be a challenge , but really isn't.

The images provided by @jock are complete, have the BOOT folder filled with all necessary : kernel, init, dtb , environment

This rootfs has BOOT folder empty. So you still need kernel and other stuffs from a working 4.4.194 image

You should mount the image from jock under linux, grab the BOOT folder complete....... then  mount this rootfs linaro, again under linux, paste the BOOT folder, and burn regularly by multitool
It will conseguentially boot

[Jaisere]

4 minutes ago, fabiobassa said:

You should mount the image from jock under linux, grab the BOOT folder complete....... then  mount this rootfs linaro, again under linux, paste the BOOT folder, and burn regularly by multitool

if im understanding this correctly, if I burn the images too a usb / sd card, load into linux I should be able to move the 4.4 kernel into the rootfs, then turn that into its own image that I can burn to the on board nand with multitool?

please correct me if im not quite understanding

[fabiobassa]

@Jaisere

correct

[Jaisere]

2 minutes ago, fabiobassa said:

correct

cool, thank you so much for the help

 

[fabiobassa]

@Jaisere

you welcome.  Just grab the boot folder from a working image and put into the linaro one. then burn this " frankenstein"  image with multitool.
But I repeat, if you want latest patches use the @jock 's very last images on a sd or usb and you will be surprised how amazing are those boxes

Don't forget to add a like to the posts, it help good consideration and reputation of the authors of this thread on the forum. Ty

[Jaisere]

11 hours ago, fabiobassa said:

Just grab the boot folder from a working image and put into the linaro one.

How do I do this? I burned the working image to a usb, took the boot folder from it, I then burned the linaro img to a usb, when I plug the usb into my system it doesn't get detected, I did get an error during the burning, something to do with the linaro img file not containing valid partitions, im trying to reproduce the error to paste it verbatim, i have been using Etcher to burn these usbs

 

edit: the error

Edited January 13 by Jaisere

[some0ne]

Hello,
there is a lot of useful information on the whole forum and particular in this topic on a specific problem.
I'm trying to restore a TV Box that I bricked myself by putting the wrong image inside (I didn't try if image boots before that).

Hardware: MXQ PRO 5G (rk3228a, 1GB RAM, 8GB)

I was able to get the device into MaskRom mode and successfully boot from SD card.
I tried to flash an image using AndroidTool_Release_v2.69 but it gives errors for any type of device operations.

My problems are:
1.The memory of the device is eMCP and the latest version of multitool does not see it...
In the forum I saw screenshots with a version of Multitool "build 52d0101 14 Mar 2021" which has more options (maybe support eMCP) but i can't find this version anywhere...
2.After putting the device into MaskRom mode, I manage to launch Multitool or even start to launch Armbian, but after about 60 sec. the picture disappears (apparently, the device does not restart, but stops sending a signal via HDMI - and the LED continues to glow blue)

I have found a version of Armbian that runs on this device and wanted to try installing it from the SD card into the eMCP, but this 60 sec problem catches me at the moment where I change my password.

Have you had similar problems with these or any other type of devices?
Can you advise me how to revive the device?
 

Thank you in advance for your time.

[jock]

@some0ne in the first page there is the updated multitool version.

 

For some reason a closed source binary blob, on some very rare boards, turns off or put the board in suspend.

The reason is not known, since something happens in a closed source blob.

I don't know if it is your situation, but it looks something that already happened.

[some0ne]

@jock

Thank you for your reply.

I've tried with that version in the first page - when i brick the device, it started the flash with that multitool - get around 60% and than reboots. After that multitool says there are no eMMC.

Can you please share the older version of Multitool (build 52d0101 14 Mar 2021)?

Thank you in advance.

[jock]

1 hour ago, some0ne said:

Can you please share the older version of Multitool (build 52d0101 14 Mar 2021)?

Sorry but I don't have the older versions around; they can be rebuilt cloning the github repo and moving to the commit of interest.

Usually the latest is always the best and more compatible.

 

1 hour ago, some0ne said:

I've tried with that version in the first page - when i brick the device, it started the flash with that multitool - get around 60% and than reboots. After that multitool says there are no eMMC.

Can you please share the older version of Multitool (build 52d0101 14 Mar 2021)?

 

If the board reboots there is something else going on and the fact that after the spontaneous reboot there is no eMMC makes me think there is indeed something else going on, out of the control of the multitool.

Erasing the internal eMMC and booting armbian from sdcard may help you trying to isolate where the issue could be, maybe your eMMC is just faulty or defective and is causing weird behaviour.

 

[RaptorSDS]

i can share a version 15.06.2021 and  17.03.2022

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HR_wvgg6L5nkInjLSWeqi7eWsAzC0qlQ?usp=sharing

[some0ne]

@RaptorSDS
Thanks, i'll try this two versions.
 

@jock
It more looks like it hang (not reboots). I think it's kind of timeout timer inserted in MaskRom mode (read in other forums some box has that option), but how can i remove that option with no access to the box.

I've try to erase the eMMC from the AndroidTool_Release with no success.

May be some other tool of Rockchip can be used (in that 60 sec interval) to erase the eMMC or change the interval (i've tried with FactoryTool_v1.64 - still no access in MaskRom mode)?
That's why I look for older version of multitool (may be it will be able to erase it).

Edited January 21 by some0ne

[jock]

@some0ne

Multitool has a menu entry with "erase internal flash" or something like that. It surely takes less than 60 seconds to reach that.

For details on maskrom mode, see the first post.

[hardheid]

Having spdif toslink would be so so sweet with my dac. Aplay indicates that the device is card 1, but when assigning plughw:1,0, hw:SPDIF, or hw:1,0 there is no sound and no light seems to be being immited. Have tried with a 4.4 and 6.1 build. The device is an MXQ 4K Pro with led settings 6 enabled.

 

Does anyone know how to get the toslink spdif port running? Thanks so much

Edited January 23 by hardheid

[Shone79]

Hi, I have one question, i cant find answer in the whole thread. I have RK3229 box with nand and esp8089 wifi. I instaled on nand latest legacy kernel image that i found: Armbian_22.02.0-trunk_Rk322x-box_focal_legacy_4.4.194_xfce_desktop.img.xz, but WiFi not working. I found that board is V066 V2, i selected it in rk322x-config, and it recognise WiFi adapter ESP8089, but I cant use it. I done apt update && apt upgrade but nothing, wifi not working.

 

Does this legacy kernel after update support ESP8089 WiFi, or I must install mainline kernel on SD to use Wifi?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[4iN]

Hello. Can you tell me if there is a ready rkflashtool? I can't compile the binary, and when I try to update the bootloader in windows I get an error.

[jock]

On 1/21/2024 at 5:26 PM, hardheid said:

Having spdif toslink would be so so sweet with my dac. Aplay indicates that the device is card 1, but when assigning plughw:1,0, hw:SPDIF, or hw:1,0 there is no sound and no light seems to be being immited. Have tried with a 4.4 and 6.1 build. The device is an MXQ 4K Pro with led settings 6 enabled.

 

Does anyone know how to get the toslink spdif port running? Thanks so much

Probably there is a GPIO that enables the toslink. Your board is new because I have never seen an rk322x with toslink. You should post photos of the board and the original device tree to get toslink supported.

 

4 hours ago, Shone79 said:

Does this legacy kernel after update support ESP8089 WiFi, or I must install mainline kernel on SD to use Wifi?

esp8089 works only on mainline, legacy is not maintained anymore

[hardheid]

Quote

Probably there is a GPIO that enables the toslink. Your board is new because I have never seen an rk322x with toslink. You should post photos of the board and the original device tree to get toslink supported.

 

After some online research into my device, without opening the case, it appears that the SPDIF connection is coaxial. Wasn't aware that such a connection exists in 3.5mm form. As a longtime Macbook and former Airport Express user, I had become well-familiarized with the 3.5mm optical connection.

 

Many thanks for your response! Will order a cable accordingly as I am really happy with how well this device runs. Outstanding work.

[some0ne]

@jock
mutitool can't find the eMMC (even for erase).
I was abble to repair the box with FactoryTool.

Now the problem is, that the box don't boot from SD or USB to install Armbian (i have a working image for this hardware).
Tried to put it in Loader mode (with reset button) and in maskmod.

[jock]

@some0ne I can't tell you why multitool does not find the eMMC anymore, could be several causes, but without the multitool log it is difficult.

 

A note about maskrom mode emmc clock pin, in case you are using or used that in the past: when the emmc clock pin is gated, emmc is de facto turned off.

 

If you are able to get in maskrom mode, then you can erase manually the eMCP connecting the board via male-to-male USB cable and using rkdeveloptool:

 

./rkdeveloptool db rk322x_loader_v1.10.238_256.bin
Downloading bootloader succeeded.

./rkdeveloptool ef

 

The loader file and other instructions are on first page.

 

However, at the moment I don't understand what you have on your eMCP, if Android boots, or is already empty or what?

Lastly, I don't know where your 60 seconds issue comes from. You should first clean the eMCP from anything on it and then boot pristine armbian from sdcard, then we may talk about that.

[some0ne]

@jock
I was able to repair the box with FactoryTool - it was able to erase the emmc, that no install the image (in loader mode).

Right now in that memory there are an original image of that it come with (it is ubuntu with compiled Andorid 7), but i still want to install armbian in emmc.
The interesting moment here, is that when i've got working image in emmc the device don't want to boot from SD or USB (tried with reset button and even with a procedure which i did to enter in maskmod).

I've got a working procedure (if it bricks again) so maybe i'll try again with multitool and another image of armbian (which i tested last time in maskmod).

[jock]

6 minutes ago, some0ne said:

The interesting moment here, is that when i've got working image in emmc the device don't want to boot from SD or USB (tried with reset button and even with a procedure which i did to enter in maskmod).

If you meant a working image of the original firmware, note that only the Multitool can boot only from sdcard when a stock Android is installed.

[some0ne]

@jock
Hi, yes - that is what i meant. Thank you for the hint.

I was able to install Arbian (buster edge 6.5.5 minimal) with some older version of multitool (because of the limited space, that newer have, for image file).
And there again that timer, after installing armbian i've got that 60 sec period - the device is not bricked, i was able to reach the point to set a root password (after few reboots) - and it boots normaly to that point.

In my thinking there are a timer by default, which is disabled somehow from original image, and after an event - erase emmc or instal another OS or brick the device - there are no suppression on that timer.
Very strange.

Edited January 28 by some0ne

[qqg]

Hello, I have a TV Box with RK3229 but I can't get Armbian to boot. So far I've tried putting the multitool image on an SD card and booting from it which only stopped maskrom.

 

When I try to use maskrom to do anything I just get errors like "Download Boot Fail" and "Get Capability Fail". I might have caused some hardware damage while searching for the pins to enter maskrom which might be why it boots into it now by default.

 

Let me know if you guys have any ideas on what I could try or if I need to send more information.

Thanks in advance.

Edited February 17 by qqg
Adding image

[jock]

@qqg attach a serial adapter and post the logs. Baud rate of the original firmware i 1.5mbps, instead armbian/multitool uses 115000bps

[Newest]

This is first time i'm trying to install Armbian on MXQ PRO 4K 5G(8G+128G). Everything is ok untill i'm stuck on this step "Wait for 10 seconds, then the led should start blinking and HDMI will turn on. The first time the boot process will take a couple of minutes or more because the filesystem is going to be resized, so be patient and wait for the login prompt." My led doesn't blink and it's blue. My screen still black and there's not thing in there. Did it dead? What should I do now? There's picture about my board:

[jock]

32 minutes ago, Newest said:

This is first time i'm trying to install Armbian on MXQ PRO 4K 5G(8G+128G). Everything is ok

What do you mean with "everything is ok"? Did you run multitool, erase the emmc and try armbian from sdcard? did you install armbian on emmc?

 

Also specs are totally fake, your device is 1G + 8G, not sure is a rk322x also.

[Andr1k]

Hello. Help to install rlt8189etv wifi drivers on armbian "Armbian_community_24.5.0-trunk.19_Rk322x-box_bookworm_current_6.6.16_minimal.img". After running make, I get an error indicating the absence of headers. Found deb from "linux-headers-current-rk322x_24.2.0-trunk.158_armhf__6.1.68". I understand that it will not suit me?  

[SteeMan]

@Andr1k  If you have one of the community nightly builds installed, you should be able to apt update/apt upgrade to the current build and then apt install linux-headers-current-xxxx.  At least that works for me, but I work with amlogic boxes, not the rockchip ones.

[audio kees]

Hi there all

 

 

First I want to say I get this warning from malwarebytes.

 

a trojan horse from firefox. But scan do say nothing, no infection.

 

The question about multitool.

 

I have a mxq pro4k box with rt3229 and emc (dram combined) and a wifi sv6256p.

 

multitool do start but is stuck on 17% resizing and I only see the license tekst.

 

and do nothing. I want to use it to install kodi on internal. but I did read it can do also with

serial connection and ssh puty, (solder the pins). I did install libreelec on sd card, I have set mine

box in maskrom mode with flash tool and it does start, no wifi and need driver for that, I have

a bin file for it. volume on the fly do not work, only in movie itself. Libre give a lot of errors

when restart, like diskcheck for windows.

 

but it is the multitool I have question for as written.

 

thanks.