Radxa Cubie A5E - NVMe support?

[cvxx]

Hi,

 

is there currently support for NVMe storage in Armbian trunk?

 

I tried to flash the latest build, added nvme ssd storage - but it is not seen in the system.

 

What to check?

[Richard Klingler]

Nope..though nvme kernel modules are present in the file system but doing nothing when loading, not even a dmesg output.

 

Besides...u-boot version from the SD image has also no NVMe support...

Edited July 18, 2025 by Richard Klingler

[Richard Klingler]

Just flashed an u-bbot version from here which does support NVMe...well at least it recognizes the SSD (o;

 

https://github.com/cubie-image/sun55iw3p1/releases

 

=> pci enum
Speed change timeout
PCIe speed of Gen1
=> nvme scan
feng >>>> debug <<<<< nvme_probe
=> nvme device

IDE device 0: Vendor: 0x1dee Rev: 1.4.7.70 Prod: 2510194702629       
            Type: Hard Disk
            Capacity: 488386.3 MB = 476.9 GB (1000215216 x 512)

 

[aleroot]

How did you flash the u-boot ? Were you able to run armbian with that u-boot and install on the NVME drive? 
Thanks

[Richard Klingler]

It is documented there:

 

Zitat

"The SPI NOR image must be written to mtdblock0 after booting from SD card"

 

So when booted from SD you need to copy over the u-boot image to SD card and do from there:

dd if=cubie_a5e_spi_nor_raw_050624.img of=/dev/mtdblock0

 

But that won't you get NVMe support on Armbian as Cubie A5E NVMe support just isn't in the kernel, not even the dev version.

 

[Meestor_X]

Build dropped today with NVME and WiFi support for a5e:

https://www.armbian.com/radxa-cubie-a5e/

[SerinaNya]

On 2/4/2026 at 2:20 PM, Meestor_X said:

Build dropped today with NVME and WiFi support for a5e:

 

It not works for me.

 

I followed the official document to flash the SPI:  https://docs.radxa.com/en/cubie/a5e/getting-started/install-system/nvme-system/burn-spi

 

However after I wrote the latest Armbian img into NVMe disk, it failed to boot:

 

[132]HELLO! BOOT0 is starting!
[135]BOOT0 commit : 33d8db429a-dirty

[140]periph0 has been enabled
[143]set pll end
[145]PL gpio voltage : 3.3V
[149]PMU: AXP2202
[154]PMU: AXP1530
[159]power mode:33, sys_vol:920
[164]vaild para:1  select dram para0
[167]dram_para[0]:0x4b0
[170]dram_para[1]:0x8
[172]dram_para[2]:0x7070707
[175]dram_para[3]:0xd0d0d0d
[178]dram_para[4]:0xe0e
[181]dram_para[5]:0x84848484
[184]dram_para[6]:0x310a
[186]dram_para[7]:0x10001000
[189]dram_para[8]:0x0
[192]dram_para[9]:0x34
[194]dram_para[10]:0x1b
[197]dram_para[11]:0x33
[199]dram_para[12]:0x3
[202]dram_para[13]:0x0
[204]dram_para[14]:0x0
[207]dram_para[15]:0x4
[209]dram_para[16]:0x72
[212]dram_para[17]:0x0
[214]dram_para[18]:0xe
[216]dram_para[19]:0x0
[219]dram_para[20]:0x0
[221]dram_para[21]:0x26
[224]dram_para[22]:0x80808080
[227]dram_para[23]:0x6060606
[230]dram_para[24]:0x1f0b0503
[233]dram_para[25]:0x0
[236]dram_para[26]:0x3a000000
[239]dram_para[27]:0x802f3333
[242]dram_para[28]:0xc0c0bbbf
[245]dram_para[29]:0x35352f31
[248]dram_para[30]:0xc64
[251]dram_para[31]:0x48484848
[254]board init ok
[277]enable_jtag
[279]boot param - This media is not supported
[283]boot param - Media not supportedsunxi_bootparam_cpu_read...91
[290]boot param - magic error
[293]DRAM BOOT DRIVE INFO: V0.67
[297]DRAM_VCC set to 1100 mv
[424]DRAM retraining ten
[550]DRAM retraining ten
[567][AUTO DEBUG]32bit,1 ranks training success!
[597]Soft Training Version: T2.0
[7728][SOFT TRAINING] CLK=1200M Stable memtest pass
[7733]DRAM CLK =1200 MHZ
[7736]DRAM Type =8 (3:DDR3,4:DDR4,7:LPDDR3,8:LPDDR4)
[7747]phy_dfs_clk1 = 800M
[8082]phy_dfs_clk2 = 400M
[8176]phy_dfs_clk3 = 150M
[8299]phy_dfs_clk0 = 1200M
[8302]DRAM MDFS VERSION INFO: V0.660
[8306]DRAM MDFS time =39480 ns
[8309]DRAM SIZE =2048 MBytes, para1 = 310a, para2 = 8000000, tpr13 = 6465
[8340]DRAM simple test OK.
[8343]dram size =2048
[8350]nsi init 2023-2-23
[8353]spinor id is: ef 60 18, read cmd: 03
[8358]Succeed in reading toc file head.
[8361]The size of toc is 1a0000.
[8910]Entry_name        = u-boot
[8920]Entry_name        = monitor
[8924]Entry_name        = scp
[8928]Entry_name        = dtb
[8931]Jump to second Boot.
NOTICE:  BL31: OP-TEE 32bit detected
NOTICE:  BL31: U-BOOT 32bit detected
NOTICE:  BL31: v2.5(debug):a6e1826c1
NOTICE:  BL31: Built : 10:10:43, Mar 28 2025
NOTICE:  BL31: No DTB found.
nsi init ok 2022-11-08
ERROR:   Error initializing runtime service opteed_fast


U-Boot 2018.07-9-boot-aw2501-g56bb8c6a2ea-dirty (Sep 16 2025 - 08:32:16 +0000) Allwinner Technology

[09.082]CPU:   Allwinner Family
[09.085]Model: Radxa Cubie A5E
I2C:   ready
[09.097]DRAM:  2 GiB
[09.101]Relocation Offset is: 75e60000
[09.163]secure enable bit: 0
[09.166]PMU: AXP2202
[09.195][AXP2202] comm status : 0x0 = 0x20, 0x1 = 0x90
[09.200][AXP2202] onoff status: 0x20 = 0x4, 0x21 = 0x0
[09.205][AXP2202] reboot/charge status: 0xf0 = 0x0
[09.209]PMU: AXP1530
[09.212]CPU=1008 MHz,PLL6=600 Mhz,AHB=200 Mhz, APB1=100Mhz  MBus=600Mhz
[09.219]gic: sec monitor mode
SPI ALL:   ready
[09.224]flash init start
[09.226]workmode = 0,storage type = 3
[09.231]spi sunxi_slave->max_hz:50000000
SF: write offset not multiple of erase size
[09.771]spi sample_mode:0 sample_delay:1f
[09.776]spi sunxi_slave->max_hz:50000000
SF: Detected w25q128fw( ) with page size 256 Bytes, erase size 64 KiB, total 16 MiB
[09.788]sunxi flash init ok
[09.797]Loading Environment from SUNXI_FLASH... OK
[09.803]No ethernet found.
[09.805]Failed to found available display route
[09.810]Get sunxi drm device fail!
[09.813]get secure storage map err
[09.816]sunxi secure storage is not supported
[09.820]usb burn from boot
delay time 0
weak:otg_phy_config
[09.830]usb prepare ok
[10.133]overtime
[10.138]do_burn_from_boot usb : no usb exist
SF: write offset not multiple of erase size
[10.189]get secure storage map err
[10.192]secure storage init fail
cann't get the boot_base from the env
[10.201]update part info
[10.212]update bootcmd
pcie link up success
PCIe speed of Gen2
[10.524]change working_fdt 0xbbe0fe18 to 0xbbddfe18
[10.532]## error: update_fdt_dram_para_from_bootpara : FDT_ERR_NOTFOUND
[10.538]Invalid phandle:0
[10.540]only find 1073741818 phandle, format:endpoints=<&disp0_out_tcon0 &tcon0_out_rgb0>;
[10.549]Failed to found available display route
[10.553]chip id : 0x0000ff10 0x00004824 0x0000c31c 0x000023da
[10.559]chip id : 0x0000ff10 0x00004824 0x0000c31c 0x000023da
[10.564]Could not find nodeoffset for used ext pmu:reg-axp1530
[10.570]update dts
curr_device:-1
No MMC device available
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
starting USB...
USB0:   start sunxi  USB-DRD...
config usb clk ok
sunxi USB-DRD init ok...
USB EHCI 1.00
scanning bus 0 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
USB1:   start sunxi  USB1-Host...
config usb clk ok
sunxi USB1-Host init ok...
USB EHCI 1.00
scanning bus 1 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
       scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found

Device 0: device type unknown
... is now current device
** Bad device usb 0 **
** Bad device usb 0 **
No MMC device available
Scanning PCI devices on bus 1
BusDevFun  VendorId   DeviceId   Device Class       Sub-Class
_____________________________________________________________
01.00.00   0x1217     0x8760     Mass storage controller 0x08

Device 0: Vendor: 0x1217 Rev: 10100080 Prod: NB3925D000028
            Type: Hard Disk
            Capacity: 58999.9 MB = 57.6 GB (120831998 x 512)
... is now current device
Scanning nvme 0:1...
Found U-Boot script /boot.scr
4641 bytes read in 2 ms (2.2 MiB/s)
## Executing script at 4fc00000
subfdt=sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb
U-boot loaded from SD
Boot script loaded from nvme
239 bytes read in 1 ms (233.4 KiB/s)
sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb: No match
Load fdt: /dtb/allwinner/sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb
37110 bytes read in 4 ms (8.8 MiB/s)
16547680 bytes read in 141 ms (111.9 MiB/s)
39950848 bytes read in 264 ms (144.3 MiB/s)
## Loading init Ramdisk from Legacy Image at 4ff00000 ...
   Image Name:   uInitrd
   Image Type:   AArch64 Linux RAMDisk Image (gzip compressed)
   Data Size:    16547616 Bytes = 15.8 MiB
   Load Address: 00000000
   Entry Point:  00000000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
No Linux ARM Ramdisk Image
Ramdisk image is corrupt or invalid
SCRIPT FAILED: continuing...
No MMC device available
No MMC device available
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: pxeuuid
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00000000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0000000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/000000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/000
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-sunxi
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm
No ethernet found.
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default
No ethernet found.
Config file not found
=>

 

The firmware filename I downloaded is: 

Armbian_community_26.2.0-trunk.493_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.13_minimal.img.xz