boot Helios4 from SATA without microSD

[laibsch]

I received a Helios4 and was finally able to get it to boot.  As per instructions, I booted from microSD and flashed the latest Armbian image to sda1 via the nand-sata-install command.  This reboots fine now, but only with the microSD-card present and the SW1 dipswitch set to "SD card boot mode".  Is anybody here using "SPI NOR Flash" or "SATA1" boot mode to get rid of the microSD card? I am bit handicapped here since my serial port on the microUSB only comes up maybe 1 in 10 times.  I wonder if it's worn out or if I am simply doing something wrong.

 

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[jimbolaya]

Unfortunately I don't have experience with the onboard flash, but I've never had an issue with the serial port. 

 

You've tried different cables i assume?

[laibsch]

Thank you for your quick answer, Jimbolaya.

Yes, I did try different cables all with the same result.

 

I wonder if there is another way to access the serial console, J13 perhaps?  Albeit with some required soldering, I suppose.  Then remains the question of which headers exactly relate to GND, TX and RX.

[laibsch]

With the latest changes in Armbian and most importantly the update of u-boot to v2025.10 for Helios4, it is now possible to boot SATA and USB from u-boot flashed to SPI NOR flash, with the dip switch set to SPI boot mode.  This even includes booting straight from u-boot to btrfs now.