Meestor_X Posted Thursday at 07:43 PM Posted Thursday at 07:43 PM PSA - trunk 130 is not a bootable image. trunk 100 works fine. 0 Quote
Werner Posted Friday at 05:31 PM Posted Friday at 05:31 PM Balenaetcher is known to cause trouble. Use USBimager or Armbian imager https://docs.armbian.com/User-Guide_Getting-Started/ 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted Friday at 05:42 PM Author Posted Friday at 05:42 PM But... every other image I've ever created with Balena has been fine? Dozens of armbian images including trunk 100... Trunk 130 image is working fine for you on the a5e? 0 Quote
Werner Posted Friday at 05:47 PM Posted Friday at 05:47 PM I don't have this hardware. However the last merged PR messing with code for this board/SoC was tested by Igor and he stated it boots just fine. 0 Quote
ariel1 Posted Friday at 06:09 PM Posted Friday at 06:09 PM Can confirm that version trunk 130 is not bootable. Tried with balenaEtcher and Win32DiskImager. Looks like trunk 130 is a GPT image unlike the older ones. 0 Quote
eselarm Posted Friday at 07:11 PM Posted Friday at 07:11 PM There is at least no primary GPT, all zeros from 0x200-0x20000 Fixed with: # gdisk Armbian_community_26.2.0-trunk.130_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.10 Caution: invalid main GPT header, but valid backup; regenerating main header from backup! Warning: Invalid CRC on main header data; loaded backup partition table. Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' options on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables. Warning! Main partition table CRC mismatch! Loaded backup partition table instead of main partition table! Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk! Main header: ERROR Backup header: OK Main partition table: ERROR Backup partition table: OK Partition table scan: MBR: protective BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: damaged **************************************************************************** Caution: Found protective or hybrid MBR and corrupt GPT. Using GPT, but disk verification and recovery are STRONGLY recommended. **************************************************************************** Command (? for help): w Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING PARTITIONS!! Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): y OK; writing new GUID partition table (GPT) to Armbian_community_26.2.0-trunk.130_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img. Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table. The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8) The operation has completed successfully. 1 Quote
Luca Gerber Posted Sunday at 04:32 PM Posted Sunday at 04:32 PM Quote There is at least no primary GPT, all zeros from 0x200-0x20000 Fixed with: # gdisk Armbian_community_26.2.0-trunk.130_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.10 Caution: invalid main GPT header, but valid backup; regenerating main header from backup! ... Thank you very much for that! 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 13 hours ago Author Posted 13 hours ago (edited) Huh? How can you create logs when you can't make an image? Edited 13 hours ago by Meestor_X 0 Quote
Werner Posted 10 hours ago Posted 10 hours ago For once as stated don't use Balena. use Armbian imager or usbimager For the other write the image anyway as it is, try to boot and grab serial logs if there is an actual issue or not. 0 Quote
eselarm Posted 9 hours ago Posted 9 hours ago 3 hours ago, Meestor_X said: Huh? How can you create logs when you can't make an image? For you, 'make an image' means downloading a file from Armbian website and write it to an SD-card. For me, 'make an image' means using the Armbian build environment https://github.com/armbian/build to create an image yourself locally on your computer. This is what 'make an image' is. Already 2 people including myself showed that GPT is corrupted in the image file on the Armbian website. You can assume that the bootloader when run on the board itself also detects that, so it won't boot/proceed. So something goes wrong in the Armbian build infrastructure. However, that is what I assume. So up to you confirm by showing the logs of the bootloader. You need serial console cable for that, so you can copy and paste for sharing that log here on the forum. Other option, a step further ahead, is to make an image yourself. You need a Linux computer/environment for it. It also shows very detailed logs, share that. 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 2 hours ago Author Posted 2 hours ago ---- Opened the serial port /dev/tty.PL2303G-USBtoUART8430 ---- U-Boot SPL 2026.01-rc4_armbian-2026.01-rc4-S0e0a-Peafc-H5aa4-Vd0f6-B4d1d-R448a (Dec 29 2025 - 03:26:30 +0000) DRAM: 2048 MiB Trying to boot from MMC1 NOTICE: BL31: v2.12.0(debug):armbian NOTICE: BL31: Built : 03:26:10, Dec 29 2025 NOTICE: BL31: Detected Allwinner A523 SoC (1890) NOTICE: BL31: Found U-Boot DTB at 0xa0ab9f8, model: Radxa Cubie A5E INFO: GICv3 without legacy support detected. INFO: ARM GICv3 driver initialized in EL3 INFO: Maximum SPI INTID supported: 287 INFO: Configuring SPC Controller INFO: BL31: Platform setup done INFO: BL31: Initializing runtime services INFO: BL31: cortex_a55: CPU workaround for erratum 1530923 was applied INFO: PSCI: Suspend is unavailable INFO: BL31: Preparing for EL3 exit to normal world INFO: Entry point address = 0x4a000000 INFO: SPSR = 0x3c9 ns16550_serial serial@2500000: pinctrl_select_state_full: uclass_get_device_by_phandle_id: err=-19 U-Boot 2026.01-rc4_armbian-2026.01-rc4-S0e0a-Peafc-H5aa4-Vd0f6-B4d1d-R448a (Dec 29 2025 - 03:26:30 +0000) Allwinner Technology CPU: Allwinner A523 (SUN55I) Model: Radxa Cubie A5E DRAM: 2 GiB sunxi_set_gate: (CLK#35) unhandled Core: 77 devices, 22 uclasses, devicetree: separate WDT: Not starting watchdog@2050000 MMC: mmc@4020000: 0 Loading Environment from FAT... Unable to read "uboot.env" from mmc0:1... In: serial@2500000 Out: serial@2500000 Err: serial@2500000 Net: eth0: ethernet@4500000 starting USB... sun4i_usb_phy phy@4100400: External vbus detected, not enabling our own vbus USB EHCI 1.00 USB OHCI 1.0 USB EHCI 1.00 USB OHCI 1.0 Bus usb@4101000: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4101400: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4200000: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4200400: 1 USB Device(s) found scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0 switch to partitions #0, OK mmc0 is current device Scanning mmc 0:1... Found U-Boot script /boot.scr 4641 bytes read in 3 ms (1.5 MiB/s) ## Executing script at 4fc00000 U-boot loaded from SD Boot script loaded from mmc 190 bytes read in 2 ms (92.8 KiB/s) The file sun55i-a527-radxa-a5e.dtb was not found in the path /dtb/allwinner Load fdt: /dtb/allwinner/sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb 33947 bytes read in 6 ms (5.4 MiB/s) Working FDT set to 4fa00000 Failed to load '/dtb/overlay/sun55i-a527-fixup.scr' 15452067 bytes read in 642 ms (23 MiB/s) 31721984 bytes read in 1315 ms (23 MiB/s) Moving Image from 0x40080000 to 0x40200000, end=0x42130000 ## Loading init Ramdisk from Legacy Image at 4ff00000 ... Image Name: uInitrd Image Type: AArch64 Linux RAMDisk Image (gzip compressed) Data Size: 15452003 Bytes = 14.7 MiB Load Address: 00000000 Entry Point: 00000000 Verifying Checksum ... OK ## Flattened Device Tree blob at 4fa00000 Booting using the fdt blob at 0x4fa00000 Working FDT set to 4fa00000 Loading Ramdisk to 49143000, end 49fff763 ... OK Loading Device Tree to 00000000490d2000, end 0000000049142fff ... OK Working FDT set to 490d2000 Starting kernel ... Never goes any further. It doesn't get an IP so I can't SSH into it. The "heatbeat" LED does keep flashing, though... Comparing a the trunk 100 which DOES go on to the login prompt and finishes normally: ---- Opened the serial port /dev/tty.PL2303G-USBtoUART8430 ---- U-Boot SPL 2026.01-rc4_armbian-2026.01-rc4-Sd24f-P0000-He0b4-V52aa-Bbf55-R448a (Dec 19 2025 - 03:11:57 +0000) DRAM: 2048 MiB Trying to boot from MMC1 NOTICE: BL31: v2.12.0(debug):armbian NOTICE: BL31: Built : 03:11:45, Dec 19 2025 NOTICE: BL31: Detected Allwinner A523 SoC (1890) NOTICE: BL31: Found U-Boot DTB at 0xa0ab9f8, model: Radxa Cubie A5E INFO: GICv3 without legacy support detected. INFO: ARM GICv3 driver initialized in EL3 INFO: Maximum SPI INTID supported: 287 INFO: Configuring SPC Controller INFO: BL31: Platform setup done INFO: BL31: Initializing runtime services INFO: BL31: cortex_a55: CPU workaround for erratum 1530923 was applied INFO: PSCI: Suspend is unavailable INFO: BL31: Preparing for EL3 exit to normal world INFO: Entry point address = 0x4a000000 INFO: SPSR = 0x3c9 ns16550_serial serial@2500000: pinctrl_select_state_full: uclass_get_device_by_phandle_id: err=-19 U-Boot 2026.01-rc4_armbian-2026.01-rc4-Sd24f-P0000-He0b4-V52aa-Bbf55-R448a (Dec 19 2025 - 03:11:57 +0000) Allwinner Technology CPU: Allwinner A523 (SUN55I) Model: Radxa Cubie A5E DRAM: 2 GiB sunxi_set_gate: (CLK#35) unhandled Core: 77 devices, 22 uclasses, devicetree: separate WDT: Not starting watchdog@2050000 MMC: mmc@4020000: 0 Loading Environment from FAT... Unable to read "uboot.env" from mmc0:1... In: serial@2500000 Out: serial@2500000 Err: serial@2500000 Net: eth0: ethernet@4500000 starting USB... sun4i_usb_phy phy@4100400: External vbus detected, not enabling our own vbus USB EHCI 1.00 USB OHCI 1.0 USB EHCI 1.00 USB OHCI 1.0 Bus usb@4101000: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4101400: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4200000: 1 USB Device(s) found Bus usb@4200400: 1 USB Device(s) found scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0 switch to partitions #0, OK mmc0 is current device Scanning mmc 0:1... Found U-Boot script /boot.scr 4641 bytes read in 2 ms (2.2 MiB/s) ## Executing script at 4fc00000 U-boot loaded from SD Boot script loaded from mmc 190 bytes read in 1 ms (185.5 KiB/s) The file sun55i-a527-radxa-a5e.dtb was not found in the path /dtb/allwinner Load fdt: /dtb/allwinner/sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb 17944 bytes read in 4 ms (4.3 MiB/s) Working FDT set to 4fa00000 Failed to load '/dtb/overlay/sun55i-a527-fixup.scr' 14716909 bytes read in 834 ms (16.8 MiB/s) 31918592 bytes read in 1323 ms (23 MiB/s) Moving Image from 0x40080000 to 0x40200000, end=0x42150000 ## Loading init Ramdisk from Legacy Image at 4ff00000 ... Image Name: uInitrd Image Type: AArch64 Linux RAMDisk Image (gzip compressed) Data Size: 14716845 Bytes = 14 MiB Load Address: 00000000 Entry Point: 00000000 Verifying Checksum ... OK ## Flattened Device Tree blob at 4fa00000 Booting using the fdt blob at 0x4fa00000 Working FDT set to 4fa00000 Loading Ramdisk to 491f7000, end 49ffffad ... OK Loading Device Tree to 000000004918a000, end 00000000491f6fff ... OK Working FDT set to 4918a000 Starting kernel ... Very little is different, except that the ftd is about twice the size... 0 Quote
Werner Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago Please set verbosity to 7 in armbianenv.txt to get a clue about what happens after "starting kernel..." 5 minutes ago, Meestor_X said: The file sun55i-a527-radxa-a5e.dtb was not found in the path /dtb/allwinner Load fdt: /dtb/allwinner/sun55i-a527-cubie-a5e.dtb [...] Failed to load '/dtb/overlay/sun55i-a527-fixup.scr' data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Interesting. While this isn't an actual issue since the correct dt was loaded nevertheless it seems like BOOT FDT FILE Is set wrong 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 2 hours ago Author Posted 2 hours ago 6 hours ago, eselarm said: For you, 'make an image' means downloading a file from Armbian website and write it to an SD-card. For me, 'make an image' means using the Armbian build environment https://github.com/armbian/build to create an image yourself locally on your computer. This is what 'make an image' is. Fair enough. "WRITE the image" would probably be clearer. The image file is from the repository, I'm using Balena to WRITE the image (rather than MAKE) to the SD card. I'm sure you knew what I meant, but I agree that clarity is important. BTW - Where would I find the changelogs for these trunks? 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 2 hours ago Author Posted 2 hours ago 2 minutes ago, Werner said: Please set verbosity to 7 in armbianenv.txt to get a clue about what happens after "starting kernel..." I didn't know it was possible to edit a file within a boot image... I'm using MacOS, how would I do that? 0 Quote
Werner Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago I usually just re-plug the sdcard back into my laptop, the fs mounts automatically for me. Using Linux though, no clue about MacOS. 0 Quote
eselarm Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 20 minutes ago, Meestor_X said: didn't know it was possible to edit a file within a boot image... I'm using MacOS, how would I do that? You could use the Cubie for it. The trunk.100 works you said, so you have a working Linux computer, can be operated via serial cable console. 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 1 hour ago Author Posted 1 hour ago Found the method. A program called anylinuxfs will mount the EXT4 sd card on a Mac. However, even on the Trunk 100, I don't see armbianEnv.txt in /boot. Where do I find it? 0 Quote
eselarm Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago There is a separate boot partiton, it should be there. MACOS same as Windows might hide/block it as it is tagged as not normal filesystem (0x8300) but boot related (0xea00 or 0xef00) Linux has no issue with it. 0 Quote
Meestor_X Posted 1 hour ago Author Posted 1 hour ago This is way too much work. Basically I just came here to say that prebuilt images of trunk 100 work, 130 and 150 don't. So... Just a PSA to let people know that they likely won't be able to use those prebuilt images. It's probably moot anyway as I expect there aren't any changes that fix the main issues. 0 Quote
Werner Posted 57 minutes ago Posted 57 minutes ago --> (667) DEBUG: Partition table after write_uboot [ /dev/loop0 ] --> (667) COMMAND: sfdisk -l /dev/loop0 The primary GPT table is corrupt, but the backup appears OK, so that will be used. Disk /dev/loop0: 2.37 GiB, 2541748224 bytes, 4964352 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: gpt Disk identifier: 62C4432A-F158-49BE-8F59-F5A5895C7057 Device Start End Sectors Size Type /dev/loop0p1 8192 1056767 1048576 512M Linux extended boot /dev/loop0p2 1056768 4962303 3905536 1.9G Linux root (ARM-64) This is what the image looks while still on loop dev just before detaching from. But for some reason its messed up right after. Don't know why...yet root@build:~/build/output/images# parted Armbian-unofficial_26.02.0-trunk_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img u b p Error: /root/build/output/images/Armbian-unofficial_26.02.0-trunk_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img: unrecognised disk label Model: (file) Disk /root/build/output/images/Armbian-unofficial_26.02.0-trunk_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img: 2541748224B Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: unknown Disk Flags: 0 Quote
Werner Posted 25 minutes ago Posted 25 minutes ago Alright, found something. @Meestor_X please try this one: https://testing.armbian.de/Armbian-unofficial_26.02.0-trunk_Radxa-cubie-a5e_trixie_edge_6.18.2_minimal.img.xz 0 Quote
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