Please make GT-king Pro compatible with armbian ..

gtkingpro.ac2n

I noticed on https://github.com/ophub/amlogic ... ian/amlogic-u-boot? it also mention MAINLINE_UBOOT /lib/u-boot/gtkingpro-u-boot.bin.sd.bin wonder this worth a try?

I just flashed the latest release Armbian_21.11.0_Aml_s922x_bullseye_5.10.85_2021.12.15.1805.img.gz
on my sd card, first I correct an error that I had given previously the /boot partition is formatted in FAT.
I went to see what was in / ROOTFS /usr/lib/u-boot here is a screenshot



Do you think I should use this gtkingpro-u-boot.bin.sd.bin file as u-boot.ext ??

From Github
u-boot files of amlogic-s9xxx 5.10 kernel

When using the 5.10 kernel version, you need to copy the corresponding u-boot-*.bin file to u-boot.ext (TF/SD card boot file) and u-boot.emmc (EMMC boot file).

i am a little confused with this instruction, should i also rename u-boot-gtkingpro.bin to u-boot.emmc ?

I am a little lost there, especially when the successful start the system seems very stable unfortunately a boot that works well 1 in 3 or 4 times, it does not suit me at all ..
Is it possible to update u-boot present in the Android firmware, because I think that the problem comes from there ..
When I use my other SD card with Coreelec, booting from my SD card works fine, reboot too .. Unfortunately it works differently under coreelec because I can't find any u-boot.ext on this sd card ..

After all this time spent on the forum, I'm really disappointed to see no effort from @Beelink, it shouldn't be too difficult for them, but hey after 10 pages in their forum, no intervention .. Disappointing ...

JFL

When using the 5.10 kernel version, you need to copy the corresponding u-boot-*.bin file to u-boot.ext (TF/SD card boot file)

This I take it as the chainloader u-boot.ext.  I presume the u-boot.emmc if you install on emmc but I could be wrong.

Do you think I should use this gtkingpro-u-boot.bin.sd.bin file as u-boot.ext ??

This I take it as mainline uboot where you install it on the sd card. Not sure whether it will help.

Example in @darkstar Ubuntu-Impish 5.14.15 image.

1. <div>linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline/now 1.0.7-v2021.04 arm64 [installed,local]
   
2. </div>

Copy the Code

After all this time spent on the forum, I'm really disappointed to see no effort from @Beelink, it shouldn't be too difficult for them, but hey after 10 pages in their forum, no intervention .. Disappointing ...

The issue based on what I understand from spikerguy is vendor's bsp bootloader.  Ugoos also uses Android Pie but its bootloader is more friendly with mainline kernel if you follow the Manjaro forum.

Edit:

This is a phenomenon that may only occur with kernels of 5.10 and above. At present, the boxes listed in the instructions on the homepage have all been adapted, and this phenomenon is gone. But the unknown box may appear this phenomenon due to the u-boot file mismatch.

Based on this response from ophup response, it infers that respective UBOOT_OVERLOAD (or chainloader) to u-boot.ext had been tested to  boot on GT King Pro.  

gtkingpro.ac2n

Hi

I tried a boot with gtkingpro-u-boot.bin.sd.bin rename to u-boot.ext but it doesn't work ..
I found that https://source.denx.de/u-boot/custodians/u-boot-amlogic/-/tree/u-boot-amlogic-next/board/amlogic/beelink-s922x
maybe it could help but i don't know what to do ..
I managed to start again but it is without any USB connected .. u-boot-gtkingpro.bin => u-boot.ext

JFL

gtkingpro.ac2n replied at 2021-12-17 01:26
Hi

I tried a boot with gtkingpro-u-boot.bin.sd.bin rename to u-boot.ext but it doesn't work ..

I managed to start again but it is without any USB connected .. u-boot-gtkingpro.bin => u-boot.ext

Looks like you are progressing well.  From my experience with chainloader on GT King Pro using SD Card to start up and with a USB 3.0 Hub connected to one of the GT King Pro USB 3.0 port It can boot with USB Keyboard, USB Mouse and USB Flash stick connected to USB 3.0 Hub.  

darkstar

JFL replied at 2021-12-17 11:32
Looks like you are progressing well.  From my experience with chainloader on GT King Pro using SD ...

Second stage bootloader is different from normal bootloader.
You cannot use regular u-boot bootloader file as second stage bootloader.

If you want to install a Linux distribution with Mainline Kernel to emmc you must update the devices u-boot from legacy to mainline. @chewitt from librelec project compiled mainline u-boot for Gt-King series, you can use his mainline u-boot version from librelec repo.

There are many changes between Mainline U-boot and Legacy U-boot.
They are not compatible so that is why we need second stage bootloader.
Second Stage bootloader does not have to be u-boot.ext we can use any other grub etc. bootloaders. Playing with bootloader is pretty risky beacuse these devices does not have a bios.
If your bootloader fails to start your device will be broken.

Beelinks firmware is based on Android 9 with legacy kernel and legacy u-boot.
If Beelink changes the u-boot to mainline original android firmware may have boot issues.
That is why Beelink cannot do anything, they have to use legacy u-boot.

This is not a sipmple issue and solution is not that simple.

JFL

darkstar replied at 2021-12-17 18:18
Second stage bootloader is different from normal bootloader.
You cannot use regular u-boot bootloa ...

Hi @darkstar,

Thanks for the clarification.

Second stage bootloader is different from normal bootloader.
You cannot use regular u-boot bootloader file as second stage bootloader.

The chainloader u-boot.ext, I was refering to the second stage bootloader like/similar to the one you use on Ubuntu Impish image.

linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline/now 1.0.7-v2021.04 arm64

For my understanding how to refer to this linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline?  Regular u-boot loader?

darkstar

JFL replied at 2021-12-17 21:39
Hi @darkstar,

Thanks for the clarification.

linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline

I m using khadas build script fenix to compile the firmware and fenix compiles the uboot-vim3- mainline automatically. Please ignore and do not try to use it.

U-boot.ext second stage compiled by balbes150 is enough.

I bought a 250gb usb ssd external drive and believe me it works like emmc from usb.
I'm running Linux distributions from it.

Last week I build my favorite distribution  Slackware firmware for gt-king but stuck at initrd build stage.
If I found a solution for it will share the firmware..

JFL

darkstar replied at 2021-12-18 16:46
I m using khadas build script fenix to compile the firmware and fenix compiles the uboot-vim3- ma ...

I m using khadas build script fenix to compile the firmware and fenix compiles the uboot-vim3- mainline automatically. Please ignore and do not try to use it.

So the installed "linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline" on Ubuntu Impish is not used at all and only the vendor's legacy bsp uboot and the second stage chainloader u-boot.ext is used to boot up Ubuntu Impish?

I bought a 250gb usb ssd external drive and believe me it works like emmc from usb.
I'm running Linux distributions from it.

Envious.

1. Last week I build my favorite distribution  Slackware firmware for gt-king but stuck at initrd build stage.
   
2. If I found a solution for it will share the firmware..

Copy the Code

Is the slackware linux user friendly for noob?

darkstar

So the installed "linux-u-boot-vim3-mainline" on Ubuntu Impish is not used at all and only the vendor's legacy bsp uboot and the second stage chainloader u-boot.ext is used to boot up Ubuntu Impish?

Yes,

Slackware is not the best user friendly distro but it is one of the first Linux Distrubutions,
If you configure it properly you will not get in trouble for years.
It is simply fast and stable and I m a fan of it. I fixed uInitrd.

For now only sound does not work will try to fix it.

gtkingpro.ac2n

Hi @JFL and @darkstar
Thank you for your clarifications.
Wishing to install YUNoHost I need a stable debian or armbian system, and I am looking to have a system allowing hardware decoding of videos because I am using Jellyfin on my YUnoHost server.
Slackware looks really good I did not know but I will test it well .. I'll have to buy a new sd card .. Congratulations @darkstar
To come back to the Ophub build, I tried to update the kernel to 5.15.8 but I had I / O errors on reboot. I'm not sure if it would not be better to start from build @balbes150.
Anyway thank you again .. you are great..