====== Create Flash Card ======

===== Introduction =====


Linux users can follow this guide to create a special TF card for "flashing" an OS into the eMMC. Windows users may use the following guides: [[products:sbc:common:install-os:install-os-into-external-storage|Install OS into External Storage]].


<WRAP tip >
The process for VIM1, VIM2, VIM3 and VIM4 is similar, so we will use VIM1 as an example.
</WRAP>


<WRAP important >
OS Installation TF Cards must use the FAT32 filesystem. Therefore, because the Ubuntu desktop image is larger then 4GB, it cannot be burned to the eMMC using this method.

</WRAP>


===== Preparation =====

  * Download the latest U-Boot file for TF card: ([[dl>products/vim1/firmware/u-boot|VIM1]]/[[dl>products/vim2/firmware/u-boot|VIM2]]/[[dl>products/vim3/firmware/u-boot|VIM3]]/[[dl>products/vim3l/firmware/u-boot|VIM3L]]/[[dl>products/vim4/firmware/u-boot|VIM4]]).

  * If your TF card contains >1 partition, format it using Fdisk [[products:sbc:common:development:create-bootable-tf-card|Create Bootable TF Card]].


===== Prepare Your TF Card =====

**Backup all important data**, then remove all partitions on your TF card.

```sh
$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdX
```

Then create just 1 partition:

```sh
$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdX
```

	
<WRAP important >
Set the first sector to **4096**.
</WRAP>


The single partition should look like this:

```sh
Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdc: 14.86 GiB, 15931539456 bytes, 31116288 sectors
Disk model: SD Card Reader
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: dos
Disk identifier: 0x2914f327

Device     Boot Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1        4096 31116287 31112192 14.9G 83 Linux
```

The partition must start from **4096**.

===== Create the Flash TF Card =====

Insert the TF card into your PC, make sure it is unmounted:

```sh
$ sudo umount /dev/sdX1
```

Format the TF card to FAT32:

```sh
$ sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1
```

<WRAP tip >
Replace ''sdX'' with the correct device node on your PC.
</WRAP>


Use ''dd'' to write the Bootloader/U-boot to the first sector of the TF card:

```sh
$ sudo dd if=u-boot.bin.sd.bin of=/dev/sdX conv=fsync,notrunc bs=1 count=444
$ sudo dd if=u-boot.bin.sd.bin of=/dev/sdX conv=fsync,notrunc bs=512 skip=1 seek=1
```


<WRAP tip >
The U-Boot file ''u-boot.bin.sd.bin'' is built for TF card.
The U-Boot file ''u-boot.bin'' is built for the eMMC.
</WRAP>


Copy the OS image to your TF card. 

Build the image yourself or download from our [[dl>|server]].

Insert the TF card again, then run the following command:

```sh
$ cp -a aml_sdc_burn.ini update.img /media/XXX/9CE9-3938/
```


	
<WRAP tip >
The file ''aml_sdc_burn.ini'' is a configuration file for U-Boot, it's purpose is to burn images into the eMMC. You can find it [[kg>images_upgrade/blob/master/Amlogic/aml_sdc_burn.ini|here]].

</WRAP>

	
<WRAP important >
The package in ''aml_sdc_burn.ini'' should match your OS image!

For example, the name of the OS image is ''update.img''. So the ''package'' variable in ''aml_sdc_burn.ini'' should be specified as ''package = update.img''.

</WRAP>


Eject the TF card:

```sh
$ sudo eject /dev/sdX
```

===== Upgrade Using Your Flash TF Card =====

  - Insert your OS installation TF card into your SBC, and power-on.
  - Boot into upgrade mode.
  - Wait till the flashing process completes.
  - Eject the TF card, and reboot your SBC.