Upgrade Via a USB-C Cable

Upgrade On Windows

Preparation

  • Download the USB Upgrade Tool and extract it.
  • Run setup_v2.x.x.exe to install the tool for upgrading your VIMs:
    Image of USB_Upgrade_Tool_Setup_V208

Upgrading Steps

Make sure that you have installed the correct USB Upgrade Tool, then follow the steps below to upgrade:

  1. Open USB_Burning_Tool_v2.x.x.exe, click ‘File–>Import Image’ to choose an image for your VIMs. To download third-party images, e.g. Volumio: VIM1 / VIM2
  2. Connect your VIMs to your PC with a USB-C data cable (VIMs will power on automatically).
  3. Place your VIMs into “Upgrade Mode”:
    • Long press the Power key without releasing it.
    • Short press the Reset key and release it.
    • Count to 10 seconds and then release the Power key.

  4. If you have performed steps 2 and 3 correctly, your PC will automatically discover your VIM as a connected USB-device.

    Now all you need to do is to click the Start button of the tool and wait for upgrading to complete:
    Image of USB_Upgrade_Tool_Setup_V208

Tips:

  • To cancel an upgrade, click the Stop button, then close the USB Upgrade Tool. Note that the eMMC might already have been completely erased if you went past the 15% mark.
  • Extra power supply may be required in cases whereby your PC cannot provide enough electrical-current for the upgrade.

Upgrade On Ubuntu

Preparation

$ sudo apt-get install libusb-dev git parted

Download Burning Tool

Image burning tool for Ubuntu is in this repository utils.

$ git clone https://github.com/khadas/utils

Or just pull it (if you have already cloned this repository).

$ cd /path/to/utils
$ git pull

Install Burning Tool

You need to install USB rules and create some links.

$ cd /path/to/utils
$ sudo ./INSTALL

You will see this print-out if it was successful.

Installing Amlogic flash-tool...

===============================================

Host PC: Ubuntu 16.04

===============================================

Installing USB rules...
[sudo] password for nick: 
Installing flash-tool...
Done!

Installing Rockchip flash-tool...

===============================================

Host PC: Ubuntu 16.04

===============================================

Installing USB rules...
Installing flash-tool...
Done!
Installing Khadas burn-tool...
Done!

NOTE: Root privilege required.

Check The USB Driver

You must now place your VIM board into “Upgrade Mode”. See VIM1/VIM2 to enter Upgrade Mode.
Check to see if Ubuntu has detected your VIM1/VIM2 as a connected USB-device.

$ lsusb | grep Amlogic
Bus 002 Device 036: ID 1b8e:c003 Amlogic, Inc.

The message above means that your VIM is connected and recognized by Ubuntu.

How to Burn an Image on Ubuntu

There are two commands that can be used to burn an image: burn-tool and aml-burn-tool.

  • General command burn-tool:
$ burn-tool -v aml -i /path/to/image
  • Amlogic command aml-burn-tool:
$ aml-burn-tool -i /path/to/image

You will see these terminal logs if successful.

Rebooting the board ........[OK]
Unpacking image [OK]
Initializing ddr ........[OK]
Running u-boot ........[OK]
Create partitions [OK]
Writing device tree [OK]
Writing bootloader [OK]
Wiping  data partition [OK]
Wiping  cache partition [OK]
Writing boot partition [OK]
Writing data partition [OK]
Writing logo partition [OK]
Writing system partition [OK]
Do you want to reset the board? y/n [n]? y
Resetting board [OK]

For more information please refer to docs.

Uninstall Burning Tool

$ cd /path/to/utils
$ sudo ./UNINSTALL

NOTE: This burning tool has only been verified to work on Ubuntu 16.04.

See Also