Advice on "mobile" VIM3L

[Vladimir.v.v]

@mzb69

Learn to cook something (s) that she REALLY likes (eg: roast lamb!

we understood it yesterday

[mzb69]

Hahaha … nah, most of those things are probably illegal here.

[RDFTKV]

They teach cops here Pain Compliance Techniques. I’m really glad my she has not been trained in that way, though she has figured out a few of her own.

Seriously though, I kid, there is no violence here, just figurative.

[Electr1]

is threatening to throw you SBC’s in the trash one such method ?

[Vladimir.v.v]

@Electr1

is threatening to throw you SBC’s in the trash one such method ?

buddy, don’t say such scary words

[RDFTKV]

Fortunately it has never come to something as drastic as that. Throw out my SBCs, no way, I’d rather take the skilleting.

[Electr1]

sorry, I have faced such cruel words, it has been in my memory ever since…

@RDFTKV

I’d rather take the skilleting.

is it brandishing, throwing or poking your belly style ?

[Vladimir.v.v]

By the way, guys, the technical forum, we deviated a little from the topic, otherwise penalties may apply to us

[Electr1]

Yes, I agree, we have gone from answering @mzb69 real question to explaining how people wife’s are poking them…
let us go back to the topic…

[mzb69]

@Electr1

let us go back to the topic…

OK, well I’ve taken a closer look at VIM3L.OPENWRT.19.07.3.v0.7.servers.sd.img.gz and it seems to me, by comparing it to VIM3L.OPENWRT.19.07.2.v0.62.servers.sd.img.gz that it doesn’t contain any dtb files!
Maybe it works in a different way, and/or I’ve misunderstood?

The other 19.07.3 images seem to have the same issue (missing files).
Either way, I can’t get this image to give any signs of life, on any card, any combination of cables, or any magic iteration of button-pushing … let alone a successful boot.

[Electr1]

How about older version ?
Hyphop does the maintenance of OpenWRT images, he should answer any queries you have…

[Vladimir.v.v]

@hyphop

yes our WIFI chip have problems with openwrt stack and works only as hack at this moment - yes is sad !
vim1 have better situation but - i still dont have enough time for improve this situation for vim3 / vim3l

as Hyphop said, OpenWrt looks stable for vim1 Krescue, and there are currently issues with vim3 Krescue

[hyphop]

plz wait !!!
last openwrt images have some problems ! i try to fix it
for all devices !

[hyphop]

OK! bootup bug fixed!
all openwrt was updated just now !

i have check all variants for booting openwrt for VIM3 all must works at this moment

• coreelec emmc + openwrt sd - OK
• coreelec emmc + openwrt usb - OK
• openwrt emmc - OK

PS: re-download openwrt images and write it again!!!

PSS: i still cant make announce for last openwrt images because still testing them - and looks like its will finished be very soon

[Vladimir.v.v]

thanks, very promptly!

[mzb69]

@hyphop OK, thanks
I’ve tried:

1. Install CoreElec to eMMC, and then boot OpenWRT off SD/TF with new image from 20200715 (I wish you’d bump a minor version number!)
   => No boot to SD, just blank screen with flashing cursor at top left, immediately after the Khadas logo.
2. Install OpenWRT to eMMC, and then boot CoreElec off SD/TF using image from CoreElec.org
   => No boot to SD

#2 being my preferred option, being the normal use case. I’m not sure if this is relevant, but I’ve not noticed “Script wrong header” before when attempting to boot CoreElec on SD.

I’ll keep looking

ps: yeah, the glare on my screen IS bloody annoying, isn’t it?

[EDIT1]
OK, with VIM3x.COREELEC.9.2.2.emmc.kresq installed, I rebooted into Krescue from TF and selected “setup boot from SD”

I’m not sure if that made a difference, but I was then able to boot from CoreELEC-Amlogic-ng.arm-9.2.3-Generic.img from TF.
Then, using Krescue, I installed the new image of OpenWRT to eMMC … which booted fine, but I was then UNABLE to boot CoreElec from TF.

I’ve noticed the ** Script wrong header ** error a number of times now.

Should I be reinstalling uboot, or something?

[EDIT2]
For sanity, I used Krescue to erase eMMC (fast). Still unable to boot CoreElec from SD, but Krescue from SD ok.

[EDIT3]
And now, for giggles, I’ve used KRescue to install VIM3x.COREELEC.9.2.2.emmc.kresq. I chose “Power Off”, swapped the Krescue SD card for the card with CoreELEC-Amlogic-ng.arm-9.2.3-Generic.img (note the version difference!) and then pressed power to be welcomed by:

I unplugged power and plugged it back again, same result! … DEFINITELY boots off SD with CoreElec on eMMC, DEFINETELY WON’T boot off SD when (yesterday’s image of) OpenWRT installed.

PS: to clarify: when I talk about SD/TF installs I’m referring to the SD slot on the card, NOT SD+USB (even if there is no ‘technical’ difference). I do NOT have a USB/SD reader that I trust other than a multi-card USB3 device which is NOT suitable for this kind of thing. OK, I did have a reader that worked, but it’s reliability slowly reduced from over-heating … but that’s another LONG story!

CONCLUSION:
Sorry @hyphop still something wrong with OpenWRT images.

Could it be that I’ve installed the wrong image with Krescue?
(This is where a version bump would help!)
I’ll try a few more experiments.

fbb3b8b9e3994f6242de2b17b2cfb0aa VIM3L.OPENWRT.19.07.3.v0.7.servers.sd_20200715.img.gz
<<== definitely the correct image, just doesn’t work for me

Verified the eMMC image and copied it to the Krescue SD card:

Booted into Krescue and burned the image

Selected reboot and hot-removed the SD card:

All kinds of broken? *sigh

Yeah, sorry … I’ve not found or fixed the problem, and if I don’t start working on the house lights the Missus won’t be impressed. Later!

[mzb69]

Any ideas on this @hyphop ?

[UPDATE]

OK, to summarise:

1. OpenWRT 19.07.3.v0.7 will not boot from SD with another system installed to eMMC (eg. Ubuntu-gnome-focal or CoreElec 9.2.2). If eMMC boot is subsequently erased using Krescue then OpenWRT 19.07.3.v0.7 is able to boot.

2. With CoreElec 9.2.2 installed on eMMC, it is still possible to boot Krescue or CoreElec 9.2.3 from SD. I didn’t test with Ubuntu-gnome-focal on eMMC.

3. OpenWRT 19.07.3.v0.7 installed to eMMC from Krescue does not boot, whether installed by Krescue or install2mmc_from_sd script (which doesn’t appear to work, but the script it calls does appear to function) when eMMC boot is cleared and booted from OpenWRT 19.07.3.v0.7 on SD.

4. Minor correction to #1 is that OpenWRT 19.07.3.v0.7 WILL boot from SD if OpenWRT 19.07.0.v0.6 is installed to eMMC!

[hyphop]

hi i have other results

https://youtu.be/3hel2bk6cUY

write coreelec to emmc via Krescue mega script (u can use any other krescue installation ways )

curl -jfL dl.khadas.com/.mega | sh -s - -Y -X VIM12.COREELEC.9.2.2.emmc.kresq > /dev/mmcblk1

write openwrt to sd - linux way

curl -L dl.khadas.com/Firmware/openwrt/VIM1.OPENWRT.19.07.3.v0.7.servers.sd.img.gz | gzip -dc | sudo dd of=/dev/sdX
PS: try another SD cards - sometime its a reason of problem
PSS: i have check it for VIM1 VIM3’
PSSS: i will check ubuntu later

[mzb69]

I’ve almost finished working on lights for missus (it’s actually a never-ending task!), and I’ve got new SD cards, readers and USB sticks on their way. I’ll test your results then.

[adzio]

@hyphop @mzb69 have you been able to pinpoint the reason behind the intermittent boot from μSD? I’m seeing a similar issue where sometimes my VIM3L will boot from eMMC, even though μSD is installed and valid. Press the R button and it will successfully boot from the card.
If I were to venture a guess, I’d say it appears “not to see” the μSD card on the first boot after applying power and/or inserting the card (I always power down and unplug when swapping cards, so can’t distinguish).