Is is possible to run vim3 off of an external ssd drive? (u-boot mainline is not working)

Any progress on the testing?

looks like completed :wink: i will share today or tomorrow after some additional test

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Even I am waiting so I can move all Manjaro images to mainline.

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already can build mainline u-boot from fenix - with all our last patches

i will prepare all binary and installation variants for uboot tomorrow

  • raw files
  • rk-burn images
  • krescue image

PS: at this moment we try complete preparation same uboot series for EDGE (spi + hdmi + keyboard + usb + nvme + kbi … )

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@hyphop,

You promised that you’d have the uboot image ready for tomorrow . . . which was 3 days ago. Could you give out the link please?

Thanks

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@hyphop,

Burned Ubuntu sd card OS image snapshot to my usb ssd nvm2 e ev0 970 250 gb external drive.
Burned VIM3.u-boot.sd.bin to sd card (sudo dd if=VIM3.u-boot.sd.bin of=/dev/sde conv=fsync,notrunc bs=442 count=1).

Inserted sd card to Vim3
Attached ssd usb external drive to Vim3.

Restarted Vim3 and it simply reboots to the Android desktop, I was expecting it to boot into Ubuntu OS off of the usb ssd.

Still having issues, to be honest, something as simple as trying to boot off an external usb ssd device for Vim3 is like trying to have a dream with Freddy Krueger in it. It’s a complete nightmare. Not happy at all having to revisit this issue over and over again. Other SBC’s seem to have a knack for making adding external storage as boot devices much more simple and clear in the documentation and actual steps, and . . . it just works.

Very disappointed in the quality of Khadas software, very disappointed. From March to July 26 and Khadas still can’t support simple boot off of external usb devices?

Have you tested this yourself or did you assume that it works?

If you’re talking about mainline uboot, then hyphop did inform that to boot from mainline uboot you will have to get rid of other uboot in emmc which in your case is android uboot.

Erase emmc and then try to boot from sd card with. Mainline uboot.

I hope this will help you with your query.
Good luck.

@Spikerguy

Trying to erase emmc, it looks like emmc Android has more lives than a cat.
I’ve followed the instructions:

Since I don’t have a serial tool, I have to use these instructions:

Keys Mode(U-Boot is functional)

All ROMs we have released support eMMC erasure. Please follow the steps below to erase the data on the eMMC:

*All peripherals disconnected. Except usb wireless keyboard, mouse and hdmi cable.

  1. Power on VIM.
  2. Long press Power and Function buttons simultaneously, without releasing them. (I never release)
  3. Short press the ‘Reset’ key and release. (my fingers still on power and function buttons)
  4. After the operations above, the system will begin to erase automatically; it will take about 10 seconds to finish. (my fingers still on power and function buttons)
  5. Your connected display/monitor will display a black screen when the erasure process is complete. (This part not true or accurate in my case. After following the above instructions, instead I see the following below:

)

Something is not adding up here, either I’m missing a step or the documentation is missing an additional step, because it is not corresponding with anything that I’m seeing at the moment for erasing (I’m assuming permanently removing Android from emmc, by definition of the word “erase”) emmc.

you can do a full eMMC cleanup in Krescue

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Hello, For me, the interrupt method has worked 100% of the time.

Interrupt Mode

This approach is suitable for all products that use the Amlogic SoC:

  1. Carry out normal upgrading via USB-C Cable(VIM1/VIM2/VIM3) or TF Card(VIM1/VIM2/VIM3).
  2. Manually interrupt the upgrading process (forcefully disconnect after 15% is recommended). For example, unplug the USB-C cable or the TF card.
  3. Power on your VIM again, and you’ll find that all the data on the eMMC has been erased.

Hi All,

I did a full erasure of emmc via kresque.
Burned vim3 mainline image to sd via the steps:

  1. dd if=VIM3.u-boot.sd.bin of=/dev/sde conv=fsync,notrunc bs=442 count=1
  2. dd if=VIM3.u-boot.sd.bin of=/dev/sde conv=fsync,notrunc bs=512 skip=1 seek=1

Plugged in sd card and attached usb ssd external drive, did a reboot and got the following during boot up:

hey im still dint understand what u needed!
u trying to do something but u must understand how its works ! if u cant plz use standard solutions

Can Khadas run an entire os off of an external SSD? Laptops can do it, Desktops can do it, Macs can do this, Raspberry pi can do it.

Now my question is, is Khadas capable of achieving this?

I’m confused by the last sentence:

So I’m interpreting this that Khadas Vim3 is not capable of this and I need to find something else?

if u need stark ubuntu from ssd - everything is easy

  1. write https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/VIM3/Ubuntu/SD_USB/VIM3_Ubuntu-gnome-focal_Linux-5.7-rc7_arm64_SD-USB_V0.9-20200530.7z to SDD
  2. write mainline uboot to emmc (start krescue and write only mainline uboot images)
  3. reboot and enjoy

PS: ssd must works as USB (uboot still not support nvme for amlogic ) + choose right usb socket - usb3 not usb 2
PSS: be sure u have enough power from power supply

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@biohumans there is nothing complicated here, unlike RPi which has unofficial USB boot, here it is more than just supported, it has a optimized working USB boot capability…

we just need the bootloader on the eMMC so that it can be recognized as the storage medium to be booted from
(consider this as a BIOS of sorts…)

@Hyphop has given you these simple instructions to follow,
If I am correct, You can also add the mainline uboot to the SPI flash…
but I think the eMMC method is easier,

Also as hyphop also said, ensure that you provide proper power to the SSD, the max of 5w that the USB3.0 provides may not be enough, you can use a USB power injector to give the peripheral the required power…

yes its same possible but need same time change boot mode to SPI from EMMC

yes u right !!! the eMMC method is easier

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For step #2 can I simply write mainline uboot " VIM3.uboot-mainline.emmc.aml.img to mmc partition via Balena Etcher or dd?

@biohumans,
to write the mainline uboot to MMC, you need to to use the Amlogic USB burning tool (v2.2.0)
Get it here: https://dl.khadas.com/Tools/USB_Burning_Tool_v2.2.0.zip

and install it with the USB-C eMMC burning method:

It is also recommended to disable usb3.0, switch to pci-e from eMMC system for nvme to work