VIM3 PRO White LED blinking 2 times every 1 second

Fabian · July 5, 2025, 7:34pm

Which system do you use? Android, Ubuntu, OOWOW or others?

I tryed to install UBUNTU using windows and the dedicated Flashing tool

Which version of system do you use? Please provide the version of the system here:

Tryed to install the last image available on the website (gnome)

Please describe your issue below:

I tryed to install for the first time ubuntu wyth the appropriate flashing tool (for usb-c programming), i tryed via USB stick and SD card buth nothing happen. The output from the HDMI is aboslutely nothing. The only thing I see is the white led flashing two times every more or less 1 second.

Post a console log of your issue below:

No console log, nothing works

Electr1 · July 6, 2025, 3:37am

@Fabian which image did you use ? Do you have the filename ?

Fabian · July 6, 2025, 10:17am

Hi @Electr1 thank you a lot for your answer and your time.
Sorry for my english, is not my main language, i will try to do my best to give you better details.

I used the images under this link (UBUNTU): dl.khadas.com - Index of /products/vim3/firmware/ubuntu/
Following the instruction given from khadas on the following link: VIM3/3L Install OS [Khadas Docs]

I tryed both the solution:

Installing OS usin eMMC via usb-c and provided flashing tool for windows. The images that I tryed to install are in the EMMC folder, I tryed the versions 20.04, 22.04 and 24.04. In every folder I tryed the “gnome” version, to be able to have an HDMI output.
I tryed also the “generic” version of the image, to be flashed on an external 32GB SD-card using balenaEther.

I will specify that I tryed multiple power sources, multiple USB-C cable, multiple SD-Cards, … I spent an entyre day trying to fix the issue.

The only thing that I can say about the board is that if I triple-press the F button, the blue LED blinks. The board will be correcty recognized from the flashing software for windows.
When I download an image I unzip it using 7zip to optain the .img format.
Then I flash the .img using the tool for windows. After flashing (message “100% complete” appears), I unplug the board, close the flashing tool and connect the board to a power supply (I tryed 30W, 65W and 120W power supply).
After connecting, the white LED tourn on for about 10 seconds and then it starts to flash 2 times every more or less 1 second.

Let me know if I can provide further informations.
Regards.
Fabian

Electr1 · July 7, 2025, 10:35am

@Fabian your method of installation is correct, maybe your monitor is an odd resolution ?
Maybe try different monitor / display ?

Fabian · July 7, 2025, 8:00pm

Hi @Electr1
thank you for the answer and for your time.
Unfortunately I think that something in the installation process is not correct.
I changed 3 times HDMI cable and used 2 different monitors, (1 bought today just some hours ago).
I also tryed to use an USB 3.2 cable (the complete USB cable, not the classic one to charge the phones).

I also asked chat gpt, saying that my board is a Khadas Vim 3 pro V12 board, It sayd that maybe my board is old (the newest is V14 apparently) and to try the 18.04 Ubuntu OS image. Nothing happen, same issue unfortunately.

Electr1 · July 9, 2025, 10:07am

Maybe @numbqq can provide some solution for you

numbqq · July 9, 2025, 11:51am

If you see the white LED heartbeat blink it indicate that the board already boot into the system.

Could you connect the ethernet cable and ssh into the board and provide more information to us?

ssh khadas@xx.xx.xx.xx
dmesg
cat /sys/class/display/mode 
cat /sys/class/amhdmitx/amhdmitx0/disp_cap 
cat /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-C/modes

Fabian · July 14, 2025, 9:13pm

Hello @numbqq @Electr1
sorry for the late response.
I tryed the commands you suggested.
The good news is that the board seems to be alive, as you can see from the images below. The bad news is that there sems not to be possible to obtain a graphic output.
I tryed to install various drivers that I found online, but nothing seems to work.
I will continue to try anyways. Did you have soma advice on haw I can try to obtain a graphic output?

Thank you a lot for your time.
Best regards.
Fabian

numbqq · July 15, 2025, 1:26am

Hello @Fabian

Could you capture the kernel log when you unplug and replugin the HDMI cable ?