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    [[zero | Radxa Zero]] > [[zero/install | Installation]] > [[zero/install/eMMC_erase | Erase eMMC]]

=== How to completely erase the Radxa Zero eMMC ===

This guide describes how to completely erase Radxa Zero's eMMC. Unlike normal PC where they have a well established and documented way of booting, in embedded world it is a bit chaotic and everyone carries their own bootloader and boot sequence. As such it's best to wipe the eMMC completely and have a clean environment before flashing a new image to eMMC.

== Requirement ==

* Radxa Zero
* A PC/laptop running Windows, Linux, or macOS
* USB A to C cable or C to C cable, depending on your host

== Windows ==

===== Step 1: Install drivers =====

Press and hold the USB boot button on the Zero, plug in the USB to PC.

Download and install [https://github.com/pbatard/libwdi/releases/download/b755/zadig-2.6.exe Zagdig].
Confirm that the device is <code>GX-CHIP</code>, USB ID is <code>1B8E:C003</code> and choose '''libusb-win32''', then click '''Install Driver'''.

[[File:Zagdig-libusb.png]]

https://dl.google.com/android/repository/usb_driver_r13-windows.zip Download the Android driver] from Google.

Unzip it and right click the '''.inf''' file to install the driver.

[[File:Install-win-android-driver.png]]

===== Step 2: Use RZ USB helper =====

RZ USB helper is a Windows tool made by Radxa for easy eMMC wiping. Download it from [https://dl.radxa.com/zero/tools/windows/RZ_USB_Boot_Helper_V1.0.0.zip Radxa DL] and unzip everything to a convenient location.

First locate the USB boot button on the Zero:

[[File:Zero_usb_boot.jpg | 300px]]

Hold the button while connect you Radxa Zero to PC. '''Maskrom mode''' should be detected by the tool.

[[File:Rz-usb-helper-maskrom.png | 500px]]

Then select the '''factory-loader.img''' from the unzipped folder and click '''Run'''.

[[File:Rz-usb-helper-fastboot.png | 500px]]

Finally, click '''Erase''' to erase the eMMC completely.

[[File:Rz-usb-helper-erase.png | 500px]]

== Linux & macOS  ==
For Linux and macOS, we use amlogic boot tool to download the bootloader and boot the Zero into the fastboot mode to erase the eMMC.

===== Step 1: Install pyamlboot tool =====

macOS:
    $ brew install python lsusb libusb
    $ pip3 install pyamlboot

Linux:
    $ sudo apt install python3-pip
    $ sudo pip3 install pyamlboot

Here we are using <code>apt</code> package manager. Please refer to your distro's documentation for help on your distro's package manager.

===== Step 2: Install fastboot =====

Nexus Tools is an installer for the Android SDK Platform Tools package, which includes ADB, Fastboot, and other applications. We use Nexus Tools to install fastboot. If you already have fastboot installed, you can skip this step.

    $ bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/corbindavenport/nexus-tools/master/install.sh)

After it finishes, 

    $ which fastboot

should return you the install location.

===== Step 3: Boot into fastboot mode =====

Press and hold the USB boot button on Zero, plug in it to your computer. '''lsusb''' should see something like:

    Bus 001 Device 075: ID '''1b8e:c003''' Amlogic, Inc. GX-CHIP

Download the fastboot loader and run it on Zero

    $ wget https://dl.radxa.com/zero/images/loader/rz-fastboot-loader.bin
    $ boot-g12.py rz-fastboot-loader.bin

It should output something similar to this:
<pre>
Firmware Version :
ROM: 3.2 Stage: 0.0
Need Password: 0 Password OK: 1
Writing rz-fastboot-loader.bin at 0xfffa0000...
[DONE]
Running at 0xfffa0000...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=16384, offset=65536, seq=0...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=49152, offset=393216, seq=1...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=16384, offset=229376, seq=2...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=49152, offset=245760, seq=3...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=49152, offset=294912, seq=4...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=16384, offset=65536, seq=5...
[DONE]
AMLC dataSize=1406320, offset=81920, seq=6...
[DONE]
[BL2 END]
</pre>

Now lsusb should show the following device:

    Bus 001 Device 076: ID '''18d1:0d02''' Google Inc. USB download gadget  Serial: 1234567890

===== Step 4: Wipe the eMMC =====

macOS:
    $ fastboot devices
    1234567890	fastboot
    $ fastboot flashing unlock_critical
    $ fastboot flashing unlock
    $ fastboot erase bootloader
    $ fastboot erase bootloader-boot0
    $ fastboot erase bootloader-boot1
    $ fastboot reboot

Linux:
Run <code>sudo -i</code> and <code>exit</code> before and after the macOS command sequences.

Unplug and plug the power of Zero, lsusb should show the following:

    Bus 001 Device 075: ID '''1b8e:c003''' Amlogic, Inc. GX-CHIP

the eMMC is wiped and Zero is in maskrom mode now. You can [[zero/install/eMMC#linux | install other OS to eMMC]] now.