Rock5/install/spi
ROCK 5 > Installation > Install the Image to SPI Nor Flash
Contents
Install the image to SPI Nor Flash from USB port
Rock 5 supports Maskrom mode, which is a special operation mode for CPU to wait for USB OTG port command. The PC tools we use to communicate with rock 5 in Maskrom mode are the rkdeveloptool and RKDevTool v2.92. We use the rkdeveloptool in Linux/macOS and the RKDevTool under Windows.
Requirement
- ROCK 5B
- Linux image for ROCK 5B, Android image is not supported yet
- type-c cable
- SPI Nor Flash on board
- Windows/linux/macOS PC
Install Tools&Drivers
Please check this guide, Install rockchip flash tools under Windows/Linux/MacOS PC.
Boot the board to Maskrom mode
To boot ROCK 5B to Maskrom mode is simple:
- Power off the board.
- Remove bootable device like MicroSD card, eMMC module, etc.
- Press the golden (or silver on some board revisions) button and hold it.
- Plug the USB-A to Type-C cable to ROCK 5B Type-C port, the other side to PC.
- Release the golded button.
- Check usb device
- For macOS host: lsusb result: Bus 002 Device 032: ID 2207:350b Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Co., Ltd. Composite Device
- For Linux host: lsusb result: Bus 001 Device 112: ID 2207:350b Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Company
- For Windows host: Open RKDevTool and you would see the device is in Found One MASKROM Device.
Get RK3588 loader and U-Boot images
ROCK 5B
- Download the loader image from:
- loader - USB flashing helper
- Download the latest SPI image from:
- release version with u-boot serial console disabled(Recommend)
- debug version with u-boot serial console enabled(Use it when you need to troubleshoot booting issue)
Write U-Boot images to SPI Nor Flash or erase SPI Nor Flash
Linux/MacOS
On your PC, run the rkdeveloptool
sudo rkdeveloptool ld DevNo=1 Vid=0x2207,Pid=0x350b,LocationID=106 Maskrom
Download the loader (flash helper) to init the ram and prepare the flashing environment etc. If you don't have it, you can download it from here
sudo rkdeveloptool db /path/to/rk3588_spl_loader_v1.08.111.bin # will output: Downloading bootloader succeeded.
Write SPI image to SPI Nor Flash on board.
You can use our pre-built files.
sudo rkdeveloptool wl 0 rock-5b-spi-image-g49da44e116d.img Write LBA from file (100%)
Reboot the device
rkdeveloptool rd
now, the device should boot on SPI Nor Flash. And the blue led is on.
Windows
Double click the RKDevTool.exe and you will see the following interface: Double click the RKDevTool.exe and you will see the following interface:
Step 1: comfirm that ROCK 5B is in Maskrom mode
If your ROCK 5B is in maskrom mode and connects to PC, you can see that the program detects it, as the red arrow below
Step 2: Select Loader
Next, click the right last columns in the "Loader" row to select rk3588_spl_loader_v1.08.111.bin
Step 3: Select SPI image
Next, click the right last columns in the "spi" row to select spi-image.
Step 4: Excute
Finally, click the "Excute" button, and you will see the content in the red box on the right. When the progress reaches 100%, the download is completed.
Erase SPI Nor Flash
Linux/MacOS
Please notice that when you want to erase SPI Nor Flash, fire these commands. If you don't have zero.img, download this one please. zero.img And extract it.
rkdeveloptool db rk3588_spl_loader_v1.08.111.bin rkdeveloptool wl 0 zero.img rkdeveloptool rd
Windows
Before Erasing, please comfirm that ROCK 5B is in Maskrom mode
Step 1: Download
Choose the "Advanced features" button, then select rk3588_spl_loader_v1.08.111.bin, next click the "Download" button
Step 2: Erase all
Click the "erase all" button
Step 3: Reboot device
Verify Loader version
Version is display on UART console when board starts, one of the very first lines (older vs updated):
DDR Version V1.07 20220412 DDR Version V1.08 20220617
Troubleshooting
- If you have issue with flashing via USB OTG, start a new post on the forum, https://forum.radxa.com/c/rock5.