eMMC Recovery Tool for XU3/XU4

Post by **mdrjr** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:46 am

If the eMMC boot loader is corrupted,
If you want to reuse other platform(U3/XU/C1) OS installed eMMC,
You can use this tool.

In fact, this tool will install the Android OS including a boot blob in the hidden boot sector of the eMMC.

Before starting, remove everything attached to the board.
The only accept peripheral connected is the UART Kit. Everything else should be disconnected.

1. Download this file.
Download this latest Alpha 6.8 file ->
https://dn.odroid.com/5422/ODROID-XU4/A ... 21.img.zip

or from this mirror:
https://www.odroid.in/mirror/dn.odroid. ... 21.img.zip

2. Flash to a microSD card using Etcher -> https://wiki.odroid.com/troubleshooting ... s#flashing

3. Connect both the eMMC and MicroSD to XU3/XU4

4. Set the dip-switches(or slide-switch) near the ethernet Jack to "SD boot mode" (Make sure CCI is ON)
XU4 doesn't have the dip-switch. Just set the slide switch.

5. Connect Power and watch the LED status.

6. The blue and red LEDs are solid on.
This may take 40seconds ~ 3minutes.
After recovery process, the blue LED will be off.
And remove the power supply.

7. Set the dip switches back to eMMC boot mode.

8. Remove the microSD card

9. Proceed with normal power up with your peripherals attached.

This picture shows the eMMC boot mode. "ON-ON" for XU3/XU3-Lite.

SD boot mode. "OFF-ON"

XU4 has only simple slide-switch to select a boot source.

If the Android OS boots successfully, you can install other Linux OS images on the eMMC later.

dessa · Post by **dessa** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:22 pm

Will this procedure destroy main Linux file system, or will it only restore BOOT loader on hidden partiton?

Post by **odroid** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:24 pm

It will clear all the file system and install the Android OS.

uDude · Post by **uDude** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:52 pm

A simple follow on question.

Is it possible to install the hidden boot blobs with dd on a linux box?

For the individual posting the original question. Save your data by mounting the mmc in linux and copying the data. if your box cannot detect and mount them, continue reading. You can dd the entire mmc onto a *nix harddrive then extract the partitions. Gpart can find partitions if the partition table is corrupt. You can mount them on loop, if needed.

Post by **odroid** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:27 pm

No.. it is not possible.
But if you can boot the Linux with the eMMC on ODROID, you can access the hidden blocks with this below method natively.

Code: Select all

sudo su -
# echo 0 > /sys/block/mmcblk0boot0/force_ro 
# dd if=/root/boot0.img of=/dev/mmcblk0boot0

But, it seems to be useless when your eMMC can't boot the Linux.

winterkiter · Post by **winterkiter** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 10:18 pm

Hi. Since I run into the same problem I saved the image of the mmcblk0boot0 from an Odroid XU3 and U3 and uploaded them to github
https://github.com/flaviofontana/odroid_boot_partitions

Shak7 · Post by **Shak7** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:32 pm

If you recover using this tutorial, but still get errors when using dd or Win32DiskImager. For me, my noname brand microSD to USB adapter was the thing that got me looking for solutions for some hours Using appropriate adapters did the trick. As I was reading solutions, I tried one that was always said to fail... I used a Kingston SD to microSD adapter and plugged the 2 adapters with another SD card adapter in a USB 3.0 plug, USB 2 plug did not work (for me). First, as this post is about, I used the emmc recovery for XU3, then used the Odroid Win32Diskimager v1.1 in Windows, it took a while but all good!

In short: If you get errors when writing image, but can still format using gparted or diskpart, I guess you don't have to worry. Change the adapter you are using, the emmc module is working fine. It's a hardware combination problem.

Vespucci187 · Post by **Vespucci187** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:29 pm

My message is moved to a new thread...
title: XU3 eMMC issue, and won't boot microSD to fix bootpart

link: http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 935#p79762

Post by **mdrjr** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:01 pm

Create your own thread.

slims · Post by **slims** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:00 am

A note for those who are looking to do this with the new XU4, you must use mdrjr's latest alpha 2.4 file. The older versions were ineffective.

Thanks mdrjr!

apollostees · Post by **apollostees** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:25 am

Hello I'd like to try this, but I don't think my X-U4 has dip-switches.

Am I missing something? I Just want to revert back to the latest 4.4.4 (First post, please go easy...)

Post by **odroid** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:42 am

A slide switch on the left side can choose the boot media.

apollostees · Post by **apollostees** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:40 am

Thanks for the reply. But, I just made a bad mistake.

I used the Win32 Disk Imager on my 64GB emmc. Now it reads as 399MB in windows??? After

After re-reading I saw I was supposed to use it on the SD card.

Is there anyway to fix this?

gripped · Post by **gripped** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:51 am

apollostees wrote:Thanks for the reply. But, I just made a bad mistake.

I used the Win32 Disk Imager on my 64GB emmc. Now it reads as 399MB in windows??? After

After re-reading I saw I was supposed to use it on the SD card.

Is there anyway to fix this?

Depends what you mean by 'Fix'

You can flash the recovery on the SD, follow the instructions and then after repartition the emmc.
If you have lost data you wanted on the emmc it is probably gone for good.

apollostees · Post by **apollostees** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 6:20 am

gripped wrote:
apollostees wrote:Thanks for the reply. But, I just made a bad mistake.

I used the Win32 Disk Imager on my 64GB emmc. Now it reads as 399MB in windows??? After

After re-reading I saw I was supposed to use it on the SD card.

Is there anyway to fix this?
Depends what you mean by 'Fix'

You can flash the recovery on the SD, follow the instructions and then after repartition the emmc.
If you have lost data you wanted on the emmc it is probably gone for good.

Ok, good. The emmc is pretty new, so don't have much data on it.

I was worried that I had permanently messed up it's size.

So I guess I can do this: http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=1582to repartition the emmc.

Or do you recommend anything else?

Post by **mdrjr** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:19 am

Just do the recovery, you'll boot onto Android..

Once you have Android running you can just go to settings -> storage -> format sdcard

apollostees · Post by **apollostees** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:34 am

Yah!!

Thanks all. I'm back in business.

@mdrjr After I did the emmc recovery. I booted into Android and it took care of everything.

At first it said 54GB unavailable, when I came back all the space was again usable. I didn't even have to press a button.

Thanks again.

pratikto.sulthoni.h · Post by **pratikto.sulthoni.h** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 3:36 pm

Hello, guys. I have make a silly mistake by formatting my 32Gb emmc using power ISO. Now, my emmc can not detected by windows and ubuntu. I'm trying using this method but unfortunately after I'm write & verify my flashed MicroSD using win32disk imager for odroid, I got the message that "read back data is different from original data.". Then I download the img file from http://dn.odroid.com/5422/ODROID-XU3/An ... 06.img.zip] again and try flashing and verify my microsd again but i got the same message. btw, is this d0f7409a1a81acfc1e05d7ec90a7265d the mda5 hash for alpha-3.1 file?

this the image of the message i've got
http://www.imagebam.com/image/68c600447169981

Post by **mdrjr** » Mon Nov 16, 2015 4:20 am

Its simple, the program writes to the eMMC or MicroSD and reads back the data to compare with the file. If it doesn't match you get that error.
Its probably your usb->microsd reader that is the problem.

Smrtz · Post by **Smrtz** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 7:10 am

With the XU4, you unplug everything, move the switch to the micro-SD position, plug in the micro-SD card and the eMMC, and then plug in the power cable. The red LED will turn on and the blue one will flicker, the process is done once the blue LED turns off. Then you unplug the power cable, move the switch back to the eMMC position, and plug everything back in.

Edit: This is required if your eMMC module has a red sticker: http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id= ... ence_chart

tuloski · Post by **tuloski** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:51 pm

Hello,
thanks for the guide.
I have 2 questions:
-Will the latest 4.4.4 work with XU4?
-Can I put Ubuntu with dd after I recover the eMMC with Android?

PS: win32disk imager seems bugged. It returns every time a failure in checking files even if it is working perfectly.

Post by **odroid** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:55 am

- Yes. The latest sd2emmc image of Android 4.4.4 is compatible with XU4.
- Yes. Once the Android boots well, you can flash the Ubuntu image on that.

If the Verify on Win32DiskImager failed, some portion of the boot media could be corrupted.

glenndmel · Post by **glenndmel** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 6:34 pm

odroid wrote:It will clear all the file system and install the Android OS.

all the data will be erased after this?

Post by **odroid** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 6:40 pm

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:22 am

Similar procedure for flashing eMMC modules with Odroid Ubuntu 16.04?
I've been following this guide for Ubuntu 14.04 and using an initial Android image from android-4.4.4-alpha-3.3-sd2emmc_installer-odroidxu3-20151222.img.
Should I start with a more recent Android image? - Probably android-4.4.4-alpha-3.9-sd2emmc_installer-odroidxu3-20160712.img.zip

Post by **odroid** » Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:42 am

You can use old one.

iRouli · Post by **iRouli** » Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:03 pm

I take it #3 is for Windows people? Linux people can use, say, dd or gnome disk utility DISKS?

Post by **odroid** » Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:14 pm

Right. I've updated step #3.

loredin · Post by **loredin** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:32 pm

hi the link for the android img is very slow to me, is this normal ? any other link maybe ?

(EDIT : finally got it completed in about 5 hours so that s fine - AND A BIG THANK YOU TOO !!)

Post by **odroid** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:49 am

loredin wrote:hi the link for the android img is very slow to me, is this normal ? any other link maybe ?

(EDIT : finally got it completed in about 5 hours so that s fine - AND A BIG THANK YOU TOO !!)

Added a link of mirror in the first post.

bennr01 · Post by **bennr01** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:44 am

Hello,
I have a problem: unfortunately the emmc recovery does not appear to work for me.
I downloaded the image from the mirror-server, validated the md5sum, unzipped it and wrote it to a micro-sd-card using "dd".
My odroid XU4 starts, but the blue light wont turn off, even after a hour. I have inserted both the micro-sd and the emmc and set the boot-mode-switch to micro-sd.
All peripherals are disconnected, only the power-cable is connected.
Do you have any idea what the problem may be?
Thanks

meveric · Post by **meveric** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 1:03 am

Do not connect both at once. Only boot the SD card and after the image booted plugin the eMMC module. Do not boot with eMMC module connected.

bennr01 · Post by **bennr01** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 4:28 am

meveric wrote:Do not connect both at once. Only boot the SD card and after the image booted plugin the eMMC module. Do not boot with eMMC module connected.

Thanks, but unfortunately this also does not seem to work for me. The blue light keeps on (even without the eMMC connected). I did check the MD5sum and it appears to be correct. Also, the instructions say both the micro-SD and the eMMC should be connected before connecting the power supply.

meveric · Post by **meveric** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 6:01 am

Ah yeah that was on another board I think..
Anyway what eMMC module are you try to reset? One from the U3?

bennr01 · Post by **bennr01** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 9:58 pm

meveric wrote:Ah yeah that was on another board I think..
Anyway what eMMC module are you try to reset? One from the U3?

Yes, it is a 64GB eMMC module for the U3 which had ubuntu preinstalled.
Edit: I am trying to use the eMMC in the XU4.

thunderbird · Post by **thunderbird** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:40 am

How does the eMMC recovery tool work? Is the micro SD card wiping all the data of the eMMC card, or is it just fixing the boot.ini file?

I have a similar problem where an eMMC card does not boot an Odroid XU4. Fortunately, I have another XU4 and I can attach the faulty eMMC card to the other Odroid using USB interface. I can see the boot.ini file of the faulty eMMC card, but I can't access the Ubuntu image. Is there a way to recover the data in the Ubuntu image?

Thank you!

Post by **odroid** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:44 am

SD-card writes a boot blob into a hidden boot block in the eMMC.
And writes bootable Android image on the eMMC data area.

Open a new thread in XU4 Ubuntu sub-forum and other users might help you.

Cartridge · Post by **Cartridge** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 10:28 pm

Where is the older tool which did not contain android at all? It was much lighter which interms means less writing time and no android of course

. Also it did work, why did it become obsolete? I remember the process it was flashing blue, you'd put the emmc and wait till all led dies but red.

kosh07 · Post by **kosh07** » Sun May 14, 2017 3:16 pm

I should burn the android image to eMMC too?
or microSD-android , eMMC-linux?
eMMC is not important in this process?

Post by **odroid** » Mon May 15, 2017 9:43 am

No. You need to flash the Android image on SD card only.

minca · Post by **minca** » Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:21 pm

Cartridge wrote:Where is the older tool which did not contain android at all? It was much lighter which interms means less writing time and no android of course . Also it did work, why did it become obsolete? I remember the process it was flashing blue, you'd put the emmc and wait till all led dies but red.

Hi unfortunately I got this issue also, do you have the android-less version of the image?

iamant92 · Post by **iamant92** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:30 am

Using this tool I got an Android flashed into eMMC. When I tried to flash Ubuntu 16.04 using the etcher; ODROID is not booting up. Red light, blue light and fan stays on. No display on the screen. I even tried to flash sd card I got only red light on the ODROID. I am new to ODROID. Pls help.

(Mine is Odroid XU4 and switch was correctly placed for each process)

Post by **odroid** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 2:31 pm

@iamant92
Did you flash this latest Ubuntu image after recovery process?
ubuntu-16.04.3-4.9-mate-odroid-xu4-20170824.img.xz

picoT · Post by **picoT** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:31 am

Hello,
i have the same Problem. I wanted to update my XU3 from Ubuntu 14.04 to 16.04. I performed the booloader recovery and Android was starting. Then I flashed the 16.04 Image (ubuntu-16.04-mate-odroid-xu3-20161011.img) but the XU3 doesnt boot up. Same for 14.04 Image (ubuntu-14.04.1lts-lubuntu-odroid-xu3-20150212.img), when i try this again. I flashed the eMMC directly with Etcher. Etcher made a comment that it isnt a bootable Image. But i guess that is correct.

Display over HDMI stays black. Blue and red LEDs are on and fan is also on but nothing happens.

Hope somebody can help me here.

Thanks
pico

Post by **odroid** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:41 am

Try the latest image "ubuntu-16.04.3-4.9-mate-odroid-xu4-20171025.img". It should work.

Hero9909 · Post by **Hero9909** » Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:35 am

You are my man!

ive connected my emmc not good so the manual dd proccess broke the module that much that ubuntu doesnt know what device this sould be.
the module doesnt even get registered as something like

Code: Select all

/dev/mmcblk0

and after searching the log of

Code: Select all

dmesg

ive found this:

Code: Select all

[ 2166.983927] mmc0: error -110 whilst initialising MMC card
[ 2168.315923] mmc0: error -110 whilst initialising MMC card
[ 2169.643950] mmc0: error -110 whilst initialising MMC card

ive run this code :

Code: Select all

fdisk -l /dev/mmc0

wich told me that there is something like a storage device, but doesnt know what exactly. so ive run this:

Code: Select all

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmc0 bs=1M

ater that i was abled to detect with

Code: Select all

fdisk -l /dev/mmc0

that my module (16gb) is now 3.3Gb big.
NOW ive downloaded etcher and wrote your file on an 1GB sd card followed your steps , booted with sd, inserted emmc module and after about 2 h the led doesnt changed.
so ive plugged the power and tryd ... SUCCESS

i was abled to burn ubuntu 18.04 on the module!

I AM SO THANKFULL ... GOD BLESS YOU!
ive registered myself on this forum , ONLY to say how much i appreciate what youve build!
for this month you are my personal hero!

Post by **odroid** » Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:55 am

Hero9909 wrote:I AM SO THANKFULL ... GOD BLESS YOU!

Glad to hear your system works now.

npatch · Post by **npatch** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:25 am

I'm trying to run the 4.4.4 Android(v6.6) sd2emmc recovery but the status led doesn't blink and just turns off after solid on. I also tried running with just the SD on, like someone said before, and then plug in the emmc when the status led is solid on. But again it doesn't take 40sec-3min(I've already gone more than 40min and it's still solid on). I also tried flashing the normal android image in the SD and try to use that instead of the emmc but even after the status led starts flashing, it doesn't display anything on the monitor(which has worked with both linux and android images on the odroid).

Post by **odroid** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:02 am

@npatch,
Did you flash sd-installer image into your SD card?

Anyway, create a new thread on XU4 Android sub-forum and we will help you.

Koejo · Post by **Koejo** » Sat Oct 19, 2019 5:51 pm

i have the same problwm now and cant download the recovery Image.
file not found….

where i will found file please ?