[SOLVED] How to restore Petitboot on HC-4

[fkreuz]

Hi,

it seems like my firmware / Petitboot is broken on my HC4.

Only the red light is on after power connection, no flashing blue light anymore. If I keep pressing the switch at the bottom of the case (to enforce boot from SD Card), it works with your Ubuntu Mate image provided.
But I always have to keep pushing this button at boot time.

Where can I please get the HC4 Petitboot firmware image and how to restore it?

You can assume I made a mistake like "Exit to shell" , run "flash_eraseall /dev/mtd0" in the command line of the Petitboot"...

Thank you for your kind help in advance.

Best regards,
Frank

[tobetter]

Where did you get the command "flash_eraseall /dev/mtd0"? And why did you try? Doesn't it boot from SD card after the command?

Download "spiupdate_odroidhc4_20201112.img" from the link, and flash it to SD card. Boot with SD card while keep pressing the switch until the blue LED on, then the SPI flash memory will be restored.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... odroidhc4/

[fkreuz]

Hi,

I got it from this post: viewtopic.php?p=310908#p310908

After numerous tries, I got it to work with my HDMI screen (without doing anything special but kept trying). Then I did the stupid mistake of deleting Petitboot (my bad).

Now the blue light is back (not flashing though) and I am back with my initial problem again, no HDMI output visible...

[fkreuz]

Hi, sorry, do not get it to work. Did create the image as you suggested. Pressing button during power on, then blue light blinks but nothing else happens. No HDMI output whatsoever.

If I use the Ubuntu Mate SD card, do the same (push button during power on), it boots into Mate and all is fine.

Any idea what else I could do? Something from within Ubuntu Mate with ODROIDBIOS.BIN maybe?

Without manual intervention during power up, the device does not boot anything, not even Ubuntu Mate.

THX for you kind help in advance.

[tobetter]

Hi, sorry, do not get it to work. Did create the image as you suggested. Pressing button during power on, then blue light blinks but nothing else happens. No HDMI output whatsoever.

If I use the Ubuntu Mate SD card, do the same (push button during power on), it boots into Mate and all is fine.

Any idea what else I could do? Something from within Ubuntu Mate with ODROIDBIOS.BIN maybe?

Without manual intervention during power up, the device does not boot anything, not even Ubuntu Mate.

THX for you kind help in advance.

Are you sure you have flash the image with Etcher and let it start with button pressing on the bottom? When the blue LED blinks, it boots. If you are not able to see HDMI, why don't you let it be for 10 minutes? Maybe it would recover it while showing nothing.
Or you can try another image,
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 201101.img

Other OS image cannot recover SPI flash memory. So please try again with the images I shared and let me know so I can help you.

[fkreuz]

Sorry to say, no success. Did find an old monitor now which shows a screen, do get by pressing the button at power up to a menu.

One time during boot it said something like "invalid SPI partition for firmware".

However, nothing else happens, no automatic flash process etc.

Any way to enforce it to re-install the initial flash?`

THX for any help in advance.

screenshot from boot screen:

[tobetter]

I've tried the same many times and the same screen I have if I press the button long more the the blue LED lits. Can you try to release the key pressing no longer than the blue LED turns on.

[fkreuz]

You made my day! It worked, thank you so much. Netboot install of Ubuntu worked in consequence like a charm! Kind regards, Frank

[tobetter]

You made my day! It worked, thank you so much. Netboot install of Ubuntu worked in consequence like a charm! Kind regards, Frank

Glad to hear you finally recover it and use Netboot Installer.

[dafart]

Dear People

yesterday I received this odroid board
After powering it up it booted into petitboot so I assume everything was working.
I did not use the network installer since I wanted to install from sdcard (try some distro's first before deciding what to pick)
and since my plan was first to try to install raspbian the first thing I did was removing petitboot following this guide https://www.armbian.com/odroid-hc4/using these commands:

Code: Select all

# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd0
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd1
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd2
# flash_eraseall /dev/mtd3

After writing the armbian image to SD card I tried to boot the machine but no matter what image I use I am not able to boot, all I see is a blinking cursor in de upper left corner on my HDMI attached screen.

After this I tried the above guide to restore petitboot to try the netinstaller, but I run into a problem: when flashing the drive with the different images I'm not able to restore petitboot

Here's what I'm donig

- flash sdcard with several images from http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 201101.img
- take out the power cord
- insert the sdcard into the slot
- use a pencil to press the button on the bottom of the machine
- with the button still pressed I put in the powercord

Everytime the red light start to blink continuously I no matter how long I press (even up to 20 seconds) I don't see the blue blinking light start.

I asume the blue blinking light would indicate that petitboot is being written to SPI.

I also tried to continuously click the button with short clicks but also nothing happens except for the red led blinking.

I also tried a different sdcard with no change in effect

Now I have 2 questions

1. Is this the correct procedure to restore petitboot?
2. Can someone help me out how to get this problem solved?

Thanks already for your advise.

Daf

[dafart]

Ow and since this problem is not solved for me should I open a new tread?

[tobetter]

After this I tried the above guide to restore petitboot to try the netinstaller, but I run into a problem: when flashing the drive with the different images I'm not able to restore petitboot

Here's what I'm donig

- flash sdcard with several images from http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 201101.img
- take out the power cord
- insert the sdcard into the slot
- use a pencil to press the button on the bottom of the machine
- with the button still pressed I put in the powercord

Everytime the red light start to blink continuously I no matter how long I press (even up to 20 seconds) I don't see the blue blinking light start.

Does the red LED blink, not the blue one?
Since you have erased the SPI flash memory, you do not need to press the button on the bottom. So...please do try reinsert the power cord without pressing the button.

I asume the blue blinking light would indicate that petitboot is being written to SPI.

What's the vendor and the model of your SD card?

[dafart]

Dear tobetter, thanks for your quick respons!

I'm currently at the office so I cannot do a proper debugging however to answer your questions:

- the red light is just burning, not blinking, there's no blue light.
- I use 2 GB kingston SD card, I will have to check to exact number/type.
- what behaviour will he lights show when flashing the SPI?

Daf

[tobetter]

Dear tobetter, thanks for your quick respons!

I'm currently at the office so I cannot do a proper debugging however to answer your questions:

- the red light is just burning, not blinking, there's no blue light.
- I use 2 GB kingston SD card, I will have to check to exact number/type.
- what behaviour will he lights show when flashing the SPI?

Daf

The red LED means power is supplied, the blue LED is on only when a bootloader is started then start to blink when Linux kernel is started.
The Kingston SD card is not very compatible with ODROID boards, you "must" use other SD card (UHS-I grade) and this will work.
The blue LED will blink when SPI recovery is started.

[dafart]

Dear tobetter, thanks for your support, I bought a samsung UHS-I microSD card and it got recognized straight away, now petitboot has been restored and looks like the device works as it should.

Never realized the brand / type of microSD card would make a difference...

Kind Regards

Daf

[sebi009]

Hello, I'm trying to do the same.
Put PetitBoot (flashed with balena Etcher) on a SD card and a USB key.
When I boot with SD card : blue light without anything on HDMI.
When I boot with USB : no blue light (only red)

When I try the reset button before putting the 220v cord : idem with both.

I need some help, please

[archethic]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

[tobetter]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

[archethic]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

[tobetter]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 222.img.xz

[asdf]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 222.img.xz

All the files at this URL are unavailable.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... odroidhc4/

Does anyone have a new link?

[tobetter]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 222.img.xz

All the files at this URL are unavailable.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... odroidhc4/

Does anyone have a new link?

Hmmm....looks like the package server is down for some reason.

[tobetter]

@asdf, the server is back now. Please try again.

[archethic]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 222.img.xz

Thanks for your help, I'm a bit late. However, from the conclusion, you cannot go to petiboot without sdcard. You have to press the button under hc4 after inserting the sdcard, but it will go to petiboot. What should I do?

[tobetter]

I have the same problem. We tried to recover as the answer to the article was written, but the boot partition inside the damaged odroid does not seem to be able to return. Petiboot is installed only on the sd card, so in order to enter petiboot, you have no choice but to boot by pressing the button at the bottom. What should I do to boot without an SD card?

It's a bit confusing, are you going to reinstall Petitboot in SPI flash memory or do you want to recover OS installed on HC4? What do you mean by exactly the Petitboot is installed on the SD card? Did you remove the Petitboot flashed in SPI?

In the situation I want, I want to enter petiboot without the user's manual input with the SD card separated. Maybe we need to restore the SPI partition to solve it. However, I couldn't recover even if I tried all the solutions above.

In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done.
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/images/pe ... 222.img.xz

Thanks for your help, I'm a bit late. However, from the conclusion, you cannot go to petiboot without sdcard. You have to press the button under hc4 after inserting the sdcard, but it will go to petiboot. What should I do?

We are talking about how Petitboot can be recovered, the image the image in my previous post is to reflash the Petitboot in SPI flash memory. Once it's done completely, remove SD card and check if the Petitboot boots or not. If you encounter an any issue, please describe what you did so I can help you futher more.

[eviljack]

Hello,

I just bought a new HC-4. I wasnt able to get installation images or pb-update from network so I tried to erase SPI and I am able to boot Ubuntu from SD Card. But I would like to boot from SSD, I found some links to Petitboot recover images, but it looks like server is not working (the same for recover or update image from this forum). Is it possible to upload it to somewhere?

Thanks a lot!

edit: its funny I put SSD inside the slot to try play movie and it boots! But looks a little bit slowly probably cause doing updates. I will test it tomorrow.

[tomerr]

@asdf, the server is back now. Please try again.

hi tobetter, the ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr is down for a couple of days now

[eviljack]

its back online now!

[relocated2007]

Hi I ma trying to get Armbian or Debian Bullsey working on odroid HC4 but as I do not have available monitor I went to erase Petitboot as here: https://www.armbian.com/odroid-hc4/. Flushed Samsung sdcard and booted. All seems good I went through initial setup, reboot. And ... I kind find attached SSD I tried 3 times to install OMV, no luck as the other guy recently.

I am bit confused is Petitboot necessary to make Odroid HC4 working properly?

I looked at I tried Buster from linuxfactory, It booted but after apt upgrade I did reboot and I can not find it on the network anymore seems not going up. But lights on HC4 are on (blue and orange on lan link).

So confusing. Seems I need to restore Petitiboot and find spare monitor to connect. That erasing procedure should be revised as it is causing problems or there are something missing in Armbian and Debian images.

[tobetter]

Hi I ma trying to get Armbian or Debian Bullsey working on odroid HC4 but as I do not have available monitor I went to erase Petitboot as here: https://www.armbian.com/odroid-hc4/. Flushed Samsung sdcard and booted. All seems good I went through initial setup, reboot. And ... I kind find attached SSD I tried 3 times to install OMV, no luck as the other guy recently.

I am bit confused is Petitboot necessary to make Odroid HC4 working properly?

I looked at I tried Buster from linuxfactory, It booted but after apt upgrade I did reboot and I can not find it on the network anymore seems not going up. But lights on HC4 are on (blue and orange on lan link).

So confusing. Seems I need to restore Petitiboot and find spare monitor to connect. That erasing procedure should be revised as it is causing problems or there are something missing in Armbian and Debian images.

If you want to use Armbian, please do consult with them how you can run on ODROID-HC4.
If you like to use other images from me or @meveric, please do use Petitboot.

[relocated2007]

Ok thanks so what is the proper procedure to restore it? Should I press back black button during boot from sdcard flushed with petitboot image or not as I read though this treat and is yes, no yes, no so confusing again.

[relocated2007]

Quote from above

"In order to restore the SPI flash memory, flash the image in the link using Balena Etcher to SD card and insert to SD card slot. Before connecting power adapter to HC4, keep pressing the black button on the bottom until the blue LED turns on. This image will start to flash SPI flash memory with Petitboot firmware, remove SD card once it's done."


That is also confusing what you mean when is done? How do I know is done? On attached screen or some led blink or what?

[relocated2007]

Ok so seems noone know what is going on so I so far manage to restore petitboot but without pressing back button.

What I did:

1. Download the latest petitboot image from linuxfactory.kr
2. Flash good sdcar (I used Samsung cards).
3. Insert card, connect monitor, keyboard and power wait to process completes (all info is on screen, lost of erasing and writing and veryfiyng.) about 3 minutes.
4. When you press back button odroid boot straight from sdcard so procedure not going forward, only you see petitboot but from sdcard not internal odroid memory.

So now fun begins. I will try netloader debian installation. Lets see how thing going.

[Matombo]

After Trying out armbian i want to go back to Petitboot. However i can't flash it:
I flashed the spiupdate image to an sd card using both dd and etcher and tried both with button on the bottom pressed and not pressed. It is alsways the same behaviour: The blue led turn on and stays on, hdmi only outputs a black screen, no flahsing seems to happen (regardless of how long i wait, petitboot is not restored).
Anyone has an idea? Can i restore petitboot from within armbian (that one does still boot).

[Matombo]

Ok got petitboot back on:
- booted armbian again
- flash_erase /dev/mtd0
- downloaded a spiboot image from above (not the spiupdate)
- dd if=spiboot... of=/dev/mtd0
- reboot

[Mercury]

Hi all,

Looking at the images directory I can can see many versions of "spiboot.." dating as recently as the 28th of December 2022 and then a list of "spiupdate..." files with the most recent being "spiupdate_odroidhc4_20201222.img.xz"
Does this mean I have to apply the bootable spiupdate first and the spiboot after to have the latest version?
If so, can the bootable image be updated with the latest version?

I found the wiki entry for petitboot https://wiki.odroid.com/odroid-n2/os_images/petitboot under the OdroidN2 section which covers most of this... it would be great if this was also created for the HC4 or maybe a consolidated entry for all devices to make it more discoverable.

The last post from Matombo indicated another process of reflashing the spi directly from within the currently running armbian install and just flashing the latest "spiboot" image to the /dev/mtd0 path. Is that the only path that actually gets written to and the /mtd1...3 are left empty and were only erased initially as a precaution?

[tomerr]

as far as i know -
spiupdate_odroidhc4.........img.xz files are bootable images you burn to a sd card, to in order restore petitboot ,
while spiboot......img are petitboot update file you rename to spiboot.img and store on the root partition of your bootable sd card , in order for petitboot to update itself

[clemblanco]

Many thanks to tobetter who saved the day for me here.

I just posted a reply in the following thread about the same kind of issue, hope it can help someone else.

viewtopic.php?p=374440#p374440