How to install an OS to RADXA Zero eMMC

This is the manual for Windows users who are going to perform this installation using a virtual machine with a Linux system based on Oracle VM VirtualBox.

Installing software on a PC

• sudo apt install fastboot
• sudo apt install python3-pip
• sudo python3 -m pip install pyamlboot

Erasing the eMMC

1. Download the fastboot loader:
   wget https://dl.radxa.com/zero/images/loader/rz-fastboot-loader.bin
2. Launch the board in USB boot mode:
   

   • Press and hold the USB BOOT button.
     
   • Then connect the board to a PC via the USB2/PWR connector. It will be used both for powering the board and for data transfer.
     
   • Release the USB BOOT button.

   
   

   Configure auto-capture of this USB device using the Oracle VM VirtualBox virtual machine paremeters:

   • choose Devices tab - USB - USB Settings...;
   • click Add new USB filter icon;
   • click Amlogic GX-CHIP device.

   Then launch the board in USB boot mode again to test the auto-capture.

   
   To check whether your OS has detected the connected RADXA board, execute the lsusb command in the Terminal. The list of USB devices should contain a device like Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1b8e:c003 Amlogic, Inc. GX-CHIP.
   

   If auto-capture fails, and the device does not appear in the list of connected USB devices, then try connecting the board in USB boot mode to another USB port (socket) on your PC's motherboard, and then repeat the lsusb command.

   
   
3. Run fastboot loader on RADXA Zero:
   sudo boot-g12.py ./rz-fastboot-loader.bin
   

   At this stage, the name of the RADXA Zero device has changed.
   Configure auto-capture of the new USB device using the Oracle VM VirtualBox virtual machine paremeters:

   • choose Devices tab - USB - USB Settings...;
   • click Add new USB filter icon;
   • click Radxa USB download gadget device.

   Then relaunch the board in USB boot mode and run fastboot loader again.

   
   
4. Run the command:
   fastboot devices
   The connected device in fastboot mode should be displayed in the terminal: AMLG12A-RADXA-ZERO fastboot
   
   
5. Erase the eMMC:
   

   • sudo fastboot erase bootloader
   • sudo fastboot erase bootenv
   • sudo fastboot erase 0

Installing the operating system in the erased eMMC

1. Download the operating system:
   wget https://dl.radxa.com/zero/images/armbian/Armbian_21.08.0-trunk_Radxa-zero_focal_current_5.10.58_xfce_desktop.img.xz
2. Unpack the operating system image:
   unxz Armbian_21.08.0-trunk_Radxa-zero_focal_current_5.10.58_xfce_desktop.img.xz
3. Download eMMC udisk loader
   wget https://dl.radxa.com/zero/images/loader/rz-udisk-loader.bin
4. Execute lsblk or ls /dev/sd* command to display what disks the system contains. Remember the disk names like sdX, where X is any letter.
   
   
5. Configure eMMC as a block storage device:
   

   • Disconnect RADXA zero from the PC.
   • Press and hold the USB BOOT button.
   • Then connect the board to a PC via the USB2/PWR connector. It will be used both for powering the board and for data transfer.
   • Release the USB BOOT button.
   • Execute the lsusb command in the Terminal. The list of USB devices should contain a device like Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1b8e:c003 Amlogic, Inc. GX-CHIP
6. Load the udisk-loader in RADXA Zero to switch the device to disk mode:
   sudo boot-g12.py rz-udisk-loader.bin
   

   After executing this command, the external OS (MS Windows) may offer to format the new disk (i.e. RADXA Zero in disk mode). Click the "Cancel" button or close the format window.

   The device name is the same as the previous one, but its Product ID and Vendor ID have changed.
   Configure auto-capture of the updated USB device using the Oracle VM VirtualBox virtual machine paremeters:

   • choose Devices tab - USB - USB Settings...;
   • click Add new USB filter icon;
   • click Radxa USB download gadget device.

   Then relaunch the board in USB boot mode and load udisk-loader again.

   
   
7. Сheck whether the new disk has appeared in the system:
   lsblk or ls /dev/sd*.
   For example: there was one sda disk only in the system. After switching the device to disk mode, the sdb disk should have appeared.
   
   
8. Write the operating system image to eMMC:
   sudo dd if=Armbian_21.08.0-trunk_Radxa-zero_focal_current_5.10.58_xfce_desktop.img of=/dev/sdb bs=1M status=progress, where command part /dev/sdb is the appeared disk (RADXA Zero).
9. Write the loader to eMMC:
   

   • wget https://dl.radxa.com/zero/images/loader/u-boot.bin
   • sudo dd if=u-boot.bin of=/dev/sdb bs=512 seek=1, where command part /dev/sdb is the appeared disk (RADXA Zero).