How to install an OS to RADXA Zero eMMC

This is the manual for Linux users. If you are using another OS, you can create a virtual machine with the Linux system. There is extended manual for Oracle VM VirtualBox application users.

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.

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