EMMC Flasher not working, hangs on rsync

[Felipe Brito]

I'm trying to reflash the BBB emmc. I have the microSD 16GB installed with win32IMG and BBB-blank-debian-8.4-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2016-05-13-4gb

I have the BBB powered by a 5V 2AMP.

I have modified the uEnv.txt uncomment the correct line

The BBB starts with the led sequence when booted 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 3 2...

The lasts steps it does before hanging is:

Copying /dev/mmcblk1p1 -> /dev/mmcblk0p1

rsync: /boot/uboot -> /tmp/boot/

When it enters "Copying /dev/mmcblk1p2 -> /dev/mmcblk0p2" the led sequence stops changing and then it never recovers.

How can I solve this puzzle???

[Robert Nelson]

Try running it again, or just use the newest "2016-11-06" on
http://beagleboard.org/latest-images

a ready to go flasher is here, with no /boot/uEnv.txt changes required:

https://rcn-ee.net/rootfs/bb.org/testing/2016-11-06/lxqt-4gb/BBB-blank-debian-8.6-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2016-11-06-4gb.img.xz

Regards,

--
Robert Nelson
https://rcn-ee.com/

[Felipe Brito]

Thanks, Downloading now and will let you know.

As of this revision (rev C) I dont need to hold the usr button while booting?

Cheers

FBP

[Felipe Brito]

No luck... it hangs again in the same stage. Any other tips?

Cheers

FBP

On Friday, November 18, 2016 at 7:01:36 PM UTC-3, RobertCNelson wrote:

[Ian Watts]

Hi,

It would appear I have the same issue - except mine is a BB Black (hope I'm not hijacking this thread - it's not my intention).

I also have my BBB powered by a 5V 2AMP PSU (as I have always done).

Like you, my BBB starts with a multi-flash LED pattern for around 30 seconds then kick is into the cylon / 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 3 2... eMMC Flash sequence...

But after around 2 to 2 1/2 minutes the LEDs stop the sequence with all 4 ON and... nothing, nada...

Thinking, initially, that the flash was finished, I removed power, ejected the uSD card and reBooted... that's when I first noted the nothing-ness... EXCEPT... upon power up UsrLED0 then Usr LED1 power ON and stay ON... that's it...

So then I tried the ready to go Flasher image below... same... After the power on LED pre-amble, I see the cylon / 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 3 eMMC Flash sequence for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes and stop...

I don't have any debugging connected (never have with the BBB, but come from the Atmel / embedded processor world so, I could if I knew what to do) , but I could do if it would help and I could be pointed to a link explaining what / how to do it... More than willing. I'm currently worried I may have bricked my BBB :-(

Oh yeah, BeagleBone Black. Rev C using a 4GB uSD card, micro USB connection to one of two different Macs and / or a 5V 2A PSU connection...

Hope someone can shed some light on this one for me ?

Regards,

Ian.

[Felipe Brito]

Ian,

What finally did the trick.

1.- Download IoT image from https://debian.beagleboard.org/images/bone-debian-8.6-seeed-iot-armhf-2016-11-06-4gb.img.xz

2.- Copy with win23Imager to an 4GB microSD (It only worked with a 4GB not with other sizes, and you cannot setup a bigger SD card with a partition of 4GB it wont work)

3.- Boot and login to the BBB, either by USB host connection or with a keyboard and a display, change the /boot/uEnv.txt to uncomment the line:
    cmdline=init=/opt/scripts/tools/eMMC/init-eMMC-flasher-v3.sh

4.- reboot and wait until all 4 leds are steady

5.- power off and remove the microSD 

6.- Plug in power

[Ian Watts]

Felipe,

Thanks for that.

I'm pretty new to the BBB (mine's a 4GB Rev C unit) and was using the Network-over-USB method to ssh into it via Terminal on one of my Macs. I run 2 x Macs on Sierra with the necessary HoRNDIS and FTDI drivers installed. All was good - until I managed to flash the eMMC with the latest Debian image (to be fair I did mess around quite a lot initially trying to follow various posts on the topic until I realised that the uEnv.txt file I was looking for was on the uSD card and NOT in the eMMC root folder... I mention this because I may have screwed something up in getting there !)

However, the fact is that now that the update is complete I cannot log back in to the BBB. Neither does it present itself anymore as a Network device... Driving me mad...

It does, however, power up and appears (from the Usr LEDs) to be booting correctly with Debian 8 installed from the uSD card... but I can't 'see' the BBB anymore from my Mac over USB.

OK... so, not having a serial/USB adapter I though the simplest method would be to re-flash the eMMC with a 'Flasher image' -ie- one that does NOT require me to modify the uEnv. txt file (because I can't log in to accomplish this). Seemed a pretty simple idea - restore my semi-bricked BBB to default condition. My problem now is I can't find a Flasher image (one where the uEnv.txt file is already modified to auto-flash the eMMC) to work with that works.

I've located and downloaded two images, formatted my uSD card and bit copied over the image to the uSD card, powered down the BBB (external 2A PSU), inserted the uSD card and powered on to have the Usr LEDs do their cylon scan 'thing' and stop with all LEDs lit. A subsequent power down / up cycle simply results in the BBB 'hanging' with Usr LEDs 0 and 1 permanently ON and nothing else happening !

If I power down, switch the uSD card for a Debian 8 (non-auto flasher) image and power up, all, once again, appears well with the BBB - Usr LEDs wise - BUT I still can't log in via Terminal or see the BBB as an available network device or log in via a browser...

I have ordered a suitable Serial/USB adapter but it won't be here for a week or so and I'm getting very frustrated and impatient to make some progress - even if it's just to be able to log in again via ssh / browser !!

So, I guess where I think I'm at is that I need a verified (auto - already modified uEnv.txt file) 4GB Flasher image (any age / version of Debian) so that I can re-start with the BBB... without making whatever mistake I made in the process of getting as far as I got to the last time !!

I do have a windows laptop that I could also use but haven't used Win (it's XP) for years now.

Anyone have any ideas on where to get a verified working auto FLASHER image form please ?

My logic is that flashing that image back into the eMMC would fix any/all of my cock-ups and enable me to log in once more from Terminal / a browser...

Open to any and all thoughts. Thanks again for your help.

[Graham]

Ian:

Go to:

http://rcn-ee.net/rootfs/bb.org/testing/2016-05-13/lxqt-4gb/

And download:

BB-blank-debian-8.4-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2016-05-13-4gb.img.xz

"blank" means flasher.

This is the eMMC flasher version of a previous release that I run.

--- Graham

==

[Graham]

On Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 10:33:32 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:

Ian:

Go to:

http://rcn-ee.net/rootfs/bb.org/testing/2016-05-13/lxqt-4gb/

And download:

BB-blank-debian-8.4-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2016-05-13-4gb.img.xz

"blank" means flasher.

This is the eMMC flasher version of a previous release that I run.

--- Graham

==

Correction:

Should be:

BBB-blank-debian-8.4-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2016-05-13-4gb.img.xz 

--- Graham

==

[Dennis Lee Bieber]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2016 06:24:10 -0800 (PST), "'Ian Watts' via BeagleBoard"
<beagl...@googlegroups.com> declaimed the
following:

>cycle simply results in the BBB 'hanging' with Usr LEDs 0 and 1 permanently
>ON and nothing else happening !
>

LED-1 normally indicates SD card access, while -0 is a "heartbeat"...
If nothing has corrupted the normal pin configuration and thereby
preventing the back-ground tasks from activating...

However... As I recall, a normal boot sequence is to light each LED in
sequence before it gets to the heartbeat stage. Does the unit get to the
all-on stage and THEN lock on 0&1, or is it only starting with 0, 1, and
never getting to 2 and 3?

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any documentation for what each stage of
the LED sequence represents -- and can't find anything obvious that might
toggle them... May be built into the uboot image, or the various other
memory images that get loaded to start the system.

--
Wulfraed Dennis Lee Bieber AF6VN
wlf...@ix.netcom.com HTTP://wlfraed.home.netcom.com/

[Robert Nelson]

in u-boot:

usr0 - 53
usr1 - 54
usr2 - 55
usr3 - 56

usr0 - turn on - on boot starting
usr1 - turn on - starting scan of mmc0 (microSD)

/uEnv.txt (boot) *default use for comparability with old images..
usr2 - turn on - found /uEnv.txt
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uenvcmd

/boot.scr (for debian)
usr2 - turn on - found /boot.scr
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript

/boot/boot.scr (for debian)
usr2 - turn on - found /boot/boot.scr
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript

/boot/uEnv.txt *default set by "eMMC flasher"
usr2 - turn on - found /boot/uEnv.txt
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uname_boot

usr3 - turn off
usr2 - turn off
usr1 - turn off
Starting Scan off mmc1 (eMMC)

/uEnv.txt (boot) *default use for comparability with old images..
usr2 - turn on - found /uEnv.txt
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uenvcmd

/boot.scr (for debian)
usr2 - turn on - found /boot.scr
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript

/boot/boot.scr (for debian)
usr2 - turn on - found /boot/boot.scr
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript

/boot/uEnv.txt *default set by "eMMC flasher"
usr2 - turn on - found /boot/uEnv.txt
usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uname_boot

aka... it doesn't actually tell you much, unless it get's stuck..

[Dennis Lee Bieber]

On Tue, 22 Nov 2016 11:01:04 -0600, Robert Nelson
<robert...@gmail.com> declaimed the
following:

<SNIP>

>
>usr0 - turn on - on boot starting
>usr1 - turn on - starting scan of mmc0 (microSD)
>
>/uEnv.txt (boot) *default use for comparability with old images..
>usr2 - turn on - found /uEnv.txt
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uenvcmd
>

<snip>
So if I understand the description from Mr. Watts, his board is never
finding anything after looking at the non-installed SD card.

>/boot/uEnv.txt *default set by "eMMC flasher"
>usr2 - turn on - found /boot/uEnv.txt
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uname_boot
>
>usr3 - turn off
>usr2 - turn off
>usr1 - turn off
>Starting Scan off mmc1 (eMMC)
>

Either mine boots too fast too tell, or it follows a different sequence
<G>... This implies that after the scan of SD card it drops back to usr0
on, usr1 off, and then should go usr2 on, usr3 on... But I don't see it
when booting without an SD card -- appeared to cycle to all 4 on, then jump
to off/on/off/on (0/1/2/3), before normal activity (heartbeat, eMMC, cpu
flickers)

In either case, it would seem that the problem board is never finding
/a/ boot configuration file when booting from eMMC. Since the problem board
also seems to never be recognized by the Mac OS even when booting from SD
card, I have no further ideas... either a debug serial adapter, or USB
keyboard/mouse and HDMI cable to a TV, to try examining the eMMC contents
after booting from SD card.

>/uEnv.txt (boot) *default use for comparability with old images..
>usr2 - turn on - found /uEnv.txt
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uenvcmd
>
>/boot.scr (for debian)
>usr2 - turn on - found /boot.scr
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript
>
>/boot/boot.scr (for debian)
>usr2 - turn on - found /boot/boot.scr
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript
>
>/boot/uEnv.txt *default set by "eMMC flasher"
>usr2 - turn on - found /boot/uEnv.txt
>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uname_boot
>
>aka... it doesn't actually tell you much, unless it get's stuck..
>

HEH... Especially when my eMMC (running Wheezy
debian@beaglebone:/$ uname -a
Linux beaglebone 3.8.13-bone80 #1 SMP Wed Jun 15 17:03:55 UTC 2016 armv7l
GNU/Linux ) doesn't seem to have /uEnv.txt, /boot.scr, or /boot/boot.scr,
just /boot/uEnv.txt -- SDcard image does have /uEnv.txt though... You've
actually got me wondering how mine even boots...

[Robert Nelson]

A serial cable would help. ;)

>
>>/uEnv.txt (boot) *default use for comparability with old images..
>>usr2 - turn on - found /uEnv.txt
>>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uenvcmd
>>
>>/boot.scr (for debian)
>>usr2 - turn on - found /boot.scr
>>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript
>>
>>/boot/boot.scr (for debian)
>>usr2 - turn on - found /boot/boot.scr
>>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: bootscript
>>
>>/boot/uEnv.txt *default set by "eMMC flasher"
>>usr2 - turn on - found /boot/uEnv.txt
>>usr3 - turn on - running u-boot cmd: uname_boot
>>
>>aka... it doesn't actually tell you much, unless it get's stuck..
>>
>
> HEH... Especially when my eMMC (running Wheezy
> debian@beaglebone:/$ uname -a
> Linux beaglebone 3.8.13-bone80 #1 SMP Wed Jun 15 17:03:55 UTC 2016 armv7l
> GNU/Linux ) doesn't seem to have /uEnv.txt, /boot.scr, or /boot/boot.scr,
> just /boot/uEnv.txt -- SDcard image does have /uEnv.txt though... You've
> actually got me wondering how mine even boots...

the first three are optional:

http://elinux.org/Beagleboard:U-boot_partitioning_layout_2.0

the first one /uEnv.txt allows us to support the really really old
angstrom version of u-boot.. If you look very close at your /uEnv.txt
so you'll see actually reading /boot/uEnv.txt .;)