Libre Computer Flash Tool

Tutorials & Guides
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#1

Libre Computer Flash Tool on GitHub

This tool is currently used to flash bootloaders onto MicroSD cards or eMMC modules exported as USB Flash drives.
sudo ./lft.sh bl-flash BOARD_MODEL BLOCK_DEVICE
Replace BOARD_MODEL with a model from ./lft.sh b-list
Replace BLOCK_DEVICE with a device from ./lft.sh dev-list
Please note that this tool may destroy GPT partitions so we recommend that you back up any valuable data on the target device.

Tutorials or guides on creating custom images bootable from sd?
What would it take to port a distro to these sbc's
Booting Operating System from SSD USB drive
Is raspbian-bullseye-arm64+aml-s905x a 64 bit OS?
#2

Thanks for this. Thought I would just like to share my experience in the hope that it might help others. I did this with an AML-S905X-CC (V1)

  1. I used a MicroSD. I found that this procedure worked when the partition on the MicroSD was MBR.
  2. Mine worked when the MicroSD was completely blank. By that I mean that there was an MBR partition but it had not been formatted.
  3. Flash the blank MicroSD using the tool. Make sure you specify the right board in the flash command.
  4. You boot from the MicroSD card prepared by the tool and it then picks up the OS on your USB (in my case a mSata SSD in USB enclosure).
  5. If you want to migrate an installation you already have on a MicroSD, back it up with Win32DiskImager and restore to your USB.

Tip: If you are using an AML-S905X-CC the version is printed on the top of the board itself.

The only downside I’ve found is that the keyboard won’t respond at the actual command prompt. Not sure why. Might be power draw of the mSata. My feeling is that it unrelated to the actual booting process. Over SSH it’s fine.

It’s certainty much much snappier than using the MicroSD as the OS host, even over USB2.

#3

Keyboard should work at the prompt. We use it all the time.

#4

Hi, I checked further after the initial post. The issue was as expected. The mSata SSD I was using put too much of a strain on the power so there wasn’t enough to power the keyboard’s USB dongle.

I setup a regular USB and low and behold the wireless keyboard worked perfectly.

I’m sure a wired keyboard would have been fine.