S905X 9.2.8->20.2 Single Boot DTO/DTBO missing partition & how to change mac address

Help & Support Recovery
1

I have both a X96 and T95M that originally came with Android 6.
I installed LibreElec as a single boot and then migrated to CoreElec finishing with 9.2.8.
All versions replaced the original Android and booted from emmc.
both were created using the installtointernal command without issue.

I created SD cards for Nexus 20.2 and both units boot from the SD Card and run without problem.
I run ceemmc -x and it didn’t recognize the 9.2.8 installation.
After selecting dual boot, the devices will only boot from the sdcard.

i tried to recover the android using the amlogic usb tool, but i get a number of issue;

  • lower power error, when trying to erase the recovery (but the power is plugged in)
  • lower power when trying to flash
    those errors are with the X96 Android 11 image for the other android images i.e. 6 and 9
    i get some romcode errors.

Any ideas how to get Android back on the device

2

X96 S905X Rev A (not S905W) 2G/16G
I found an android 11 image and flashed the x96 with that.
Android 11 starts ok, but wont boot into recovery mode or from the sdcard anymore.
I installed Aidan’s Universal 7.1.2 ROM v7.5: -

  • successfully copied to eMMC with ceemc -x and happily boots from eMMC

T95M S905X Rev A 2G/8G
refuses to be recognized by the PC when the USB cable is plugged in.
still boots to coreelec from sdcard
tried using burn_card_maker but doesn’t seem to boot burn from that.
main problem/solution:
you have to use the OTG/microUSB port. The microUSB connector is set too far back,
so you either cut about 3-4mm off the rubber on the connector so make the connector go in further
(or get a cable with a longer connector length). alternatively, you remove the PCB and plug the cable in to the connector directly.

Summary:
Aidan’s 7.1.2 is the best solution rom to use.
Android 9 roms i tried all seem to have the bootloader locked and don’t boot into recovery

Remaining:
Can’t migrate to single boot as it doesn’t find the CE_STORAGE partition.

3

It’s not a main problem, it’s just not possible.
You need to use UART inside the device by open the case.

4

no, the main problem is the usb connection.

The T95M is using the OTG port for the connection. Which presents an issue.
The connector is set back too far for a normal microUSB cable, giving two choices;

  • obtain a microUSB cable that has a longer than normal connector
  • remove the board from the case, so the cable can be plugged in firmly.

the image i used for the X96 doesn’t seem to like this box, as i only get to the android boot screen and I am unable to boot to the sdcard in that state.

will look at one of adians other images in the morning

5

So i now have both units booting off the emmc using Adians Universal 7.1.2.
Now I have two issues remaining;

  1. both units have the same MAC address, instead of the manufacturer’s mac address.

  2. I can’t convert to single boot mode because i get the error
    Please choose one option? [1/2/3/4/5/6/7]: 2
    Free space of ‘partition CE_FLASH’: 512MB
    Warning: Could not find ‘dtbo’ partition!
    Warning: Could not find ‘dto’ partition!
    Could not find ‘CE_STORAGE’ partition!
    Failed to read size of partition ‘CE_STORAGE’!
    Failed to create new partition table!

6

I have two devices X96 S905X 2G/16G and T95M S905X 2G/8G.

Both successfully boot to coreelec from eMMC, however i can’t get rid of the android crap.

eMMC size: 0x0001c3000000 [8GB]
Original partition table:
[mmcblk0p01] bootloader offset 0x000000000000, size 0x000000400000 [4 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p02] reserved offset 0x000002400000, size 0x000004000000 [64 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p03] cache offset 0x000006c00000, size 0x000020000000 [512 MB], cache
[mmcblk0p04] env offset 0x000027400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p05] logo offset 0x000028400000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p06] recovery offset 0x00002ac00000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p07] rsv offset 0x00002d400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], code
[mmcblk0p08] tee offset 0x00002e400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], code
[mmcblk0p09] crypt offset 0x00002f400000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p10] misc offset 0x000031c00000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p11] boot offset 0x000034400000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p12] system offset 0x000036c00000, size 0x000080000000 [2048 MB], code
[mmcblk0p13] data offset 0x0000b7400000, size 0x0000ebc00000 [3772 MB], data
[mmcblk0p14] CE_STORAGE offset 0x0000b7400000, size 0x0000ebc00000 [3772 MB], data
[mmcblk0p15] CE_FLASH offset 0x0001a3000000, size 0x000020000000 [512 MB], data

Please choose one option? [1/2/3/4/5/6/7]: 2
Free space of ‘partition CE_FLASH’: 512MB
Warning: Could not find ‘dtbo’ partition!
Warning: Could not find ‘dto’ partition!
Could not find ‘CE_STORAGE’ partition!
Failed to read size of partition ‘CE_STORAGE’!
Failed to create new partition table!

Results are the same if i use either 1 or 2 as the option

7

After upgrading android to custom rom, the mac address was changed and is the same on each device.
coreelec is installed as dual boot on emmc

How can you change the Hwaddr mac address on eth0 in 20.02?

8

Maybe because your u-boot environment does now not set anymore mac=?

fw_printenv mac
fw_setenv mac ..:..:..:........
9

found that in parallel. thanks.
but for both my boxes it is
fw_setenv ethaddr=

** neither work under android 9 **

Just need some help to resolve the last issue, of how to make single boot

10

Tried again to get single boot, this time with Android 9 - no luck

seems to consistently be unable to find CE_STORAGE despite it being there and successfully booting.

eMMC size: 0x0003ab400000 [16GB]

Original partition table:
[mmcblk0p01] bootloader offset 0x000000000000, size 0x000000400000 [4 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p02] reserved offset 0x000002400000, size 0x000004000000 [64 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p03] cache offset 0x000006c00000, size 0x000046000000 [1120 MB], cache
[mmcblk0p04] env offset 0x00004d400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], unkn
[mmcblk0p05] logo offset 0x00004e400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], code
[mmcblk0p06] recovery offset 0x00004f400000, size 0x000001800000 [24 MB], code
[mmcblk0p07] misc offset 0x000051400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], code
[mmcblk0p08] dtbo offset 0x000052400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], code
[mmcblk0p09] cri_data offset 0x000053400000, size 0x000000800000 [8 MB], cache
[mmcblk0p10] param offset 0x000054400000, size 0x000001000000 [16 MB], cache
[mmcblk0p11] boot offset 0x000055c00000, size 0x000001000000 [16 MB], code
[mmcblk0p12] rsv offset 0x000057400000, size 0x000001000000 [16 MB], code
[mmcblk0p13] metadata offset 0x000058c00000, size 0x000001000000 [16 MB], code
[mmcblk0p14] vbmeta offset 0x00005a400000, size 0x000000200000 [2 MB], code
[mmcblk0p15] tee offset 0x00005ae00000, size 0x000002000000 [32 MB], code
[mmcblk0p16] vendor offset 0x00005d600000, size 0x000020000000 [512 MB], code
[mmcblk0p17] odm offset 0x00007de00000, size 0x000008000000 [128 MB], code
[mmcblk0p18] system offset 0x000086600000, size 0x000074000000 [1856 MB], code
[mmcblk0p19] product offset 0x0000fae00000, size 0x000008000000 [128 MB], code
[mmcblk0p20] data offset 0x000103600000, size 0x000287e00000 [10366 MB], data
[mmcblk0p21] CE_STORAGE offset 0x000103600000, size 0x000287e00000 [10366 MB], data
[mmcblk0p22] CE_FLASH offset 0x00038b400000, size 0x000020000000 [512 MB], data

Please choose one option? [1/2/3/4/5/6/7]: 2
Free space of ‘partition CE_FLASH’: 512MB
Warning: Could not find ‘dto’ partition!
Could not find ‘CE_STORAGE’ partition!
Failed to read size of partition ‘CE_STORAGE’!
Failed to create new partition table!

11

You can’t change from dual mode to single boot mode. You only can choose on first install to eMMC.
I think …

12

they used to be single boot under both libreelec and coreelec 9.2.x

13

Read again what I wrote.

And if something is wrong with ceemmc just install CE 9 into single boot mode and upgrade to CE20. You can reset all settings somewhere under CE settings.

14

you can’t upgrade from CE 9 to CE20. you have to do a fresh install

15

As last resort you can do it manually by copying required files when booting from sd card.

16

does the old installtointernal v2 script still exist somewhere.
maybe i can try to use that. worst can happen is need to reflash

17

And same thing happen with also CE19 ceemmc?

And why exactly is the problem using dual boot? You only lose little space on eMMC.

18

no problem on either libreelec or coreelec 9.2.8 both of which used the installtointernal script.
one of the devices is 8G so every bit of extra memory helps for plugins.
not to mention the asthetics. i currently get the android boot screen before the coreelect one.
therefore i would like to see if i can make the script work

19

I have T95N/T95M /Mini Mx +
Amlogic S905X
1/ 8

With CoreELEC and Android both on Internal/Dual Boot.

With 3.1 G free/unused memory left.
Plenty of room for plugins

Maybe try TX7 Android 7.1.2 for Android version on Internal

Tanix TX7 Android 7.1.2 NHG47L p212

There is an old thread here where Member has posted firmware

Happy Testing

20

I have Android 7.1.2 with Aidan’s rom on both devices that boot to Coreelec.
This is not a problem.
But i want to remove Android and have single boot coreelec
(which used to work from the transfertointernal script)

The new tool ceemmc doesn’t work, with what seems to be a consistent problem of not being able to find the CE_STORAGE partition.