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x1y committed Mar 23, 2024
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Expand Up @@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ NOTE: The bootloader uses its own boot order for loading the kernel and other co

== Boot from microSD card permanently

The bootloader (such as _U-Boot_) resides in the free space in front of the first partition. Wiping the bootloader from the eMMC to make the PinePhone Pro boot from microSD card can be done using `sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmcblk2 seek=64 count=400 conv=fsync`. Formatting the drive or deleting the partition table is not sufficient to wipe the bootloader.
The bootloader (such as _U-Boot_) resides in the free space in front of the first partition. Wiping the bootloader from the eMMC to make the PinePhone Pro boot from microSD card can be done using `sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmcblk2 seek=64 count=400 conv=fsync`. Formatting the drive or deleting the partition table is not sufficient to wipe the bootloader.
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Expand Up @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ menu:
title:
parent: "PinePhone_Pro/Software"
identifier: "PinePhone_Pro/Software/Bootloaders"
weight: 4
weight: 5
---

The following section contains notes regarding compatible bootloaders with the PinePhone Pro.
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@@ -1,17 +1,25 @@
---
title: "Installing a different operating system"
title: "Installation instructions"
draft: false
menu:
docs:
title:
parent: "PinePhone_Pro"
identifier: "PinePhone_Pro/Installing_a_different_operating_system"
weight: 3
parent: "PinePhone_Pro/Software"
identifier: "PinePhone_Pro/Software/Installation_instructions"
weight: 2
aliases:
- /documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Installing_a_different_operating_system/ # Page was moved
---

The software releases can be installed (the process is being referred to as _flashing_) to the eMMC or to an microSD card.
The software releases can be installed (the process is being referred to as _flashing_) to the internal memory of the PinePhone Pro (the eMMC) or to an microSD card.

== Flashing to microSD card
== Installation to the microSD card

The images can be installed to an microSD card and be booted from it.

image:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/images/pinephone_slots.png[The microSD belongs in the upper slot, the SIM in the lower slot.,title="The microSD belongs in the upper slot, the SIM in the lower slot.",width=600]

NOTE: Compared to installations to the eMMC, running operating systems from the microSD card is slower than to the eMMC due to the microSD card’s slower reading and writing speeds.

To install an image to the microSD card:

Expand All @@ -23,19 +31,37 @@ To install an image to the microSD card:
* Using _a graphical tool_: A graphical tool such as Gnome Disks under Linux or Etcher under Windows may also be used.
. Insert the microSD card into the top slot of the PinePhone Pro
. Boot the device using the following method:
* On the *Explorer Edition ordered after November 2023* boot the phone without any further action.
* On the *Explorer Edition ordered after July 2022* hold the _volume down key_ while booting.
* On the *Explorer Edition ordered between January and July 2022* hold the _RE_ button underneath the back cover while booting (or use the _volume down key_ if you flashed _Tow-Boot_).
* On the *Developer Edition (sold to selected developers only)* apply the bypass by shorting the testing pads while booting according to the datasheet (or use the _volume down key_ if you flashed _Tow-Boot_).
* With *rk2aw* (as on the _Explorer Edition_ ordered after November 2023): boot the phone without any further action if the image includes a bootloader or one is installed to the eMMC (such as in the default installation).
* With *Tow-Boot* (as on the _Explorer Edition_ ordered after July 2022): hold the _volume down key_ while booting.
* With an *empty SPI* (like on the _Explorer Edition_ ordered between January and July 2022): hold the _RE_ button underneath the back cover while booting (or use the _volume down key_ if you flashed _Tow-Boot_).
* On the *Developer Edition* (sold to selected developers only) there is no _RE_ button. Instead apply the bypass by shorting the testing pads while booting according to the datasheet.

== Installation to the eMMC

Installing an operating system to the eMMC (the internal memory of the PinePhone Pro) can either be done by booting an operating system from the microSD and by installing to the eMMC directly from the booted microSD card operating system (recommended) or by using _Tow-Boot_'s USB Mass Storage mode.

WARNING: Many images don't include a bootloader. If the SPI only contains _rk2aw_ (like phones ordered after November 2023) or is empty (like phones ordered between January and July 2022), the installation on the eMMC won't boot. In these cases, it is required to install a bootloader (such as link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Bootloaders/#tow-boot[Tow-Boot]) in order to get the phone to boot.

=== By booting a microSD card

Details regarding the boot order can be found in the link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Boot_order/[Boot order] section.
The eMMC can be overwritten by booting an image from the microSD card and overwriting the eMMC from within that booted microSD card image.

== Flashing to the eMMC
This installation method is *recommended*.

Flashing to the eMMC (the internal memory of the PinePhone Pro) can either be done using _Tow-Boot_'s USB Mass Storage mode (see link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Boot_order/[Boot order] if you are unsure if the device comes with Tow-Bot pre-installed) or by booting an operating system from the microSD (see the section link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro#Flashing_to_microSD_card[Flashing to microSD card]) and by writing to the eMMC directly from there:
. Boot an operating system link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro#Flashing_to_microSD_card[from the microSD card]. If there is already a bootloader on the eMMC installed see the section link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro#Boot_order[Boot order] to bypass it.
. Download or copy the desired image to the microSD card as file
. Check if the eMMC appears under `lsblk`. If it doesn't appear in the output of the command, the eMMC wasn't initialized due to applying the above explained bypass method for a too long time during the boot
. *Important:* Typically the image will be compressed in an archive file to reduce the download size (such as _.gz_ or _.xz_). Extract the image from its archive file to get the file with the file extension _.img_.
. Flash the image file using `sudo dd if=*IMAGE.img* of=/dev/mmcblk2 bs=1M status=progress conv=fsync` (replace _IMAGE.img_ with the filename of the image you want to flash and make sure it has the file extension _.img_).
. Reboot the PinePhone Pro

By using Tow-Boot:
=== By using Tow-Boot

The image can be written to the eMMC by using Tow-Boot's USB Mass Storage mode.

This installation method is *not recommended*, as the USB connection can be unreliable and in some cases not work at all.

. Pre-requirement: Tow-Boot must be installed on the SPI, eMMC or the microSD card
. Power off the device
. Power on the device and hold the _volume up_ key before and during the second vibration
. The LED will turn blue if done successfully. This will only work if Tow-Boot is installed
Expand All @@ -47,14 +73,4 @@ By using Tow-Boot:
Note: In this example, **dev/mmcblk2** is the device, while _mmcblk2p1_ and _mmcblk2p2_ are partitions of the device. The downloaded images are images from full devices, which means that the full device (_mmcblk2_ in this example) needs to be flashed. Ignore the partitions!
. *Important:* Typically the image will be compressed in an archive file to reduce the download size (such as _.gz_ or _.xz_). Extract the image from its archive file to get the file with the file extension _.img_
. Flash the image file using `sudo dd if=*IMAGE.img* of=/dev/*DEVICE* bs=1M status=progress conv=fsync` (replace _IMAGE.img_ with the filename of the image you want to flash and make sure it has the file extension _.img_ and replace _DEVICE_ with the correct device from the _lsblk_ command)
. Reboot the PinePhone Pro

By booting a microSD card:

. Boot an operating system link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro#Flashing_to_microSD_card[from the microSD card]. If there is already a bootloader on the eMMC installed see the section link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro#Boot_order[Boot order] to bypass it.
. Download or copy the desired image to the microSD card as file
. Check if the eMMC appears under `lsblk`. If it doesn't appear in the output of the command, the eMMC wasn't initialized due to applying the above explained bypass method for a too long time during the boot
. *Important:* Typically the image will be compressed in an archive file to reduce the download size (such as _.gz_ or _.xz_). Extract the image from its archive file to get the file with the file extension _.img_.
. Flash the image file using `sudo dd if=*IMAGE.img* of=/dev/mmcblk2 bs=1M status=progress conv=fsync` (replace _IMAGE.img_ with the filename of the image you want to flash and make sure it has the file extension _.img_).
. Reboot the PinePhone Pro

. Reboot the PinePhone Pro
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion content/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Releases.adoc
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Expand Up @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ menu:
title:
parent: "PinePhone_Pro/Software"
identifier: "PinePhone_Pro/Software/Releases"
weight: 2
weight: 3
---

This page contains a list of all available releases and tools for the link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro[PinePhone Pro].
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Expand Up @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ menu:
title:
parent: "PinePhone_Pro/Software"
identifier: "PinePhone_Pro/Software/Software_state"
weight: 3
weight: 4
---

Presently the PinePhone Pro Explorer Edition is aimed at *Linux developers with an extensive knowledge of embedded systems and/or experience with mobile Linux*. It will take time for all the PinePhone Pro’s functionality to reach software parity with the original PinePhone and for mobile operating systems, in more general, to reach a higher degree of maturity.
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663 changes: 663 additions & 0 deletions content/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/images/pinephone_slots.svg
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