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Flashing eMMC Image

1. Overview​

The Luckfox Pico Pi series development boards come pre - installed with eMMC. At the time of leaving the factory, they are loaded with a test system. The factory image is mainly used to check whether the interface functions of the development board are in normal condition and is updated relatively infrequently. To ensure the proper operation of the development board, it is advisable that users use tools such as a USB Type - A to Type - C data cable to burn the system image provided in the network disk on their own after receiving the board.

2. Driver Installation​

  1. Download the RK Driver Assistant (Click here to download).
  2. Open the RK Driver Assistant to install the USB driver. There is no need to connect the device during this process. After the installation is complete, restart the computer.

3. Image Download​

The Luckfox Pico Pi series offers images for Buildroot and Ubuntu22.04. Users can download the image files according to their requirements.

ersionDescriptionDownload
BuildrootStandard models (A/B): Burn the Luckfox_Pico_Pi_EMMC_250313 firmware Wireless models (A/B W): Burn the Luckfox_Pico_Pi_W_EMMC_250313 firmwareGoogle Drive
Ubuntu22.04Standard models (A/B): Burn the Ubuntu_Luckfox_Pico_Pi_EMMC_250313 firmware Wireless models (A/B W): Burn the Ubuntu_Luckfox_Pico_Pi_W_EMMC_250313 firmwareGoogle Drive

4. Flashing eMMC Image(Windows)​

4.1 Windows SocToolKit​

The eMMC burning function of the SocToolKit software supports two modes: partition image burning and full - image one - click burning.

  • Full - image one - click burning: It pre - packages all the partition data required for system operation. This method is suitable for quick deployment scenarios and can achieve rapid system setup.
  • Selective partition burning: It allows for the update of specific system modules, providing a flexible burning solution for users with in - depth customization needs.
Note: These two burning modes are independent of each other. In actual operation, users only need to choose one according to their requirements.

4.2 Flashing Steps​

  1. Preparation

    • Download and extract the burning tool (Click here to download).
    • Check the status of the development board: Set the dip switch to the "ON" position.

  2. Open the software(Run as administrator with right - click)，选择 RV1106。

  3. Device connection and partition burning of the image
    ① While holding down the BOOT key, connect the computer. Release the BOOT key when the Rockchip flashing tool shows the MaskRom device (the device number may vary).
    ② Click Search Path to select the firmware storage directory. Check all the partition items that need to be burned and click the Download button to start the burning process.

  4. Device connection and full - image one - click burning
    ① While holding down the BOOT key, connect the computer. Release the BOOT key when the Rockchip flashing tool shows the MaskRom device (the device number may vary).
    ② Click Firmware to select the firmware storage directory and click the Upgrade button to start the burning process.

5. Flashing in a Linux Environment (Ubuntu22.04 X86_64 Platform)​

The closed - source command - line tool upgrade_tool provided by Rockchip is used in Linux to burn raw firmware, RK firmware, and partition images to SPI NAND FLASH or eMMC devices. It only supports full - image one - click burning and does not support partition burning. Moreover, the SDK has integrated a burning script adapted to self - compiled images to achieve one - click execution.

  1. Press the boot key to connect to the host. Use lsusb to check the device. If the device is not recognized, try replacing the Type - C cable.

    • The Luckfox Pico Pi is in the burning mode.
    • The Luckfox Pico Ultra has successfully entered the system.

  2. Only when the development board is in the burning mode can the image be burned. Run the program to burn the firmware:

    ubuntu@ubuntu:~/Luckfox/ubuntu-bluetooth/luckfox-pico$ sudo ./rkflash.sh update
    [sudo] password for ubuntu: 
    Using /home/ubuntu/Luckfox/ubuntu-bluetooth/luckfox-pico/tools/linux/Linux_Upgrade_Tool/config.ini
    Loading firmware...
    Support Type:1106   FW Ver:0.0.00   FW Time:2024-09-27 14:22:59
    Loader ver:1.01 Loader Time:2024-09-27 14:17:09
    Start to upgrade firmware...
    Download Boot Start
    Download Boot Success
    Wait For Maskrom Start
    Wait For Maskrom Success
    Test Device Start
    Test Device Success
    Check Chip Start
    Check Chip Success
    Get FlashInfo Start
    Get FlashInfo Success
    Prepare IDB Start
    Prepare IDB Success
    Download IDB Start
    Download IDB Success
    Download Firmware Start
    Download Image... (100%)
    Download Firmware Success
    Upgrade firmware ok.

  3. The effect is as follows:

6. Flashing in a MacOS Environment​

upgrade_tool is available not only for Linux but also for MacOS. Note: It only supports burning via SPI NAND FLASH. If you need to burn the firmware to a TF card, you should use the SocToolKit software in a Windows environment.

  1. Download and extract upgrade_tool:

    sudo ditto -xk upgrade_too_v2.25_for_mac.zip .

  2. Run the program to burn the firmware (modify the path according to the actual storage location of the image):

    cd upgrade_too_v2.25_for_mac
     sudo ./upgrade_tool uf /Users/cjw/update.img

  3. The effect is as follows:

7. Erasing the eMMC​

The method to erase the eMMC of the Luckfox Pico Pi is as follows:
① While holding down the BOOT key, connect the computer. Release the BOOT key when the Rockchip flashing tool shows the MaskRom device (the device number may vary).
② Click Search Path to select the firmware storage directory and check DownloadBin.
③ Click Advanced Feature, download DownloadBin, and finally click Erase All to erase.

If the Luckfox Pico Pi needs to burn the system again without disconnecting the USB connection, first press the RESET button to reset, and then hold down the BOOT key to connect to the computer for burning.

FAQ​

USB Not Recognized​

After receiving the development board, it is common to encounter the problem that SocToolKit cannot recognize the USB device. Here are some common solutions:

  1. Ensure that the Rockchip Driver Assistant has been successfully installed (Windows10 or Windows11 is recommended).

  2. Disable the antivirus software when downloading the burning software: It is essential to disable the antivirus software when downloading the burning software because it may mistakenly delete some configuration files, resulting in SocToolKit's inability to correctly recognize the USB device.

  3. Replace with a high - quality Type - C data cable: Choosing a high - quality Type - C data cable is of great significance. Many user experiences have shown that a poor - quality connection cable may cause poor contact, which in turn affects the normal recognition of the USB device by SocToolKit. Ensure the use of a high - quality Type - C cable to enhance the connection reliability. It should be noted that many inferior cables only support charging and do not have data transmission functions.

  4. Check if the device is occupied by a virtual machine or a mobile assistant: Make sure that no other programs, such as virtual machines or mobile assistants, are occupying the USB device. These programs may prevent SocToolKit from accessing the USB device.

  5. It is recommended to give priority to using the rear USB interface of the desktop computer for data transmission or device connection. The front interface is connected to the motherboard through a cable, which may lead to power loss and cause abnormal operation of high - power devices or burning failure.

  6. USB HUB compatibility issues (relatively rare): In some cases, the compatibility of the USB HUB may prevent SocToolKit from normally recognizing the USB device. It is recommended to connect directly to the computer.

If the USB device still cannot be recognized after checking all the above situations, contact customer service for a replacement.