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Post by jj0 on Jun 4, 2020 10:43:58 GMT
How do I mount the USB flash drive, and can I access the NAND without a USB2Ethernet adapter? Normally you should get a terminal screen on your TV that you can use with an attached USB keyboard. Or you can piggyback two USB2Serial connectors together and use a terminal program from your PC. How to mount the NAND is explained in the first post: At this point (unless you've run some of the scripts) your Mini is just another small-board computer and nothing has touched the actual 'C6Mini' contents. However after you load the NAND driver (included from the C64Mini firmware version 1_2_0) you have access to the Mini's root filesystem and can modify it at will:
root@c64mini (10.0.0.125):/#insmod -f /opt/nand.ko
root@c64mini (10.0.0.125):/#mount /dev/nandb /mnt
However it might be easier not to use the FEL hack but use the X-Windows mod instead? |
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Post by alugard on Dec 16, 2020 14:27:41 GMT
Hi guys, Please help  I got broken C64 mini, was declared simply as non-working. When I plug it in, no light, nothing. When I connect it to Win 10 machine it connected in FEL mode, no need to press any buttons on the board or anything. I tried to follow the instruction in this thread, board is recognized but when I execute boot.cmd, I only get the following USB device 001:040 Allwinner A20 xxxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx:xxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx Stack pointers: sp_irq=0x00002000, sp=0x00005E08 Reading the MMU translation table from 0x00020000 Disabling I-cache, MMU and branch prediction... done. => Executing the SPL... done. After that I get the following error: usb_bulk_send() ERROR -7: Operation timed out I got same error on any attempt to send something in. I tried different USB drivers, same problem. If I touch the board, memory chip is pretty hot quite fast. After such error I can’t execute any command. If I reconnect the board, I can get list. Can check spiflash-info. But only right after reconnected. If i hold power button about 5 sec, it is turning on or off, again to FEL mode. I suspect someone killed the firmware but why I can’t upload I back? Anything else could be done? Many thanks! |
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Post by jj0 on Dec 16, 2020 16:34:30 GMT
Hi guys, Please help I got broken C64 mini, was declared simply as non-working. When I plug it in, no light, nothing. When I connect it to Win 10 machine it connected in FEL mode, no need to press any buttons on the board or anything. I tried to follow the instruction in this thread, board is recognized but when I execute boot.cmd, I only get the following USB device 001:040 Allwinner A20 xxxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx:xxxxxxx:xxxxxxxx Stack pointers: sp_irq=0x00002000, sp=0x00005E08 Reading the MMU translation table from 0x00020000 Disabling I-cache, MMU and branch prediction... done. => Executing the SPL... done. After that I get the following error: usb_bulk_send() ERROR -7: Operation timed out I got same error on any attempt to send something in. I tried different USB drivers, same problem. If I touch the board, memory chip is pretty hot quite fast. After such error I can’t execute any command. If I reconnect the board, I can get list. Can check spiflash-info. But only right after reconnected. If i hold power button about 5 sec, it is turning on or off, again to FEL mode. I suspect someone killed the firmware but why I can’t upload I back? Anything else could be done? Many thanks! It appears to hang after executing the SPL code on the Mini. That's why the usb_bulk_send times out. It could be that your Mini is indeed broken, but maybe you can try with connecting it to a powered USB hub (and connecting that hub to your PC) to ensure you have enough power. Also, cooling the memory chip might help? If you are able to connect a serial2usb converter (or e.g. a Raspberry Pi if you have one) to the Mini's UART port you can get additional troubleshooting info, see how far it gets with the normal boot, and how far it gets with the FEL boot. Oh, what do you mean with 'Can check spiflash-info'? |
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Post by alugard on Dec 16, 2020 16:55:26 GMT
I already read a post on Mini NAND recovery, the problem is it requires Linux and I have only Win machine + I have no experience with Linux. Any way to make the same in Win cmd or PowerShell?
On your questions: I connect it to a laptop. I do not have Pi or USB UART thing, although I can order one and can solder the pins. I just was hoping there is an easier way.
spiflash-info - just one of the commands in sunxi-fel, when I execute it I get some feedback, that means to me that chip/hardware kind of alive, right?
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Post by kugelblitz on Dec 16, 2020 17:57:55 GMT
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Post by jj0 on Dec 16, 2020 19:27:55 GMT
Sorry, the OTG stuff doesn't work on the Mini. It doesn't seem to have the part to switch the USB port to client mode included in the kernel (/sys/bus/platform/devices/sunxi_usb_udc/otg_role). |
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Post by jj0 on Dec 16, 2020 19:35:00 GMT
I already read a post on Mini NAND recovery, the problem is it requires Linux and I have only Win machine + I have no experience with Linux. Any way to make the same in Win cmd or PowerShell? On your questions: I connect it to a laptop. I do not have Pi or USB UART thing, although I can order one and can solder the pins. I just was hoping there is an easier way. spiflash-info - just one of the commands in sunxi-fel, when I execute it I get some feedback, that means to me that chip/hardware kind of alive, right? If you connect the UART you can use Putty on Windows to connect to the Mini's command shell. But on the Mini you have to use Linux commands. Or if you think it's more likely it's broken you can PM me to send the PCB to me and I can have a look. But with the current price of the Mini the back-and-forth postage might not make that worthwhile. The Windows sunxi-fel.exe has the spiflash-info command, the Linux version doesn't. However the Mini doesn't have SPI flash memory, only NAND. So I wonder what your output is and what it means. |
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Post by alugard on Dec 17, 2020 0:49:52 GMT
Thank you, guys. There is no sticker on my mini for starters, no hole at the bottom of the shell. On a board I see 2 buttons uboot and recovery but both of them are no use so far, because as I said you don't need to press anything at all, it is already recognized as FEL device with holding the button or without it.
Linux commands under Windows are fine if they will work. The last time I used putty like 18 years ago and very briefly. And yes, I really appreciate goodwill but as you said jj0, that kind of makes no sense cost wise. And I'm in Singapore by the way.
Regarding sunxi-fel output, thas actually does nothing, my mistake, I wrote from my memory after running various commands to see what I can get. Ver argument works, sid as well.
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Post by spannernick on Dec 17, 2020 1:31:23 GMT
I just sorted out my THEC64 Mini with ESMT nand(had to put the original games back) and updated it to v1.4.2, and it worked, done, I will copy it as nanda and nandb too, you can get it here now, its in folder "backup_nand_V1.4.2_ESMT-C64Mini-PAL". I copied it as nanda and nandb too.. its in folder "thec64 mini nanda and nandb" under folder "Firmware Version v1.4.2" Hope this helps someone.. |
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Post by alugard on Dec 17, 2020 1:54:06 GMT
I just sorted out my THEC64 Mini with ESMT nand(had to put the original games back) and updated it to v1.4.2, and it worked, done, I will copy it as nanda and nandb too, you can get it here now, its in folder "backup_nand_V1.4.2_ESMT-C64Mini-PAL". I copied it as nanda and nandb too.. its in folder "thec64 mini nanda and nandb" under folder "Firmware Version v1.4.2" Hope this helps someone.. |
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Post by kugelblitz on Dec 17, 2020 6:39:45 GMT
Sorry, the OTG stuff doesn't work on the Mini. It doesn't seem to have the part to switch the USB port to client mode included in the kernel (/sys/bus/platform/devices/sunxi_usb_udc/otg_role). OOOPS! You are right! Sorry! |
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Post by alugard on Jan 7, 2021 14:54:25 GMT
Hey jj0, i connected the UART to my Windows machine (i don't need to power the c64 mini board, right?). configured putty, installed USB to UART drivers. And then i launch Putty session i get only black screen, no any prompt. Both Rxd and Gnd diodes are lit. What do i do next?
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Post by jj0 on Jan 7, 2021 16:59:34 GMT
Hey jj0, i connected the UART to my Windows machine (i don't need to power the c64 mini board, right?). configured putty, installed USB to UART drivers. And then i launch Putty session i get only black screen, no any prompt. Both Rxd and Gnd diodes are lit. What do i do next? If you are using a USB2serial converter to connect to the UART then you also need to power the Mini. You might be able to power the Mini from the 3.3V off the USB2serial converter but I've never tried that. If you use the FEL mode that this thread is about then you are powering the Mini from the PC's USB port. |
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Post by alugard on Jan 8, 2021 2:18:36 GMT
Hey jj0, i connected the UART to my Windows machine (i don't need to power the c64 mini board, right?). configured putty, installed USB to UART drivers. And then i launch Putty session i get only black screen, no any prompt. Both Rxd and Gnd diodes are lit. What do i do next? If you are using a USB2serial converter to connect to the UART then you also need to power the Mini. You might be able to power the Mini from the 3.3V off the USB2serial converter but I've never tried that. If you use the FEL mode that this thread is about then you are powering the Mini from the PC's USB port. I tried that as well, powering the board form laptop. Same result, just a black screen. And as i wrote intitially. it is kind of always in FEL mode. when i connect both to PC, i see USB to UART and FEL device as well. I also tried to change the COM port, no effect. |
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Post by spannernick on Jan 8, 2021 14:28:29 GMT
Don't you need to press and hold down "2" on the keyboard to get into FEL Mode then run the boot.cmd file in windows folder ...?
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Post by alugard on Jan 9, 2021 3:23:35 GMT
Don't you need to press and hold down "2" on the keyboard to get into FEL Mode then run the boot.cmd file in windows folder ...? All this stuff from Windows folder doesn't work a all, that's why i ordered UART thingy. |
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Post by jj0 on Jan 9, 2021 11:20:09 GMT
The only things I can come up with is to check if your USB2serial converter is setup for 115200,N,8,1. Also check whether your converter works by connecting its RX to its TX and see if what you type in Putty appears in the window.
And doublecheck if you gave RX and TX connected correctly to the UART.
If you then still don't get any output when starting FEL mode there's something seriously wrong with your Mini.
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Post by spannernick on Jan 9, 2021 12:21:20 GMT
Has the driver for FEL installed properly..? and UART is installed too, this might help... thec64community.online/thread/76/2020-thec64-mini-maxi-uartCheck Device Manager(Windows) to see if both have installed properly. if the PC can't find FEL driver, when you click on Boot.cmd you will see the CMD box come up for 1 second then close, cause it can't find FEL Mode on thec64 Mini. |
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Post by spannernick on Jan 9, 2021 12:40:52 GMT
Hey jj0, i connected the UART to my Windows machine (i don't need to power the c64 mini board, right?). configured putty, installed USB to UART drivers. And then i launch Putty session i get only black screen, no any prompt. Both Rxd and Gnd diodes are lit. What do i do next? The RX and TX is round the wrong way, this happened to me the other day but my blue LED was on continually, as soon as I swapped them the UART started to work again and the blue LED turned off. RX connector needs to connect to TX pin, TX connector on the RX Pin and Black Cable Ground to GND pin on the THEC64 Mini board, DO NOT Connect the 3v3 pin, becarefull cause you can break the UART on THEC64 Mini board, I did, it needs a 3v3 volt CP2102 UART Module not 5V UART Module, I connected a 5v UART Module and it stopped the UART working(its Dead Jim Dead.. ) Look at the thread I posted in the above post about the UART. |
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Post by alugard on Jan 11, 2021 11:40:29 GMT
Hi guys, thanks for your comments and help again. I was connecting UART wrongly But at the end I got the following: HELLO! BOOT0 is starting! boot0 version : 3.0.0 initializing SDRAM Fail. Is this a memory chip which getting hot as I described before? |
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Post by jj0 on Jan 11, 2021 11:56:06 GMT
Hi guys, thanks for your comments and help again. I was connecting UART wrongly But at the end I got the following: HELLO! BOOT0 is starting! boot0 version : 3.0.0 initializing SDRAM Fail. Is this a memory chip which getting hot as I described before? SDRAM is indeed the memory chip, so it definitely looks like hardware failure. |
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Post by spannernick on Jan 11, 2021 15:43:31 GMT
Just out of interest, you said that it automatically goes in to FEL Mode, can you look and see if the LED cable is connected to the FEL connector, it the connector bottom left on the board, the LED connector is the one at the top left on the board..?  It a little trick I found out that if you connect the LED cable to the FEL connector the mini boots up in FEL Mode.. |
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Post by shadowtrance on Feb 14, 2023 7:16:34 GMT
Is there any way to get my usb ethernet/hub working with this? lsusb Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1a40:0101 Terminus Technology Inc. Hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 002 Device 003: ID 3434:0107 Keychron Q1 Bus 002 Device 004: ID 1c59:0023 THEC64 Joystick ASIX AX88772 is the controller on the board. Basically the same as this but also with 3 usb ports too (usb ports work fine) www.aliexpress.com/item/32969701309.html |
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Post by jj0 on Feb 14, 2023 14:45:53 GMT
Is there any way to get my usb ethernet/hub working with this? lsusb Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1a40:0101 Terminus Technology Inc. Hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 002 Device 003: ID 3434:0107 Keychron Q1 Bus 002 Device 004: ID 1c59:0023 THEC64 Joystick ASIX AX88772 is the controller on the board. Basically the same as this but also with 3 usb ports too (usb ports work fine) www.aliexpress.com/item/32969701309.htmlASIX AX88xxxx should be supported by the included driver ax88179_178a.ko (modules) unless yours is a newer/unrecognised version. You could doublecheck if ax88179_178a.ko is in /lib/modules/... However I don't see an ASIX device in your list of USB devices? It would need to show up as an USB device that ax88179_178a.ko is recognised as being compatible for: 04E8:A100 0711:0179 0930:0A13 0B95:178A 0B95:1790 0DF6:0072 17EF:304B 2001:4A00 |
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Post by shadowtrance on Feb 14, 2023 23:08:53 GMT
Did some digging and found the exact one (at a local store of all places) but yeah it is indeed the chip I mentioned on the board (along with a smaller harder to read/photo usb controller of some sort) core-electronics.com.au/ethernet-hub-and-usb-hub-w-micro-usb-otg-connector.html (I have this one...with my own added usb-a cable) core-electronics.com.au/usb-2-0-and-ethernet-hub-3-usb-ports-and-1-ethernet.html (more info/comments) The ethernet/usb hub is the first device listed there. It does find at least part of it because the keyboard and joystick were plugged into it. PCUAE seems to pick it up, It says it got an IP address but I wanted to ftp in while in fel mode. But if it's gonna be a pain in the ass in general (windows doesn't present an ethernet port, only usb for example) I'll just buy a known working one. They're cheap. |
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I got broken C64 mini, was declared simply as non-working. When I plug it in, no light, nothing. When I connect it to Win 10 machine it connected in FEL mode, no need to press any buttons on the board or anything. I tried to follow the instruction in this thread, board is recognized but when I execute boot.cmd, I only get the following
