2022 - THEC64 Mini/MAXi/A500... Add UART/BACUP the NAND

No, only nanda (where the kernel is loaded from) and nanb (the root filesystem).

I got a new C64 Mini and connected it by uart and I noticed it says

board_status_probe
[ 0.909]pre sys mode
[ 0.911]Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0

It's said before power trigger..??

Maybe RG are trying to stop you getting root access...??


I am trying to change the password for root and it will not let me it keeps doing this..I can't get in..MMMM

-----------------------------------
base bootcmd=run setargs_nand boot_normal
bootcmd set setargs_nand
key 0
recovery key high 6, low 4
cant find fstbt value
no misc partition is found
to be run cmd=run setargs_nand boot_normal
the part isn't exist
board_status_probe
[ 0.909]pre sys mode
[ 0.911]Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
redquark#setenv nand_root / dev / sda
redquark#boot
read boot or recovery all
[ 141.759]sunxi flash read :offset 1000000, 11549374 bytes OK
[ 141.774]ready to boot
[ 141.776][mmc]: MMC Device 2 not found
[ 141.780][mmc]: mmc not find,so not exit
NAND_UbootExit
NB1 : NAND_LogicExit
[ 141.784]
Starting kernel ...

[ 0.991834] rtc_hw_init(416) err: set clksrc to external losc failed! rtc time will be wrong
[ 1.001772] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.076905] [hdmi]hdmi module init
[ 1.082364] ##fb init:w=1280,h=720,fbmode=0
[ 1.099966] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.106104] sunxi-rtc sunxi-rtc: hctosys: unable to read the hardware clock
root=/
wait / ready
wait / ready
wait / ready

redquark#setenv nand_root /dev /sda
redquark#boot
read boot or recovery all
[ 96.734]sunxi flash read :offset 1000000, 11549374 bytes OK
[ 96.749]ready to boot
[ 96.752][mmc]: MMC Device 2 not found
[ 96.755][mmc]: mmc not find,so not exit
NAND_UbootExit
NB1 : NAND_LogicExit
[ 96.759]
Starting kernel ...

[ 0.990733] rtc_hw_init(416) err: set clksrc to external losc failed! rtc time will be wrong
[ 1.000421] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.076841] [hdmi]hdmi module init
[ 1.082718] ##fb init:w=1280,h=720,fbmode=0
[ 1.098897] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.105044] sunxi-rtc sunxi-rtc: hctosys: unable to read the hardware clock
root=/dev
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready
[ 5.731988] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 5.737636] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
[ 5.971958] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 5.977599] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready
wait /dev ready

-----------------------------------
base bootcmd=run setargs_nand boot_normal
bootcmd set setargs_nand
key 0
recovery key high 6, low 4
cant find fstbt value
no misc partition is found
to be run cmd=run setargs_nand boot_normal
the part isn't exist
board_status_probe
[ 0.921]pre sys mode
[ 0.924]Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
redquark#setenv nand_root /dev/sda
redquark#boot
read boot or recovery all
[ 31.520]sunxi flash read :offset 1000000, 11549374 bytes OK
[ 31.535]ready to boot
[ 31.538][mmc]: MMC Device 2 not found
[ 31.542][mmc]: mmc not find,so not exit
NAND_UbootExit
NB1 : NAND_LogicExit
[ 31.546]
Starting kernel ...

[ 0.990382] rtc_hw_init(416) err: set clksrc to external losc failed! rtc time will be wrong
[ 1.000049] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.076161] [hdmi]hdmi module init
[ 1.081900] ##fb init:w=1280,h=720,fbmode=0
[ 1.098419] sunxi_rtc_gettime(34): err, losc_err_flag is 1
[ 1.104569] sunxi-rtc sunxi-rtc: hctosys: unable to read the hardware clock
root=/dev/sda
wait /dev/sda ready
wait /dev/sda ready
wait /dev/sda ready
wait /dev/sda ready
wait /dev/sda ready
[ 5.721703] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 5.727367] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
[ 5.961678] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 5.967337] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
[ 6.511701] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 6.517370] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
[ 6.523635] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 1
[ 6.529900] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 2
[ 6.536130] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 3
[ 6.751683] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 0
[ 6.757333] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
e2fsck /dev/sda return 8
[ 7.021720] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 2
[ 7.027406] EXT4-fs (sda): unable to read superblock
mount /dev/sda return 255

/ #

has it worked..?? so far,it has I/O errors..?? is it my USB that connected should I remove it... hold on...I look.

I have not soldered the pins on the uart,I am using the elastic band method..
I am glad it works,I wonder what it says Per sys mode not power trigger..?? this on has the label embedded in to the bottom of the case,are the silver label ones pre order Minis..??

As long as your UART is displaying text on your terminal and is responding to your keyboard, it's working fine. I have the embedded label Mini and mine worked just fine. Take your USB drive out when doing this just to be safe, the /dev/sda shouldn't change but the less things you have plugged in when doing this, the less you might have an issue with other things.

My recommendation after you've removed your USB is make sure you update the bin file and then plug in your UART before you plug your mini's power in. Have your terminal up and open and the moment you plug the power into the mini, begin the key sequence to break out of boot and it should be fine unless they updated something. I haven't tried with the new Firmware yet, the last one I have was the one that introduced the File Loader. But my mini is in parts right now while I'm working out some mods, so I haven't played with it in a bit.

Did you mount anything on /mt?

Try 'mount' to see what's mounted and 'ls -lisa /mnt' and 'ls -lisa /mnt/etc'

Also instead of doing the 'setenv nand_root /dev/sda' a better way is to do 'setenv console ${console} ramfs'. This uses the 'official' way supported by the boot script to get to the command prompt instead of failing to mount the root disk. It adds the 'ramfs' parameter to the boot arguments (by adding it to the console parameter which in itself gets added to the bootargs paramter). If the boot script sees this 'ramfs' paramter it will stop and not try to mount and run from the nand_root. gurce maybe you can add this to the wiki?

So i just updated to the latest firmware, my mini use's the usb method so my /usr /var are on my fat32 usb stick.

but since updating i am getting this?



Games work and screenshots are ok, just the covers are not showing for whatever reason. everything was fine before the update.

The covers are fine when i remove the usb stick and run with stock games.

EDIT...All good, just needed to redump the /usr to to my usb stick after the update..Lol

OH yes .... how do you get TheC64 Mini run the games from the Carousel from USB,is there a post about it or is it on the wiki,if not I could make a thread and can discuss it there cos this one is getting bigger and bigger by the minute.. lol but its ok to talk here about it too.. ?

Finally I got a time to update it at Mini Wiki! Thank you very much jj0 !
gurce is pretty much occupied...

Speaking of that, I managed to resolve most of the German-Google-etc "missing in translation" mess at that guide. It is still messy (totally unnecessary imho), but it is much better now, imho.
I added Linux guide along with Windoze way , fixed missing / blurry pics etc.

We made black magic ritual of such a simple thing like: "connect 3 wires, own a root".
Here is updated UART mod guide, everybody is welcome to check it and suggest improvements:
gurce.net/c64mini/how_to_mod_the_c64_mini_to_add_extra_games

Almost forgot: I managed to clean this forum a bit, mostly this two hot topics: FEL and UART mod.
Guys, please don't be angry because I edited your posts!
I did only three things, mostly:
1.) Hide parts of gigant console dumpings, just not needed parts. So, not deleted, just turned to "spoiler";
2.) deleted not needed empty lines here and there;
3.) highlighted and made bold: solutions to problems and important achievements.

Which means that it is basically a modified version of VICE, and the GPL then dicatates that they should supply the source. Did anyone write and ask them about that? They ask GBP 5,00 for it, if I remember right, which is perfectly legal and not even too unreasonable.

Instead of going through all that "hold down the S key" and changing the password, see if you can't just let it start up normally, and log in with the password "chuckpeddle". I have a feeling it will work.

dam I just changed mine to Chuckpeddles1... cause I tried to change it back but said the password was too weak... how did you find out what the password was did you look in the shadow file, but its encrypted..? Will have to copy the shadow file back from my back up of nandb.

OK I will add the password to the first post, thanks.. ... Done

All 3 machines use the same Firmware, Buildroot 2016, so thats why all 3 machines have the same password, THEC64 Maxi and THE VIC 20 are based on THEC64 Mini.

The only difference between THEC64 Maxi and THE VIC 20 is its kernal, RGL rebuilt it so you can not use it on THEC64 Maxi so it only works on THE VIC 20, the kernal from THEC64 Maxi will not work on THE VIC 20 too, the Carousel will not load.

cool, nice one..

Yes, that's right - the emulator autodetects the format.