Linux/macOS Host

This section show how to install a new operating system to ROCK960 on board eMMC using the rkdeveloptool on a Linux or macOS host computer.

  • Step 1: Make sure rkdeveloptool is set up on host computer
  • Step 2: Download all necessary images
  • Step 3: Boot device into maskrom mode
  • Step 4: Prepare the flash environment
  • Step 5: Flash images onto ROCK960 eMMC and reboot

Step 1: Make sure rkdeveloptool is set up on host computer

Linux

To build rkdeveloptool on a debian based Linux distribution, follow the instructions below:

Install build dependency:

sudo apt-get install libudev-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev dh-autoreconf

Clone the source code and build:

git clone https://github.com/rockchip-linux/rkdeveloptool
cd rkdeveloptool
autoreconf -i
./configure
make

Now you have rkdeveloptool executable at the current directory.

sudo cp rkdeveloptool /usr/local/bin/
macOS

To build rkdeveloptool on macOS, you need homebrew(or similar package manager) to install required packages.

Install build dependency:

brew install automake autoconf libusb

Clone the source code and build:

git clone https://github.com/rockchip-linux/rkdeveloptool
cd rkdeveloptool
autoreconf -i
./configure
make

Now you have rkdeveloptool executable at the current directory.

sudo cp rkdeveloptool /usr/local/bin/

Step 2: Download all necessary images

Go to the Downloads page to donwload the image.

Extract the image tar ball, for SD card/eMMC AIO image, the file list as below:

  • rk3399_loader_v1.08.106.bin - run on target to init DRAM and flash, will not write to eMMC
  • system.img - image contains bootloader/kernel/rootfs

Step 3: Boot device into maskrom mode

Maskrom mode is the code inside the Rockchip SoC running and waiting for commands from USB when there is no external bootable media. To put the device into maskrom mode:

  • power on rock960
  • plug the rock960 to Linux desktop with USB type A to type C cable
  • press and hold the maskrom key, then short press reset key

On the host PC, lsusb should show the following VID/PID if the board is in maskrom mode: Bus 003 Device 061: ID 2207:0011

Note: if no right USB device found, try:

  1. Press and hold maskrom key longer, and short press and release reset key.

  2. Check your usb cable, plug and unplug the usb cable, reverse plug the type C port and try.

Step 4: Prepare the flash environment

Run the following command to download and run the mini loader to init DRAM and prepare flashing environment:

rkdeveloptool db rk3399_loader_v1.08.106.bin

Step 5: Flash images onto ROCK960 eMMC and reboot

Write the image to eMMC with the following command and address:

rkdeveloptool wl 0 system.img

This will take a while, after it finishes, run

rkdeveloptool rd

Now you reboot to the new image on eMMC.