Hi!
Where can I get the flasher image for BLANK boards? I can see a number of flasher images for different boards/clones but they all boot only on boards with filled EEPROM.
Step 1:
Grab the "usbflasher"
https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/bb.org/testing/2015-12-20/usbflasher/
Then grab the img/bmap/job.txt and place on a fat format usb flash drive:
Say lxqt-4gb:
https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/bb.org/testing/2015-12-20/lxqt-4gb/
bone-debian-8.2-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2015-12-20-4gb.bmap
bone-debian-8.2-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2015-12-20-4gb.img.xz
bone-debian-8.2-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2015-12-20-4gb.img.xz.job.txt (copy as job.txt)
Then If you open up "job.txt"
abi=aaa
conf_image=bone-debian-8.2-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2015-12-20-4gb.img.xz
conf_bmap=bone-debian-8.2-lxqt-4gb-armhf-2015-12-20-4gb.bmap
conf_resize=enable
conf_partition1_startmb=1
conf_partition1_fstype=0x83
conf_root_partition=1
Then to have the script "flash" the eeprom:
add:
conf_eeprom_file=bbb-eeprom.dump
conf_eeprom_compare=335
Regards,
Robert,
if I use now very simple flasher BBB-blank-eMMC-flasher-debian-7.8-console-armhf-2015-07-28-2gb which does all job just perfect, why is your suggested way so complicated? 
It's 'complex' because everyone wanted different versions of the
"blank" flasher..
So i made "one" complex option, with a generic interface to allow you
to flash "any" version. 
Regards,
so I need both microsd card and USB flash drive?
There is also a hook to do it from a single "usbflasher" microSD card:
Just copy all the files under "/opt/emmc"
But really who doesn't have a bunch of 2gb/4gb useless usb flash
drives laying around.
Regards,
Robert, can this also be used with the “release” images as well ?
Sure, internally, it's just bmaptools/dd...
and it'll dump errors/directions to the serial console..
For almost all *.img's i include a *.job.txt file that'll just work.
Regards,
Sure, internally, it’s just bmaptools/dd…
and it’ll dump errors/directions to the serial console…
For almost all *.img’s i include a *.job.txt file that’ll just work.
Ok, cool. I kind of half expected this to be a Jessie only feature.
I’m new at this so I beg your forgiveness.
Which files go on the USB stick and which go on the MicroSD card?
I have a A5C board that stalls on booting and won’t allow me to boot from the SD card. I’m hoping the USB flasher will help.
Thanks on advance for the guidance
–Tim
Use any image market with '2gb' here:
http://elinux.org/Beagleboard:BeagleBoneBlack_Debian#Debian_Image_Testing_Snapshots
Regards,
Thank you, Robert.
I stumbled a bit getting the SD card to accept the image file. I ended up formatting my 8 GB card as NTFS with a 1024 block size prior to writing the image via Win32DiskImager. The card became unreadable in windows once the image was written. I took a chance and installed it in the BBB anyway. When I applied power, the board began reflashing. I’m up and running now. Thank you for the pointer.
Does anyone know why the card becomes unreadable once the .img file is written? Is this normal behavior?
Windows can't read extX partitions without a 3rd party driver..
(and i nuked the fat "boot/drivers" partition in all images, so even
that doesn't show up anymore)
Regards,
Thanks for the help. The 8.3 image I loaded on my A5C board has issues with
the Ethernet port. Could you recommend a 7.9 or 7.5 (LTS) snapshot? These
two "production release" images won't flash on my old board:
What "issues" are you seeing?
BBB-eMMC-flasher-debian-7.9-console-armhf-2015-11-03-2gb.img
BBB-eMMC-flasher-debian-7.9-lxde-armhf-2015-11-03-2gb.img
please attach a serial boot log (eMMC flasher logs all data over serial..)
Regards,
Hi Robert,
I need your expertise here, please. I am still unable to boot a production debian image from an SD card. I’m stuck working with the paltry 2Gb eMMC. I’ve included the log from the serial port during two boot attempts: one with S2 not depressed and one with S2 depressed. Let me know what to do, please.
—Tim
screenlog.0 (12.7 KB)
I don't know how to solve your problem, but I just noticed that
there's not much difference between your two boot logs.
They both fail to load slot-6 and then crash the kernel on unhandled
fault at cpsw_probe+0x348/0x960; all the other
differences seem to be immaterial.
I don't know the slot-6 issue is important or just a red
herring---Robert will probably know.
I am still stuck, I’m hoping that Robert can help me if he has time.
–Tim