Hi,

 

I'm using Armbian Linux on a Cubietruck A20 device configured as a media, file and backup server. Unfortunately while trying to fix a persistent SATA-cable connection problem I accidentally pushed the FEL button on the device. Now the device is always booting in FEL mode searching for USB devices, and I'm unable to reverse this.

 

I have been looking at multiple pages about the FEL mode but I'm unable to find useful information on how to quit or exit this FEL mode and to have the cubietruck booting as it did before. Although I'm not a Linux novice, the information about FEL is quite complex and I have to admit I'm clueless about how to fix this situation. Please, any help on how to disable this FEL mode is really appreciated. It is heartbreaking to lose my server, files, music and all :-\

 

https://linux-sunxi.org/FEL/USBBoot

 

Kind regards,

Michael2

17 hours ago, Michael2 said:

Armbianmonitor:

https://not-available-right-now.org

Hi,

 

I'm using Armbian Linux on a Cubietruck A20 device configured as a media, file and backup server. Unfortunately while trying to fix a persistent SATA-cable connection problem I accidentally pushed the FEL button on the device. Now the device is always booting in FEL mode searching for USB devices, and I'm unable to reverse this.

 

I have been looking at multiple pages about the FEL mode but I'm unable to find useful information on how to quit or exit this FEL mode and to have the cubietruck booting as it did before. Although I'm not a Linux novice, the information about FEL is quite complex and I have to admit I'm clueless about how to fix this situation. Please, any help on how to disable this FEL mode is really appreciated. It is heartbreaking to lose my server, files, music and all :-\

 

https://linux-sunxi.org/FEL/USBBoot

 

Kind regards,

Michael2

 

I'm not familiar with Cubietruck A20 hardware but as far as I know, FEL is not something static that stays on once enabled even after a power-off or a reboot.

 

On each boot process, as long as you do not hold FEL button, Boot ROM (BROM) looks for a magic string (eGON) to find a proper medium. This magic string is searched in the header part of the storage mediums attached to MMC0, NAND, MMC2 and SPI flash, respectively. If no valid eGON header is found in any of these mentioned interfaces, FEL mode is executed as a fallback.

 

So, if your device it automatically jumps to the FEL mode, chances are FEL button may be somehow (i think it's unlikely) stuck or the header part of attached storage devices are either corrupt or cannot be read.

Hi Gediz,

 

Thank you very much for your reply, I think it highlights the problem. My guess is that the micro SD card got corrupted. Also, the device was suffering SATA link problems (the external hard disk itself seemed ok, I checked it), it sounds logic what you explain. Thanks again.

 

Kind regards,

Michael2