Hello,

 

I have a TV Box  X96 Air P3 with old Armbian (Armbian_20.05.4_Arm-64_bionic_current_5.7.0-rc6_20200518.img = Debian 10.4) installed 6 years ago (https://forum.armbian.com/topic/12988-armbian-for-amlogic-s905x3/page/7/#findComment-101885).

 

Now I need to update to Debian 11 (at least) or 12 (better). For that, I need the new img and dtb files but I'm lost to find them.

 

So, many thanks for your support

 

Greetings

Armin

Edited September 3Sep 3 by Armin

@SteeMan Please to move my request to the Amlogic CPU Boxes

Moved

https://forum.armbian.com/topic/33676-installation-instructions-for-tv-boxes-with-amlogic-cpus

9 hours ago, Armin said:

old Armbian (Armbian_20.05.4_Arm-64_bionic_current_5.7.0-rc6_20200518.img = Debian 10.4)

'bionic' makes me think of Ubuntu 18, so not Debian 10/Buster. But I have no experience at all with TV-boxes, maybe is just other reference.

What I do wonder is what is meant by:

9 hours ago, Armin said:

the new img and dtb files

Is anyone using TV-boxes with Armbian using Btrfs for rootfs and just working ssh root access?

 

I just did dist-upgrade an old laptop from Debian 11 to 12 and did the same tricks in 2022 when from 10 to 11. The Laptop as a broken display and VGA is also not stable and no COM-ports either (It has a RJ11 for old POTS modem). So 'headless' and much like a system with only soldered eMMC, although I could take out the HDD, but lot of work.

 

But as long as RJ45+ssh works (I know the MACaddress) I can transfer a Btrfs subvolume/stream into the live running system and change default subvolume, so after typing 'reboot', that is used. I test it first in a KVM if doubt or too risky. The bootloader is old BIOS, so same as for U-Boot blobs, the first megabyte of the HDD/storage is very important. I usually rip it into a 1MiB file for external storage so I have the MBR partition table and the boot code as backup 'image'. Rest is then standard Debian and can all be done while the system is running. 

1 hour ago, eselarm said:

'bionic' makes me think of Ubuntu 18, so not Debian 10/Buster. But I have no experience at all with TV-boxes, maybe is just other reference.

What I do wonder is what is meant by:

Yes, you're right but It was 6 yeras ago so I have forgotten some details. Bionic was my 1st trial but at the end, I have used 'buster' (Armbian_20.05.4_Arm-64_buster_current_5.7.0-rc6_20200519.img)

 

1 hour ago, eselarm said:

just did dist-upgrade an old laptop from Debian 11 to 12

Yes, there is this solution (detailed here : https://forum.armbian.com/topic/35402-upgrading-armbian-from-bullseye-to-bookworm/) but the kernel is not up to date and I don't know about the consequences !

 

3 hours ago, SteeMan said:

https://forum.armbian.com/topic/33676-installation-instructions-for-tv-boxes-with-amlogic-cpus

My bad, I have searched with 'ARM64' but for sure, with 'AML S905', this is the best : https://armbian.com/boards/aml-s9xx-box

 

Last question to refresh my mind, the dtb files are included into the img and I need to choose the correct one (S905X3 = Meson SM1) into uEnv.txt ?

Because, previously, I have used a dedicated one : https://forum.armbian.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=6153

 

Thanks again

Edited September 3Sep 3 by Armin

3 hours ago, Armin said:

Last question to refresh my mind, the dtb files are included into the img and I need to choose the correct one (S905X3 = Meson SM1) into uEnv.txt ?

Not uEnv.txt anymore as the current images use extlinux.  Info is in the link I posted above.

Solved.

 

I have used this version for S905x3 : https://github.com/ophub/amlogic-s9xxx-armbian/releases/tag/Armbian_bookworm_arm64_server_2026.09

 

So, just flash the file on USB stick with Balena Etcher and reboot TV box through toothpick method.

eMMC Install command: armbian-install

Update command: armbian-update

 

That's all !

6 hours ago, Armin said:

ophub

This is not Armbian but a fork which uses the name without permission. Do not ask for support here if you are using this.