Update Firmware with MicroSD Card

Getting the Latest Firmware

This manual will assist you in setting up your software development environment and updating your firmware/system for your development.

Download full system image file

If you want to update Debian 11 to Blade 3, click here image-release-blade3-debian11-20230214.img.7z to download the full system image

Downloading to Mixtile Blade 3

Blade 3 comes with Debian 11 pre-installed, and it can be updated with any custom built firmware. The system firmware may be updated via either an USB cable or a MicroSD card. Under normal circumstances, the USB cable method is preferable for the users. Users with specific requirements who need to burn the system with USB cable or MicroSD cards should back up their data in their own method.

What you need

  1. A downloaded firmware
  2. Rockchip MicroSD card building tool (download link is provided below)
  3. Blade 3 device
  4. MicroSD card with more than 4GBytes capacity (only for updating via MicroSD card)
  5. Power Adapter which supports Power Delivery 2.0/3.0

Update Methods of Full System Image

Two distinct methods for updating system firmware are demonstrated step by step. To upgrade your Blade 3 system with the latest firmware, follow the procedures below.

Option 1: USB cable update (recommended)

Connect the Blade 3 to a PC via USB Type-C cable; the firmware update tool takes around 1 minute to burn the firmware. Please connect the USB-0/ADB Port of Blade 3 board for updating firmware, and connect the power input to USB-1/PD port.

Please refer to instruction [Update Firmware in Loader Mode](Update Firmware with Loader Mode | Docs - Mixtile).

Option 2: MicroSD card update

Use the upgrade card making tool to make the MicroSD card into an upgrade card. Then insert the upgrade card into the motherboard, turn it on, and the system will upgrade automatically in about 5 minutes.

（Note: MicroSD card update will cause issue currectly, refer to [known issues](Known Issues | Docs - Mixtile) page)

Important:

These update methods will delete all user data. Please back up the data before performing the update.

Updating Full System Image with MicroSD card

To upgrade using a MicroSD card, you need to use the card building tool on the PC to write to the MicroSD card uniformly. The operation can only be completed on the Windows system.

Step 1: Preparation

  • Prepare a firmware to burn, please download full system image using above link.
  • Prepare a MicroSD card with more than 4GB capacity.

Step 2: Download MicroSD card building tool

Step 3: Build update MicroSD card

  • Open SD_Firmware_Tool.

  • Follow the instruction and steps in the below figure

    blade3_update_firmware_sdcard

    Note: If the tool pop up writing MBR error, you need to do additional setting as below:

    • open config.ini under SD_Firmware_Tool file folder
    • Please modify the value of “UPGRADE_PROGRAM_PARTITON” as empty like this: UPGRADE_PROGRAM_PARTITION=

Step 4: Update system

  • Insert the Upgrade card into MicroSD card slot of Blade 3. You could connect display to HDMI OUT port of Blade 3 board and it will show the status of upgrading on display.

    microsd-slot

    Insert the MicroSD to Blade 3 in correct direction as below picture shows:

    sdcard-direction

  • After finishing upgrade, display will show “Remove SDCard, Reboot Device”. Please power off Blade 3 board, remove MicroSD card, and then power on the Blade 3 board to complete.

    microsd-card-update-finish