Update Firmware 3GB/32GB Android box Amlogic S912 Octacore

crasy dash

Started this here as the original thread was getting full up of pm looking for advice

Im no expert put here goes i accept no responsibility.
This is just a basic guide on how i did it.

Only use this if you feel confident that you are not going to brick your device
It worked fine on my H96pr0+ 3gb ram 32gb

You first have to download and extract the image using 7zip or like wise on a pc
Image can be found on the first page of this website
http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-...roidtv-version
SV1 is the one i and TinderSurprise are using and it looks fine as.(File is half way down page Blue writingdownload Scv1)

The way i did it you need a micro sdcard at least 8gb or more is better
An adapter so you write the image from laptop/pc to the micro sdcard.
A program called Burn Card Maker Version 2 i think it is but ill put a link below
You also need a needle paper clip sim tool to press the reset button in on the box.

Go to this website http://chinagadgetsreviews.com/downl...er-v2-0-2.html


Download that(scan with antivirus just to be safe) the installation instructions are in the link on how to change from chinese to english


Then open the card maker program find your sd card and write the image to that.
When that is done remove the sd card form pc and while the box is turned off and powered off put it in the sd card slot located on the right hand side of the box.

There is a tiny hole on the left side of the box, using a tiny pin or sim tool press that in and then put the power lead in, the box should start up and show the android image and upgrade should be there.

Be patient this takes a few minutes (about5-6 at most)
It should work away and after it reboots itself remove the sd card and hopefully its done

Hope that makes sense to you

adr_sullivan

do you know if that image is roted.

can not find it on the page above - will look again later

thanks,

crasy dash

Thinks its not rooted just ran root check on the box and it comes up
as H96Pro+ is not rooted Android 7.1.2(Nougat)

uponthegad

Just a warning, I'm afraid I bricked mine using this sdcard method. Hopefully it's a "soft brick" and I can get it going again.

The android logo with updating showed up then the HDMI connection cut out almost immediately. I left it for 10 minutes but it never rebooted and now when you plug it in it has the blue light but doesn't seem to do anything. I think, but I'm not sure it's because I left the "erase_bootloader" option checked when making the SD card.

I've messed around alot with flashing Custom Roms on phones over the years but I find the tutorials and info on this box a bit of a minefield of conflicting info.

Tinder Surprise

I've found for the first update/flash use the USB Burn Tool, but thats not ideal for some as it requires a USBa to USBa cable which some folk dont have lying around, but they are easily made up.

from there its real easy to update to a newer version within the Launcher;

-Download the desired update (SV)
-Copy the downloaded .zip to a FAT32 formatted SD card (8gb min)
-Insert SD card
-within the current launcer go down to App Drawer (bottom of screen)
-Select the UPDATE app
-Select LOCAL UPDATE (leave wipe data and wipe media unchecked)
-yellow bar showing .zip folder should appear across top of screen
-hit OK on remote
-Select UPDATE

...Update process takes about 5mins

DONE.

uponthegad

Tinder Surprise wrote: »

I've found for the first update/flash use the USB Burn Tool, but thats not ideal for some as it requires a USBa to USBa cable which some folk dont have lying around, but they are easily made up.

from there its real easy to update to a newer version within the Launcher;

I think this is the key for the first flash - from what I've read the SDcard method can go either way but the USB Burn tool using the USBa to USBa is pretty safe. I'm off to find one of those cables and hopefully I can get back to stock then try again.

wiz569

Tinder Surprise wrote: »

I've found for the first update/flash use the USB Burn Tool, but thats not ideal for some as it requires a USBa to USBa cable

Can you explain that a bit more m8? and why the need for a usba to usba cable?

Nevermind I figured it out

wiz569

Anybody manage to get it to boot into recovery?

Trying to flash the OTA update from freaktab but needs to be done from recovery.

Have to say, I updated to the Android TV ROM last week, and all it really provides is a slicker looking interface at the cost of basic functionality. The stock ROM/launcher might not have been as pretty, but did the basics better.

Tinder Surprise

wiz569 wrote: »

Anybody manage to get it to boot into recovery?

Trying to flash the OTA update from freaktab but needs to be done from recovery.

It doesn't...if you're already say at SV4 then..

Download the desired update (SV)
-Copy the downloaded .zip to a FAT32 formatted SD card (8gb min)
-Insert SD card
-within the current launcer go down to App Drawer(bottom of screen)
-Select the UPDATE app
-Select LOCAL UPDATE (leave wipe data and wipe mediaunchecked)
-yellow bar showing .zip folder should appear across top of screen
-hit OK on remote
-Select UPDATE

...Update process takes about 5mins

DONE.

wiz569

Tinder Surprise wrote: »

It doesn't...if you're already say at SV4 then..

Download the desired update (SV)
-Copy the downloaded .zip to a FAT32 formatted SD card (8gb min)
-Insert SD card
-within the current launcer go down to App Drawer(bottom of screen)
-Select the UPDATE app
-Select LOCAL UPDATE (leave wipe data and wipe mediaunchecked)
-yellow bar showing .zip folder should appear across top of screen
-hit OK on remote
-Select UPDATE

...Update process takes about 5mins

DONE.

That doesnt work on mine,box just shuts down about 5 secs after pressing update,

Managed to do it by sticking the update on a USB drive and using the reset pin method

Flashed the latest Original firmware yesterday and I find that better the either Android TV or bog standard tablet android.

uponthegad

wiz569 wrote: »

That doesnt work on mine,box just shuts down about 5 secs after pressing update,

Managed to do it by sticking the update on a USB drive and using the reset pin method

Flashed the latest Original firmware yesterday and I find that better the either Android TV or bog standard tablet android.

How did you flash it from a usb? Did you have to make it Bootable? Mines still bricked from trying to update it with a SD card. I've been trying the usb cable method but it just fails at 2% every time.

Tinder Surprise

uponthegad wrote: »

How did you flash it from a usb? Did you have to make it Bootable? Mines still bricked from trying to update it with a SD card. I've been trying the usb cable method but it just fails at 2% every time.

Just keep plugging in and out the power lead and hitting start in the USB burn software.

It will take eventually

wiz569

uponthegad wrote: »

How did you flash it from a usb? Did you have to make it Bootable? Mines still bricked from trying to update it with a SD card. I've been trying the usb cable method but it just fails at 2% every time.

I think Tinder's advice above is probably better in your particular case, but in my case I just formatted the USB and put the zip file on it, held reset pin in while powering up and kept it held till it started updating.

Copper_pipe

Got one of these boxes and it’s running 7.1.2.

Can’t find the option to reduce screen size?

Copper_pipe

Copper_pipe wrote: »

Got one of these boxes and it’s running 7.1.2.

Can’t find the option to reduce screen size?

Never mind. Found it under droid settings

uponthegad

wiz569 wrote: »

I think Tinder's advice above is probably better in your particular case, but in my case I just formatted the USB and put the zip file on it, held reset pin in while powering up and kept it held till it started updating.

I've tried Tinders advice for ages with nothing - yours is the first I read that you can use a USB to update so will give that a try.

On freaktab there are a few people that have the exact same model as me (S32-V5 (LPDDR3) 2017-08-29) and the same problem, cant flash past 2% with a DDR error - they speculate that it is the particular RAM we have.

http://freaktab.com/forum/tv-player-support/amlogic-based-tv-players/s912/alfawise/678040-new-h96-pro-bricked-itself-after-a-couple-of-hours-use-help-me-diagnose-rescue-is-the-hardware-dead

Do you guys know if you have that model too?

uponthegad

Just to update in case anyone has similar issues, the box I got from banggood is a new variant from a different factory. Don't know the specifics but superceleron who makes the ROMs for these made a test Rom that flashed successfully for me and I have my box back.