S905X3 + X96 Max Plus + CoreELEC = very strange troubles. Help?

[iSlaker]

Hi, I'm having these issues with this box. It was intended to be a small media server, but in trying different things I'm stuck and I'd appreciate it if anyone could help me. These AmLogic boxes are quite similar so any idea is more than welcome.

• This is an S905X3 based box with 4GB RAM.
• CoreELEC has been installed onto eMMC using their "ceemmc" tool. CoreELEC runs just fine.
• Device is now unable to boot Armbian from either SD card nor USB.
• Can't restore stock firmware: Burn Card Maker throws an error when writing SD card. Also, manually created SD card gives a black screen.
• Can't access recovery. Almost sure RESET button isn't doing anything.
• Windows can't detect when connected via male-to-male USB cable: do I need to short pins?
• Any way to force recovery mode by shorting pins?

Thanks

 

[ludotaku]

Hi, I found this thread while looking for some info on how I could unbrick my X96 Max+.
It has bricked because of the Bl301 injection on CoreELEC and just like you, I can't access recovery and I don't know on which pins I should apply a short-circuit.

If someone knows which pins are the ones to short circuit, that would be much appreciated. Here are two pics of the X96 Max+ PCB:

I have higher resolution versions if necessary but I cannot post outside links at the moment.
Cheers.

 

[ergun37]

After bottles my device is the same, nothing works anymore you have found a solution please write thank you

 

[ludotaku]

I evntually found out which pin to short thanks to mAtvXk on freaktab.
Please note that this is for the 4/64 version.

The 2/16 is a bit different, here is the pic posted by mAtvXk:

Hope this helps.

 

[leefreeman]

I evntually found out which pin to short thanks to mAtvXk on freaktab.
Please note that this is for the 4/64 version.

The 2/16 is a bit different, here is the pic posted by mAtvXk:

Hope this helps.

Is there a pattern for connection before you short the pins. I'm using USB burning tool, holding button in av port with USB connected then shorting the pins. Still no connection

 

[ludotaku]

Is there a pattern for connection before you short the pins. I'm using USB burning tool, holding button in av port with USB connected then shorting the pins. Still no connection

I didn't manage to make it work with USB Burning Tool. I burned a card with Burn Card Maker then I plugged the AC and HDMI cables with the SD card in the slot, did the short, waited for a few minutes (the screen was black during sometime) and then, the device was as new.
It was the bootloader that was broken on my device so it allowed me to restore it to its initial state.

 

[iSlaker]

My solution

I didn't manage to make it work with USB Burning Tool...

Is there a pattern for connection...n

After bottles my device is the same...

I should have posted an update here as soon as I got it resolved but I completely forgot and for that I apologise. :fingers-crossed:

Anyway, I went online and downloaded as many ROM images (aka "firmwares", .img files) for this box as I could find. I then wrote each onto MicroSDs as normal and booted the box with the card in. Eventually one of them worked and after a few minutes I was looking at the original box's AndroidTV skin.

HOWEVER... Although USB Image Tool copies data from these .img files onto cards I don't think it actually formats the card before it does, but just erases all the files instead. It seemed to only work for me after I formatted the card first with a small tool called SD Card Formatter from Tuxera and then used USB Image Tool. I hope this helps anyone.

On a side note: I went to CoreELEC's forum to ask for help and there were a couple of people who were more interested in ranting and giving me lectures than actually helping me. One guy did try and help me but now I'm not sure his suggestions actually helped. You can read the whole exchange here.

 

[ergun37]

with my x96 max plus nothing goes no display allas dark with tv no life picture

 

[rezagalih]

with my x96 max plus nothing goes no display allas dark with tv no life picture

me too. nothing happen when i did short pin, there is no sign that my box would be restored again

 

[rezagalih]

I should have posted an update here as soon as I got it resolved but I completely forgot and for that I apologise. :fingers-crossed:

Anyway, I went online and downloaded as many ROM images (aka "firmwares", .img files) for this box as I could find. I then wrote each onto MicroSDs as normal and booted the box with the card in. Eventually one of them worked and after a few minutes I was looking at the original box's AndroidTV skin.

HOWEVER... Although USB Image Tool copies data from these .img files onto cards I don't think it actually formats the card before it does, but just erases all the files instead. It seemed to only work for me after I formatted the card first with a small tool called SD Card Formatter from Tuxera and then used USB Image Tool. I hope this helps anyone.

On a side note: I went to CoreELEC's forum to ask for help and there were a couple of people who were more interested in ranting and giving me lectures than actually helping me. One guy did try and help me but now I'm not sure his suggestions actually helped. You can read the whole exchange here.[/URL]

did you have 3 files in the card after burned ? or more files ? because i already burned my card, only 3 files there. and there is no response from my box, already short the pin to the ground. nothing happened

 

[thecubasekid]

Hi ISlakar

having some odd issues with my x96max+ also. i have been unable to get CE on it at all. the box simply will not boot from the SD, infact it wouldn't even boot in to stock rom with the SD inserted, just got stuck at the x96 splash screen (but if i insert after stock is booted i see the SD and CE partition) my reset button appeared to be either broken, or disabled as it has no effect, does not even restart the box. i figured it may be disabled by firmware intentionaly or due to a bug so i tried some custom roms. non worked initially and no longer (or so i thought) was recognised by the AMlogic burning tool. the box appeared bricked however i noticed by chance that after around 4 minutes, it would suddenly ' connect' in the flash tool on my PC and teh clock would light up, and the box would stay connected in the flash tool. i tried same as you - many ROMS, none of the generic s905x3 roms will boot the box, and niether will the 'stock' x96 Max + roms i downloaded (various releases from last year and this). I found i can get the box to boot using slimbox ROMS for x96 AIR p1, p2 and V2. It does not run well with them though and hangs oftern for a few seconds, and still no way to get CE on with re-set button still seemingly broken or disabled. i treid 'reboot update' from terminal emulator but still no CE, it just seems to boot in to the boot loader, i dont get any CE splash screen. ive had loads of cheap boxes before and always have been able to get a decent ROM in them, and then get CE going from SD, but this one has me perplexed...

what ROM did you find that worked on you X96 Max+ ?

Thanks!!

 

[iSlaker]

Hi ISlakar

having some odd issues with my x96max+ also. i have been unable to get CE on it at all. the box simply will not boot from the SD, infact it wouldn't even boot in to stock rom with the SD inserted, just got stuck at the x96 splash screen (but if i insert after stock is booted i see the SD and CE partition) my reset button appeared to be either broken, or disabled as it has no effect, does not even restart the box. i figured it may be disabled by firmware intentionaly or due to a bug so i tried some custom roms. non worked initially and no longer (or so i thought) was recognised by the AMlogic burning tool. the box appeared bricked however i noticed by chance that after around 4 minutes, it would suddenly ' connect' in the flash tool on my PC and teh clock would light up, and the box would stay connected in the flash tool. i tried same as you - many ROMS, none of the generic s905x3 roms will boot the box, and niether will the 'stock' x96 Max + roms i downloaded (various releases from last year and this). I found i can get the box to boot using slimbox ROMS for x96 AIR p1, p2 and V2. It does not run well with them though and hangs oftern for a few seconds, and still no way to get CE on with re-set button still seemingly broken or disabled. i treid 'reboot update' from terminal emulator but still no CE, it just seems to boot in to the boot loader, i dont get any CE splash screen. ive had loads of cheap boxes before and always have been able to get a decent ROM in them, and then get CE going from SD, but this one has me perplexed...

what ROM did you find that worked on you X96 Max+ ?

Thanks!!

Hey,

It's been a while since I touched this box. Once I got it back working on the original firmware I just threw it in a drawer and decided to wait until some linux based ROM came along as I knew I did not want to use CoreELEC. Their forum is not a very welcoming place.

Did you read my last post above? I think there's something about the way the card is formatted. It only worked once I used this specific tool to format the card BEFORE using USB ImageTool. I don't remember how many files ended up in the card but I still have the .img file. See if it helps.

If you do go down the CoreELEC route and pop in their forums DO NOT mention you installed or even tried to install anything on it other than CoreELEC. They can be a bit nazi-ish about their beloved software.

aml_upgrade_package.img

drive.google.com

 

[robagp]

[/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]
Hi,
I have this box too, /q5x3_141 v4.0 20112/
I tried to update the android on it, and got trouble.
The box not starting if I plug in the power.
I have to plug in, and wait about 5 minutes and automatic turn it on, without I touch anything.
But it freeze on the boot loader pic. /clock working/
I tried reinstall rom with pc, same, it not turning on, I have to wait and turn it on itself.
Not help reset, not help that 2 small pin short circuit connect.
Only start itself.
But I can install different rom /I tried 3 different -original 20200901 , nexon x8 q 10 aosp v222, some x96max plus which is not the original/
All of them problem is the same, I have to wait about 5 minutes to start the device, and the boot picture freeze, but clock working /clock first show booting, after clock start as a clock/
I tried different power adapter, different hdmi, different tv, same problem.

Do you have any idea?



----SOLVED-----

This rom fix all the problems.
Now I see, what was the problem.
I bought 4/32 , and it shows on the roriginal system 4/32 version /in the storage I see 25Gb free space/
But in real it is a 2/16 version. And when I updated it updated with 4/32 and crashed the system.
Now with this rom I see the real storage which is 11Gb free, and 2Gb ram

I hope it helps, if somebody walking in my shoes.

 

[rogerioca]

hello, I have the same problem, but my box is 2gb / 16gb X96Max + Q5X3_141, I even found their original firmware, which I'm leaving here for you, but I need someone to help me, where can I find the pins for short circuit of the 2gb / 16gb version. below I leave the links to download for both versions:

x96max+ 2gb/16gb: https://mega.nz/file/jlg32KgA#7dVg-5EI9t37YzC4IzDfHiO5bR7tPVzA62c3IRXfohk

x96max+ 4gb/32/64 https://mega.nz/file/P0hzBaiS#8K3DJmhU8OwP8mSCxhW7TcsnCHwDwXFixZVxWjo1G5w

 

[rogerioca]

hello, I have the same problem, but my box is 2gb / 16gb X96Max + Q5X3_141, I even found their original firmware, which I'm leaving here for you, but I need someone to help me, where can I find the pins for short circuit of the 2gb / 16gb version. below I leave the links to download for both versions:

x96max+ 2gb/16gb: https://mega.nz/file/jlg32KgA#7dVg-5EI9t37YzC4IzDfHiO5bR7tPVzA62c3IRXfohk

x96max+ 4gb/32/64 https://mega.nz/file/P0hzBaiS#8K3DJmhU8OwP8mSCxhW7TcsnCHwDwXFixZVxWjo1G5w

 

[rogerioca]

I discovered the secret, patience is everything, no need to short circuit, just open the USB BURNING TOOL choose the firmware file and START, then put the hdmi cable, hold the boot recovery pin and connect the usb cable to the pc, release the pin and wait about 5 minutes and it will start to update, mine I discovered by accident, due to the fact that I forgot the cable connected in this way. I hope it helps,

sorry for the english, i'm using google translator

 

[iSlaker]

Guys, I strongly discourage opening the box and shorting pins unless 1) you know what you're doing; and 2) you have tried ALL other avenues. Before you go opening the box, please try as many ROMs as possible (there have been two ROMs posted in this thread so far, afaik), also try special formatting tools (like the one I mentioned from Tuxera), and make sure you use MicroSD cards only and if you can, pick a 4GB one.

Best of luck to all having trouble with this godforsaken box and please report back so other people who WILL ALSO have problems can find help in the future.

 

[I1V1A1N]

I have x96 max plus 4gb/64gb board v4.0.Who installed armbian ubuntu on s905x3?

 

[ath156]

I have x96 max plus 4gb/64gb board v4.0.Who installed armbian ubuntu on s905x3?

This is for H96 max X3 https://forum.armbian.com/topic/13992-h96-max-x3-specifics-only/

 

[yansenj]

I evntually found out which pin to short thanks to mAtvXk on freaktab.
Please note that this is for the 4/64 version.

The 2/16 is a bit different, here is the pic posted by mAtvXk:

Hope this helps.

its different version the first pic is v4.0 the second pic is v3.0 the short pin location is different.. anyone know where the short pin loaction for the first pic?