New Rock 3a and emmc...something is faulty?

Hi all, I received a new Rock 3a and a 16Gb emmc yesterday. I seem to be having troubles getting it to accept an image. I also have an unused 256Gb nvme ssd attached.
I have tried using a Rockpi eMMC to uSD board to flash the emmc but fail because the reader with emmc attached comes up in windows device manager as Disk Drive : Mass Storage Device USB Device with’no media’ and a size of 0Mb. The reader card does not have a 1v8 ldo on it… I am waiting on a delivery to try fitting one.

Then I try maskrom mode, I get the 3a into maskrom mode, I try the standard and the specialised helper bin file (even though the MCU is an SCB variant) to no avail, the flash fails straight away with a load error.
You might be thinking a duff emmc?.. trouble is the 3a wont boot with the debian image on as microsd card either… it fails with -

Preformatted text

U-Boot 2017.09-armbian (Feb 17 2023 - 22:34:20 +0000)

Model: Radxa ROCK3 Model A
PreSerial: 2, raw, 0xfe660000
DRAM: 2 GiB
Sysmem: init
Relocation Offset: 7d349000
Relocation fdt: 7b9f69a0 - 7b9fecc8
CR: M/C/I
Using default environment

no mmc device at slot 1
dwmmc@fe2b0000: 1 (SD), dwmmc@fe2c0000: 2, sdhci@fe310000: 0
Bootdev(atags): mmc 1
MMC1: Legacy, 52Mhz
PartType: EFI
No misc partition
boot mode: None
FIT: No boot partition
No resource partition
No resource partition
Failed to load DTB, ret=-19
Failed to get kernel dtb, ret=-19
I2c0 speed: 100000Hz
vsel-gpios- not found! Error: -2
vdd_cpu init 900000 uV
PMIC: RK8090 (on=0x10, off=0x00)
vdd_logic init 900000 uV
vdd_gpu init 900000 uV
vdd_npu init 900000 uV
io-domain: OK
Model: Radxa ROCK3 Model A
rockchip_set_serialno: could not find efuse/otp device
CLK: (sync kernel. arm: enter 816000 KHz, init 816000 KHz, kernel 0N/A)
apll 816000 KHz
dpll 780000 KHz
gpll 1188000 KHz
cpll 1000000 KHz
npll 1200000 KHz
vpll 24000 KHz
hpll 24000 KHz
ppll 200000 KHz
armclk 816000 KHz
aclk_bus 150000 KHz
pclk_bus 100000 KHz
aclk_top_high 300000 KHz
aclk_top_low 200000 KHz
hclk_top 150000 KHz
pclk_top 100000 KHz
aclk_perimid 300000 KHz
hclk_perimid 150000 KHz
pclk_pmu 100000 KHz
No misc partition
Net: eth1: ethernet@fe010000
Hit key to stop autoboot(‘CTRL+C’): 0

Device 0: Vendor: 0x10ec Rev: VC2S038B Prod: 202304060822
Type: Hard Disk
Capacity: 244198.3 MB = 238.4 GB (500118192 x 512)
… is now current device
** No partition table - nvme 0 **
switch to partitions #0, OK
mmc1 is current device
Scanning mmc 1:1…
Found U-Boot script /boot.scr
reading /boot.scr
3252 bytes read in 2 ms (1.6 MiB/s)

Executing script at 00c00000

Boot script loaded from mmc 1
reading /armbianEnv.txt
151 bytes read in 1 ms (147.5 KiB/s)
reading /uInitrd

DDR Version V1.10 20210810
In
ddrconfig:0
LPDDR4X, 324MHz
BW=32 Col=10 Bk=8 CS0 Row=16 CS=1 Die BW=16 Size=2048MB
tdqss: cs0 dqs0: -48ps, dqs1: -120ps, dqs2: -48ps, dqs3: -144ps,

change to: 324MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x63

change to: 528MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x58

change to: 780MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x58

change to: 1560MHz(final freq)
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:22%
dram drv:40,odt:80
vref_ca:00000071
clk skew:0x21
cs 0:
the read training result:
DQS0:0x35, DQS1:0x35, DQS2:0x35, DQS3:0x31,
min :0x10 0xe 0x12 0xd 0x2 0x6 0xa 0x5 , 0xa 0x8 0x1 0x3 0xf 0xd 0xf 0xa ,
0x13 0x12 0x10 0xa 0x5 0x2 0x8 0x5 , 0xd 0x8 0x7 0x1 0x10 0xf 0x10 0x10 ,
mid :0x2c 0x2a 0x2d 0x29 0x1f 0x22 0x27 0x22 ,0x26 0x25 0x1e 0x1e 0x2c 0x29 0x2c 0x27 ,
0x2e 0x2c 0x29 0x26 0x1f 0x1d 0x20 0x21 ,0x28 0x24 0x22 0x1b 0x2c 0x2c 0x2b 0x2b ,
max :0x48 0x47 0x49 0x46 0x3c 0x3f 0x44 0x3f ,0x43 0x42 0x3b 0x3a 0x49 0x46 0x49 0x45 ,
0x49 0x47 0x42 0x42 0x3a 0x39 0x39 0x3d ,0x44 0x41 0x3e 0x36 0x48 0x49 0x47 0x47 ,
range:0x38 0x39 0x37 0x39 0x3a 0x39 0x3a 0x3a ,0x39 0x3a 0x3a 0x37 0x3a 0x39 0x3a 0x3b ,
0x36 0x35 0x32 0x38 0x35 0x37 0x31 0x38 ,0x37 0x39 0x37 0x35 0x38 0x3a 0x37 0x37 ,
the write training result:
DQS0:0x18, DQS1:0xa, DQS2:0x18, DQS3:0x5,
min :0x61 0x65 0x67 0x63 0x57 0x5a 0x5c 0x5e 0x5c ,0x53 0x50 0x4c 0x4a 0x58 0x55 0x54 0x56 0x4f ,
0x5f 0x5e 0x5a 0x59 0x51 0x4e 0x4f 0x55 0x55 ,0x4a 0x46 0x47 0x40 0x4f 0x4f 0x4b 0x54 0x47 ,
mid :0x7c 0x7f 0x81 0x7d 0x71 0x74 0x77 0x76 0x76 ,0x6d 0x6b 0x64 0x64 0x72 0x6f 0x6e 0x6e 0x69 ,
0x7a 0x7a 0x74 0x74 0x6c 0x69 0x6a 0x6f 0x70 ,0x65 0x61 0x60 0x5b 0x6b 0x6a 0x66 0x6d 0x61 ,
max :0x98 0x9a 0x9b 0x97 0x8b 0x8f 0x92 0x8f 0x90 ,0x88 0x86 0x7d 0x7e 0x8c 0x89 0x89 0x87 0x83 ,
0x96 0x96 0x8e 0x8f 0x87 0x84 0x85 0x89 0x8c ,0x81 0x7d 0x79 0x76 0x87 0x86 0x81 0x87 0x7c ,
range:0x37 0x35 0x34 0x34 0x34 0x35 0x36 0x31 0x34 ,0x35 0x36 0x31 0x34 0x34 0x34 0x35 0x31 0x34 ,
0x37 0x38 0x34 0x36 0x36 0x36 0x36 0x34 0x37 ,0x37 0x37 0x32 0x36 0x38 0x37 0x36 0x33 0x35 ,
CA Training result:
cs:0 min :0x49 0x46 0x40 0x3c 0x3e 0x37 0x43 ,0x49 0x43 0x3e 0x37 0x3e 0x37 0x43 ,
cs:0 mid :0x87 0x87 0x7c 0x7b 0x7a 0x77 0x6f ,0x87 0x83 0x7b 0x77 0x7a 0x78 0x70 ,
cs:0 max :0xc5 0xc8 0xb9 0xbb 0xb7 0xb8 0x9c ,0xc5 0xc4 0xb8 0xb7 0xb7 0xb9 0x9d ,
cs:0 range:0x7c 0x82 0x79 0x7f 0x79 0x81 0x59 ,0x7c 0x81 0x7a 0x80 0x79 0x82 0x5a ,
out
U-Boot SPL board init
U-Boot SPL 2017.09-armbian (Feb 17 2023 - 22:34:20)
unknown raw ID phN
unrecognized JEDEC id bytes: 00, 00, 00
Trying to boot from MMC2

Verified-boot: 0

Checking atf-1 0x00040000 … sha256(2f01bd8955…) + OK

Checking uboot 0x00a00000 … sha256(ab53d4f780…) + OK

Checking fdt 0x00b2ecd8 … sha256(4bdde2de3f…) + OK

Checking atf-2 0xfdcc9000 … sha256(f1fecab971…) + OK

Checking atf-3 0xfdcd0000 … sha256(d7aa45eb18…) + OK

Jumping to U-Boot(0x00a00000) via ARM Trusted Firmware(0x00040000)
Total: 237.160 ms

INFO: Preloader serial: 2
NOTICE: BL31: v2.3():v2.3-152-g4e725b15f:cl
NOTICE: BL31: Built : 10:51:13, Jul 15 2021
INFO: GICv3 without legacy support detected.
INFO: ARM GICv3 driver initialized in EL3
INFO: pmu v1 is valid
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[0].freq_mhz= 1560MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[1].freq_mhz= 324MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[2].freq_mhz= 528MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[3].freq_mhz= 780MHz
INFO: Using opteed sec cpu_context!
INFO: boot cpu mask: 0
INFO: BL31: Initializing runtime services
WARNING: No OPTEE provided by BL2 boot loader, Booting device without OPTEE initialization. SMC`s destined for OPTEE will return SMC_UNK
ERROR: Error initializing runtime service opteed_fast
INFO: BL31: Preparing for EL3 exit to normal world
INFO: Entry point address = 0xa00000
INFO: SPSR = 0x3c9

Now I am primarily a Windows man so am having a little trouble decyphering that lot but it seems to me to be not seeing the emmc module…what do you guys see? And does the emmc adapter need the 1v8 regulator?

OK… so got a little further, after removing my usb3 hub from the equasion I believe I have now managed to flash the emmc with the official Debian image via the maskrom route… but the boot from the emmc still fails with -

U-Boot 2017.09-armbian (Feb 17 2023 - 22:34:20 +0000)

Model: Radxa ROCK3 Model A
PreSerial: 2, raw, 0xfe660000
DRAM: 2 GiB
Sysmem: init
Relocation Offset: 7d349000
Relocation fdt: 7b9f69a0 - 7b9fecc8
CR: M/C/I
Using default environment

dwmmc@fe2b0000: 1, dwmmc@fe2c0000: 2, sdhci@fe310000: 0
Bootdev(atags): mmc 0
MMC0: HS200, 200Mhz
PartType: EFI
No misc partition
boot mode: None
FIT: No boot partition
No resource partition
No resource partition
Failed to load DTB, ret=-19
Failed to get kernel dtb, ret=-19
I2c0 speed: 100000Hz
vsel-gpios- not found! Error: -2
vdd_cpu init 900000 uV
PMIC: RK8090 (on=0x40, off=0x00)
vdd_logic init 900000 uV
vdd_gpu init 900000 uV
vdd_npu init 900000 uV
io-domain: OK
Model: Radxa ROCK3 Model A
DDR Version V1.10 20210810
In
ddrconfig:0
LPDDR4X, 324MHz
BW=32 Col=10 Bk=8 CS0 Row=16 CS=1 Die BW=16 Size=2048MB
tdqss: cs0 dqs0: -48ps, dqs1: -120ps, dqs2: -48ps, dqs3: -144ps,

change to: 324MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x63

change to: 528MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x58

change to: 780MHz
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:41%
dram drv:40,odt:0
clk skew:0x58

change to: 1560MHz(final freq)
PHY drv:clk:36,ca:36,DQ:29,odt:60
vrefinner:16%, vrefout:22%
dram drv:40,odt:80
vref_ca:00000071
clk skew:0x21
cs 0:
the read training result:
DQS0:0x34, DQS1:0x35, DQS2:0x35, DQS3:0x32,
min : 0xe 0xd 0x12 0xc 0x1 0x6 0x8 0x3 , 0xa 0x8 0x2 0x4 0xf 0xd 0xf 0xa ,
0x13 0x12 0x10 0xa 0x4 0x2 0x8 0x6 , 0xf 0x9 0x8 0x3 0x12 0x11 0x11 0x11 ,
mid :0x2a 0x29 0x2c 0x28 0x1e 0x22 0x25 0x20 ,0x26 0x25 0x1f 0x1f 0x2c 0x29 0x2c 0x27 ,
0x2e 0x2c 0x29 0x26 0x1f 0x1d 0x20 0x21 ,0x2a 0x25 0x23 0x1d 0x2e 0x2e 0x2c 0x2d ,
max :0x47 0x46 0x47 0x45 0x3b 0x3e 0x42 0x3e ,0x43 0x42 0x3c 0x3a 0x49 0x46 0x49 0x45 ,
0x49 0x47 0x42 0x42 0x3a 0x39 0x39 0x3d ,0x45 0x42 0x3f 0x38 0x4a 0x4b 0x48 0x49 ,
range:0x39 0x39 0x35 0x39 0x3a 0x38 0x3a 0x3b ,0x39 0x3a 0x3a 0x36 0x3a 0x39 0x3a 0x3b ,
0x36 0x35 0x32 0x38 0x36 0x37 0x31 0x37 ,0x36 0x39 0x37 0x35 0x38 0x3a 0x37 0x38 ,
the write training result:
DQS0:0x18, DQS1:0xa, DQS2:0x18, DQS3:0x5,
min :0x61 0x65 0x67 0x63 0x57 0x5a 0x5c 0x5e 0x5c ,0x53 0x51 0x4c 0x4b 0x59 0x56 0x54 0x56 0x4f ,
0x60 0x5e 0x5a 0x59 0x51 0x4f 0x50 0x56 0x55 ,0x4a 0x46 0x47 0x41 0x4f 0x50 0x4c 0x54 0x47 ,
mid :0x7c 0x7f 0x81 0x7d 0x71 0x74 0x77 0x76 0x76 ,0x6d 0x6b 0x64 0x64 0x73 0x6f 0x6e 0x6e 0x69 ,
0x7b 0x7a 0x74 0x74 0x6c 0x69 0x6a 0x6f 0x70 ,0x65 0x61 0x60 0x5c 0x6b 0x6b 0x66 0x6d 0x61 ,
max :0x97 0x9a 0x9b 0x98 0x8b 0x8f 0x92 0x8f 0x90 ,0x87 0x86 0x7d 0x7e 0x8d 0x89 0x89 0x87 0x83 ,
0x96 0x96 0x8e 0x8f 0x87 0x84 0x85 0x89 0x8c ,0x81 0x7d 0x79 0x77 0x87 0x87 0x81 0x87 0x7c ,
range:0x36 0x35 0x34 0x35 0x34 0x35 0x36 0x31 0x34 ,0x34 0x35 0x31 0x33 0x34 0x33 0x35 0x31 0x34 ,
0x36 0x38 0x34 0x36 0x36 0x35 0x35 0x33 0x37 ,0x37 0x37 0x32 0x36 0x38 0x37 0x35 0x33 0x35 ,
CA Training result:
cs:0 min :0x49 0x46 0x40 0x3c 0x3e 0x37 0x41 ,0x48 0x43 0x3c 0x37 0x3d 0x37 0x41 ,
cs:0 mid :0x86 0x86 0x7c 0x7b 0x7a 0x77 0x6e ,0x86 0x83 0x7a 0x77 0x7a 0x77 0x6f ,
cs:0 max :0xc4 0xc7 0xb9 0xbb 0xb7 0xb8 0x9b ,0xc4 0xc3 0xb8 0xb7 0xb8 0xb8 0x9d ,
cs:0 range:0x7b 0x81 0x79 0x7f 0x79 0x81 0x5a ,0x7c 0x80 0x7c 0x80 0x7b 0x81 0x5c ,
out
U-Boot SPL board init
U-Boot SPL 2017.09-armbian (Feb 17 2023 - 22:34:20)
unknown raw ID phN
unrecognized JEDEC id bytes: 00, 00, 00
Trying to boot from MMC2
MMC error: The cmd index is 1, ret is -110
Card did not respond to voltage select!
mmc_init: -95, time 9
spl: mmc init failed with error: -95
Trying to boot from MMC1

Verified-boot: 0

Checking atf-1 0x00040000 … sha256(2f01bd8955…) + OK

Checking uboot 0x00a00000 … sha256(ab53d4f780…) + OK

Checking fdt 0x00b2ecd8 … sha256(4bdde2de3f…) + OK

Checking atf-2 0xfdcc9000 … sha256(f1fecab971…) + OK

Checking atf-3 0xfdcd0000 … sha256(d7aa45eb18…) + OK

Jumping to U-Boot(0x00a00000) via ARM Trusted Firmware(0x00040000)
Total: 212.150 ms

INFO: Preloader serial: 2
NOTICE: BL31: v2.3():v2.3-152-g4e725b15f:cl
NOTICE: BL31: Built : 10:51:13, Jul 15 2021
INFO: GICv3 without legacy support detected.
INFO: ARM GICv3 driver initialized in EL3
INFO: pmu v1 is valid
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[0].freq_mhz= 1560MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[1].freq_mhz= 324MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[2].freq_mhz= 528MHz
INFO: dfs DDR fsp_param[3].freq_mhz= 780MHz
INFO: Using opteed sec cpu_context!
INFO: boot cpu mask: 0
INFO: BL31: Initializing runtime services
WARNING: No OPTEE provided by BL2 boot loader, Booting device without OPTEE initialization. SMC`s destined for OPTEE will return SMC_UNK
ERROR: Error initializing runtime service opteed_fast
INFO: BL31: Preparing for EL3 exit to normal world
INFO: Entry point address = 0xa00000
INFO: SPSR = 0x3c9

Suggestions anyone? clean ones anyway! :slight_smile:

Hi, @g7ocm

What image did you write to the eMMC / SD card?
What power adapter are you using?

You are on the right lines!.. I have discovered the problem - there was me thinking my bench power supply would have no problem with 5V@3A. As soon as I used a PD power supply all the problems vanished… apart from the rockpi emmc to usd adapter/reader which I suspect needs the 1v8 regulator.

So thanks for your input… problem solved!