Run OpenELEC from micro-SD card

[futeko.com]

This method allows you to run the latest version of OpenELEC for MiniMX from micro-SD card without making any changes to your Android installation.

You'll need a 1GB or bigger micro-SD card.

With the micro-SD card inserted the MiniMX will boot to OpenELEC (including reboots). To get back to Android just remove the micro-SD card.

http://amlinuxmedia.com/forum/

Instructions:

1. Download this archive and extract the .img file it contains: http://www.mediafire.com/download/4lzc0xodu9jtp8a/OpenELEC-Amlogic.arm64-MiniMX-7.0-devel-20160311231246-r22293-g8448589.img.gz
2. Using an image writer app (e.g. for Windows: https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/) write the image to the micro-SD card. Note that this will erase all existing data on the micro-SD card.
3. Insert micro-SD card into MiniMX and supply power.
4. Box should boot to OpenELEC. It will continue to boot to OpenELEC without any need to press restore button as long as the micro-SD card is inserted.

*If you get to stage 4 and MiniMX does not boot into OpenELEC try booting with restore button on back pressed. It seems that sometimes the box requires this, maybe dependent on firmware you're booting from, to initialise SD-card boot.

To install OpenELEC fully on MiniMX (i.e. not requiring a micro-SD card to be continuously inserted) see here: http://www.futeko.com/newforum/index.php?topic=637.0

[Nice Monkey]

Great procedure in general. Could be done for any player. Really perfect for all players with a Full Size SD-Card. Micro-SD is a bit clumsy to change over.

Use a fast card for it!

Will it become available for Himedia Q5/Q10 or other platforms? Personally won't be using it, but some others may be interested to know.

[bubblegum57]

I like this. I would also be interested to know if in future this procedure could be implimented on the Q5/Q10 Pro

[jees125]

i cant get to openelec, it keeps starting from android. not sure where i can get wrong. Using toothpick to recovery menu while sd card inserted, should i pick update from ext or just select reboot system?

[futeko.com]

i cant get to openelec, it keeps starting from android. not sure where i can get wrong. Using toothpick to recovery menu while sd card inserted, should i pick update from ext or just select reboot system?

I've corrected the instructions.

There's no need to press the restore button.

Just write the image to the micro-SD card as described, insert the card into MiniMX, and turn the box on. It will boot to OpenELEC.

[jees125]

now i stuck in Bear welcome screen logo while sdcard inserted. i can boot to android if sdcard removed. If i put it back, stuck again in welcome screen logo. so confusing

[futeko.com]

now i stuck in Bear welcome screen logo while sdcard inserted. i can boot to android if sdcard removed. If i put it back, stuck again in welcome screen logo. so confusing

If you're stuck on the bear screen then there's something wrong with the micro-SD card OpenELEC image. The MiniMX isn't rcognising it as bootable.

I suggest starting from scratch writing the image to the micro-SD card. What image writer app did you use?

[Nice Monkey]

I don't see the requirement on format of the SD-Card: Fat32 (probably required?)  but exFAT and above all NTFS are commonly used as well.
Maybe this is the problem?

[futeko.com]

I don't see the requirement on format of the SD-Card: Fat32 (probably required?)  but exFAT and above all NTFS are commonly used as well.
Maybe this is the problem?

It doesn't matter because you're writing an image to the micro-SD card.

So it will entirely erase everything on the micro-SD card including partitions and format.

I suspect the problem above is related to how the image was written to the micro-SD card. Either it was copied and an image writer wasn't used or the writer was setup incorrectly. Writing an image using an image writer will be unfamiliar to most people.

[Nice Monkey]

I suspect the problem above is related to how the image was written to the micro-SD card. Either it was copied and an image writer wasn't used or the writer was setup incorrectly. Writing an image using an image writer will be unfamiliar to most people.

Got it. Missed that detail totally. A few comments:
- I would replace "image" with "Partition Image clone" as image is being used for many types of content.
- A big warning that using this procedure will change the SD-Card to a specific format and probably needs to be reformatted again if used later for another general purpose. Using an obsolete small(er) SD-Card as dedicated resource is probably the best way to go.

[jees125]

download the link from u or amlinuxmedia approx >300mb
sd card class 10 32gb (new)
format sdcard using sdcard formatted
extract the image (tr.gz) using 7zip and write the image using win32 (link u gaveus) or rufus
the process makes sdcard partition about 500mb
does this procedure correct?

[hicham2u]

Hi,

i did all the steps ( including using the win32diskimager to write image to sdcard on windows10)  but it still boot to android. i have minimx with the 105l firmware. any help please

[futeko.com]

It sounds like you're both doing the process correctly.

Very strange that it's not working. I used Linux 'USB Image Writer', but it shouldn't make any difference. I've had it working it on 105L firmware boxes.

Perhaps try a different micro-SD card.

If that doesn't work then I'll try and have a look at what else it might be over the Easter weekend.

[Koxx]

it's weird ... I have the same issue.

I tried to write the image on a Sandisk microsd with rufus and win32image.

Same result : it boots on Android.

I have firmware 105.

[hicham2u]

HI,

from android i launched update & restore, i choosed a zip file and clicked on update, after the reboot, i choosed to reboot on bootloader.  after that the arlinuxmedia launched but i have a message "ssh: can't access tty; job control turned off".

i re-writed the sdcard and now openelec is working great without the ssh error. thank's  for

=>i guess entering the bootloader has made the box able to boot into openelec from SDCARD.

edit => after updating from 105l to 106l, i lost the capability of runing openelec from SDcard.  i had to reboot on bootloader to reactivate it.