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Installing Operating System

Obtaining Image

Note

Image Naming Convention: update-t113-s3-kickpi-k4b-buildroot-nand-lvds-7-1024-600-2025102313.img
update: Refers to the complete image package.
t113-s3-kickpi-k4b: Main control model is t113-s3, hardware board type is Kickpi-K4b.
buildroot: File system is Buildroot.
NAND: Storage medium is NAND.
lvds-7-1024-600: 7-inch LVDS display with a resolution of 1024*600.
2025102313.img: Image output date.

Obtain Kickpi K4B image files from OneDrive.

├── 2-Image
│   └── K4B
│       ├── EMMC
│       │   ├── Buildroot201902
│       │   └── Ubuntu2004
│       └── NAND
│           ├── Buildroot201902
│           │   ├── update-t113-s3-kickpi-k4b-buildroot-nand-lvds-7-1024-600-2025102313.img
│           └── Ubuntu2004

SD Card Installation

K4B has a SD card slot ( microSD aka. TransFlash or TF ) which can also serves as a bootable device. In K4B's boot sequence, SD card has higher priority, so K4B always try to boot from SD card first, when no one mounted, K4B then boot from on-board eMMC / NAND. Since SoC vendor's official Tools use terminology SD(microSD) instead of TF, so we use SD card in this context, TF and SD means the same thing.

With SoC vendor's tool, we can make 2 types of booting card. SD Boot Card works like a portable edition OS, e.g. windows PE. We use SD Boot Card to power device for some maintain and fix purpose. also can be used to verify your own customization. the second type is SD installation card. you create this kind of booting card when you try to use it to install new Image into on-board eMMC / NAND. it contains a specific script to create partition, format FS, copy files to eMMC / NAND. Make sure you understand what you need and create the right SD card.

Preparation

Note

Supported SD card filesystem formats: exfat, NTFS
SD Boot Card (SD Boot): Contains bootloader and complete system image, supports device booting directly from microSD card, used in scenarios like eMMC, dev debugging.
SD Installation Card (Upgrade Firmware): Stores firmware image and installation script, used to install or upgrade firmware to the device's on-board storage (e.g., eMMC).

  • Hardware: Windows PC/laptop, USB TYPE-C cable(some cheap TYPE-C cable only provide current, make sure use the one capable of data exchange). some users reported when using double male TYPE-C to TYPE-C cable, installation failed sometimes, when switch to double male USB TYPE-A to TYPE-C, it's ok.

  • Software: Installing tool PhoenixCard, image.

SD Boot Card

Note

The SD Boot Card is classified as an eMMC device. When booting the system from the SD Boot Card on eMMC/NAND motherboards, please select the image from the eMMC folder in the cloud drive for flashing.

1. Navigate to the PhoenixCard extracted folder and launch PhoenixCard.

image-20260127110048175

2. Follow the steps shown in the diagram to flash the downloaded image onto the SD card.

Note

During the operation, if PhoenixCard prompts to format the SD card, confirm the formatting.
The display must be used with the corresponding image. If you have equipped K4B with a 10-inch MIPI/LVDS display, please select the image named update-t113-s3-kickpi-k4b-***-EMMC-mipi-10-800-1280-v2-202*.img.

image-20260204143947576

3. The SD boot card is created successfully.

image-20260204144222535

4. Power off the board, insert the SD Boot Card into the TF card slot of the board, and reconnect the power supply. Since K4B runs a headless system, the startup is successful if the monitor displays the LOGO normally.

Success

The green LED remains lit, and the blue LED blinks continuously (the blue LED will not light up immediately, please wait patiently).

SD Installation Card

Note

When installing the system from an SD card on an eMMC motherboard, select the image from the eMMC folder in the cloud drive for flashing.
When installing the system from an SD card on a NAND motherboard, select the image from the NAND folder in the cloud drive for flashing.

1. Navigate to the PhoenixCard extracted folder and launch PhoenixCard.

image-20260127110048175

2. Follow the steps shown in the diagram to flash the downloaded image onto the SD card.

Note

During the operation, if PhoenixCard prompts to format the SD card, confirm the formatting.
When installing the system from an SD card on an eMMC motherboard, select the image from the eMMC folder in the cloud drive for flashing.
When installing the system from an SD card on a NAND motherboard, select the image from the NAND folder in the cloud drive for flashing.

image-20260204150724457

3. The SD installation card is created successfully.

image-20260204151039533

4. Power off the board, insert the SD Installation Card into the TF card slot of the board, and power on the device again. Wait for the installation to complete. Since K4B runs a headless system, only the LOGO will be displayed on the monitor.

Success

A progress bar will be displayed on the monitor during installation. When the installation is complete, the green LED and blue LED will remain steady on. Power off the board, remove the SD card, power on the board again, and wait for the system to restart.

USB Installation

Preparation

Steps

1. Connect the computer using a USB A-to-C flashing cable. The board enters the Installation Mode,the green LED stays on.

Note

Installation Mode:
When the motherboard is powered off, press and hold the FEL button on the back of the motherboard, insert the USB flashing cable and connect it to the computer. When the flashing tool detects the device, it is considered to have entered the installation mode, and you can release the FEL button.
When the motherboard is powered on, insert the USB flashing cable, press and hold the FEL button on the back of the motherboard, then press the RST button briefly. When the flashing tool detects the device, it is considered to have entered the installation mode, and you can release the FEL button.

image-20260205141639509

2. Install driver, connect the computer via a USB A - to - C cable, open the computer's Device Manager, and follow the operations shown in the diagram.

Tip

Driver folder path: PhoenixSuit/Drivers/AW_Driver/

3. Open PhoenixSuit from the extracted folder in Administrator mode.

4. In the installing software, click "firmware" to select the image to be install (do not click "Upgrade").

Note

For the K4B eMMC version, please select the image from the eMMC folder in the cloud drive for flashing.
For the K4B NAND version, please select the image from the NAND folder in the cloud drive for flashing.

5. Re-enter the installing mode on the development board, connect the USB, and when the software displays the screen as shown below, click "Yes" to start installing. Simply wait for the installing to complete successfully.

Note

Installation Mode:
When the motherboard is powered off, press and hold the FEL button on the back of the motherboard, then insert the USB flashing cable to connect to the computer. Once the flashing tool detects the device (indicating entry into installation mode), release the FEL button.
When the motherboard is powered on, insert the USB flashing cable, press and hold the FEL button on the back of the motherboard, then press the RST button briefly. Once the flashing tool detects the device (indicating entry into installation mode), release the FEL button.

6. Once the image is installed successfully, the board will restart automatically.

Success

The green LED is steady on, and the blue LED is flashing continuously. (Note: The blue LED will not light up immediately; please wait patiently.)

Q&A

  • Image Boot Priority?

When systems exist simultaneously on both the mainboard's eMMC and the SD card, upon power-up, the development board will prioritize booting from the system on the SD card.