PINE64 - User contributions [en]

PinePhone Installation Instructions

2020-07-31T23:39:18Z

ElusivePine: Changed command to dd the image from the SD card to eMMC

This section has generic installation instructions. Please see the [[PinePhone Software Releases]] section for specific installation instructions for each distribution.

== Boot priority ==

The default PinePhone boot priority is first the SD card and then the eMMC so inserting your own SD card with your preferred release will result in the phone booting your image.

== Preparation of SD card ==

# Download your chosen image from the options below
# Extract the compressed file
# Write the image to your SD card
# Plug SD card into phone
# Boot phone

If you need step-by-step instructions for writing an image to an SD card, check [[NOOB#Step-by-Step_Instructions_to_Flashing_MicroSD_Cards|the NOOB guide]], then return to this page.

=== bmaptool ===
Download the .img.xz and the .img.bmap files, then run <code>bmaptool copy --bmap image.bmap image.xz /dev/sdX</code>. This takes 2.5mins to flash a 4Gb file.

=== dd ===
Make sure to select the correct device using <code>lsblk</code>. Then run dd with the correct device:

<code>sudo dd if=pine.img of=/dev/[DEVICE] bs=1M status=progress conv=fsync</code>

== Installation to eMMC (Optional) ==

=== Method Using Factory Installed Tools ===

The initial OS you get with your phone has the option to flash an image on SD card to eMMC.

# Copy (not flash) the image file to a formatted SD card.
# Insert SD card into powered-off phone.
# Turn on phone and select option to install to eMMC.

=== Safe & Easy Method ===

[https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9444 Jumpdrive thread]

# download and extract [https://github.com/dreemurrs-embedded/Jumpdrive/releases the Jumpdrive image]
# flash the Jumpdrive image to a SD card
# boot from the SD card
# connect the PinePhone to your computer using USB-A -> USB-C cable.
# flash the exposed (mounted) PinePhone drive with a chosen OS image as you'd flash any SD card, and resize partitions (optional, see below)
# disconnect the PinePhone from your PC, power it down and remove the Jumpdrive SD card
# boot into your OS of choice on eMMC

The Jumpdrive image is smaller than 50MB. You can keep an SD card specifically for using Jumpdrive, and there are 64MB micro SD cards sold cheaply that will suffice.

=== Safe With No Extra Tools, But Slower ===

# Prepare a formatted SD card, flash desired OS to the SD card, and (optionally) resize the partition (see below)
# Insert SD card and boot the phone
# Open terminal and <code>git clone [url]</code> your desired project OR: Open web browser and download the desired OS image file.
# Build the OS (Optional)
# Flash the resulting image file you got by downloading or by building, to eMMC, using <code>dd if=new-pinephone-image.img of=/dev/mmcblkY bs=1M status=progress</code> where X is the number label of the SD card, and Y is the number label of the eMMC. Use the command ''lsblk'' to check your devices: typically with the current kernel the SD card is /dev/mmcblk0 and the eMMC is /dev/mmcblk2 but as always with ''dd'' be extremely cautious to get the devices correct. Then, resize partition to fill up entire disk (see below).
# Turn off phone, remove SD card. Turn on phone.

=== Risky Method ===

Warning: This copies a mounted filesystem, which can lead to instability, erratic behavior, and data corruption. Do not use long term.

# Prepare a new SD card, flash desired OS to the SD card
# Boot the phone with your new SD card image
# Within the booted OS, flash/clone the running OS to eMMC, e.g. using dd. It will take about 15 minutes (depending on the speed of your card), and in the end it may show an error about not enough space - just ignore it.
# Turn off phone, take out SD card, and try booting the phone which should load up the new OS from eMMC.
# Open terminal and resize partition to fill up entire disk (see below).

== Resize partition to fit disk space ==

Once you've flashed the OS to your SD card or eMMC storage, you may also need to expand the partition to fill all the available space.

=== Resize SD card's partition using computer ===

For SD cards, insert the SD card and resize the partitions through the computer. For eMMC, insert the phone cable and use Jumpdrive to access the eMMC directly, and resize the partition after flashing the image. To do the flashing you have two options:

====Using Growpart: ====

Locate growpart (<code>apt-cache search growpart</code> and install the package in the search results) and run:
growpart /dev/mmcblkX Y
resize2fs /dev/mmcblkXpY
where X is the storage device and Y is the partition number (viewable from lsblk).

If you get any errors about missing or unknown commands, use apt-cache search to find and install the needed software. Also don't forget to use sudo.

====Using Parted: ====

Parted's interactive mode and resize work well together. Do this before you put your SD card into the PinePhone for the first time for best results.

sudo parted /dev/<your_sd_card_device>
(parted) resizepart 2 100%
(parted) quit
sudo resize /dev/<the_second_sd_card_PARTITION>

=== Resize from within PinePhone: ===

eMMC: you would need to resize the partition on eMMC (flashed with the operating system) by booting another image from the SD card: that way, the eMMC will be unmounted. It is '''not recommended''' to resize eMMC while booted from eMMC! Resizing a currently mounted partition can have weird results. If you booted from the SD card, you can follow the above guidelines on how to resize from a computer.

SD card: It is generally not possible to boot from eMMC to partition the unmounted SD card, because of the boot order -- you would have to write the image to the empty SD card first, then resize partition, all without rebooting. It is also '''not recommended''' to resize the SD card while booted from SD card! Resizing a currently mounted partition can have weird results.

== Reuse SD card for data storage on system booting from eMMC==
Once you have installed your release of choice to eMMC, you may wish to use an SD card for data storage. If you choose to re-use a card you have previously used to boot from, you will find your phone will not boot if you just reformat the card and insert it. This is because the Allwinner firmware in the PinePhone uses some (normally) unused space at the front of the SD card to store boot software, which you need to clear.

This can be done as follows on any linux system:
lsblk
to check the device of your SD card – as an example lets assume it is /dev/mmcblk0
then
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=8k seek=1 count=4
will clear the relevant sectors of your card.

PinePhone Updating Instructions

2020-07-14T20:31:02Z

ElusivePine: Added info about updating Mobian with a GUI

== Mobian ==
There is no need to regularly flash the newest images to your phone. You can use the pre-installed program "Software" or because Mobian is based on Debian you can open a terminal and use apt to keep the system updated. The following command will check for updates and install them:
$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
If some packages were held back, you can update them with:
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the update included changes related to the bootloader (e.g. a new kernel) run the following command:
$ sudo u-boot-install-pinephone

== Other OSs ==
Please add the information

PinePhone FAQ

2020-07-14T20:22:30Z

ElusivePine: Added link to information on how to update the Pinephone

A list of frequently asked question.

== Hardware ==

=== Revisions ===
==== What are Community Editions? ====
Community Editions of the PinePhone are special versions which comes preinstalled with the operating system of the partner project and features the logo of this project on the back panel. The Community Edition is intended to help partner projects developing these systems: "Community editions are meant to bring exposure to partner-projects operating systems and communities, as well as help finance ongoing development.", [https://www.pine64.org/2020/04/02/pinephone-ubports-community-edition-pre-orders-now-open/ source].

==== Is the Community Edition the latest revision? ====
Yes, it is! The Community Edition is the latest version of the PinePhone, featuring the version number 1.2. It's predecessor was the BraveHeart Edition intended for tinkerers and developers, which had the version number 1.1. For more details about the topic see [[PinePhone#Hardware Revisions]].

==== Will there be other Community Editions? ====
The UBports Community Edition is the first released Community Edition. Other Community Editions might follow, this however depends on multiple factors, including if the software is ready to be released on the consumer market.

==== In simple terms, what are the differences between BraveHeart and the new Community Edition? ====
The BraveHeart Edition was the revision intended for developers and tinkerers, while the Community Edition is the latest revision with an updated mainboard based on feedback for the BraveHeart Edition, see [[PinePhone#Hardware Revisions]].

==== Will there be a newer revision after the Community Edition? ====
That's unlikely for the near future (unless major issues are found in the latest revision). The Community Edition got certificates such as CE, repeating the certification process due to changes in the hardware design is very expensive, so the Community Edition(s) are viewed as the final revision.

The Community Edition (and parts for it) will be produced and sold for at least 5 years.

There are plans for a newer revision with updated hardware, which is however multiple years away (3-5 years).

==== Will there be hardware differences between the Community Editions? ====

No, only the logo on the back panel will differ.

=== Sound ===
=== Modem ===

==== The modem isn't working ====

In order to use the modem and WiFi/Bluetooth, you need to ensure the battery is inside the device and has a sufficient charge. Even when supplying the phone with enough power, the modem and WiFi chip will not work without a connected battery. Further, double check that you have no put the SD card into the sim card slot, or vice versa.

=== Battery ===

==== The battery is stuck inside the phone ====

The battery can be stuck in the phone if the screws of the frame are overtightened.

If your battery is stuck inside the PinePhone, grab a screw driver and completely unscrew all the screws of the midframe. Then pull out the battery (you may have to fully take off the midframe in some cases to get it out). And then rescrew the midframe, but only tighten the screws to the point where they are just barely tight to hold. This should allow you to remove the battery easily.

==== The battery is discharging while the phone is powered off (BraveHeart Edition) ====

The cause of this issue is currently investigated. The issue is not present on the Community Edition.

=== Kill Switches ===
==== What are the kill switches doing? ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Number
! Name
! Explanation
! Description
|-
| 1
| Modem
| Pulls Q1501 gate up (FET killing modem power)
| "On" enables 2G/3G/4G communication and GNSS hardware, "off" disables it.
|-
| 2
| WiFi / Bluetooth
| Pulls up CHIP_EN
| "On" enables WiFi and Bluetooth communication hardware, "off" disables it.
|-
| 3
| Microphone
| Breaks microphone bias voltage from the SoC
| "On" enables audio input from on-board microphones (not 3.5mm jack), "off" disables it.
|-
| 4
| Rear camera
| Pulls up PWDN on OV5640
| "On" enables the rear camera, "off" disables it.
|-
| 5
| Front camera
| Pulls up PWDN on GC2145
| "On" enables the front camera, "off" disables it.
|-
| 6
| Headphone
| Pulls up IN2 on analog switch BCT4717ETB
| "On" enables audio input and output via the 3.5mm audio jack, "off" switches the jack to hardware UART mode.
|}

=== Memory ===

==== What's the speed difference between the eMMC and SD cards? ====
Maximum transfer speed of the eMMC is around 85 MB/s, while SD cards are limited to approximately 23 MB/s (even with faster cards).

== Software ==

=== Installation ===

==== How can I install an operating system on the SD card / eMMC? ====

See [[PinePhone Installation Instructions]].

=== Updating ===

Read the [[PinePhone Updating Instructions]].

=== Booting ===

==== What's the boot order for SD cards and eMMC? ====

The PinePhone will automatically boot from microSD if a bootable card is inserted. If no (bootable) microSD is found, it will boot from eMMC.

==== How can I select different OSes at boot? ====

There is a project by Danct12 which allows the user to select different OSes at boot, the software is currently work-in-progress: https://github.com/dreemurrs-embedded/Pineloader.

=== Ubuntu Touch ===

==== Can I install a different OS on the Ubports Community Edition? ====

Yes! While the Community Edition comes with an OS preinstalled, you are free to use any OS on the integrated storage (the eMMC) or the SD card, see [[PinePhone Installation Instructions]] and [[PinePhone Software Releases]] on how to install them.

==== How can I enable SSH? ====

Run "sudo start ssh" to get a one-time start or edit /etc/init/ssh.override and remove the manual line to make it auto-start.

==== What works, what doesn't? ====

See https://gitlab.com/ubports/community-ports/pinephone#what-works-what-doesnt.

==== I did not install an update and I'm stuck on the Pine64 logo after rebooting. ====

# Use a USB A-C cable to plug your phone into your PC
# Hold the PinePhone's power button for 4 seconds or more to power it off.
# Wait 5 seconds
# Hold the Volume Up and Power buttons on the PinePhone to boot into recovery. You should see the LED light red, then yellow, then green. The "Installing update" screen will appear, but a progress bar to indicate update progress will not. Ignore the "Installing update" part.
# Your PC may automatically mount the PinePhone's partitions. If it does, Safely Remove or Eject all of them.
# Open a terminal on your PC. Type <code>telnet 172.16.42.1</code>
# You should receive the text 'Welcome to Rescue SD Shell!'
# In the new Rescue SD shell, type <code>umount /dev/mmcblk2p10; e2fsck -fy /dev/mmcblk2p10 && sync</code>
# Once this command pipeline finishes, type <code>sync && reboot -f</code>

Your PinePhone should reboot into Ubuntu Touch. Now head to Settings -> Updates and install the new update!

If these steps did not solve your issue, please create a new thread here on the Pine64 forums, note what the problem looks like, then say that you've tried these steps already.

This is caused by corruption on the userdata partition. Normally this should be fixed by 'e2fsck' in the initramfs, however an error in image creation means that that version of e2fsck is unable to correct corruption. This has been fixed in all new PinePhone updates, so if you update from the factory image to any other image available to the PinePhone now, you will not experience this issue any longer.

==== I turned on my PinePhone. The red LED is lit and it will not boot. ====
# Hold the power button until the light turns off
# Hold the power button until the light turns on

You may need to repeat these steps more than once.

This is caused by u-boot apparently trying to use the eMMC before it is ready. We are not entirely sure why this occurs yet.

==== I can't connect to a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi network. ====

Reboot your device by holding the power button until the "Power" dialog appears, then pressing "Restart".

If that does not fix the issue, note that all the following conditions must be met to use WiFi on the PinePhone:

# The plastic tab between the battery and the device's battery contacts has been removed
# The battery is installed
# The WiFi killswitch, #2, on the rear of the device is switched "ON"

Wi-Fi in the PinePhone only seems stable after a warm reboot like this.

==== I can't update or install packages through apt ====

<code>W: Problem unlinking the file /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/ports.ubuntu.com_ubuntu-ports_dists_xenial_InRelease - PrepareFiles (30: Read-only file system)</code>

Remount the root filesystem as read-write:

<code> phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ sudo mount -o remount,rw / </code>

Now you should be able to run updates and install new packages

=== Android ===

==== What's the status of Android for the PinePhone? ====

Currently, there isn't any major push to get Android running well on the PinePhone. The developer Icenowy did get a Android image to run and partly work, it was however slow and buggy, with major functions not working. A solution for running some of your android apps may be found in Anbox as of now. Anbox is currently not included in Ubuntu Touch.

==== Why are my apps loading slower than on my Android phone? ====

Android has multiple techniques in place to speed up launching applications after the first launch, such as the "Dalvik cache".

== Shipping ==
=== I did not receive an order confirmation ===
Check your "spam" folder. It was reported that some users did not receive an order confirmation. You will also still get a shipping notification when the device ships out, even if you didn't get a order confirmation email.

=== When does the phone ship? ===
For up-to-date information when the phone's shipping date is estimated, see the edits in this forum post: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9942.

=== It is shipping day but I did not receive a shipping notification ===
For shipments with DHL the shipping notification is sent out as soon as the packet reached DHL's warehouse and scanned (it can take up to 24 hours after scanning after the shipment is added to DHL's database). For all other shipments (via Ascendia) the notification is sent out sometime after shipment.

=== When does my phone ship if I order now? ===
Orders made after Friday, 22nd May 2020 are shipped after the first bulk of pre-orders has been shipped. The exact date is not known yet due to various reasons, it may be a few weeks after the first bulk shipped. [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9942 The forum] will be edited with updated information and you will receive a shipping notification when the device was shipped.

=== What about import taxes? ===
Import taxes have to be payed by the buyer depending on the jurisdiction of the country of the buyer. Please check with your local laws if there are import taxes to pay and if so how to do the tax filing.

== Accessories ==

=== Protection ===
==== Which screen protector should i use? ====

Protecting your screen is important, especially for devices like the PinePhone that doesn't have access to the newest glass technology.
The Braveheart Edition of the PinePhone comes with a plastic film screen protector installed, and Pine64 will [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=8458&pid=54024#pid54024 sell] this screen protector in their store.

There is also the possibility of getting a tempered glass screen protector, as the screen protectors for the iPhone 11 Pro Max/XS Max fit the PinePhone pretty well based on [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=8458&pid=65409#pid65409 this] forum post.

=== Batteries ===
==== I'm outside the US and want a replacement battery, which one should I buy? ====

Currently the PinePhone battery is known to be compatible with replacement batteries for the Samsung J700, specifically models "EB-BJ700BBC", "EB-BJ700BBE" and maybe "EB-BJ700CBE" are compatible. There is [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=8563&pid=55053#pid55053 a report] that model "EB-BJ700CBE" might be incompatible so it's probably safer to go with either the BBC or BBE models.

=== External hardware ===

==== Will Pine64 sell other addons made for the PinePhone? ====

Yes, currently there is a [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=8537&pid=55396#pid55396 keyboard case], [https://www.pine64.org/2020/05/15/may-update-pinetab-pre-orders-pinephone-qi-charging-more/ Qi wireless charging] and a [https://www.pine64.org/2020/05/15/may-update-pinetab-pre-orders-pinephone-qi-charging-more/ 5000mAh battery case] planned, these are the products Pine64 will make and sell for sure. Pine is also exploring other possibilities like a keyboard case in the style of a Nokia N900, an external battery charger and a gamepad, but these aren't really decided on yet.

==== Which 3rd party hardware can connect to my PinePhone? ====

See [[PinePhone Hardware Accessory Compatibility]].

PinePhone Updating Instructions

2020-07-14T20:18:51Z

ElusivePine: Created the page and added information on how to keep Mobian updated

== Mobian ==
There is no need to flash the newest images to your phone. Mobian is based on Debian so apt can be used to keep the system updated. The following command will check for updates and install them:
$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
If some packages were held back, you can update them with:
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the update included changes related to the bootloader (e.g. a new kernel) run the following command:
$ sudo u-boot-install-pinephone

== Other OSs ==
Please add the information

Cross-compiling

2020-07-13T21:34:26Z

ElusivePine: Added error section

The Pinephone's triple for cross-compiling is aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.

= Rust =
In order to cross-compile Rust applications for the Pinephone, you need to have a gcc cross-compiler installed and the Rust dependencies, usually the std crate, cross compiled for the target system. A more extensive explanation can be found on https://github.com/japaric/rust-cross. This instruction is based on it's description.

== Installing gcc cross-compiler ==
The cross-compiler might have a different name depending on the operating system. Further along this instruction the name for the gcc cross-compiler will be used. Replace all occurences of $gcc_name with the name on your distribution.
Under Arch Linux the cross-compilers name is aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc and it can be installed with:
$ sudo pacman -S aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc
Other distributions:
Please add

== Installing Rust dependencies ==

The necessary dependencies can easily be installed with rustup:
$ rustup target add aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
OR it can be installed with multirust [Is this still accurate???]:
$ multirust add-target nightly aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu

== Compiling ==

=== rustc ===

When using rustc just add the two flags --target=aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu and -C linker=$gcc_name. Under Arch, this would look like:
$ rustc --target=aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu -C linker=aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc main.rs

To test it, run the program on your Pinephone

$ scp main user@ipadress:/home/user/Downloads
$ ssh user@ipadress /home/user/Downloads/main
Hello, world!

=== cargo ===
To cross-compile a project with cargo, open the folder of the project in a terminal. Then create a new folder and a file for cargo.
$ mkdir .cargo
$ cat >.cargo/config <<EOF
> [target.aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu]
> linker = "$gcc_name"
> EOF
Then you can compile it with
$ cargo build --target=aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu

To test it, copy the file on your Pinephone
$ scp target/aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu/debug/main user@ipadress:/home/user/Downloads
Then you can execute it by
$ ssh user@ipadress ./main -h
Hello, world!

== Possible errors ==
If you encounter an error saying
Cross compilation detected. Use PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_CROSS=1 to override
just add that variable in front of your command e.g.
PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_CROSS=1 cargo build --target=aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu

Cross-compiling

2020-07-13T20:40:17Z

ElusivePine: Created a first start for cross-compiling Rust applications

PinePhone APN Settings

2020-06-25T14:45:17Z

ElusivePine: Sorted carriers alphabetically by their names and added Penny Mobil information

= Setting the APN =

The location of the APN setting depend on the user interface the distribution is using.

== Distributions with Phosh ==

APN settings are either located in <code>Settings > Mobile > Access Point Names</code> (pureOS, Debian + Phosh) or <code> Settings > Network > Network Dropdown > Add new connection</code> (pmOS, Fedora).



= List of tested carriers [alphabetical order] =

Disclaimer: Go to the websites of or speak to the customer support lines of those carriers which you want to use. No guarantees. This list is simply user-generated and serves to demonstrate examples of what worked for them. This list is not exhaustive, does not cover all possible carriers.

== AT&T-based (USA) ==

* AT&T
APN: phone

* Cricket
APN: phone '''OR''' ndo

== Mint Mobile (USA) ==

Call their customer service to activate using the number on their website, or activate on their [https://my.mintmobile.com/activation website]. You may also need to reboot your phone.

Use the following APN settings:

Name: Ultra
APN: Wholesale

Source: https://www.mintmobile.com/setup-for-android/

== Mobile Vikings (Belgium) ==

Name: Mobile Vikings
APN: web.be
Username: web
Password: web

Source: https://support.vikingco.com/hc/en-us/articles/202836041-I-don-t-have-any-mobile-internet-What-do-I-do-

== Penny Mobil (Germany) ==

APN settings:

name: Penny Mobil
APN: internet.t-mobile
username: t-mobile
password: tm

== Red Pocket (USA) ==

You can choose AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint network. Known to work with the GSMA (ATT) SIM, calls and SMS work.

APN settings:

name: Red Pocket
APN: RESELLER

== Tracfone (USA) ==

''BYOP SIM Card Kit'' works with T-Mobile and AT&T compatible SIM cards provided in BYOP kit.

Calls, SMS and 3G/4G data known to work with AT&T SIM (most likely works for T-Mobile as well).

Use the following APN settings:

Name: Tracfone
APN: RESELLER

== Virgin Mobile (Canada) ==

Settings might work with Bell Canada too since it is the same network. Calls, SMS and 4G data appear to be working fine. Note that SIM may well be nano-sim but pinephone is micro-sim and may require an adapter.

Name: Mobile Fast Web
APN: pda2.bell.ca
Username:
Password:

= Carriers That Do Not Work =

* FreedomPop (USA): VoIP-service. Customer service said they require Android 4.3+, and their free calling and texting works only with the Google Play app they make you use. So calls and texts don't work with non-smart phones and won't work with the PinePhone (even though it is a smart phone) because of software incompatibility. However, the data part still work if APN has been seen correctly set to fp.com.attz. You get 200MB free data per month. However, please watch out that you will get ding by $20 top up charge when over 200MB limit.

* VoLTE services like Sprint or Verizon

== External links ==

* See also https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9150