[HowTo] solve power on u-boot bug in NEXBOX MXQ PRO (s905)

elbuit · March 16, 2017 at 4:22 PM

Hi all.
I've a NEXBOX MXQ PRO that I brought last year but I haven't used until now. My box has a sticker "MXQ-S905 1G/8G" / "RTL8189 20160315" on the PCB.

These cheap boards have a well-known bug in uboot that prevents to power on the box from remote.

I've installed latest nexbox official firmware "cyx_MXQPro-NEXBOX_8189etv_8g1g_kodi_addons_160603_USB.rar" from Download latest Android Kitkat 4.4.2 stock firmware for Nexbox MXQ Pro TV Box - China Gadgets Reviews

With this firmware I managed to install libreelec on the NAND storage but the annoying power-on bug persists. This is a bad quality firmware not only for power-on bug, you can't go to recovery using the toothpick method.

I've found another firmware for "mxq pro 4k" (it adds 4K to the name) dated 02-12-2016 from here:
FIRMWARE: TV-Box MXQ PRO 4K con SoC S905 (02-12-2016) | AndroidPC.es
Download firmware link
This firmware solved the power-on bug!!

I was excited, because when I use this firm I can power off and even power on from libreelec and the recovery toothpick method worked!!!
Unfortunately I didn't manage to install properly libreelec to NAND using this firmware. Although "installtointernal" script works fine, I only get a blank screen on reboot. I tried with gxbb_p200_1G_100M.dtb, gxbb_p200_1G_mxq_pro_4k.dtb,gxbb_p200_1G_100M_RealtekWiFi.dtb and gxbb_p201.dtb (this last firm is for a p201 version).
I did a lot of tests without success. I could use libreelec from SD but not from NAND.

Then I found an amlogic tool that that allow me to edit images (Amlogic Customization Tool V2.0.8)

So I extracted "MXQ PRO 4K" image and copied "bootloader.partition", "ddr.usb" and "uboot.usb" from this last to the original nexbox image.

Then I burnt it using a home-made USB male to male cable to my box and It worked. I could go into recovery using toothpick method. That didn't work with standard NEXBOX firmware.

I managed to run libreelec fom SD. Power on from remote works well and the most important think is that libreelec installation to NAND worked.

I've uploaded the uboot modified firmware:
[cyx_MXQPro-NEXBOX_8189etv_8g1g_kodi_addons_160603_USB_uboot_mod_by_elbuit.img]

Install it using male-to male USB adapter and then install libreelec.

NEWS: djspawn have built a new version for NEXBOX-A95X that fix led behaviour:

Quote from djspawn

Hello everybody! I'm glad to inform, I fixed uBoot:

1. Turns on and off from the home remote with the native "Power" button (Android / AlexELEC / LibreELEC)
2. The LEDs-indicators (were "confused" in places) are fixed: the blue LED is on, the red LED is off.

Firmware(NEXBOX-A95X 8189etv 8g1g 160812 with uboot fix) and uBoot separately can be taken here: MEGA

----------Working devices--------------
-NEXBOX MXQ PRO
-Nexbox A95X S905

----------------Known issues:-------------
-The led behaviour is the oposite, when the box is turned off the blue led light is on. (This works properly on djspawn firmware mod)
-It takes about 20 seconds to boot libreelec (15 first seconds whithout any logo, black screen, I think that booting from SD is faster)
-It can't power on from "SUSPEND" using remote. (you must change hdmi-cec options in libreelec input devices to prevent this).

rafnold · March 17, 2017 at 4:36 PM

I tried this on my Nexbox A95X S905(not S905X) and it works. Really awesome! Thank you.

At first the power button didn't work. I had to use the study function to copy MXQ PRO's power button.

I used this easy to follow guide to flash the firmware(I forgot how to do it)
Guide

I didn't have a male-to-male usb cable so i used the KCX-017. It has a micro usb port so i used a phone cable to flash the nexbox.

"-The led behaviour is the oposite, when the box is turned off the blue led light is on."

This is also true for me, but i don't mind. It turns on and off with the remote and that's what i was looking for.

**kszaq** · March 17, 2017 at 4:43 PM

Very good find. I've always told you it's a firmware issue.

elbuit · March 17, 2017 at 9:31 PM

Quote from rafnold

I tried this on my Nexbox A95X S905(not S905X) and it works. Really awesome! Thank you.

At first the power button didn't work. I had to use the study function to copy MXQ PRO's power button.

I used this easy to follow guide to flash the firmware(I forgot how to do it)
Guide

I didn't have a male-to-male usb cable so i used the KCX-017. It has a micro usb port so i used a phone cable to flash the nexbox.

"-The led behaviour is the oposite, when the box is turned off the blue led light is on."

This is also true for me, but i don't mind. It turns on and off with the remote and that's what i was looking for.

Display More

There are good news.
I didn't expect that it worked in others devices.
As I've seen in these pictures the remotes are quite different.
I think that if you copy the "remote.conf" file from your original firmware, it could work.

These cheap buggy boxes are a pain in a neck.
[hr]

Quote from kszaq

Very good find. I've always told you it's a firmware issue.

You're right, I've tried changing uboot because I've read one of your posts here pointing u-boot as the main cause of this bug.

Those cheap boxes are very buggy but libreelec have solved that.
Thanks kszaq.

tonitiger · April 1, 2017 at 10:02 AM

Is this u-boot compatible to all amlogic boxes?
Or do we have to find a working one for each box individually?

elbuit · April 1, 2017 at 8:06 PM

I don't know if it's compatible for all s905 devices.
I've tested in my box.
I don't recommend you to test in a s805 or s905x.

thinke · April 3, 2017 at 2:52 PM

Quote from rafnold

I tried this on my Nexbox A95X S905(not S905X) and it works. Really awesome! Thank you.

At first the power button didn't work. I had to use the study function to copy MXQ PRO's power button.

What is the IR code that MXQ PRO is sending.

The method descripted here didn't help. Same problems.

ippon · April 19, 2017 at 9:35 PM

Great Job!

I tried it with my stupid Nexbox-A95-4K S905 box (no toothpic, no power on via remote or CEC). Everything works now with your method :
- toothpic works
- installtointernal works (and box runns from Nand)
- Dual Boot (sd/nand) works
- power on via remote works (without changing anything)
- power on via CEC works
- the led behaviour is the oposite
- startup takes about 10 seconds without any logo + 9 seconds to boot libreelec from a class10 SD Card
- startup takes about 20 seconds without any logo + 7 seconds to boot libreelec from Nand

I'd installed Libreelec 8.0.1g (with gxbb_p200_1G_100M.dtb).

-----------------------

The Android Update was a bit tricky. I found may different descriptions in the internet how to do it with the USB-Burning tool, but it never worked. the only way for my box was:

start USB Bruning Tool on a windows PC (I used version 2.0.5.15 on a windows 10 64bit)
Change Language to english
import Img File (cyx_MXQPro-NEXBOX_8189etv_8g1g_kodi_addons_160603_USB_uboot_mod.img)
Make settings (x:erease flash (normal erease), x:erease bootloader, x:reset after success, o:overwrite key (x means checked, o meeans unchecked))
click 'start'
connect TV-Box with USB Male – Male USB cable (don't use power-supply, you should conncet HDMI to see whats going on, only USB Port works – for my box USB4)
Update starts automatically after 1-2 seconds
wait until it's finished.
diconnect box from USB
now you can boot andriod

elbuit · April 21, 2017 at 6:04 PM

Quote from ippon

Great Job!

I tried it with my stupid Nexbox-A95-4K S905 box (no toothpic, no power on via remote or CEC). Everything works now with your method :
- toothpic works
- installtointernal works (and box runns from Nand)
- Dual Boot (sd/nand) works
- power on via remote works (without changing anything)
- power on via CEC works
- the led behaviour is the oposite
- startup takes about 10 seconds without any logo + 9 seconds to boot libreelec from a class10 SD Card
- startup takes about 20 seconds without any logo + 7 seconds to boot libreelec from Nand

[....]

Display More

I'm glad to hear that.

Our cheap nexbox had a crappy u-boot. It's a pitty the led behaviour but I prefer to wake up from remote or CEC .

troka · May 4, 2017 at 10:34 PM

Hello to all,
i have same box with same structure from 1.post.
After whole procedure my box nexbox mxq pro 1g8g with rtl 8189 not booting at all,only on screen boot logo s905
and it stay all time.Isit possible to get modified firmware for making alive my box???
I follow complete procedure with extracting bootloader ddr and uboot but same still only boot logo

elbuit · May 7, 2017 at 10:49 AM

Quote from troka

Hello to all,
i have same box with same structure from 1.post.
After whole procedure my box nexbox mxq pro 1g8g with rtl 8189 not booting at all,only on screen boot logo s905
and it stay all time.Isit possible to get modified firmware for making alive my box???
I follow complete procedure with extracting bootloader ddr and uboot but same still only boot logo

Hi troka.

Have you tried this rom using a USB male-to-male cable?
[cyx_MXQPro-NEXBOX_8189etv_8g1g_kodi_addons_160603_USB_uboot_mod_by_elbuit.img]

If we have the same version it should work properly.

You can revert you device to original firmware from here:
firmware-nexbox-mxq-pro.html

But be sure that you have that nexbox version, you might have other version.

djspawn · May 22, 2017 at 10:12 AM

Hello everybody! I'm glad to inform, I fixed uBoot:

1. Turns on and off from the home remote with the native "Power" button (Android / AlexELEC / LibreELEC)
2. The LEDs-indicators (were "confused" in places) are fixed: the blue LED is on, the red LED is off.

Firmware(NEXBOX-A95X 8189etv 8g1g 160812 with uboot fix) and uBoot separately can be taken here: MEGA

Add a link to the topic header

sYCO · May 22, 2017 at 10:37 AM

Quote from djspawn

Hello everybody! I'm glad to inform, I fixed uBoot:

1. Turns on and off from the home remote with the native "Power" button (Android / AlexELEC / LibreELEC)
2. The LEDs-indicators (were "confused" in places) are fixed: the blue LED is on, the red LED is off.

Firmware(NEXBOX-A95X 8189etv 8g1g 160812 with uboot fix) and uBoot separately can be taken here: MEGA

Add a link to the topic header

Sorry, what to download, exactly?

ubootfixed.zip or fip.zip or nexbox-a95x_8189etv....rar?

Can you write a short step-by-step tutorial what to do?

djspawn · May 22, 2017 at 10:51 AM

Quote from sYCO

Sorry, what to download, exactly?

ubootfixed.zip or fip.zip or nexbox-a95x_8189etv....rar?

Can you write a short step-by-step tutorial what to do?

NEXBOX-A95X_8189etv_8g1g_160812_uBootFix.rar - stock firmware with fixed uBoot
ubootfixed.zip - Just fixed uBoot for replacement in another firmware with the help of Customization tool
fip.zip - Compiled uBoot from source.

If you want just flash stock firmware with fixed uBoot - use NEXBOX-A95X_8189etv_8g1g_160812_uBootFix.rar and flash unpacked img file with USB Burning tool

sYCO · May 22, 2017 at 10:57 AM

Quote from djspawn

NEXBOX-A95X_8189etv_8g1g_160812_uBootFix.rar - stock firmware with fixed uBoot
ubootfixed.zip - Just fixed uBoot for replacement in another firmware with the help of Customization tool
fip.zip - Compiled uBoot from source.

If you want just flash stock firmware with fixed uBoot - use NEXBOX-A95X_8189etv_8g1g_160812_uBootFix.rar and flash unpacked img file with USB Burning tool

I am using Libreelec 8.0.1l on Nand on the Nexbox MXQ Pro 4K (S905, 1 GB/8 GB).

Is it possible to just exchange the uboot without the need of a new installation (whether Android nor Libreelec)? I guess, with the ubootfixed.zip and the customization tool, you mentioned.

Where do I get that customization tool and how to do that?

djspawn · May 22, 2017 at 11:48 AM

You have a A95X S905 TV Box?

This firmware for A95X S905 TV Box only!

elbuit · May 22, 2017 at 3:09 PM

Quote from djspawn

Hello everybody! I'm glad to inform, I fixed uBoot:

1. Turns on and off from the home remote with the native "Power" button (Android / AlexELEC / LibreELEC)
2. The LEDs-indicators (were "confused" in places) are fixed: the blue LED is on, the red LED is off.

Firmware(NEXBOX-A95X 8189etv 8g1g 160812 with uboot fix) and uBoot separately can be taken here: MEGA

Add a link to the topic header

Thanks djspawn.

I 've updated the first post and added this info.

sYCO · May 22, 2017 at 3:13 PM

Quote from djspawn

You have a A95X S905 TV Box?

This firmware for A95X S905 TV Box only!

Oh, shit, okay. I have the Nexbox MXQ Pro 4K
and I thought that uboot fix is for both boxes,
because the thread opener was talking about
a Nexbox MXQ Pro, too.