Image Flashing

This chapter covers how to flash a system image onto the M5-182X-A1: first install the RK USB driver, then use the RKDevTool upgrade tool to flash update.img.

Preparation: RK USB driver + RKDevTool upgrade tool + update.img image
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PC USB  ←dual-male USB cable→  Board OTG USB
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Hold the Uboot button + connect 5V power
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Upgrade tool detects the LQADER device (Maskrom / Loader mode)
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Select update.img → click Upgrade
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Flashing complete → wait 10s → device reboots automatically
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RK3588 desktop appears on the HDMI / MIPI display

1. RK USB Driver Installation

The driver must be installed before flashing, otherwise the upgrade tool cannot detect the device.

Driver location: 01-开发资料(百度云盘)\02-软件工具\RK3588底板刷机工具\3588刷机工具.zip

1.1 Steps

1. Open 3588最新驱动安装 (3588 latest driver installer)
2. Double-click DriverInstall.exe
3. Follow the wizard to complete the driver installation

2. Using the RK Upgrade Tool

RKDevTool is Rockchip's official flashing tool, Windows version.

Tool location: 01-开发资料(百度云盘)\02-软件工具\RK3588底板刷机工具\3588刷机工具.zip

The upgrade tool is iterated and updated from time to time; it is recommended to use the version provided in the resource package.

2.1 Prepare the Image

Image location: 01-开发资料(百度云盘)\01-系统镜像\RK3588固件-debian\smdt_3588A__20260527_132645.img

2.2 Enter Loader / Maskrom Mode

There are two ways to put the RK3588 into flashing mode:

Mode	How to Trigger	Purpose
Loader	Hold the Uboot button before power-on	For normal flashing (recommended)
Maskrom	Short EMMC_CLK/D0 to enter	Brick recovery (when Loader is damaged)

Steps (Loader mode, recommended):

1. Use a dual-male USB cable: one end to the PC USB port, the other to the board's OTG-USB port
2. Press and hold the Uboot button
3. Plug in the 5V power adapter
4. The upgrade tool shows "发现一个 LQADER 设备" (One LQADER device found)
5. Release the Uboot button

You must use a dual-male USB cable (USB-A plugs on both ends); an ordinary USB data cable will not work.

2.3 Flashing Steps

1. Double-click RKDevTool.exe to run the upgrade tool
2. Switch to the "升级固件" (Upgrade Firmware) tab
3. Click the "固件" (Firmware) button → select update.img
4. Click the "升级" (Upgrade) button
5. Wait for the progress bar to finish
6. After flashing completes, wait about 10 seconds → the device reboots automatically
7. The system desktop shows on the HDMI / MIPI display → flashing done

2.4 Flashing Parameters (Usually No Need to Change)

Parameter	Default	When to Change
Flashing mode	Loader	Switch to Maskrom when Loader is damaged
Flashing address	Auto	Change for manual partition flashing
Verification	Enabled	Turning it off is faster but unsafe

3. Verify the Flashing Result

After flashing completes:

# SSH into the board (default user linaro)
ssh linaro@<board-ip>

# Check kernel boot log
dmesg | head -30

# Check system info
cat /etc/os-release
uname -a

Check Item	Command	Expected
Kernel	uname -r	6.1.x
System	cat /etc/os-release	Debian 12 bookworm
Architecture	uname -m	aarch64
RK182X device	ls /dev/pcie-rkep-*	/dev/pcie-rkep-<BDF>

4. Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Upgrade tool cannot find LQADER device	Driver not installed / wrong USB cable / Uboot button not held	Reinstall driver + use dual-male USB cable + hold Uboot again
Error during flashing	Corrupted image / poor USB contact	Re-download image + re-plug
Device fails to boot after flashing	Image version mismatch / partition table corrupted	Retry flashing in Maskrom mode
Upgrade tool version incompatible	Tool too old / too new	Use the recommended version v2.84 from the resource package
Flashing succeeds but no HDMI output	Resolution mismatch / display cable not connected	Change display / check MIPI / HDMI cable

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5. Next Steps

• Hardware Installation & Verification → — card installation + health check
• Environment Setup → — toolchain + firmware + SDK
• Product Introduction → — product overview / use cases
• Hardware Specifications → — board specs / interface definitions