Reflashing in MASKROM mode for RockChip devices

IMPORTANT: users can perform further manipulations only at their own risk, and only if all other reflashing options can’t help.

This option can help if your device got soft or hard bricked. If you want try to reflash your device for the first time please check THIS article 

BEFORE START

What you need:

Image file

Host PC

USB OTG Cable

Supported host OS:  Windows XP (32/64bit) Windows 7 (32/64bit)  Windows 8 (32/64bit) Windows 10 (32/64bit)

The first thing you need is to download the archive with firmware. Inside archive, you find: 

BatchTool or Android Tool - tool for reflashing

DriverAssitant - tool to install drivers and firmware image file

Firmware image

All actions before reflashing are the same with the 

INSTALLING DRIVERS

 Launch RK DriverAssitant and press “Install Driver”.

Apply all changes and warnings during installation until finishing message

CONNECTING TO PC in MASKROM MODE

Maskrom mode is reflashing way, when you block reading data from NAND using hardware short circuit of NAND pins.

1.   Open device housing and detect NAND (is standalone chip with 48 pins on two sides) on PCBA. In some boxes you also need detached heatsink or cooler in order to reach NAND

2.   Place PCBA in front of you so you can clearly read NAND’s name and board number

3.   You should choose 6th-7th or 7th-8th pin from NAND bottom on the right side or 6th-7th or 7th-8th pin from first pin (first pin is marked on PCBA with a point or ) and circuit it during plugging to Host PC and powering on (check pin sequence for other devices very clearly)

Ugoos UM3 example

Ugoos UT3s example

Ugoos UT4 example

After circuit and attaching to host PC, Android tool will show you message in progress bar: Found one maskrom device.

Then start upgrade. The reflashing process should run several steps

You also can use Batch tool for this action. Device indication should turn blue instead of green for maskrom mode.

There are photos of several well spread NAND chips and circuit schemas:

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Comment(S) (10)

• Comment by hightech101 | 30.08.2020

  You have to uninstall all related rockchip drivers: ie rockusb,winusb,android adb etc. then get the driver assistant for rockchip and install the driver. you can also use the assistant to uninstall all drivers. the right driver is important. also if you short out your pins be very careful not to short circuit the wrong pins as this will not only erase your nand it will erase and disable all software and device recognition. yet for my rk3318 i had the same problem. i had to install the correct driver after uninstalling all others.i used the short-out pin method on a hk1 cool and had to re-solder all nand connections.this solved the problem and was able to flash my firmware backup.on most rockchip box the correct usb for flashing is the 2.0 (black) not the blue one. thank you.

• Comment by gulbis.dainis@gmail.com | Saturday, Sep 2 2017, 07:21PM

  Hello, I know, this is not yours product bu maybe you can help? I have A5X plus mini. And now it is bricked. I have only red power light. my PC dont recognise tv box anymore....

• Comment by Bruce | Thursday, Oct 26 2017, 02:52PM

  Hi, I flashed a wrong uboot.img into my 3288box, and it can't enter maskroom mode any more. The serial Terminal print some information like below: etry time exceeded; starting again missing environment variable: pxeuuid missing environment variable: bootfile Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/01-aa-47-a0-9f-65-83 Speed: 100, full duplex *** ERROR: `serverip' not set missing environment variable: bootfile Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00000000 Speed: 100, full duplex *** ERROR: `serverip' not set missing environment variable: bootfile Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0000000 Speed: 100, full duplex *** ERROR: `serverip' not set missing environment variable: bootfile BOOTP broadcast 13 BOOTP broadcast 14 BOOTP broadcast 15 BOOTP broadcast 16 BOOTP broadcast 17 Do you know how to solve this problem? Any help would bu much appreciated.

• Comment by Danya | Monday, Nov 27 2017, 02:45AM

  Hello, after a failed firmware computer does not see the box in this Board you can get something close? http://www.mediafire.com/view/7p1u89asu5y57pa/IMG_20171125_084630%5B1%5D.jpg

• Comment by erik | Friday, Mar 2 2018, 05:52PM

  i am curious about the names of connection points to circuit. i foud datasheet of my nand from sk hynix. if i should short circuit connection points on the left side, they have different names, on the right side they have different names. on the right side they are called i/o numbers 1 to 3. on the left side they are called r/e, s/e. because pin number 1 begins left upper side. i want to know the names of connecrion point which should be connected

• Comment by erik | Monday, Mar 5 2018, 01:04AM

  i managed to get into MASKROM-mode (connecting pin 8 and 9). flashed with rk android tool, got error about CAN'T LOAD THE LOADER. then stuck in an UNRECOGNIZED USB DEVICE in windows 10....whatever i do, i cannt exit this unrecognized-mode. or it is in maskrom-mode or in unrecognized-mode. no recovery or cwm modus. and the screen stays black.nothing flashing any light of screen. is it the time to use my tablet as a tray to serve coffee?

• Comment by Rupping | Wednesday, Mar 28 2018, 11:58AM

  Hi, I have a h96 max, which is dead. My computer running win 7 does not pick it up when I push the reset while inserting usb while running Factory tool. Could you please help me! Kind Regards, Rupping

• Comment by david Freyberger | Tuesday, Jun 12 2018, 07:28AM

  There was a update today but it fails

• Comment by Marcelo | Thursday, Jul 19 2018, 09:51PM

  Hello! I have a tvbox rk3229, and I'm having problems with it. before, it crashed into "prepare IDB start". after I made the short on pins 8 and 9 of the nand, it now fails to "download IDB start". I have to keep the short on pins 8 and 9 and do the whole procedure like that?

• Comment by jugeorgeouma@gmail.com | 14.09.2023

  please show this on h 96 max 4, 64 gb chipset