25.5.0-trunk.185 no longer booting on Rock 4b

[gwolf2u]

After the upgrade to kernel version 6.12.18, RockPi 4b (and apparently C also) doesn't boot.

sudo apt show linux-image-current-rockchip64 -a
Package: linux-image-current-rockchip64
Version: 25.5.0-trunk.207
Priority: optional
Section: kernel
Source: linux-6.12.18
Maintainer: Armbian Linux <[email protected]>
Installed-Size: 277 MB
Provides: linux-image, linux-image-armbian, armbian-current
Armbian-Kernel-Version: 6.12.18
Armbian-Kernel-Version-Family: 6.12.18-current-rockchip64
Armbian-Original-Hash: 6.12.18-S105a-Da873-P8c5f-C1f18H02eb-HK01ba-Vc222-B9bbb-R448a
Download-Size: 48.6 MB
APT-Sources: https://beta.armbian.com bookworm/main arm64 Packages
Description: Armbian Linux current kernel image 6.12.18-current-rockchip64
 This package contains the Linux kernel, modules and corresponding other files.
 version "6.12.18" git revision "105a31925e2d17b766cebcff5d173f469e7b9e52" codename "Baby Opossum Posse" drivers hash "a873450a_2af55cb0" patches hash "8c5f8075ba952b40" .config hash "1f18a394d4cddb05" .config hook hash "02eb6b2bfb4dca2a" variables hash "c22207b66dc5dd57157df2cd7b9c20559b2ed8ac44b9c3c3b9704002c06b8921" framework bash hash "9bbbd4b74c282bc5"

6.12.17 is still good according to community

if more info needed, do let me know wrote this issue here also just to get more attention as I think on forum there's isn't much

[jdiggity81]

Can verify, rk3328 renegade pi not longer boots after apt-get upgrade.

[gwolf2u]

possible change fix in 6.12.19?

https://web.git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?h=linux-6.12.y&id=39e4a0b613bd4d577321b207bb333f6213e8af6b

@jdiggity81 do you recall if 6.12.19 was on your upgrade path?

[jdiggity81]

no it wasn't 6.12.17 was last working one

[jdiggity81]

still having this problem with 6.12.17 to 6.12.19 .

[gwolf2u]

still having this problem with 6.12.17 to 6.12.19 .

yeah should have updated that I did try it myself eventually and it still failed if you have the ability to send logs, please provide them in the forum here, as someone may be able to assist https://forum.armbian.com/topic/50377-latest-armbian-2550-trunk185-no-longer-booting-on-rock-4b/

[uablrek]

I think this is a similar problem as in #39. I.e. not a kernel problem, but a U-boot problem.

The community comment says that the HDMI remains blank, without even U-boot printouts, which is my symptom exactly, and indicates a u-boot problem rather than kernel problem.

Here are the supported rock4 configs in U-boot (version 2025.07):

configs/rock-4c-plus-rk3399_defconfig
configs/rock-4se-rk3399_defconfig
configs/rock-pi-4c-rk3399_defconfig
configs/rock-pi-4-rk3399_defconfig

So, no 4b. But if you think any of these is compatible, I can build a u-boot binary and upload is to my google disk as for 4se in #39.

Please, let me know if you want to test it.

[uablrek]

Actually, 4b may be compatible with 4se. If so, please go ahead and try the u-boot binary mentioned in #39.

[leggewie]

@gwolf2u @jdiggity81 does this work for you?

[gwolf2u]

I had not tried personally in my case issues was fixed with an update and didn't had any issues since - currently running v25.11 rolling with 6.12.44-current-rockchip64 https://forum.armbian.com/topic/50377-latest-armbian-2550-trunk185-no-longer-booting-on-rock-4b/#comment-215856

so will close this one

[leggewie]

thank you for reporting back