Banana Pi Firmware and Tools

Banana Pi firmware and utility tools

Summary

This page provides download links and guidance for firmware components and utility tools used to manage the LeMaker Banana Pi. Firmware packages include the U-Boot bootloader, script.bin hardware configuration files, and Linux kernel updates. Utility tools cover SD card preparation, image writing, and board recovery workflows. All packages should be verified against published checksums before use.

Who This Is For

This guide is aimed at intermediate and advanced Banana Pi users who need to update low-level firmware, customise hardware configuration, or recover a board that no longer boots from its existing image. A working knowledge of bootloaders, device trees, and command-line flashing tools is recommended. Beginners looking for a simple OS installation should start with the system images page instead.

Download and Verification Guidance

The following firmware and tool packages are available for the Banana Pi:

  • U-Boot bootloader: Pre-compiled U-Boot binaries for the Allwinner A20 SoC. Used to initialise hardware and load the Linux kernel from the SD card or NAND storage.
  • script.bin / FEX files: Hardware configuration files that define pin multiplexing, display output, memory timing, and peripheral settings. Edit the FEX source and recompile to script.bin using the fex2bin tool.
  • Linux kernel packages: Pre-built kernel images and module sets. Match the kernel version to your root filesystem to avoid module incompatibilities.
  • PhoenixCard: An Allwinner utility for writing Android and Linux images to SD cards in either card-boot or NAND-flash mode. Windows only.
  • Win32DiskImager: A lightweight Windows tool for writing raw .img files to removable media.
  • SD Card Formatter: Official SD Association formatting utility. Use this to fully erase and reformat SD cards before writing a new image.

After downloading any package, verify its SHA-256 checksum:

sha256sum u-boot-banana-pi.bin

Compare the result with the checksum published alongside the download link. Discard and re-download any file where the checksum does not match. Store verified firmware files in a clearly labelled directory to prevent accidental use of outdated versions.

Flash Checklist

  • Back up any existing data on the target SD card or NAND storage before proceeding.
  • Ensure you are flashing the correct firmware variant for the Banana Pi (A20), not for the Banana Pro or other models.
  • Write U-Boot to the correct offset on the SD card (typically sector 8 for Allwinner A20 devices) using dd.
  • Place the updated script.bin and kernel image in the boot partition.
  • Safely eject the card and insert it into the board with power disconnected.

First Boot Verification

Connect a serial console (115200 baud, 8N1) to the Banana Pi debug header to observe U-Boot output during power-on. Verify the U-Boot version string matches the firmware you flashed. Watch for successful kernel decompression and root filesystem mount messages. If the boot halts at the U-Boot prompt, check that the kernel filename and load address in the boot script match the files on your boot partition.

Troubleshooting

  • U-Boot does not start: Confirm the binary was written to the correct SD card offset. Re-flash using dd if=u-boot.bin of=/dev/sdX bs=1024 seek=8.
  • Kernel fails to load: Verify that the kernel image filename in boot.scr or uEnv.txt matches the actual file on the boot partition.
  • Display not working after script.bin change: Revert to the original script.bin and verify your FEX edits against the Banana Pi FEX configuration reference in the wiki.
  • PhoenixCard reports write failure: Run the application as Administrator. Try a different SD card reader or USB port.

Related Guides

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10