DEV Community

Cover image for Reviving the Remix Mini PC: A Guide to Running ARM-based OS Images
Matt Miller
Matt Miller

Posted on • Edited on

Reviving the Remix Mini PC: A Guide to Running ARM-based OS Images

Disclaimer

Installing a non-official operating system on the Remix Mini PC is done at your own risk. This process may void your warranty, and there is a potential for hardware or software damage. The author of this guide assumes no responsibility for any issues, malfunctions, or damages that may occur as a result of following these instructions. Proceed with caution and ensure you understand the risks before attempting any modifications!

I'm also using Linux (Ubuntu 22.04), so this guide is based on that distro, just as a reminder.

Introduction

Image description

The Remix Mini PC was an ambitious project that promised to deliver a compact and efficient desktop experience powered by Android. However, as time passed, official support dwindled, leaving many owners of the Remix Mini wondering how to make better use of the device.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to breathe new life into the Remix Mini PC by running an ARM-based operating system (OS) on it. Despite being a closed product with limited options for modification, it's possible to overcome these challenges and unlock its full potential. We’ll also reference discussions and guides from platforms like Reddit to provide a comprehensive roadmap for enthusiasts.

My aim is to use this device as a Pasbperry PI 3. RPI3 has a similar resource which is capable for running a Linux based environment like Raspbian which is a Debian based OS. For a private git server or web service or even as an office use I think it would fit in. Such a waste to have it just roasted in the bin after all these years.

Image description

Challenges of Running an OS on Remix Mini

The Remix Mini PC was designed with a locked-down ecosystem in mind. Its proprietary firmware and closed bootloader make it difficult to install or boot alternative operating systems. Additionally, there’s limited technical documentation available, which has led to fragmented discussions across various online communities.

Despite these hurdles, the Remix Mini’s hardware is still capable of running modern ARM-based OS images, such as Debian, Pine, or Raspbian. By leveraging the collective knowledge of online forums and a bit of technical ingenuity, we can overcome these limitations.

What is the current status?

Image description

Well, at the moment I'm using the device's FEL mode, which is an OTG connection (male-to-male). In this particular method, the device is able to side-load another uBoot file, which in this case is a modified one.

  • There are some cases where the device may not read or scan the SD card slot the first time during the uBoot side-load!

The image itself is already set up and working with the device's hardware, such as the wifi module or plug-and-play gadgets.

What You’ll Need

  • Remix Mini PC: Ensure you’re using the RM1G or RM2G version

  • (optional and also another story) CP2102 Module: A USB-to-UART bridge for debugging and accessing the device’s bootloader + UART Communication Software: Such as PuTTY or Minicom

  • OTG connection like male-to-male cable - link

  • sunxi-tools package onto your machine - link

  • An 8gb micro SDcard

  • a flashing tool like "dd" - link

  • A modified version of uBoot (uboot u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin) because the default in Remix Mini PC has a delimited version - link

  • A modified armbian image - link

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Install the sunxi tools (from GitHub) on your machine
  2. Download the u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin.bin and ArmBian image
  3. Flash the ArmBian image to the micro SDcard
  4. Put the flashed SDcard into the sd card slot of your Remix Mini PC
  5. Open up your terminal and locate the u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin.bin file
  6. Type the following sunxi-fel uboot u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin - but DO NOT! hit the enter
  7. On your Remix Mini PC hold down the reset button while you power up the device and hold it like appr 5-8 ms and then release it
  8. In the meanwhile at that open terminal hit the enter button

..the system will side load the uBoot bin file and initiate the sequence which will load mmc 0 which is the SDcard from your Remix Mini PC. The image will be written into the RAM of the device and the system will boot up. If everything goes well you will see the login screen with a given profile of Matt. Hit enter and type kolbas as a password (sudo pw too)

Image description

Image description

Image description

Open-source project

If you guys are interested in this project (any further) I can make a video of this current state and/or a better detailed tutorial - just leave a comment then.

The ultimate goal of this, is to make it fully functional as a Raspberry Pi 3.

Conclusion

Repurposing the Remix Mini PC is a rewarding journey that combines technical challenges with the satisfaction of unlocking a device’s full potential. By following this guide and utilizing the wealth of knowledge from online communities, you can transform your Remix Mini into a versatile platform for running ARM-based operating systems.

Have you tried similar modifications or have insights to share? Let’s discuss in the comments or collaborate on refining the process further!


Enjoying the content? If you'd like to support my work and keep the ideas flowing, consider buying me a coffee! Your support means the world to me!

Buy Me A Coffee

Top comments (10)

Collapse
 
yyyr_p profile image
yyyr

Thanks for your excellent work! I recently found my Remix Mini in corner btw, searching for ROM. Is there something like GitHub links for contributing this? Happy to see community still alive, I love armbian

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

🔧 Contributions are welcome! Check out the repo and get involved.

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

I'm also working on that. I'm in the process of building a new one from the ground up. I'll share updates from that. Stay tuned

Collapse
 
martintenbones profile image
John Tiffin

I've just dug mine out as well. I'm not to savvy with these things, however, I am hoping that this will become useful again.

I've subscribed here. Is there any other ways to keep up to date with it?

Thanks for the work you've put into it already!

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

Hi John! Thank you for your interest. Well, I started to get this project online with a GitHub repo. If you have a profile you can also follow it there. On the other hand, I will be making a new post about the updates, and I am also thinking about making a video of the process. For a while now I've been working on another custom bootloader that will be able to completely erase the internal memory of the Remix Mini (against the firmware lock).

github.com/r4nd3l/revived_remix_mi...

Collapse
 
leokryssen profile image
LeoKryssen

Hi ! I followed your amazing tutorial to revive the Remix Mini. I managed to boot up the img, but have you found a way to install it on the emmc storage ? I tried several ways but haven't found one working.
I would be glad to hear if you found one !
And thank's again for the work, I was looking for some time to reuse that device

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

Hi LeoKryssen! It's great to hear from you, and I'm glad to see other remix users are still around! :D

You raised an excellent question. Currently, I'm at a bit of a challenging stage, as I've hit a roadblock. However, I plan to spend some time tomorrow delving deeper into the firmware and the uBoot connection.

So far, I've discovered that it's possible to "blacklist" the eMMC, which means the OS won't show up in the Disks or lsblk commands. This is a positive development, as it effectively "detaches" the eMMC from the running processes. This could potentially lead to the ability to format the eMMC from within the system. However, I have some concerns that the firmware may not permit this. Nevertheless, there's always a workaround to explore!

I will definitely continue with the project! Since I started discussing this "solution" involving the firmware exploration method, several of my friends have expressed interest as well. As a result, I expect to have more devices coming to my desk soon. So, stay tuned for updates!

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

By the way, I'm still puzzling over the internal memory. I'm working on another (alpine-based) custom kernel to be able to erase the eMMC, which is a bit of a pain as it's locked by default. But hopefully some memory hack will do the work and make the table corrupt to go further. As soon as I have a working version I will post it and maybe create a GitHub repo to make it more public and open source.

may sudo be with you

Image description

Collapse
 
docofkult profile image
Steen Rasmussen

I stumbled upon my Remix Mini when cleaning out old stuff and found this post when searching for information on what can be done with the device today. So first of all thanks for your efforts! Second, was are the differences between RM1G or RM2G? I assumed it was the amount of RAM. I see that I backed for a 2GB device on Kickstarter back then but the device I have is the RM1G. Initially, I thought I might have received the 1GB model by mistake but it does appear to have 2GB onboard so not sure what to make of the naming scheme.

Collapse
 
matemiller profile image
Matt Miller

As far as I can remember, there was a choice between the two. But the naming does not mean anything special except the firmware. Early birds got a starter (beta version, actually a buggy one) and then later on, after the official launch, they released something more (some what) stable and that was the RM1G. But the device itself did not change during the campaign as far as I know.