Install LineageOS on
Banana Pi M5 (Tablet)

Basic requirements

1. Read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!
2. Make sure your computer has adb and fastboot. Setup instructions can be found here.
3. Enable USB debugging on your device.
4. Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
5. LineageOS is provided as-is with no warranty. While we attempt to verify everything works you are installing this at your own risk!

Preparing for installation

This generation of Amlogic devices include a unique boot mode called “Burn Mode”. aml-flash-tool is Radxa’s wrapper script for Amlogic’s official update tool, which allows interfacing with burn mode. It’s only available for Linux, though a VM will suffice.

Flashing the initial image and firmware using update

1. Download aml_install_package.img file from here.
2. Power off the device, and boot it into burn mode:
   • Press and hold the SW4 button on the board, and plug into your PC.
3. Download and install aml-flash-tool:

   git clone https://github.com/radxa/aml-flash-tool.git
   cd aml-flash-tool
   sudo ./INSTALL.sh
   

   info_outline

   Note: Please note this will require your user’s sudo password, as the script requires direct hardware access, which requires root privileges.
4. Flash the downloaded image file to your device by running (replace <aml_install_package.img> with the actual filename!):

   sudo ./aml-flash-tool.sh <aml_install_package.img>
   

   info_outline

   Note: These flash packages were built by LineageOS maintainers from officially supported LineageOS repositories, by using lunch to select the device, then run m aml_install.
   warning

   Warning: Please note that both aml-flash-tool and update are known to be somewhat finicky on specific host platforms (e.g. AMD machines). If you see any failures in flashing, return to step 2 and try again.
5. The script will flash the firmware, and after you see Resetting board [OK], plug in a USB keyboard and cycle power to the board, at which point you will see LineageOS Recovery boot. You may now proceed with the following installation instructions.
6. Using your keyboard’s arrow keys to navigate, and enter key to select the “Advanced” option, then “Enter fastboot”.
7. Download super_empty.img from here.
8. Now, prepare the super image for dynamic partitions by running the following (replace <super_empty.img> with the actual filename!):

   fastboot -w wipe-super <super_empty.img>
   

9. Now, using your keyboard, select “Enter recovery”.

Installing LineageOS from recovery

1. Download the LineageOS zip file that you would like to install or build the package yourself.
2. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
3. Now tap Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage, as well as format your cache partition (if you have one).
4. Return to the main menu.
5. Sideload the LineageOS .zip package but do not reboot before you read/followed the rest of the instructions!
   • On the device, select “Apply Update”, then “Apply from ADB” to begin sideload.
   • On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb -d sideload filename.zip.
     check

     Tip: Normally, adb will report Total xfer: 1.00x, but in some cases, even if the process succeeds the output will stop at 47% and report adb: failed to read command: Success. In some cases it will report adb: failed to read command: No error or adb: failed to read command: Undefined error: 0 which is also fine.

Installing Add-Ons

1. Click Apply Update, then Apply from ADB, then adb -d sideload filename.zip for all desired packages in sequence.
   When presented with a screen that says Signature verification failed, click Yes. It is expected as add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key!

All set!

Once you have installed everything successfully, you can now reboot your device into the OS for the first time!

• Click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.