Prerequisites

This topic lists the hardware and software requirements for flashing OS images.

Hardware Requirements

Prepare the following hardware items.

Table 1. Required Hardware Items
Item Notes
VisionFive 2 Lite board —
Power adapter USB Type-C, 5V / 3A
USB Type-C cable For power supply
Host PC Linux, Windows, or macOS
TF Version only:
Micro-SD card 16 GB or larger
USB card reader If your PC has no built-in slot
eMMC Version only:
USB-C to USB-A/C cable For data transfer (Fastboot)
For desktop usage:
Keyboard and mouse USB
Monitor or TV With HDMI input
HDMI cable —
Recommended optional items:
Ethernet LAN cable For network access
USB-to-UART serial converter For serial console access and system recovery

Connect a Fan

Connect a 2-pin 5 V fan to VisionFive 2 Lite's 40-pin GPIO header for further cooling as follows:

Figure 1. Connecting a Fan to VisionFive 2 Lite

Install Drivers for Fastboot

Install the drivers for the StarFive Fastboot tool. This is required only if you want to flash the OS image to onboard eMMC using Fastboot.

  1. Download the extract the Fastboot toll package SFFB_Tool_V1.0.7z.

  2. Enter fastboot mode using ether of the following methods.

    Table 2. Enter Fastboot Mode
    Method Details
    Enter Fastboot Mode via Serial Console
    1. Power on VisionFive 2 Lite and press any key during the U-Boot countdown to interrupt boot.
    2. Enter the following command and wait.
      fastboot usb 0
    Enter Fastboot Mode via Fastboot Pin
    1. Before powering on, short the fastboot pins (J20), as indicated in the diagram below.
      Figure 2. Shorting Fastboot Pins
    2. Power on the board and it enters the Fastboot mode automatically.

  3. Open Device Manager on Windows. A device named USB Download Gadget appears under Other Devices.

    Figure 3. USB Download Gadget

  4. Right-click USB Download Gadget to open the Properties window, and click Update driver.

  5. Select Browse my computer for drivers.

  6. Add the folder path $\SFFB_Tool_V1.0\usb_driver and click Next.

    On successful installation, the device name is displayed under the Device Manager.