---
name: "rkdeveloptool"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "rkdeveloptool"
version: "1.32+pine64git20240226.17823e9-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/rkdeveloptool"
---

# rkdeveloptool(1)

rockusb bootloader utility

## NAME

rkdeveloptool - rockusb bootloader utility

## SYNOPSIS

rkdeveloptool \[OPTIONS\] COMMAND \[ARGS\]...

COMMAND := {list \| list-partitions \| read \| read-partition \| write \| write-partition \| write-partition-table \| write-parameter \| erase-flash \| boot \| test-device \| upgrade-loader \| reset \| reboot \| reboot-maskrom \| shutdown \| read-flash-id \| read-flash-info \| read-chip-info \| read-capability \| pack \| unpack \| tag-spl }

OPTIONS := { -h \| -v }

## DESCRIPTION

Reads or writes the storage of a rockchip device booted into the rockusb bootloader mode

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Show the help message and quit

- **-v, --version**

  Show the version number and quit

## COMMANDS

**list**

Show the connected devices

**list-partitions**

Show the GPT partition table entries if a GPT table exists on the flash

**read** START-SECTOR NUM-BYTES FILENAME

Read the specified number of bytes from the sector offset into the specified file

**read-partition** PARTITION FILENAME

Read the contents of a named partition to a file

**write** START-SECTOR FILENAME

Write the contents of the file to the eMMC starting at a specific sector

**write-partition** PARTITION FILENAME

Write the contents of the file into a named partition

**write-partition-table** DEFINITION-FILE

Write a new GPT partition table block with partitions defined in a file

**write-parameter** ?

Not sure what this does

**erase-flash**

Wipe the internal flash storage

**boot** FILENAME

Load an image into ram and boot it

**test-device**

Check if there is a device attached in the ready state

**upgrade-loader** FILENAME

Write a new rockusb bootloader to the flash

**reset** \[SUBCODE\]

Reset the device. Optionally with a subcode which is a number between 0 and 5

**reboot**

Reboot the device, this is an alias for **reset 0**

**reboot-maskrom**

Reset the device and trigger maskrom mode

**shutdown**

Reset device without triggering a reboot

**read-flash-id**

Read the eMMC flash id

**read-flash-info**

Read the flash chip specifications

**read-chip-info**

Read the SoC info bytes

**read-capability**

Read the permissions of the rockusb bootloader

**pack**

Merge a boot image

**unpack** \[FILENAME\]

Unpack a boot image into the separate files

**tag-spl** \[TAG\] \[SPL-FILE\]

Prepend the tag to the SPL-FILE and save it as filename.tag

## EXAMPLES

Backup a partition of the device

rkdeveloptool read-partition uboot uboot.img

Restore a partition of the device

rkdeveloptool write-partition uboot uboot.img

Read the bootloader magic block from sector 64

rkdeveloptool read 64 512 bootloader-magic.bin