[Discovery] boot.img exceeds max size

[ploth]

Platform: Nile
Device: Discovery, XA2 Ultra, H3213
Kernel version: 4.9
Android version: android-9.0.0_r30

Description

fastboot flash boot boot.img results in:

target didn't report max-download-size
sending 'boot' (22549 KB)...
FAILED (remote: Requested download size is more than max allowed
)
finished. total time: 0.000s

How to reproduce

Build android-9.0.0_r30 branch for aosp_h3213-userdebug and try to flash boot.img

[jerpelea]

ls -l boot.img please

[jerpelea]

I cant replicate on a clean build

[ploth]

$ ls -l boot.img  
-rw-r--r-- 1 ploth ploth 23090472 Jan 20 10:54 boot.img

EDIT: Removed entire out directory before build.

[stefanhh0]

I had the same problem. Reason was that I tried to flash while my notebook was on battery. As soon as I plugged in the power-cord and restarted the phone into bootloader it worked without any problems.

I've just retried that procedure and could reproduce it, maybe you have the same problem:

Failed attempt:
root@mars:/home/stefan/android-bin/2019_01_18# fastboot flash vendor vendor.img
target didn't report max-download-size
sending 'vendor' (50236 KB)...
FAILED (remote: Requested download size is more than max allowed
)
finished. total time: 0.000s

After re-plugging the power-cord and rebooting the phone into the bootloader again it worked:
root@mars:/home/stefan/android-bin/2019_01_18# fastboot flash vendor vendor.img
target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes
sending 'vendor' (50236 KB)...
OKAY [ 1.905s]
writing 'vendor'...
OKAY [ 0.003s]
finished. total time: 1.908s

[ploth]

Sounds like black magic ;)
I was on AC the entire time, I had to reenter the fastboot mode multiple times before I was able to flash again.

[stefanhh0]

Good that it works now. Another reason could be an unstable usb connection... Next time you could also try using a different usb plug or cable.

When switching to battery, several power saving mechanisms kick in - that would be a better explanation than good old witchcraft :-)

[waltercool]

Sounds like black magic ;)
I was on AC the entire time, I had to reenter the fastboot mode multiple times before I was able to flash again.

How you finally made this work? Tried several times without solution. I even bought a new "Sony" cable, and still nothing.

By some reason, flashmode or adb works great, just fastboot seems to be quite buggy for me.

[MartinX3]

Sometimes it gets buggy for me too
Random throwing errors
But in the last time it worked again without these problems

[ploth]

Just to throw in more black magic :D I changed my workplace and put my laptop in standby for that. Then it worked using the same usb cable from before.

[MartinX3]

I got the same random errors again and need to restart my phone into fastboot after every "fastboot flash".
And sometimes while fastboot wants to flash the device just restarts. :D

[waltercool]

I got the same random errors again and need to restart my phone into fastboot after every "fastboot flash".
And sometimes while fastboot wants to flash the device just restarts. :D

Yeah, I can reproduce the same. No idea if this is a Linux specific issue or not, tried 3 different versions of fastboot, used different Linux distros (own Gentoo + Ubuntu 18.04 + Debian), even a different computer with Linux, and same problem.

For now I can't test myself with Windows because I don't have a partition for that, and doesn't work for me using QEMU, got usb connect/disconnect issues.

I will try today later using a borrowed Windows, I read somewhere at XDA about using Sony's fastboot drivers may solve the problem.

[waltercool]

Update:

Tried on a OSX and worked correctly. I would guess this is a Linux specific issue.

At Linux, it fails to me using fastboot version 28.0.1-4986621

[jamuir]

I've found communication with sony devices over fastboot to be quite flakey (and I have tested a number of different sony devices).

I started testing the connection by repeatedly running fastboot getvar product. About 5 or 6 times out of 10 that command would fail. I raised a ticket on this (outside of Sony Open Devices) but there was no resolution.

When I started using a usb hub, the problem went away for me. Maybe it has something to do with the voltage supplied by the usb connection.

I also found that the connection was stable when I tried on a mac.

[stefanhh0]

For yoshino, lilac it is pretty stable on my linux box, just when I switch from AC to battery it gets reproducable unstable.

I tried:
set -e; for i in {1..1000}; do fastboot getvar product; done; set +e
And the loop ran successful.

I am using fastboot version 1:8.1.0+r23-4
That is the version that comes with my debian distro (debian testing [kernel: 4.19.12-1]).

Dell made many bugfixes over the time for my notebook (a precision 7510). Many of them tackled firmware probs of the usb controller.

But maybe yoshino/lilac is just not affected from what you report...

[djselbeck]

I have problems with my Linux on a lenovo x240 and Yoshiko/lilac and tone/kagura when directly connected to the machine. It works when I disable USB3 in the BIOS.

It however works with USB3 and a hub between.

[waltercool]

I have problems with my Linux on a lenovo x240 and Yoshiko/lilac and tone/kagura when directly connected to the machine. It works when I disable USB3 in the BIOS.

It however works with USB3 and a hub between.

I can confirm the hub as solution. Thanks!

[MartinX3]

With my ThinkPad T460P Ultra Dock 90W and AC I get the weird errors at USB3 and USB2.
But at my Windows 10 PC with USB3 and USB2 it is stable.

[djselbeck]

I also use the UltraDock and the ports are as unstable as the ones on the device itself for me. I have two Dell displays with integrated USB3 hubs, connected to the dock and if I use these for fastboot it will work 100% reliable.

[MartinX3]

Now I understand my bug in the past.
#240

[Haxk20]

I have the exact same issue on my device (mermaid). Will try USB hub. Does it have to be powered one or just normal one ?

[waltercool]

I have the exact same issue on my device (mermaid). Will try USB hub. Does it have to be powered one or just normal one ?

Just a normal one. I assume USB hub distribute power supply independent from computer. I tried with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 and works great. Just fails when directly connected.