LeMaker Banana Pro / Pi

Summary

This page is the Banana Pro / Pi hub for archived wiki notes. Use it to navigate the most useful topics (GPIO, login, boot configuration, and bootloader/kernel workflows) and to follow a repeatable bring-up checklist before you start changing low-level components.

These pages are archival, so treat them as a set of practical notes: confirm your board is stable first (power + storage + access), then follow the smallest set of steps needed for your task.

Who this is for

Banana Pro/Pi owners, developers building kernels or bootloaders, and anyone migrating from older instructions who needs a safe, verification-led workflow.

What you’ll do

• Find the correct topic page for your task (login, GPIO, boot configuration, kernel).
• Bring up the board with minimal peripherals and reliable power/storage.
• Capture a baseline boot report and storage layout.
• Make changes one at a time (especially for bootloader/kernel work).
• Run verification checks after each change.

Key topics

• Log in to the Banana Pi — access basics and login defaults.
• Banana Pi FEX Configuration — archived notes for script.bin-style configuration.
• GPIO library — GPIO tooling entry point.
• WiringPi — GPIO tooling notes (archival).
• Building U-Boot and kernel — bootloader/kernel workflow notes.

Quick checklist

• Stable PSU and cable (avoid undervoltage resets).
• Known-good storage (SD/eMMC) and a reliable writer.
• Ethernet for first boot (recommended).
• Optional: serial console adapter (3.3V) for recovery and early boot logs.
• A text file or notes area to store a baseline boot report.
• If doing GPIO work: a known-good reference project and a consistent pin numbering scheme.

Steps / guidance

1. Boot with minimal peripherals. Power + storage + Ethernet. Avoid extra USB devices until the baseline boot is stable.
2. Confirm identity and resources.

   uname -a
   cat /proc/cpuinfo | head -n 40
   grep MemTotal /proc/meminfo
   lsblk
   ip a

3. Capture a baseline report.

   systemctl --failed
   journalctl -b -p err | tail -n 120
   dmesg | tail -n 80

4. Pick the task page and follow it end-to-end.
   • GPIO: start at GPIO library and do a minimal test first.
   • Bootloader/kernel: use Building U-Boot and kernel and change one variable at a time.
5. After each change, re-check health. (Network, storage, logs.) Keep the last known-good configuration available.

Verification checks

Pick at least two after any update or low-level change:

ip a
lsblk
dmesg | tail -n 50
journalctl -b -p err | tail -n 120

Troubleshooting

• No boot or unstable boot: swap PSU/cable; try different storage; capture serial logs if available.
• GPIO not working: confirm pin numbering scheme and permissions; test with a minimal known-good example first.
• After kernel/bootloader changes: revert to last known-good artefacts; compare baseline logs to current logs.
• Network missing: prefer Ethernet; check ip a and ip r before changing services.

Common mistakes

• Changing kernel, bootloader, and root filesystem in one iteration.
• Debugging intermittent issues without first swapping PSU/cable and storage.
• Starting GPIO work without confirming pin numbering and a minimal test path.
• Running headless without a recovery path (serial/local console).

Concrete example (basic board identity)

cat /proc/cpuinfo | head -n 40
lsblk
ip a

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-01-04