Problem with installing Kali Linux in SS808 Mini USB PC

Hello,

I've installed Kali Linux on an SS808 Mini USB PC but stuck at the "(initramfs)" screen- see attachment. Everything seemed to install okay but I can't boot off the sdcard. Any help is appreciated.

I followed the instructions step-by-step on the Kali website as outlined in this link:

http://docs.kali.org/armel-armhf/ins...i-arm-on-ss808

The Steps:

Stock Kali on SS808 – Easy Version

If all you want to do is to install Kali on your SS808, follow instructions below:

1. Get a nice fast 8 GB (or more) microSD card. Class 10 cards are highly recommended.

2. Download the Kali Linux SS808 image from our downloads area.

3. Use the dd utility to image this file to your microSD card. In our example, we assume the storage device is located at /dev/sdb and are using an SS808 image. Change this as needed.

4. Download the MK808-Finless-1-6-Custom-ROM to a Windows machine and extract the zip file. Read the README file of the MK808 Finless ROM tool, then install the required Windows drivers.

5. Run the Finless ROM Flash Tool and ensure that it says “Found RKAndroid Loader Rock USB” at the bottom. Deselect kernel.img and recovery.img from the list, and flash the device.

6. Next overwrite both kernel.img and recovery.img in the FInless ROM directory with the kali “kernel.img”. In the Finless ROM tool, make sure only “kernel.img” and “recovery.img” are selected, and flash your device again.

7. Insert your microSD card in the SS808 and boot it up.

Okay, so I finally solved this myself. Here are my observations:

- booting the SS808 with microsd card imaged by dd utility consistently had block errors
- booting the SS808 imaged with win32diskimager was successful only after renaming the file to kali-SS808.img (extracted file is named kali-custom-SS808.img) prior to writing to the microsd
- transcend 8gb (class 10) and sandisk 32gb (class 4) are compatible and both booted successfully
- kingston 8gb (class 4) had block errors (tested on two kingston branded microsd cards) regardless of imaging with dd utility (linux) and win32diskimager
So far I am happy with my setup. The SS808 detected both the Alfa AWUS036H and TP-LINK TL-WN722N and tested successfully with wifite.

I think the install documentation for the SS808 should include win32diskimager as an option for installation. The dd utility (I used the ones in kali linux vm and fully installed backtrack 5 r3) seems to have an issue with the kali image for the SS808. Also, I am not sure why the kali image would not boot unless renamed from kali-custom-SS808.img to kali-SS808.img prior to writing to the microsd card. Tested with the microsd cards mentioned in the previous paragraph.

I have seen this issue before. _Sometimes_ it has to do with not installing the correct ARM image on the SD card and the correct kernel on the MK808. In other words, downloading 2 different Kali images, e.g. kali-linux-1.0-armhf.img.gz and kali-linux-1.0-armhf-ss808.tar.gz and using a piece from each.

For instance, if kali-linux-1.0-armhf.img.gz is installed on the SD Card and installing the kernel.img rom (in the kali-custom-ss808 directory) from kali-linux-1.0-armhf-ss808.tar.gz on the MK808.

This can obviously happen by downloading the kali-linux-1.0-armhf-ss808.tar.gz on a Windows machine and running the Finless ROM Flash Tool and installing the kernel.img rom (in the kali-custom-ss808 directory) (as kernel.img and recovery.img) on the MK808. Then, downloading kali-linux-1.0-armhf.img.gz on a Linux machine and dd'ing the kali-linux-1.0-armhf.img on the SD Card.

This will result with the MK808 stopping at "(initframfs)". :o