LarkBox and Windows 20H2 Update

Hello everyone!

I have a strange issue when updating to windows 20H2. It goes through 40% of the update, with 2 reboot in between, but suddenly around 42%, just after the second reboot, the LarkBox turn off!

It’s not a reboot, it shuts down completely.
When i turn it on, it starts the uninstall of the update, and i’m stuck to the previous windows version.

There are no hdd space issues or anything.

Any idea on how it can be solved?

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I have exactly the same issue - update has failed half a dozen times now, and Windows keeps warning me that support for the current version will end soon.
Anyone got any ideas how to resolve this?

In-place updating indeed does not work, and I wouldn’t expect too much from Chuwi on this unfortunately. You CAN however clean install 20H2 from a bootable USB-stick with the official 20H2 image from Microsoft, your license is automatically transferred: Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com). Be sure to backup anything important you have on there beforehand.

Note that a clean install will leave you with a couple of missing drivers, which you will need to source (or back up from your current install) and install yourself. See this thread for more info: We need LarkBox chipset drivers - MiniPC - CHUWI | Official Forum

Note of caution: I have done the above myself, and though everything seems to work ok, I am left with a couple of error messages in Windows Event Viewer: “Idle power management features on processor # in group 0 are disabled due to a firmware problem.". See also BIOS reset - Larkbox - #44 by Christy. Not sure if these errors are important, or if these weren’t even already present on 1909, but I can imagine they might have something to do with when the CPU ramps up or steps down. If any of you could confirm whether or not these Event Viewer entries are already present on your stock 1909 it would take that worry away- I would be interested to know.

I was able to upgrade from the default 1909 to 20H2. For a clean install of 20H2, it is recommended to have the engineer BIOS provided by CHUWI and keep the cooling fan running. In my view, it is presumed that the machine is down due to thermal runaway.

What BIOS?? I’m not aware of a new bios, didn’t find anything around here…

Cheers.

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I am assuming he means ‘factory settings’ for the BIOS here, but if there is another BIOS version out there I’d like to know!

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I was provided with a BIOS by CHUWI. There is a BIOS that keeps the cooling fan running all the time. The following is the BIOS.

[Factory BIOS](http://chuwi.mediafire.com/file/dmshqp6xknotmjx/GB01_ZW_1_03_202007091733_%E7%8F%BE%E5%9C%A8%E5%85%A5%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3% 2584% 25E3% 2582% 258B% 25E6% 25AD% 25A3% 25E5% 25BC% 258F% 25E3% 2581% 25AEBIOS.rar / file )

[BIOS with constant cooling fan](http://chuwi.mediafire.com/file/7s5mo8tlt02uker/GB01_ZW_1_03_202010101458_%E5%86%B7%E5%8D%B4%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%8 258C% 25E3% 2581% 259A% 25E3% 2581% 25A3% 25E3% 2581% 25A8% 25E5% 258B% 2595% 25E4% 25BD% 259CBIOS.rar / file)

*Note I am not responsible for any problems with this BIOS.
Please handle it carefully.
Good luck :smiley:

I reinstalled windows and fan isn’t turning on, isn’t this just a BIOS setting? Or is this issue fixed after installing a specific driver?

Interesting! And thanks for sharing. The forum appears to have mangled the display of your links a bit, so just to be sure: the 2nd (bottom) link (202010101458) is the one where the fan is always on? And was this for a LarkBox Pro or Standard (I think these are probably the same, but just in case)?

edit: answered my own question; the 2nd one is indeed the ‘always on’ BIOS (ran the filenames through Google Translate).

Below you can download the BIOS that keeps the cooling fan running. And this BIOS is for the standard LarkBox. In addition, the BIOS of LarkBox Pro is a dedicated BIOS, and there is a BIOS in which the cooling fan always runs. I’m not good at English. Please forgive me for the confusion in my last post. Good luck.

If you have a new installation of Windows, you will need the device driver. Device drivers have been updated on the CHUWI forums. If you use it, the cooling fan will turn. There is also a free way to use the BIOS, which always has a cooling fan. Good luck.

Thanks! Do you know the thread or download link for the LarBox Pro BIOS? Seems like a convenient thing to have ‘just in case’. And I’ve found these driver downloads on the forum, from CHUWI: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ayqqfgkztcy8g/OS_ssd , or extracted from this file by user JonH: We need LarkBox chipset drivers - #10 by Jonh . Or are there more recent updated drivers out there?

Hi, Previously, I was provided with the LarkBox Pro BIOS from CHUWI.

Factory BIOS

Always cooling fan rotation BIOS

I don’t know the new device driver. As for the device driver, the device manufacturer regularly provides a new driver, so I use it.

Good luck🙂

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Can i flash the bios with the AMI tool ? (AFUWINGUIx64.exe ) or do i have to create a bootdisk.
Also, when i backup it creates a ROM file , the file provide is a BIN file ?
SOLVED: just copy files to USB drive , boot via USB and flashed…works perfect

Rewrite using usb memory.
Format the usb memory with NTFS. Then uncompress the compressed BIOS file and copy the file to usb memory.
Set the startup order of LarkBox pro to usb memory.
Then boot from usb memory and the BIOS Flash will start.
Wait until the Flash is over.
Basically BIOS Flash is dangerous. be careful. We do not take responsibility for any trouble caused by this rewriting.
Good luck :slightly_smiling_face:

Thx, figured it out a few minutes agoo(thx to google) but i formated in FAT32, all went well , cooler (Noctua) is running all the time ; temps constant around 40°

You look amazing.
It’s comfortable now.
I am glad.
Good luck :slightly_smiling_face:

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My setup:
1U Server CPU Cooler copper heatsink cooling fan for Intel Core PGA988 989 Computer active cooling

noctua NF-A6 X 25 PWM

Oh,
You have customized it a lot.
This idea is great.
The cost of parts is also kept to a minimum.
You look amazing.
In this case, there is no problem with cooling.
This challenge is successful.
Good luck :blush: