AYN Odin 2 ROCKNIX (Linux CFW) Quick Setup Guide
37In this video, I'm providing a quick set up guide on how to install ROCKNIX (Linux CFW) on my 2nd Odin 2 max (cold grey) using a micro-SD card. Please note that installing ROCKNIX (on a micro-SD card) will not delete the Android side of your Odin 2, which means once you remove the micro-SD card (that has ROCKNIX on it) from your device, you will still have the Android side.
ROCKNIX (20250517) quick setup steps:
• Before flashing ROCKNIX, we need to do one step, which is to install a new custom Android bootloader (abl), to enable Linux (ROCKNIX) to boot from a micro-SD card, you can find info on how to do that here: https://renegade-project.tech/en/ayn-odin2/linuxloader
• You can download the latest LinuxLoader release here: https://renegade-project.tech/en/ayn-odin2/linuxloader-release
• After downloading the zip file, unzip/extract it, copy/put the ‘odin2_custom_abl’ folder onto your Odin 2/Android root directory (internal storage) using USB-C connection, then go to System setting – Odin settings – Run script as Root – click on it and select a script and the find the ‘odin2_custom_abl’ folder to find the file ‘backup_and_flash.sh’ and click ‘run’
• After shutting down the device, let’s go to the latest ‘release’ on the ROCKNIX GitHub page, scroll down to the ‘installation’ section, download the image/package for the Ayn Odin 2 (20250517.img.gz – zipped file): https://github.com/ROCKNIX/distribution/releases/tag/20250517
• Unzip/extract the downloaded zip file to get the disk image file, insert the micro-SD card in your PC, if it’s a brand-new micro-SD card, no need to format it, if it’s a used micro-SD card, you need to format it (using ‘SD Card Formatter’ app)
• Flash/copy/write the ROCKNIX image file onto the micro-SD card (using Rufus or balenaEtcher app), take the micro-SD card out, insert it back into your device (label facing down), boot up/turn on your device (to extend the file partition), then shut the device down
• Since ROCKNIX is Linux, Windows will not read/recognize Linux files, therefore, we will not be able to transfer the files (game roms) from your Windows PC to your micro-SD card, instead you use either FTP/SFTP (to access your micro-SD card via your Wi-Fi network) or an external USB drive so you can use the ROCKNIX built-in File Manager (in Tools) to transfer files from the USB drive to your ROCKNIX microSD card (which is faster than using a network transfer), you can find info on how to do that here: https://rocknix.org/play/add-games/
• To download PC ports (old PC games), go to Tools – PortMaster (download as many as you want)
• To add more themes, go to Updates & Downloads – Themes (download as many as you want)
• To add your box art, you can use Scarper (you need to set up a Screen Scraper account)
• Hotkeys: Start + Select (exit a game), Home button (exit an emulator), L3 + R3 (RetroArch)
ROCKNIX Wiki (Odin 2): https://rocknix.org/devices/ayn/odin2/
ROCKNIX Discord: https://discord.gg/BdqZXU6s
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