Tinkerboard Error: Could not open file /dev/i2c-1' or /dev/i2c/1'

[cserl]

Hello,
I used to have i2cdetect -y 1 working on dietPI v6.28 running on my Tinkerboard 2GB model. The Tinkerboard model name is without any postfix characters.
But after performing a clean install of dietPI 8.2.2 on the same Tinkerboard and when running the command "sudo i2cdetect -y 1" this is the response I get:

Error: Could not open file /dev/i2c-1' or /dev/i2c/1' : No such file or directory.

The following prerequisites were installed:
sudo apt-get install python3-smbus
sudo apt-get install i2c-tools

I have googled all forum threads dealing with the problem and tried different settings in /boot/config.txt and /etc/modules without success.

i2cdetect -l
i2c-2 i2c rk3x-i2c I2C adapter
i2c-0 i2c rk3x-i2c I2C adapter
i2c-5 i2c rk3x-i2c I2C adapter

uname -a
Linux DietPi82TinkerBoard 5.15.25-rockchip #22.02.1 SMP PREEMPT Sun Feb 27 09:23:03 UTC 2022 armv7l GNU/Linux

cat /etc/issue
Debian GNU/Linux 11 \n \l

Current content of /etc/modules after manually adding entries:
8723bs
i2c-bcm2708
i2c-dev

Current content of /boot/config.txt after manually adding entries:
dtparam=i2c_arm=on
dtparam=i2c_arm_baudrate=10000
dtparam=i2c1=on
dtparam=i2c_vc=on

Maybe something with device tree overlays?
Please help fixing this and advise with next steps for troubleshooting.

Bug report: 73ca9ec4-212d-4729-95d4-e88f0e272533

[MichaIng]

Many thanks for your report.

This is funny, /boot/armbianEnv.txt contains a bunch of overlays, but those do not exist, the kernel comes without any overlays at /boot/dtb/overlay 🤔.

I had a look into the Armbian forum, strangely someone is talking about activating I2C4 via device tree overlay: https://forum.armbian.com/topic/19974-utilization-of-additional-serial-ports-and-i2c-busses-on-tinkerboard-s/

Having a look into the Armbian image, I still don't see any overlays, but still those listed in armbianEnv.txt. The armbian-config tool does no magic but lists only overlays (if) present in /boot/dtb/overlay. Confusing.

Current content of /boot/config.txt after manually adding entries:

This file is only present on Raspberry Pi and has no effect on any other SBC:

rm /boot/config.txt

Current content of /etc/modules after manually adding entries:

In the era of device tree overlays this is not required anymore. Kernel modules are loaded automatically when required by a loaded device, but it is missing:

sed -i '/^[^#]/d' /etc/modules

Both looks like you followed a very old guide for Raspberry Pi on ASUS Tinker Board. Note that any hardware feature related things are SBC-dependant, and the Raspberry Pi is most different with its closed source bootloader/firmware blobs, while most others use mainline kernel and common U-Boot.

[MichaIng]

Marking as closed due to outstanding reply. Feel free to reopen if required.