Install everything on this page
Everything is done on this site.Type-C (data cable required) or the K programming cable both work, Covers flashing the installer the first time, backup, BL install, slot writing and rollback.
1. Flash / upgrade the installer
Two cases, do not mix them:
- A. stock bootloader (multi-system BL1 not yet installed): hold PTT (flashlight lights up)→ click “Serial flash”→ write directly, same as the official Dondji site.
- B. BL1 installed: holding PTT only gives the E drive (no serial port)→ click “Download UF2” and drag it into the E: drive. In that casedo notserial-upgrading in place under MS-INST (it hangs).
Stock radios use A; If the E: drive already appears / you are already on MS-INST, use B (never serial-upgrade in place). Both paths are kept; neither replaces the other.
2. Power on normally + connect + backup
after power-offpower on normally (do not press PTT). The screen should show
MS-INST(matching the footer version). Use Type-C (data cable) or K-cable to connect.First “① “Connect”, then “② “Backup to radio”. To get it on your PC, .bin click “Read backup from radio” (a blue download link appears). Old caches never show up automatically when the page opens.
3. Install multi-system BL1 + BL2
Keep the installer running (you may click “Connect installer” once more). This page writes the on-site BL1/BL2 automatically.
4. Enter on-radio menu / write the three slots
power off and holdany side key (S1 or S2)power on → on-radio
Menu. If the E: drive pops up: BL2 in SPI is invalid - go back to the wizard and reinstall BL1+BL2. To write Dondji / Mangosteen / F4HWN/GAME: firstpower on normally into MS-INST, then open “Multi-System” to write slots.5. Daily use
- any side key power on → on-radio multi-system Menu (E: drive means=BL2 not installed)
- PTT only power on → E drive (drag UF2)
- Remove the multi-system and restore the stock bootloader → open “Backup & Restore”→ follow that page’s “④ “Restore stock bootloader” steps
- Mangosteen Pinyin broken: power on normally into MS-INST →““Backup & Restore” page to flash the Pinyin table
Flash firmware
- Make sure the screen shows
MS-INST(not the on-radio Menu). - click “Get firmware” or “Pick .bin”.
- click “Connect installer” and pick the serial port.
- Click “Write current slot” and wait for success in the log (keep it powered, do not cut power).
- To use it right away: click “Switch & boot this slot” and watch the on-screen progress bar (BL2 must be installed).
- Or power off, hold any side key to enter Menu, pick with a side key and press PTT.
- If a side key still leads to MS-INST / E: drive: go back to the wizard and reinstall BL1+BL2.
- Write the remaining slots (Dondji / Mangosteen / F4HWN/GAME) the same way.
Writes the SPI slot (after writing you are still in MS-INST; it will not automatically become Dondji / Mangosteen / F4HWN/GAME).
Backup & Restore
Everything happens on this page. Flash the installer first, then back up, then install the BL.
Rescue: black screen / PTT LED dead
Most likely the MCU bootloader is corrupted. First click below to export this browser’s cached stock BL; then unbrick with the factory ROM flashing mode (do not count on the PTT flashlight mode).
- Try first: power off, plug in → hold PTT + side key 2 (PTT below)→ power on (black screen is normal)→ UVTools2.
- Still no serial port:SWD only. see the repo
docs/RECOVERY-SWD.md. - Do not use the K5 V1 unbrick_k5_v1 toolkit (different chip).
① Flash / upgrade the installer
A = For a stock bootloader with serial port while holding PTT, flash directly. B = For BL1 already installed with PTT giving the E: drive, drag it in. Never serial-upgrade in place under MS-INST.
② Back up stock bootloader
No backup flag recorded on this device yet.
““Backup to radio” writes SPI (~10 KB). To keep the file on your PC, click “Read from radio again” and a blue download link appears. The radio must be connected to the installer via Type-C (data cable) or K-cable.
③ Install multi-system BL1 + BL2
Complete the backup first. This site’s firmware/ms_bl1.bin and ms_bl2.bin.
④ Restore stock bootloader (remove multi-system BL1)
Why does “Restore” still lead to the E: drive?““Restore from radio SPI” only takes the radio’s SPI backup in itwrite back to MCU. If you ever clicked “Backup” after installing BL1, what sits in SPI is actually the multi-system BL1 - writing it back of course still gives the E: drive. In that case you must use thelocal stock bootloader filewrite back.
When you already run the multi-system, A normal power-on cannot enter MS-INST; you must temporarily flash the installer back first, then restore the bootloader:
- click “Download installer UF2” in this section and save the file.
- radiopower on holding PTT (your current flashing mode)→ the E: drive appears on the PC.
- take
ms_installer.uf2drag into E: drive, wait for the write to finish and auto-reboot. - power off, thenpower on normally (no S1, no PTT)→ the screen should show
MS-INST. - connect to the PC with Type-C (data cable) or K-cable → click this section’s““Connect installer”.
- Preferred: “Select local stock-bl-backup.bin”→“Upload & restore stock bootloader“; no local file, then try “Restore from radio SPI”.
- Power off then on. Afterwards back to stock: holding PTT gives = serial flashing (no longer the E: drive); S1 Menu disappears too.
Local file: none selected. Pick the stock-bl-backup-*.bin ((~10 KB).
First click “Connect installer” in this section (screen shows MS-INST). Write-back/restore buttons greyed out means = not connected yet. If the log says the SPI backup is actually BL1, use a local file instead. NO_BACKUP: The backup before installing multi-system did not succeed.
Mangosteen Pinyin table
Write SPI 0x100000 (layout v4 reserved area,≤128KB) . the screen must show MS-INST (≥0.1.26) . Only flashes the Pinyin index + Hanzi table; Slot3 / voice are untouched.
Manual
Supported models
Quansheng UV-K1, UV-K5 / UV-K6 V3 (MCU: PY32F071) . Do NOT use on non-V3.
Install order (all on this page)
- Stock radio: hold PTT →““Serial flash”; BL1 installed: PTT→E drive, drag
ms_installer.uf2 - power on normally (MS-INST)→““Backup to radio” (need it on the PC, .bin then “Read from radio”)
- “Install BL1 + BL2“
- any side key at power-on → on-radio Menu; write the three slots on the Multi-System page (Dondji / Mangosteen / F4HWN/GAME)
Restore stock bootloader (remove multi-system)
- enter
MS-INST: no slot written yet, power on normally; already running a slot firmware, PTT→E drive, dragms_installer.uf2then power on normally. - open “Backup & Restore”→ click “Connect installer” in this section.
- Recommended: Select local
stock-bl-backup.bin→“Upload & restore stock bootloader“→ Power off and reboot. - Only if you are sure the SPI backup is the true stock one made before BL1 was installed, use “Restore from radio SPI”.
- Still entering the E: drive after Restore: the SPI backup is BL1 - you must use a local file to write back.
- Black screen / cannot enter MS-INST: export the backup in the rescue section of this page, or see the repo
docs/RECOVERY-SWD.md.
Power-on key combos (after multi-system is installed)
- any side key: on-radio multi-system menu (E: drive means: reinstall BL2)
- PTT only: E drive (drag UF2; you can drag the installer again to roll back)
- No keys: boot the current firmware
Memory map (MCU + SPI)
MCU Internal Flash ≈128KB; External SPI (PY25Q16) 2 MB. The table below lists addresses contiguously (matching partition.h layout_version 4 match).
MCU Internal Flash (128 KB)
| Range | Size | Usage |
|---|---|---|
0x08000000–0x08002800 | 10 KB | BL1 multi-system bootloader (currently ~9.3 KB) |
0x08002800–0x08020000 | 118 KB | App: the running MS-INST or the current slot firmware |
SPI Flash full map (2 MB)
| Range | Size | Usage |
|---|---|---|
0x00000–0x20000 | 128 KB | Shared core: channel parameters / VFO / calibration, etc.; contains live channel names 0x4000 (16 KB) , live settings 0xA000 (4 KB) |
0x20000–0x24000 | 16 KB | Legacy Dondji Chinese-name area |
0x24000–0x57000 | 204 KB | Dondji GB2312 / SPI font library |
0x57000–0x5B000 | 16 KB | Slot 1 channel-name copy (Dondji UTF-8) |
0x5B000–0x60000 | 16 KB | Slot 2 channel-name copy (Mangosteen GB2312) |
0x60000–0x80000 | 128 KB | Slot 1 firmware image - Dondji |
0x80000–0xA0000 | 128 KB | Slot 2 firmware image - Mangosteen |
0xA0000–0xF0000 | 320 KB | Mangosteen FontTool font |
0xF0000–0xF5000 | 20 KB | BL2 (Write ≤12 KB, loaded into RAM, 8 KB @ 0x20001000) |
0xF5000–0xFA000 | 20 KB | SPI copy of the MS-INST installer |
0xFA000–0xFB000 | 4 KB | multi-system metadata meta (MS01) |
0xFB000–0xFE000 | 12 KB | Stock BL backup |
0xFE000–0xFF000 | 4 KB | Slot 1 settings copy |
0xFF000–0x100000 | 4 KB | Slot 2 settings copy |
0x100000–0x120000 | 128 KB | Mangosteen Pinyin OEM (multi-system never writes) |
0x120000–0x140000 | 128 KB | Slot 3 firmware image - F4HWN/GAME |
0x140000–0x144000 | 16 KB | Slot 3 channel-name copy |
0x144000–0x145000 | 4 KB | Slot 3 settings copy |
0x145000–0x14C000 | 28 KB | Unused (between Pinyin/Slot3 and voice) |
0x14C000–0x1E0000 | 592 KB | Mangosteen voice and other OEM data (multi-system never writes) |
0x1E0000–0x1E8000 | 32 KB | F4HWN Optional TX/RX log (multi-system never reads/writes) |
0x1E8000–0x200000 | 96 KB | Tail reserved (multi-system never writes) |
FAQ
- Holding PTT gives no USB drive: it may still be the stock bootloader; or swap the Type-C data cable.
- No serial port found (for backup/slot writing): the Type-C cable must be a data cable; or swap the K-cable; use Chrome/Edge.
- ““Restore from radio SPI” greyed out or failed: connect to MS-INST first; NO_BACKUP means the radio has no backup.
- Recovery reports success but still enters the E: drive: the SPI backup is BL1. Use “Upload & restore stock bootloader” and pick your local stock-bl-backup.bin.
- You never need UVTools2 / GitHub / ICHI drives (except for the black-screen rescue).
- layout v4 onwards Slot 3 (F4HWN/GAME @
0x120000) no longer overwrites the Mangosteen Pinyin area0x100000; The font library and Slots 1/2 remain in the lower 1 MB. - Upgrading from old layout v3: meta will be rebuilt;; please rewrite the F4HWN/GAME slot, then flash the Mangosteen Pinyin table back via “Backup & Restore” (the old Slot3 used to occupy
0x100000) . - Pinyin broken: enter MS-INST (≥0.1.26) →““Backup & Restore”→““Flash Pinyin table”.
- ““Backup to radio” only writes the radio SPI; to keep it on the PC .bin you must click “Read from radio” / “Read from radio again”.
