The Actions Pad Card Writer is a Windows-based utility designed to write the Pad Card boot firmware to an SD card. It enables the creation and management of both physical and logical partitions, allowing data or image files to be written to specific parts of the SD card.
Features of Actions Pad Card Writer Tool
Actions Pad Card Writer Tool offers a suite of features designed to write the Pad Card boot firmware to an SD card. Each feature serves a distinct purpose to restore your device’s performance.
Partitioning
It supports programming both physical and logical partitions on the card. You can specify the starting offset for the first partition, create multiple partitions with independent file systems, and customise the boot setup and data separation according to your requirements.
Multi-file system support
It supports multiple file systems per partition, including FAT16, FAT32, EXT4, and raw data formats. This flexibility lets you tailor each partition for various devices and use cases, including boot requirements, data storage, or development purposes.
Configuration
Partition definitions are managed via an XML-driven config.xml file, where you define the partition name, capacity, image path, type, active state, and offset. This approach enables repeatable builds and quick reconfiguration without manual GUI adjustments, simplifying adaptation across various devices.
Image Management
Partitions are linked to image files using the imagePath property. If imagePath is null and the partition type is not RAW, the tool automatically creates an image of the specified kind or format. For RAW partitions, the image remains null by design.
Binary Data Writing
It supports writing small binary files directly to the card at specified offsets using the binFiles feature. This enables on-card patching and updates without modifying the partitions themselves, making precise data replacement and iterative firmware or asset updates possible.
Card Recovery
Card recovery restores the card to a clean state by deleting all partitions and formatting it. This feature is essential when reprogramming the card or recovering from a failed update, reducing the risk of corruption and ensuring predictable results.
Update Partitions
The Actions Pad Card Writer supports updating existing partitions through a dedicated update section in the config.xml file, as well as using binFiles to place new data at specified offsets. Note that partition resizing is not supported during updates.
Download the Actions Pad Card Writer Tool
Following are the links from which you can download the tool for Windows (32-bit or 64-bit).
| Version | Download |
|---|---|
| 1.01 | Link |
Notes
- Firmware Compatibility: The Pad Card Writer Tool requires specific stock firmware files (.xml) designed for devices powered by an Action chipset. Its functionality is dependent on the availability of compatible firmware.
- Chipset Support: The Pad Card Writer Tool is exclusively designed for devices utilizing an Action chipset. It does not offer compatibility with firmware for Allwinner or Rockchip chipsets.
- Credits: The Pad Card Writer Tool was developed and distributed by Action Semiconductor Co., Ltd. We extend our gratitude to the company for providing this application free of charge.
