INSTALLING ENIGMA2 USING SPARK PLUGIN IN AMIKO ALIEN/ALIEN 2

This guide dual-boots Enigma2 alongside the stock Spark firmware on the Amiko Alien/Alien 2 (STi 7111/7162), so you can switch between the two at any time.

Credit: originally by @popssad, lightly edited here.

There's a video walkthrough too:

linuxsat-support.com/gallery/image/32507/

What you'll need

• A USB stick formatted to FAT32.
• The Spark Mini Plugins pack for the Amiko Alien/Alien 2 (also attached to this guide).
• The Enigma2 firmware for the Amiko Alien/Alien 2 — available here: http://www.pur-e2.club/OU/images/index.php?dir=6.5/fulan/

Step 1: Install the Spark plugin pack

1. Download the Plugin Pack (and more) here: https://amikoreceiver.com/tools-for-amiko/amiko-plugins/ — or use the copy attached to this guide:

   https://www.linuxsat-support.c…chment/142697-plugin-zip/

2. Insert a USB stick into your computer, open the downloaded Plugin Pack, and extract the complete plugin directory from the .zip/.rar to the root of the FAT32 USB stick.
3. Safely remove the USB stick from your computer. With the Amiko Alien/Alien 2 powered on and connected to your TV, insert the stick into a USB port (front or rear both work on the Alien 2 — make sure no other USB devices are connected at the same time).
4. Within a few seconds the receiver will read the stick and prompt "Confirm: Do you want to upgrade plugin?" — select YES with the remote's arrow keys and press OK. The "Upgrade from USB" menu appears and the update runs automatically (a few seconds), then the receiver reboots automatically. You can remove the USB stick once it starts rebooting — if you don't, it'll keep prompting to update after every reboot (you can just select "No" if that happens).
5. Once it's finished booting back into the normal Spark firmware, the newly-installed plugins are available under MENU > Plugin. At this point you have all the tools needed to install Enigma2 via Spark — you just need the Enigma2 firmware itself.

Step 2: Flash the Enigma2 firmware

6. Download your chosen Enigma2 firmware for the Amiko Alien/Alien 2 to your computer.
7. Insert a USB stick into your computer, open the downloaded firmware file, and extract the two files inside — named uImage and e2jffs2.img — to the root of a FAT32-formatted USB stick.
8. Remove the USB stick from your computer. With the receiver powered on, booted into Spark, and connected to your TV, insert the stick into a USB port (front or rear on the Alien 2).
9. Within a few seconds the receiver reads the stick. Go to MENU > Plug in > plugin_e2upgrade.s and press OK while it's highlighted — this opens the Enigma2 Update menu.
10. Make sure the Update path shows /storage/c/ (assuming that's where you saved the two files on the USB stick), then press RED (Enigma2 Update). You'll see an on-screen warning not to power off the receiver — this part is fully automatic, no further button presses needed.
11. After a short wait the message disappears and you're back at the Enigma2 Update menu — Enigma2 is now flashed. Exit all menus and reboot the receiver.

Switching between Spark and Enigma2

To boot into Enigma2:

• Power the receiver off at the back switch, then power it back on.
• Press and hold the OK button on the front of the receiver until FORCE shows on the front screen.
• Press the down arrow (to select Enigma2) on the front of the receiver, then press OK.

The receiver boots into Enigma2 and will keep booting into it by default from then on.

To switch back to Spark as the default: do the reverse using the same FORCE function during boot — press and hold OK on the front of the receiver until FORCE is shown, then press the up arrow (to select Spark) on the front of the receiver, then press OK.

Installing multiple Enigma2 images (Image Manager)

Once you have an Enigma2 image installed in the Alien2's flash, you can use Image Manager to install 3–4 images on a USB stick and switch between them easily: How To Use Image Manager Plugin on All Spark Receivers (also attached:

https://www.linuxsat-support.c…agemanager-2-5-5-sh4-rar/

)

The other USB port can be used for an external, USB-connected HDD.

Enjoy!