1. Install Virtual Box.
2. Download a Linux ISO - preferably small size like Lubuntu.
3. Once you have Virtual Box installed, load up the Linux ISO and install it in the virtual HDD (follow the directions provided).
4. When you have the Linux all installed - go to the Terminal.

On the Virtual Box manager:

Make sure these are selected in the settings.

Then, do the following:

[Source: https://askubuntu.com/questions/63420/how-to-fix-virtualboxs-copy-and-paste-to-host-machine]

1. Start the virtual machine
2. Click Devices menu
3. Select Insert Guest Additions CD image
4. Change to the directory where your CD-ROM drive is mounted (typically /media/<user>/VBOXADDITIONS_x.x.x/)
5. Go back to terminal, then key in "sudo sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run"
6. Reboot the virtual machine!

Thanks to the author for that directions in the source provided.

You need these dependencies. Enter these in terminal:

1. sudo apt-get install build-essential
2. sudo apt-get install libusb-dev
3. sudo apt-get install build-essential pkg-config
4. sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev
5. sudo apt-get install gcc-arm*
6. sudo apt-get install python

References:

1. https://askubuntu.com/questions/161104/how-do-i-install-make
2. https://github.com/nealey/hdjd/issues/12, https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4853389/how-to-install-libusb-in-ubuntu
3. https://whycan.cn/t_539.html
4. https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-error-cursesh-no-such-file-directory/
5. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14180185/gcc-arm-linux-gnueabi-command-not-found

This is a tough one - there are chances to fail during compilation, so keep an eye on the output!

Get the sunxi-tools, and then compile it:

[Reference: https://www.electrodragon.com/w/Sunxi-fel]

1. git clone https://github.com/Icenowy/sunxi-tools.git -b spi-rebase
2. After clone, in the folder, type "make && sudo make install"

After all is done, plug in your Lichee Zero to your PC. Empty the SD-Card slot first! Make sure you hear a tone from your PC upon plugging in.

You need to connect the USB to the Virtual Machine Linux too! 

Right-click on the little USB icon on the box and make sure you see this "Onda (unverified) V972 tablet in flashing mode":

Click on it if you see this one (highlighted in red box).

 Now back in the terminal, run this:

sudo sunxi-fel version

You will get to see this message:

AWUSBFEX soc=00001681(V3s) 00000001 ver=0001 44 08 scratchpad=00007e00 00000000 00000000

This message shows that the board is connected to the Linux system, with a Allwinner V3S processor detected.

Once you have successfully compiled the sunxi-tools and get it to detect the board, have a short break!

Next, this one is gonna be very complicated. Expect failures to happen - possibly missing files or dependencies during compile. I will update this again if there are problems found.

Again in the terminal:

1. git clone https://github.com/Lichee-Pi/u-boot.git -b v3s-current 
2. cd u-boot
3. make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- LicheePi_Zero_defconfig
4. make ARCH=arm menuconfig (note: if menuconfig doesn't run because the terminal isn't the size, just maximize the terminal and run again!)
5. make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- 2>&1 | tee build.log

[Reference: https://licheepizero.us/build--uboot-for-licheepi-zero]

After compiling it, you get the binary file called u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin.

Of course, you need to get an SD-card. An empty one and unused is preferable! Make sure you do not have any important stuff inside! This action will wipe out the SD-card!

[Reference: https://www.olimex.com/wiki/Build_Bootable_SD_Card_with_Debian]

1. Connect your SD-Card to the PC. And again, from the little USB icon on the VirtualBox window, select the SD-Card and it'll mount to the Linux system.
2. In the terminal: cat /proc/partitions
3. This list down the partitions. Take note of the partitions.
4. In the terminal again: sudo fdisk -u=sectors /dev/sdx (where sdx is your SD-card name) 
   The example shows "sdd".
5. In fdisk:  "d" (Key in "d", hit enter. Do it repeatedly until all partitions deleted).
   

   Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.34).                                                        
   Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.                        
   Be careful before using the write command.
   
   
   Command (m for help): d
   Selected partition 1
   Partition 1 has been deleted.

6. In fdisk: "n", "p", "1" (Key in "n", enter, "p", enter, "1", enter)
   When it asked for the first partition, type in 2048. Press enter, and enter again to select as default.
   

   Command (m for help): n
   Partition type
      p   primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free)
      e   extended (container for logical partitions)
   Select (default p): p
   Partition number (1-4, default 1): 1
   First sector (2048-3842047, default 2048): 2048
   Last sector, +/-sectors or +/-size{K,M,G,T,P} (2048-3842047, default 3842047): 
   
   Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux' and of size 1.9 GiB.
   

7. In fdisk: "w" (Key in "w", hit enter)
   

   Command (m for help): w
   The partition table has been altered.
   Syncing disks.
   
   

8.  Yes! The 2048 blocks partition on sdd has been created for the u-boot to reside inside.
   
   

   lubuntu@lubuntu-pc:~$ cat /proc/partitions
   major minor  #blocks  name
   
     11        0    1048575 sr0
      8        0   10485760 sda
      8        1   10481388 sda1
      8       48    1921024 sdd
      8       49    1920000 sdd1

9.  Now you have the partitions created, the remaining blocks that is not occupied/reserved with the bootloader in the SD-card is created. Example here is the sdd1:  

   sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdd1

10. Afterwards, put the u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin into the first partition.
    Finally in the terminal, key in:
    
    

    sudo dd if=u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin of=/dev/sdd bs=1024 seek=8

    
    You will see something like this (reference: http://cholla.mmto.org/nano_pi/uboot.html):
    
    

    384+1 records in
    384+1 records out
    393999 bytes (394 kB, 385 KiB) copied, 1.71146 s, 230 kB/s

     
    And finally, key in "sync" and hit enter: 

    sync

If you have connected the Lichee Zero board, unplug it and insert the SD-card into the Lichee Zero board.

Then connect the UART0 on the Lichee Zero board to the USB->UART converter.

Get "TeraTerm" on your PC and set the serial to default 115200.

When all is ok, load up the TeraTerm, and plug in your Lichee Zero board:

You are inside U-boot now! It's waiting for your input.