The '
.xbmc' folder is no longer valid with Kodi. If you want to use its content, which is pretty old now, then you would have to either manually rename the folder to '
.kodi' or move the contents from it into '
.kodi'.
As the folders appear to be there this would negate the idea that it not being there was causing Kodi not to start as expected. Also, I have recently destroyed my HDD in my DUO2 with no backup & therefore had to start from scratch. The result was that, once I had installed a fresh, new HDD with absolutely nothing on it, Kodi started without issue and recreated the .kodi folder for me without my having to copy anything there at all for it to do so. Really quick too but I suspect that was because it wasn't having to load millions of addons. So, either or, Kodi should start if it is installed properly. Do bear in mind that I have seen it take almost a minute to come alive during which time the screen remains black. Could this be what you are interpreting as it having frozen?
You appear to have tried several images & experienced the same problem each time. Everyone of those images are in wide use & I can also speak for most of them when I state that Kodi works well on all of them. So really not sure what is happening your end nor how to help you further with this as we have now covered everything possible. Perhaps you should consider an alternative box for Kodi & just use the DUO2 as a Sat box.
Next step would be to flash a backup image that has Kodi already installed. Try
my latest OpenSPA. IMHO it is the best image out there at the moment.
which is why only some had problems but all sorted now.
