Raspup won't boot on Raspberry Pi 4

[r96chase]

Good afternoon and Merry Christmas.

First off, I got a RPi 4B (4GB) for Christmas and, well, I couldn't get it to boot Raspup for some reason. I didn't want to troubleshoot the problem, so I'm currently running default RaspPiOS on it.

But I guess I might as well report it so I can do something later. So, how I do fix the issue? Do I have to use a fresh install?

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
Chase

[bigpup]

What exactly happens when you try to boot?
You do what?
You see what?

Sometimes downloads from the internet do not go 100% good.
Could try a fresh new download and a fresh new install.

[r96chase]

@bigpup Well...it boots, but to a black screen. I'm thinking I might have to do a fresh install again. I might try Raspberry Pi Imager since it does have a custom option and stuff.

Also, the Imager is the only thing close enough to an Etcher built for Raspberry Pi platform (available only on RaspPiOS and x86_64 Linux platforms...yeah).

Anyway, thanks for responding. I'll try another fresh install and see what happens. I'll come back with the results.

Sincerely,
Chase

[r96chase]

@bigpup Well...it boots, but to a black screen. I'm thinking I might have to do a fresh install again. I might try Raspberry Pi Imager since it does have a custom option and stuff.

Also, the Imager is the only thing close enough to an Etcher built for Raspberry Pi platform (available only on RaspPiOS and x86_64 Linux platforms...yeah).

Anyway, thanks for responding. I'll try another fresh install and see what happens. I'll come back with the results.

Sincerely,
Chase

Well, no budge. I might have to take a look at the notes on the Raspup homepage again. I think it might be a common problem or something. Yes, I did try a fresh install. I might have to downgrade to RPi 3B+ in order to use a Puppi setup again, unless if there is a solution of course. RIP me.

[Geek3579]

I have run Raspup on my Pi 4. Its possible that the image file might be corrupt of incorrectly written. One suggestion is to use Barry K's EasyDD to burn the image file to the sd card. Its brilliant. Also check that you have a reasonable quality SD card, as IMHO slow storage devices may not boot correctly. EasyDD also tells you about the speed of the storage device so you have an idea of how it will potentially perform. I suspect the SD card memory size must also be large enough to handle the image.

[r96chase]

@Geek3579 Well, the fresh Raspup I have right now is a Samsung EVO Plus. It's also the 32GB model too, so it should run decently.

I also had a SanDisk Ultra 32GB with Puppy on it too, and it ran just fine on a Raspberry Pi 3B+. Which is the reason I don't get why Raspup won't boot on Raspberry Pi 4 (with 4GB RAM no less).

Also, why would any other Etcher-like software write an SD card incorrectly? I feel like there's very little difference between the Imager and the Etcher.

*sigh*

Well, thanks for trying to help.

Sincerely,
Chase

P.S.: I would think that both the SanDisk and the Samsung SD cards would run fine on the RPi 4, so I really don't know if it's just the SD card.

[bigpup]

Sure you got the recommended version of Raspup?
http://raspup.eezy.xyz/notes.ph
Read the info on the notes page.
Followed the install procedure shown in the notes page?

[r96chase]

The recommended version for RPi 4 is the one without the swap partition, correct? I think I got that one, but maybe I didn't.
Yes, I did try the simpler option to install. The notes say it should work iirc.

I think something is wrong with ibiblio mirror or maybe I'm stupid. I'll try it again ASAP.

Thanks again for your time, @bigpup.

Sincerely,
Chase

[bigpup]

Now you know why I always use my computers in a room with no windows!!!!
Sometime the urge to throw the thing out a window, is too strong!

[r96chase]

@bigpup Sometimes I wonder if a Raspberry Pi desktop setup is worth the trouble.

Ah well, at least I got BionicPup on my ThinkPad. I might just take the RPi 4B+ and use it as a retro games console instead. In the meantime, I'll downgrade to RPi 3B+ for my RPi desktop setup. I feel sorry that I couldn't fix whatever issue is with Raspup on RPi 4.

[r96chase]

Okay, so, call me crazy, but as the topic thing says, I feel like Raspup is currently missing a file in order for it to boot on the RPi4 out of the box.

I even tried using the raw zip thing with the step-by-step guide for GParted, but man, my RPi4B 4GB is still refusing to boot Raspup. I am very unamused by this discovery, so I'm bumping this "raspup won't boot" thread in a very desperate manner, hoping somebody would help.

Note: it still boots RaspPiOS fine as I said before. So...what do I do now?

[8Geee]

1.) you know... some of these microSD's (or TF cards) DON'T BOOT. Nope, the manufacturers made them that way. Same for the full-size versions. Try and older model TF card, or buy a generic. I have about a dozen of these 32Gb's that will boot.

2.) it might be possible that the pi4 is looking for an exFAT file-system. Older pi's do not have this 'feature'.

Regards
8Geee

[r96chase]

@8Geee I do have a generic Walmart brand 64GB TF card, but I feel like that might be overkill and might be why it won't do much of anything. Regardless, I don't know if finding an older SD card will work...and I definitely don't feel like searching right now. Sorry.

[bigpup]

If you used the http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/ar ... fs.img.zip

You have extracted the image zip, so it is just an img file.

Used the dd command corrected as is shown in this post:
viewtopic.php?f=141&t=2259

The first time you boot.
I wonder if you are giving it time to do the drive setup, before it actually boots to working desktop.

When I did the first boot.

During the boot process, it totally repartitions and formats the SD card.
It ends up with the SD card, having 2 partitions.
1st one, a small (around 500MB), formatted fat 32, and Raspup installed on it.
2nd partition, the rest of the SD card, formatted f2fs to use for data storage. (place save on it)

If I am remembering correctly.
During the first boot process, of setting up the drive. It just stops at a black screen.
It does take several minutes to continue boot, to working desktop.

[8Geee]

Perhaps a simple splash screen can be inserted asking to wait a few minutes.

8Geee

[r96chase]

Okay. I'm gonna test something, but first, I want to disclose that I ordered a new case with a dual-fan cooling system for my RPi 3 recently because I know that my Pi 3 boots up Raspup just fine and stuff.

Anyway, this is might sound crazy, but...I now actually have a theory on why my Pi 4B 4GB model won't boot Raspup. I got a desktop kit for Christmas last year, right? It was given to me instead of a Pi 400, because Santa couldn't afford it that same year (don't ask). Anyway, the desktop kit came with a fan along with 2 heatsinks for keeping the system cool in high-performance situations. So, here's my theory: Raspup won't boot because it doesn't have the necessary files or settings to boot with the fan on the Pi 4.

To test this, I'm gonna test the Pi 3 with both fan on and off using the new case. Then, depending on the test results, I'll sincerely consider running Raspup on Pi 4 without the fan that came with the desktop kit.

Pray for my sanity, because if my theory is correct, I will be absolutely livid at myself (and probably at some Amazon sellers for not having Pi 400 available soon enough). Like, really mad and stuff, y'know?

Anyway, thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
r96chase

[bigpup]

Is this the version of Raspup you downloaded and installed?
If no.
Try it.
http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/ar ... fs.img.zip

This is suppose to have a kernel that is setup better to support the processor in a Pi 4.

Read again what I posted here:
viewtopic.php?p=21737#p21737

[r96chase]

@bigpup Okay, I'll admit it: I don't have a proper monitor for the RPi 4B. It's either that or something is completely wrong with my RPi 4B. Then again, it boots RaspPiOS just fine. So, maybe it's the off-brand TV I have from Walmart. Oh god, I should've ordered a proper HDMI monitor.

I'm nearly crying right now. My off-brand TV won't accept RPi 4 properly, but it'll accept RPi 3B+ just fine. Ugh. Computers are so picky when HDMI stuff I guess.

Ah well...at least I'll be able to use RPi 3B+ rather than have it waste away or something. Because it's too late. I already ordered a case for it. I'm very sorry for being frantic. I'm honestly embarrassed right now.

I also lost my job recently, so getting an HDMI monitor right away is out of the picture for now.

[bigpup]

Do not feel the TV is bad.

either that or something is completely wrong with my RPi 4B. Then again, it boots RaspPiOS just fine.

If RaspberryOS will work.
There is nothing wrong with the TV.

Raspup was put together and released with very little testing.
It is not perfect.
Not many people reporting anything about it.

Did you try what I posted and followed what I said about the first boot of Raspup?
Any feedback on that information?
You do what?
You see what?

You could try EasyOS Dunfell 2.6.1 released for Raspberry Pi4
viewtopic.php?f=63&t=2027
Read through the topic for some issues and fixes I found.

[r96chase]

@bigpup Yeah, I'm not sure about EasyOS. Yes, I tried pretty much everything I could to boot Raspup though. I'll have to keep trying though until I find the source.

As for EasyOS, I'm not sure about the container approach since I just want a desktop and stuff.

Doesn't mean I've not tried it. In fact, it worked pretty well. Boot up and everything.

[bigpup]

I tried pretty much everything I could to boot Raspup though.

This is no help, to know what you have done, or what you see, when you do it.
Small details, are clues, to what the problem could be.

I specifically need to know if this is what happens and what you see:

The first boot.

During the boot process, it totally repartitions and formats the SD card.
It ends up with the SD card, having 2 partitions.
1st one, a small (around 500MB), formatted fat 32, and Raspup installed on it.
2nd partition, the rest of the SD card, formatted f2fs to use for data storage. (place save on it)

If I am remembering correctly.
During the first boot process, of setting up the drive. It just stops at a black screen.
It does take several minutes to continue boot, to working desktop.

[r96chase]

@bigpup Here's the thing: I tried with Etcher. I tried with EasyDD. I even tried with rpi-imager. I then boot it up and well...I couldn't get the boot menu to even show up after allowing several minutes of wait time.

And yes, I did try the gparted raw zip method too. Follow the directions carefully and everything and not much happened. I guess it's my impatience, but on my RPi 3B+, the boot menu would show up almost immediately after the rainbow screen (and yes, after setting up the drive and rebooting too).

Basically, the boot menu wouldn't show up on my RPi 4 after, like, 5 minutes of wait time. I might try again, but I hope you understand what I'm going through. I am trying my best.

[bigpup]

OK.
It seems you are doing what you should.

01micko is going to be the one to try and figure this out.
He developed and put together Raspup.

[r96chase]

@bigpup I should contact them in PMs (again might I add), but they seem busy with developing Slacko Puppy at the moment. Thanks. Really.

[r96chase]

So...to add to my frustration, it wasn't fan GPIO causing anything. I tested booting up Raspup on my RPi 3B+, both with fan on and off respectively. To my surprise and somewhat disappointment, Raspup still does boot up on my RPi 3B+ no matter what.

ngl this intrigues me. Really. However, I might have to just use RPi 3B+ as my Puppy desktop...for now at the very least.

Anyway, I want to thank everybody that has tried to help me in this, but I feel like I need to move on for now.

Again, thank you.

Chase.