RPi not booting after writing image to SD card

[swandog]

Purchased a new 32gb class 10 SD card but when I write the image to the card and try to boot, all I get is the red light on the Pi.

Tried re-writing the image again but the same thing happens. Would this be a card issue? Pi works fine with another sd card with XBMC.

Appreciated any help.

[mac2298]

Hi, this is more of a Raspberry Pi question than a RetroPie question, and would probably be better off on a forum related to your question in the future. However, since it’s up here, I’ll see if I can help. Are you talking about booting Rasbian for the first time? If so, make sure you format your SD using the SD Formatter on SD’s website. Make sure you run a complete overwrite. Then, if you’re trying to boot from noobs, make sure you unzip the file and move all of the contents of the file to your SD card. There should be nothing but these files in the SD card. I hope I helped your problem. If I didn’t, please let me know and I’ll help if I can.

[swandog]

Thanks for your reply mac2298.

I’ve formatted my SD card and written the RetroPie image to it but when I try to load in my Pi for the first time I just get the red light and nothing boots.

I have another card with XBMC set up and that works fine on the Pi so no issue with the Pi itself.

Would this problem be an issue with the SD card?

[mac2298]

I think the problem is that you’re writing the RetroPie image to the SD card when you should be only writing the NOOBS image (if you’re booting from noobs). I’m not sure whether the SD card has any effect on it, but I imagine it doesn’t. If you indeed got the old SD card to work using this method, I would be surprised, assuming you did it from boot. I would try the kosher way. I actually just formated my Pi last night to convert it to a full-time RetroPie machine, but I did it the recommended way. If there isn’t a real reason that you want to write the RetroPie image to your SD, I would avoid it.

[swandog]

All I want to do is set up a Retropie machine. I’ve just bought the new A+ board but will need to set it up using the B model I have.

Following the instructions I’ve seen it doesn’t mention noobs at all, just says to write the image to the SD card and run on the Pi.

[mac2298]

If you’re starting a new RasPi, or using a new SD, you need to install noobs on it. Go to raspberrypi.org and download the noobs zip file. If you’re using an old SD with noobs already on it, then all you have to do is plug that sucker in and type a few lines in terminal (assuming you have internet) that are provided in the RetroPie script on this site. From my understanding, you can’t write the RetroPie image easily from a non-raspberry pi computer to SD. You need to do it from within your Raspberry Pi. I hope this makes sense. Maybe if you could be a bit more detailed in your responses I can better understand what you need and I can determine how to assist you. Good luck! :)

[swandog]

I (tried) to follow this tutorial (http://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-retro-game-console-498561192) which doesn’t mention anything about noobs or doing it all on the Rpi.

[mac2298]

Okay, don’t follow that tutorial. It’s a separate website that’s just hoping to get clicks. What you need to do is go onto raspberrypi.org, go to help, and select get started. Simply format your SD, download the NOOBS zip file, unzip the file, move the contents of your file to the SD, and boot your Pi. You should be greated with a screen after a few mins asking you for setup options. Select Rasbian, the recommended OS, and wait for the setup to be complete. Next, follow these instructions to setup your RetroPie: https://www.petrockblock.com/2012/07/22/retropie-setup-an-initialization-script-for-retroarch-on-the-raspberry-pi/.

I really hope I’ve been able to point you in the right direction. You should know how to do all this if you’ve owned a Pi in the past. If you forgot, then maybe you should refamiliarize yourself with your Raspberry Pi before you get started on this project. It’s not something that you can do very easily without some basic understanding of your Pi. Good luck!

[swandog]

I’m familiar with it otherwise I wouldn’t attempt to try this.

Will give it a try this weekend and come back if I have any problems.

Thanks for your help.

[mcfinnipoop]

Wow, that’s incredible that Mac was so stubbornly sticking to the NOOBS approach. Don’t give advice if you don’t know what the hell your talking about! NO YOU DON’T NEED TO INSTALL NOOBS FIRST TO INSTALL RETROPI!!! I don’t know why your choosing to confuse this guy with that shit. NOOBS is for excactly that…Noobs.

I have a 32g Class 10 and I am having the EXACT same problem. Contrary to what Mac was tellin you, you CAN format and write to an SD from Windows. Anyone who has owned a pi and done anything other than the basic tutorials can tell you that.

I format using SDFormatter 4.0, then write the image using Win32 Disk Imager, like EVERY tutorial for installing a Rpi OS will tell you if you’re using windows. When Installed on a 4-8gb (I tried both), The image writes fine and boots up on my Pi, but when using a 32GB, It formats correctly, says it’s written successfully, then upon plugging in I only get 1 Red LED(With the 32g. Swapped out with other cards, working fine)

When looking at the SD card in Disk Management, I can see that the install took, there is the boot file and then TWO partitions rather than the usual 1 with smaller sized cards.

Now Mac, Explain to me how I installed WITHOUT NOOBS perfectly fine on the <8g cards, but a 32g has problems. THATS THE QUESTION HE WAS TRYING TO GET ANSWERED!!!

As for trying the NOOBS trick, It doesn’t work because it does not pertain to this issue. I have tried everything including the NOOBS idea since I ran out of options, and when attempting to install via unzip NOOBS to formatted SD, it does the same exact thing. The bottom line is it’s not writing correctly to cards with memory higher than 8g. If anyone has any tips it would be greatly appreciated. But please don’t tell me to go install NOOBS again…

[chdez77076]

Wow he was really stuck on that NOOBS huh?! LOL
Which image are you using? 2.3 or the 2.4.1 BETA?
I have a 32 GB Samsung micro SD and it works fine with me using the 2.3.
Ill try the 2.4.1 as soon as i get home to see if maybe the new update is the problem.

[GameRockeR]

I just write the new 2.4.1 retropie image into a 32 gb micro sd using win32diskimager and everything works good. mac2289, I know you replied months ago but stop misinforming ok? you’re so clueless about retropie.

[swandog]

I didn’t actually use his advise in the end as it didn’t help me, think the issue was a s**t sd card so used an 8gb one which worked fine.

[Centax]

Swan, I had the same issue as you when loading the 2.3 image. It was a 32gb kingston class 10. Got it new and sealed on ebay, but who knows. Coulda been bootleg. I got a San Disk 16gb ultra plus card and it worked great.

Never needed Noobs either. Haha

[swandog]

@centax there is a list of Rpi compatible SD cards if you do a google search. I didn’t come across this until afterwards.

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