Can't boot Raspberry Pi 4b from microSD

Support & help
1

:pushpin:Question Description

Have you searched the community for related issues?

  • No similar issues found.

Please describe the problem you’ve encountered in detail:

  • Description:
    I’ve downloaded the latest FydeOS image (three times now) and used Raspberry Pi Imager, Balena Etcher, Rufus & Linux Mint image restorer at least 6 times now to write the image to a fully working & tested microSD, but my rpi4b will not boot the image - it’s just stuck on the rainbow bootloader screen with the green LED flashing 7 times (I think this indicates no bootable image).

If I write the image to a normal USB memory stick, my rpi4b will boot FydeOS no problem.

If I use a microSD to USB dongle, I can insert the microSD in it & write the image to it fine. I can then insert the microSD/USB dongle into my rpi4b and it boots fine. If I then shutdown, take the microSD out of the USB dongle & instead insert it into the microSD slot on my rpi4b, it will NOT boot & is stuck on the rainbow screen.

I’ve looked at the partition table on the microSD - it all looks fine to me & seems to match the partition table as written to the working USB memory stick.

I’ve tried writing the image under Linux Mint & Windows 11.

I’ve also verified the Bootloader order on my rpi4b as microSD first.

Why will this image not boot from microSD on a rpi4b ??

Note: I have also tried the OpenFyde image contained in ‘rpi4-openfyde-r120.img.xz’ on GitHub, and it also will not boot from microSD (but I have no problem booting other OS’s from microSD)

:computer:System & Device Information

Raspberry Pi 4b 2Gb

2

Unless anyone knows what the issue is with getting FydeOS to boot from microSD, I’ll have to give up on it.

I tried mounting partition12 under Linux Mint & looking at cmdline.txt - it indicates a UUID as the root partition, but I’ve no idea if it’s right or wrong (the ‘Disks’ app in Linux Mint doesn’t show me any partition with this UUID). I tried editing it to /dev/mmcblk0p3 but this didn’t work (I think p3 was the right partition number?).

I then looked at the ‘dual boot’ instructions & realised I can boot from USB stick on my rpi4b & then use the App Store to install the ‘Installer’ app (why this isn’t already installed & even autorun similar to ‘try-before-you-buy’ approach of dual booting Linux & Windows, is a mystery!)

Running the ‘Installer’ app & choosing ‘Full disk installation’ & selecting my microSD inserted into my Raspberry Pi 4b (indicated as /dev/mmcblk0) but this always fails with the only thing shown in the on-screen log being “Creating journal (32768 blocks):” which then disappears when it reports “Installation failed. An error occurred”. I’ve tried loads of times with different microSD cards formatted as FAT.

Is there no way to install FydeOS to a bootable microSD on Raspberry Pi 4b ??