Sense HAT on Pi Zero interim fix

[Davespice]

Hi folks;
There is a known issue with using the Sense HAT on Pi Zero. To fix it you'll need to do two things:

Code: Select all

sudo rpi-update

and then add the following line to the end of /boot/config.txt

Code: Select all

core_freq=250

This will be resolved by a future update.

[PhilE]

There will be an updated .dtb file in the next rpi-update release, but until then you can download this replacement bcm2708-rpi-b-plus.dtb, copy it into /boot and remove the "core_freq=250" line from your config.txt. This file will then be harmlessly overwritten by the the next rpi-update.

[kcranley]

I have followed all the advice I can find but I can't get the Sense-hat software running on the pi zero. The problem arises when the sense = SenseHat() statement is encountered. Here is the message I keep getting, whatever example I try to run:

pi@raspberrypi:~/astro-pi-examples/python $ python random_sparkles.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "random_sparkles.py", line 5, in <module>
sense = SenseHat()
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/sense_hat/sense_hat.py", line 36, in __init__
raise OSError('Cannot detect %s device' % self.SENSE_HAT_FB_NAME)
OSError: Cannot detect RPi-Sense FB device
pi@raspberrypi:~/astro-pi-examples/python $

Can somebody please enlighten me?
Thanks

[Psygregoria]

Did you Update and upgrade the SOftware ?

i got the same problem but after i used the hints with the sudo rpi-update
everything works fine,

[kcranley]

I have tried all the updates and upgrades, but still no luck. What do you mean by the hints?

[Psygregoria]

what he post above about the Firmware Update that be needed

sudo rpi-update

that fixed my problem
Hope you try the latest raspbian version and ofc a clean new install
SenseHat and Zero are very new so you need all the updates

[kcranley]

Every time I run sudo rpi-update, I get multiple messages like:
cp: failed to extend '...': No space left on device
cp: cannot create directory '......': No space left on device
I have tried many times re-formatting the disk and writing a new image but I still get the above problem, so presumably this prevents the python statement above from executing?
Please help!!!

[RaTTuS]

Every time I run sudo rpi-update, I get multiple messages like:
cp: failed to extend '...': No space left on device
cp: cannot create directory '......': No space left on device
I have tried many times re-formatting the disk and writing a new image but I still get the above problem, so presumably this prevents the python statement above from executing?
Please help!!!

well there is your problem
you have run out of space
how big is the SD card ?
are you running noobs or raspbian
have you extended your file system if the latter

[Psygregoria]

Every time I run sudo rpi-update, I get multiple messages like:
cp: failed to extend '...': No space left on device
cp: cannot create directory '......': No space left on device
I have tried many times re-formatting the disk and writing a new image but I still get the above problem, so presumably this prevents the python statement above from executing?
Please help!!!

As you can see your SD Card is maybe to small or the Partition is to small.
1st be sure the SD Card is Big enough, dunno what size the complete Image need, but i think you need at least 4GB.

After installed the image you should start raspi-config and expand ur Filesystem
after this reboot and retry to update the FW with rpi-update.
If the message still is the same then ur SD card is to small.

[kcranley]

Every time I run sudo rpi-update, I get multiple messages like:
cp: failed to extend '...': No space left on device
cp: cannot create directory '......': No space left on device
I have tried many times re-formatting the disk and writing a new image but I still get the above problem, so presumably this prevents the python statement above from executing?
Please help!!!

well there is your problem
you have run out of space
how big is the SD card ?
are you running noobs or raspbian
have you extended your file system if the latter

Thanks for your reply. I'm using an 8Gb card, running Raspbian Jessie. Can you tell me exactly how to extend the file system?

[Psygregoria]

Every time I run sudo rpi-update, I get multiple messages like:
......
how big is the SD card ?
are you running noobs or raspbian
have you extended your file system if the latter

Thanks for your reply. I'm using an 8Gb card, running Raspbian Jessie. Can you tell me exactly how to extend the file system?

After installed the image you should start sudo raspi-config and expand ur Filesystem (there is a extra selectable entry in the Menu for that)

[kcranley]

Thanks - I tried that but it makes no difference.

[tomj83]

Davespice

thanks for your post. My pi zero couldn't detect the sense HAT, after hours of searching and reformatting the SD several times i finally came across your post and the temporary workaround has worked.

Your post is a couple of months old now so do you know when the fix will be rolled out?

[simonbugler]

The also helped me to get the zero working with the sense hat after hours of reformatting os - updating and even questioning my soldering!

sudo rpi-update
and
boot/config adding core_freq=250