RPI4 Gives 4 short flashes indicating no start.elf found

[axlotl_lotoaxel]

I was trying to reflash a 16 gB sd card with NOOBS, and got the “no start.elf file found” error. I restarted the pi removed the sd card and everything plugged into other ports, and for the same error (4 short flashes, start.elf not found). I then tried, in order, the standard raspbian through the Raspberry Pi Imager, extended raspbian (+software packages), raspbian lite (no desktop support), a recovery partition, and an old version of raspbian closer to release date.

I’ve read through the boot problem sticky, and nothing seems to describe what’s happening here. Any tips for fixing this, or is it time to get a new as card / pi?

[mahjongg]

NO!

if you read the second line or so of the boot problem text it states:

If you have a PI 4B that won't boot, please read the PI 4B specific fourth post in this thread, before continuing here.

so the error flashes descriptions in the primary boot problem text are NOT specifically valid for a RPI4, and four flashes does NOT just mean "no start.elf found". on an RPI 4 it means just no boot code found at all, as it will blink four times with no sd-card present.

try imaging Raspbian onto the card using Balena Etcher, and the latest Raspbian image.

[RhubarbPie4Ever]

I've had the same issue, but I tried a few other things you may want to try:

• Followed this instruction on how to repair the EEPROM: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... teeprom.md
• Tried different sizes and makes of SD card
• Tried a different power cable

I'm still fighting the issue myself, and I'm kind of running out of ideas other than wait for another firmware update and hope for the best.

Hope you find an answer!

[axlotl_lotoaxel]

try imaging Raspbian onto the card using Balena Etcher, and the latest Raspbian image.

I’ve tried with the standard provided etcher, also manually wiping the SD and putting the files there myself. Someone else found a similar issue with the 4 and was hoping for an issue with later firmware.

I should also not that when I use the EEPROM recovery image, it gets a different error flash pattern of 2 long 4 short, which isn’t described by the chart provided in the boot problem thread for 4B.

You’re definitely right that it’s more likely the SD card not being properly read, and it could even be the SD reader having a problem, if it weren’t for me getting different signals with the EEPROM recovery image. So it’s clearly reading, but something is off.

[RhubarbPie4Ever]

I want to signal-boost this thread a little. Here's what I've tried:

• Used Etcher w/ Ubuntu, Raspbian, and Rasbian Lite
• Used the latest Raspberry Org imager with both flavors of Raspbian
• Tried Lubuntu for grins
• Tried all different makes and sizes of SD card
• SUCCESSFULLY recovered the EEPROM - three times

The last bit really threw me for a loop because, at least for my unit, the card read the recovery.bin just fine and did what it was supposed to do. It seems like whatever bootloader on the EEPROM became irreparably corrupted somehow, or the model 4B is inherently unreliable

The "didn't boot" sticky isn't all that helpful unless the problem can be fixed by refreshing the SD image.

*Hey mods! A little help here!*

Any help on the issue would be great.

[bullen]

So the foundation has not helped on this since March?! Eh, ok?

I'm using dd on linux and that has worked for 10 years... something is wrong with your latest images!

I think you need to stop rushing out hardware/software at a pace at which you cannot guarantee quality...

Now I have a non working HQ camera because of LQ software!!!

[HawaiianPi]

... something is wrong with your latest images!

Nope, the 2020-05-27 images are fine. Something is wrong on your end, but we'll need details to help you troubleshoot.

[bullen]

Maybe you are right... I tried writing the 2019-09-26 lite release that I know I have gotten working before and still no HDMI... though the ACT led seems to behave normally now... I'm stumped and will resume the struggle tomorrow... everytime I write new releases to SD card something is wrong... this is so tiring!

[HawaiianPi]

The Pi4 has known issues with 1366x768 resolution monitors (I have no problems with my 1080p monitor).

Are you using a direct micro-HDMI > HDMI cable or an adapter (cheap adapters can also be problematic)?

A serial console cable is very handy for troubleshooting in general, and especially with video or network problems (you can see the shell output from a serial terminal on another computer, and login without a network connection). I use inexpensive CP2102 based USB-TTL adapters that can be found on eBay for less than $2 (more if you need fast shipping).

Without a serial cable you'll need to try other screens (if you have access to any) or various settings in config.txt to find something that works.

What is the make, model and specifications of your screen, and how is it connected?

Are you using the HDMI-0 or HDMI-1 port? If HDMI-1, try 0 (the port closest to the USB-C power input).

What are you using for a Pi4 power supply?

I have tested all 3 images on my 4B2, and both the Lite and desktop images on my Pi Zero and 3B(+) models, so I know they work. Do you have problems with the 2020-05-27 images on any other Pi model?

[bullen]

What did you use to write the images?

It's not the screen or anything else because I use everything already and it all works!!!

But I use lite and then I add TWM desktop manually, maybe that's why it struggles... I need to check the SD cards after I write them maybe the images have got some new fancy stuff that good old dd doesn't know how to deal with?

I remember reading something with having to replace the elf something with the 64-bit version... but the 32-bit fails too...

Somewhere along the line the kid friendly computer turned into you must have multiple days just to write the OS on a SD card... the train is officially derailed!

It's so bad most people now have PTSD from failing to write SD cards!

[HawaiianPi]

What did you use to write the images?

I used to use Etcher, but lately I've been using Raspberry Pi Imager.

However, both of these work from the command line with an extracted .img file.

Code: Select all

sudo dd if=2020-05-27-raspios-buster-lite-armhf.img of=/dev/sdb bs=4M;sync

Code: Select all

sudo cp 2020-05-27-raspios-buster-lite-armhf.img /dev/sdb;sync

This works as well, and is a bit tidier because you don't need to extract the .zip file first.

Code: Select all

sudo su
unzip -p 2020-05-27-raspios-buster-lite-armhf.zip >/dev/sdb;sync

Note on my system the SD card reader is /dev/sdb so you will have to correct for your system.

It's not the screen or anything else because I use everything already and it all works!!!

If it all works, then what are you complaining about?

Somewhere along the line the kid friendly computer turned into you must have multiple days just to write the OS on a SD card... the train is officially derailed! It's so bad most people now have PTSD from failing to write SD cards!

That is absolutely not true for most people!

I got my Pi4s in July 2019, less than a month after release, and I haven't had trouble writing any of the images. I don't know why you are having problems, but since you aren't supplying any information needed to troubleshoot your issues I can't help.

You can continue to blame your troubles on others and your problems will continue as well. If you decide you actually want help, then I suggest you cooperate with the people who are trying to help you. Good luck.

[bjtheone]

I have created SD cards using cli methods (dd), etcher, and the official Pi Imager (on Windows and the Pi itself). All have booted up first time, without issue (on both 3B+ and 4B 4G * 8G). It really does work very well and very reliably for almost all folks. There would be great hue and cry if it did not.

I recently walked a 11 year old through the process for "his" Pi.

[bullen]

Maybe my problem is that the disk for my PC with the SD card reader/writer is getting full and something is off with my unzipping of the images... anyhow I would like to get a process for this that always work on all releases for all future. That would be nice for my nerves. I appreciate the offer of helping but as always you have to fix things yourself when the problem is behind the steering wheel...

[jamesh]

Maybe my problem is that the disk for my PC with the SD card reader/writer is getting full and something is off with my unzipping of the images... anyhow I would like to get a process for this that always work on all releases for all future. That would be nice for my nerves. I appreciate the offer of helping but as always you have to fix things yourself when the problem is behind the steering wheel...

I'd appreciate it if you could stop bad mouthing the entire Raspberry Pi team, simply because you have something wrong at your end.

If the problem you describe was widespread, it seems to me that there would be more than just you complaining about it. We sell over half a million devices a MONTH, this forum would be inundated with complaints if the images didn't work. You may also have noticed that when we do have a confirmed problem, we admit it straight away and fix it.

[bullen]

@jamesh you could choose to see it as constructive criticism, or an area where you could get better.

I'm not posting to be a pain in the butt, I'm posting because I now actually suffer from the trauma that every goddamn time I am writing a new image something that is very hard to google goes wrong and about 50% of the time it's because some arbitrary decision you made. Like when you added that we had to edit some file to get the sshd started.

You need to think things through carefully, and if my disk runs out of space maybe that should incite you to reduce the size of the raspbian image? Or prioritize the 64-bit lite image? And maybe changing the name to pios which is and will always be un-googlable is not a wise choice?

These things will impact the raspberry pi team in the future even if it seems like it's irrelevant now during these times of monopolistic success!

We humans also have a tendency to be most critical about the things we care about. That's another thing you could learn from.

Last but not least I am now transitioning (or at least really trying hard) to Raspberry 4 instead of my 200W Windows machine as main, and only, computer. It's going to be a rocky ride and I need you to be sharp!

Also I'm probably the only one making a MMO for your platform: http://talk.binarytask.com/task?id=5959519327505901449

The pressure is high.

[jamesh]

@jamesh you could choose to see it as constructive criticism, or an area where you could get better.

I'm not posting to be a pain in the butt, I'm posting because I now actually suffer from the trauma that ever goddamn time I am writing a new image something that is very hard to google goes wrong and about 50% of the time it's because some arbitrary decision you made. Like when you added that we had to edit some file to get the sshd started.

You need to think things through carefully, and if my disk runs out of space maybe that should incite you to reduce the size of the raspbian image? Or prioritize the 64-bit lite image? And maybe changing the name to pios which is and will always be un-googlable is not a wise choice?

These things will impact the raspberry pi team in the future even if it seems like it's irrelevant now during these times of monopolistic success!

We humans also have a tendency to be most critical about the things we care about. That's another thing you could learn from.

Last but not least I am now transitioning (or at least really trying hard) to Raspberry 4 instead of my 200W Windows machine as main, and only, computer. It's going to be a rocky ride and I need you to be sharp!

Also I'm probably the only one making a MMO for your platform: http://talk.binarytask.com/task?id=5959519327505901449

The pressure is high.

So, we have to change our image because your disk is full? Makes no sense. How do we know your disk is full? Why should we reduce our image size because of your disk housekeeping failings?

Your comments are not constructive criticism. They are rants because you cannot get something to work. Lots of other people have no problems installing images. I do it often and have never had a problem. It just works. To have the 50% error rate you claim, something is amiss, and it's not at our end.

No idea what you are talking about with regard to ssh, or what arbitrary decisions we have made. Just to be clear, we don't generally make arbitrary decisions. We have to think long and hard before we make any changes that might affect backwards compatibility. That is not arbitrary decision making.

[B.Goode]

No idea what you are talking about with regard to ssh,

Possibly this, from as recently as November 2016 - surprised it's not fresh in your memory...

2016-11-25:
* SSH disabled by default; can be enabled by creating a file with name "ssh" in boot partition

Ref: http://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspio ... _notes.txt

[HawaiianPi]

@jamesh you could choose to see it as constructive criticism, or an area where you could get better.

Except it's not criticism when your assertions are WRONG!

YOUR problems creating images are caused by something on YOUR end that the Raspberry Pi engineers have no control over.

I'm not posting to be a pain in the butt,

Actually, yes, you are.

You are completely ignoring reason and logic (and everyone trying to help you) and just passing blame and responsibility to others. No one here can fix your problems, because there is nothing wrong with the images.

You need to think things through carefully, and if my disk runs out of space maybe that should incite you to reduce the size of the raspbian image?

No, you should clean up your own mess. No one here is responsible for your file clutter.

It's going to be a rocky ride...

Yes, it will be, because you blame all your problems on others who bear no responsibility. Your attitude is also very condescending and will quickly alienate anyone who tries to help.

The pressure is high.

For what exactly?