I have a Raspberry Pi Zero W and am trying to get it working for a project that I have. Here is what I have done so far:
1. Format a 32GB micro SD card using SD Card Formatter, quick format option, on my WIndows 8.1 desktop PC. It formats as FAT32.
2. Download NOOBS as a ZIP
3. Extract the ZIP
4. Copy all the files in the ZIP to the micro SD card
5. Compare the card with the source directory using Beyond Compare. It all compares except for a few *.tar.xz files, which it claims not to be able to find. Is there something funny about .tar.xz files?
6. Once copied, eject the disk, and insert the micro SD card into the Raspberry Pi.
7. Connect from the Pi to the monitor using an HDMI cable.
8. Connect from the Pi to a USB keyboard and mouse using a USB cable.
9. Plug a 3A charger with a micro USB plug into the PWR socket on the Pi.
Nothing at all happens. No lights flash on the Pi. Nothing appears on the monitor. If I type things on the keyboard, nothing happens. I bought another Pi Zero W in case the first one was faulty, but the same thing happens. What am I doing wrong? How do I get to the point where the Pi is alive, and I can start loading some application software onto it?
Thanks - Rowan
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:02 pm
Re: Can't get it to do anything
What happens if you power it off and on again? does the green led on the pi flicker ?
Anyway, I would use etcher on the PC to re-create the SD card from a download of Raspbian Buster Lite - forget NOOBS for now.
No need to unzip anything when using etcher.
Anyway, I would use etcher on the PC to re-create the SD card from a download of Raspbian Buster Lite - forget NOOBS for now.
No need to unzip anything when using etcher.
Re: Can't get it to do anything
There is a summary of all the knowledge accumulated from these forums during the past 8 years about difficulties getting an RPi to boot, see - STICKY: Is your Pi not booting? (The Boot Problems Sticky) - https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/view ... 28&t=58151
There is a section dedicated to the RPi Zero boards which includes a simple usb connection test which might determine whether the board is non-functional.
Is the card reader/writer facility in your laptop SDXC compatible? Maybe the microSD card is not being written correctly.
There is a section dedicated to the RPi Zero boards which includes a simple usb connection test which might determine whether the board is non-functional.
Is the card reader/writer facility in your laptop SDXC compatible? Maybe the microSD card is not being written correctly.
Re: Can't get it to do anything
I had some issue similar to that, involving .xz files, it was all very weird.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pm5. Compare the card with the source directory using Beyond Compare. It all compares except for a few *.tar.xz files, which it claims not to be able to find. Is there something funny about .tar.xz files?
I recall I got round it by ensuring the SD Card was given a FULL Format, not just Quick Format, ejecting it and reinserting it before copying the files extracted from the NOOBS downloaded file over.
Using 7-Zip rather than WinZip, WinRAR or the built in Windows Extractor, to extract the NOOBS files may have also been part of the solution.
Re: Can't get it to do anything
You can't just drag & drop the files onto the sd card, you need to use something like Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to copy the ISO file to the card. All your other steps look correct.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pmI have a Raspberry Pi Zero W and am trying to get it working for a project that I have. Here is what I have done so far:
4. Copy all the files in the ZIP to the micro SD card
Thanks - Rowan
HTH
Re: Can't get it to do anything
Yes, you can with NOOBS or PINN. In fact it's the only way to install if you use NOOBS.Forris wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:23 amYou can't just drag & drop the files onto the sd card, you need to use something like Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to copy the ISO file to the card. All your other steps look correct.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pmI have a Raspberry Pi Zero W and am trying to get it working for a project that I have. Here is what I have done so far:
4. Copy all the files in the ZIP to the micro SD card
Thanks - Rowan
Also, if you do use Raspbian (or other) image files, they are IMG not ISO.
Last edited by rpdom on Fri Jan 24, 2020 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Unreadable squiggle
- DougieLawson
- Posts: 40564
- Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:19 pm
- Location: A small cave in deepest darkest Basingstoke, UK
- Contact: Website Twitter
Re: Can't get it to do anything
If it comes to a choice between NOOBS or PINN the answer is ALWAYS PINN.
There's even an Etcher compatible version of PINN (which also has the benefit of working on ExFAT formatted cards as it rewrites the partition table).
Any language using left-hand whitespace for syntax is ridiculous
Any DMs sent on Twitter will be answered next month.
Fake doctors - are all on my foes list.
Any requirement to use a crystal ball or mind reading will result in me ignoring your question.
Any DMs sent on Twitter will be answered next month.
Fake doctors - are all on my foes list.
Any requirement to use a crystal ball or mind reading will result in me ignoring your question.
Re: Can't get it to do anything
Forris wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:23 am
You can't just drag & drop the files onto the sd card, you need to use something like Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to copy the ISO file to the card.
HTH
I don't think that helps. You may have overlooked Step 2 of Rowan's description -
The downloaded and unpacked NOOBS zip archive does not contain a .ISO file.2. Download NOOBS as a ZIP
Re: Can't get it to do anything
TForris wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:23 amYou can't just drag & drop the files onto the sd card, you need to use something like Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to copy the ISO file to the card. All your other steps look correct.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pmI have a Raspberry Pi Zero W and am trying to get it working for a project that I have. Here is what I have done so far:
4. Copy all the files in the ZIP to the micro SD card
Thanks - Rowan
HTH
@Forris
The "certified" stuff is unwarranted. The OP clearly stated NOOBS. You cannot use Etcher to put NOOBS on a card.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Re: Can't get it to do anything
Not sure what you mean by 'The "certified" stuff is unwarranted' but , yes, I did miss the bit about using NOOBS. I've never used it myself, partly because it seems to confuse things, as in this case.drgeoff wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:41 pmTForris wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:23 amYou can't just drag & drop the files onto the sd card, you need to use something like Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to copy the ISO file to the card. All your other steps look correct.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pmI have a Raspberry Pi Zero W and am trying to get it working for a project that I have. Here is what I have done so far:
4. Copy all the files in the ZIP to the micro SD card
Thanks - Rowan
HTH
@Forris
The "certified" stuff is unwarranted. The OP clearly stated NOOBS. You cannot use Etcher to put NOOBS on a card.
- HawaiianPi
- Posts: 6139
- Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:53 am
- Location: Aloha, Oregon USA
Re: Can't get it to do anything
Missing files means the NOOBS archive did not extract correctly. So it's not surprising it doesn't boot.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pm5. It all compares except for a few *.tar.xz files, which it claims not to be able to find. Is there something funny about .tar.xz files?
Skip NOOBS and use a Raspbian image.
- Download and install the Etcher image writing software from here: https://www.balena.io/etcher/
- Download a Raspbian image from here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/
- Use Etcher to write the Raspbian image to your card directly from the .zip download (do not extract the image first).
- When Etcher has finished writing and verifying the card, it's ready. Use it to boot your Pi0W.
My mind is like a browser. 27 tabs are open, 9 aren't responding,
lots of pop-ups...and where is that annoying music coming from?
lots of pop-ups...and where is that annoying music coming from?
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:31 am
Re: Can't get it to do anything
[/quote]Hi guys, someone on that forum has used 7-zip because I have Winrar and it has given me problems and investigating I found this page https://7zipiler.com/ that recommends me to use that application.hippy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 3:20 pmI had some issue similar to that, involving .xz files, it was all very weird.rowan.bradley wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:33 pm5. Compare the card with the source directory using Beyond Compare. It all compares except for a few *.tar.xz files, which it claims not to be able to find. Is there something funny about .tar.xz files?
I recall I got round it by ensuring the SD Card was given a FULL Format, not just Quick Format, ejecting it and reinserting it before copying the files extracted from the NOOBS downloaded file over.
Using 7-Zip rather than WinZip, WinRAR or the built in Windows Extractor, to extract the NOOBS files may have also been part of the solution.
What do you know about this program?[/quote]