[SOLVED] -- RASPBIAN STRETCH LITE how to enable autologin - Pi Zero W

[raspberrynewbB]

Hey there,

I recently bought the Pi Zero W and am attempting to run it headless.

I added the wpa_supplicant.conf file + the ssh file to the boot partition on the SD card. Booted the pi up (with HDMI connected the first time to make sure everything worked)....however, when I boot the Pi Zero W, it asks me to type the password before I can even access the terminal.

Also, when I try to SSH in my Pi is not detected. (I added blank ssh file to boot partition as well)

Is there a way to enable autologin on the Pi without using HDMI/mouse/keyboard? How can I run the Pi Zero W headless if its going to ask me for a password every time i boot?

Please help!!! Thanks

[Gavinmc42]

I have also had trouble with Zero W, but it looks like new kernel 4.14 might fix this.
Very new, so option is bleeding edge 4.14 or persist with 4.9.

While waiting for a fix try external usb wifi?
I was about to look at that option until the 4.14 news today.

[W. H. Heydt]

Use another system, such as a Windows PC. You can add a file to the boot partition (which is the only one Windows can access) named "ssh". You can also add a wpa_supplicant file to the boot partition. Then when you use that SD card to boot the Pi0W, ssh will be enabled and the wpa_supplicant file will be installed and you should see the Pi0W on your network. You'll still need ID and password to actually log in.

[B.Goode]

I have several PiZero and PiZeroW boards. I always run them headless.

I have no idea whether a directly connected monitor would ask for a login, as I never have a display connected. Even if such a prompt is issued unseen it does not block the normal complete startup of the Operating System, including the network.

If your RPi is not detectable on your network it will be because you have not configured the wireless Access Point association correctly in wpa_supplicant.conf .

[fruitoftheloom]

Hey there,

I recently bought the Pi Zero W and am attempting to run it headless.

I added the wpa_supplicant.conf file + the ssh file to the boot partition on the SD card. Booted the pi up (with HDMI connected the first time to make sure everything worked)....however, when I boot the Pi Zero W, it asks me to type the password before I can even access the terminal.

Also, when I try to SSH in my Pi is not detected.

Is there a way to enable autologin on the Pi without using HDMI/mouse/keyboard? How can I run the Pi Zero W headless if its going to ask me for a password every time i boot?

Please help!!! Thanks

?? maybe ??

https://medium.com/a-path-to-pi/adding- ... be6634716e

[n67]

Isn't auto-login on by default - since Jessie/Pixel?

I don't understand how the OP could have gotten it to be off.

[HawaiianPi]

If you are using Raspbian Lite it will boot to a login prompt, and you'll need to enter the default username and password to login to the CLI. When using SSH you normally specify the user, so it will ask you for the password to login. Direct login and SSH login are separate processes (you can login to one, the other, or both, they are not interdependent).

Was the ssh file deleted from the SD card after you booted the Pi? And was the wpa_suplicant.conf file moved (neither should remain in the FAT32 boot partition after a successful boot). If either was still there, then something was wrong with your configuration.

How did you determine the IP address to SSH into your Pi Zero?

What did your wpa_supplicant.conf file look like? If you used the truncated file recommended for Jessie (with only the network section), it won't work in Stretch. Use the full wpa_supplicant.conf file with Stretch, which should look like this.

Code: Select all

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=US

network={
	ssid="Your network SSID"
	psk="Your WPA/WPA2 security key"
	key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

Edit country=, ssid= and psk= with your info.

[raspberrynewbB]

If you are using Raspbian Lite it will boot to a login prompt, and you'll need to enter the default username and password to login to the CLI. When using SSH you normally specify the user, so it will ask you for the password to login. Direct login and SSH login are separate processes (you can login to one, the other, or both, they are not interdependent).

Was the ssh file deleted from the SD card after you booted the Pi? And was the wpa_suplicant.conf file moved (neither should remain in the FAT32 boot partition after a successful boot). If either was still there, then something was wrong with your configuration.

How did you determine the IP address to SSH into your Pi Zero?

What did your wpa_supplicant.conf file look like? If you used the truncated file recommended for Jessie (with only the network section), it won't work in Stretch. Use the full wpa_supplicant.conf file with Stretch, which should look like this.

Code: Select all

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=US

network={
	ssid="Your network SSID"
	psk="Your WPA/WPA2 security key"
	key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

Edit country=, ssid= and psk= with your info.

thanks for your response...when I booted and could not SSH in I then powered off the pi and check the SD card again...SSH and wpa_supplicant files were still on the boot partition..i downloaded the OS right from raspberrypi.org and burned it following their instructions...any reason why you think it could have gone wrong?

i tried to ssh in using the same way I always connect to my Pi3's (ssh pi@raspberrypi.local)..as well, I used the full wpa_supplicant file just like you provided??

[W. H. Heydt]

Isn't auto-login on by default - since Jessie/Pixel?

I don't understand how the OP could have gotten it to be off.

On a GUI desktop, yes. On CLI in Raspbian Lite, no (so far as I know). When I use Raspbian Lite it's generally because I'm going to run headless and I still use id/password on remote login. Even if one is running the full desktop with autologin, coming in by ssh still needs id/password unless you use some other form of authentication.

I don't think this issue has much to do with different Raspbian releases. Remote login with id and password have been working that way back to Wheezy and still work that way with Stretch. It used to be that starting the GUI desktop wasn't the default. One logged in and then ran startx to get the GUI. Apparently that put some people off....

[jahboater]

coming in by ssh still needs id/password unless you use some other form of authentication.

Yes.

Its simple enough to set up for password less login (looks like auto login). Having done that, typing

ssh pi@host

goes straight in to the command prompt.
To set this up do (on the PC):-

ssh-keygen -t rsa

then

ssh-copy-id pi@host

Give the password once and it should be all set up.

Try ssh pi@host to test the autologin, you should never be asked for a password again!

[raspberrynewbB]

thanks all..between all your responses I ended up getting it to work...

for some reason the wpa_supplicant file i put onto the boot partition did not copy over to the root partition on boot.. also on my Mac I'm unaware how to access the root partition of the SD card because it wont let me mount?

regardless I just HDMI'd into the PiZeroW and edited the wpa_supplicant file in /etc/ manually and it worked