Copy SD-Card to USB-SSD and boot from it?

[genki]

Hi,

Raspberry Pi 4 - 4gb
I can successfully boot from a USB attached SSD but only with a fresh image of Raspberry Pi OS.

Problem
I have a system running already on SD Card, I do not know how to determine whether this is NOOBs or not, I don't quite understand the differences.
I want to copy my already running SD-CARD to the USB SSD and boot from the USB SSD.

This only happens with an image from the SD card onto the SSD.

Tried
Copying all of the files from the githib /boot directory into the SDD /boot directory - still does not work
Copying all of the files from the SD-CARD /boot directory into the SDD /boot directory - still does not work

Errors
recover4.elf is not compatible
Missing Empy fixup4rc.dat
USB-MSD boot requires newer software

Anyone have any ideas please?

Thanks

[RonR]

I want to copy my already running SD-CARD to the USB SSD and boot from the USB SSD.

Make sure your SD card installation is up-to-date (apt update && apt upgrade).

Make sure your bootloader is up-to-date:

rpi-eeprom-update:

Code: Select all

BOOTLOADER: up-to-date
CURRENT: Mon 15 Jun 13:36:19 UTC 2020 (1592228179)

Running Raspbian from USB Devices : Made Easy

Answer 'No' to 'Use SD card to boot the USB device?'

[procount]

I do not know how to determine whether this is NOOBs or not, I don't quite understand the differences.

If it is NOOBS, when it boots, after the rainbow square, you will get a grey screen with a small raspberry logo in the middle of the screen with a message about holding the shift key to enter recovery mode. If you do nothing, it will then boot into Raspbian (you may see 4 raspberries at the top of black screen with scrolling text beneath it, or maybe a second rainbow square - depending on version). NOOBS cannot currently boot from USB on a Pi4, but I suspect that will change in the next version (but don't quote me!)

If it is NOT NOOBS, then you don't get the grey screen with the raspberry logo in the centre.

[genki]

Thank you very much for the answer guys.

I perform the following, and then I also copy the boot folder files from the github into the boot folder on my SSD.
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo rpi-eeprom-update && vcgencmd bootloader_config

Yes I think the problem is that it is NOOBS and I will not use this in future. I'm awaiting order of the RPI4 8GB.

I do see the "grey screen with a small raspberry logo in the middle of the screen with a message about holding the shift key to enter recovery mode."

Thanks for the help!

[procount]

Currently NOOBS does not support USB-BOOT on the Pi4, but you can modify it to do so.
PINN 3.3.4.2 does support USB_BOOT, but many OSes that it installs may still not support it, so they will need their firmware upgrading.
If you don't need the multiboot capability, then just do without NOOBS, install your OS directly, then you can follow many of the instructions to copy it to SSD and upgrade the firmware as required.

[RonR]

usb-boot will copy an existing RaspiOS system from a NOOBS SD card to a USB device.

On a Raspberry Pi 4, the resulting USB device should boot stand-alone with the new bootloader firmware without using the SD card.

[RonR]

I perform the following, and then I also copy the boot folder files from the github into the boot folder on my SSD.
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

After running 'sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y', you don't need to copy any files from github or anywhere else.

sudo rpi-eeprom-update && vcgencmd bootloader_config

Does 'sudo rpi-eeprom-update' report?:

BOOTLOADER: up-to-date
CURRENT: Mon 15 Jun 13:36:19 UTC 2020 (1592228179)

If not, you do not have the latest bootloader code loaded. Run the following to update it:

Code: Select all

sudo rpi-eeprom-update -d -f /lib/firmware/raspberrypi/bootloader/beta/pieeprom-2020-06-15.bin
sudo reboot

Then run 'sudo rpi-eeprom-update' again to verify it's now:

BOOTLOADER: up-to-date
CURRENT: Mon 15 Jun 13:36:19 UTC 2020 (1592228179)

If you then run usb-boot (answer 'No' to 'Use SD card to boot the USB device?'), your existing RaspiOS will be copied to your USB device (Flash drive, SSD, etc.). Shutdown, remove the SD card, and it should boot the USB device.