Unbricking a PI bricked after rpi-update

[Stephan Sann]

Hello all

Just wanted to share my unbricking after I bricked my PI with "rpi-update":

Code: Select all

root@raspberrypi:/var# rpi-update 
 *** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS
 *** Performing self-update
--2014-01-03 21:37:45--  https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-update/raw/master/rpi-update
[...]
„//root/.rpi-firmware/fixup_x.dat“ -> „/boot/fixup_x.dat“
„//root/.rpi-firmware/kernel_emergency.img“ -> „/boot/kernel_emergency.img“
Write failed: Broken pipe

After "rpi-update" hung at the "kernel_emergency.img"-line I tried to reboot my PI, but all I got was a red LED and nothing more (read about this in multiple posts). No further boot.

So here's the solution:

1.) Go to: https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-firmware and download the "ZIP"
2.) Put your Raspberry-SD-Card into your Mac (or whatever System you have) and copy all of the files in the root-folder of the archive to the boot-partition on the SD-Card.
3.) Attach the SD-Card back to your Raspberry and start.

TA-DA!

Best regards
Stephan

[drgeoff]

Welcome to the forum.

Such an RPi is not really "bricked" in the accepted use of the word in this context.

[Stephan Sann]

Thanks.

You shouldn't overrate words, they are just labels.
Everybody reading the post will understand what happened.

[ShiftPlusOne]

Just glancing the title it may give the impression that rpi-update may brick a pi in the same sense that phones become bricked, which is definitely misleading. Not going to edit the post or anything, since it's not a big deal, but I think the distinction is worth making.

[VascoFerraz]

Welcome to the forum.

Such an RPi is not really "bricked" in the accepted use of the word in this context.

Hi,

First don't get me wrong. This is just my interpretation

As far as I know, when you brick something it means that you have somehow mess around with some important files (like firmware/boot files) and then the hardware no longer boots.

Bricking also means that there is "no easy way" to edit those altered files. Meaning that you probably need an external programmer along with special software to flash the device again.

So, in this case, you have changed some important files using the "rpi-update" command. This command changed those files in a way that you no longer have the regular access of the device (in this case the Raspberry Pi).

Also, you need to remove the SD card and edit those changed files.

For me, the word "Bricked" fits in here like a charm.

Another expression that also suites here is: I have "messed" up my Raspberry Pi.

Vasco Ferraz