Any Raspberry Pi Expert in Sydney Willing to Help a Newbie?

alvian on 07/08/2018 - 19:08
Last edited 07/08/2018 - 19:51

I bought a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ from arrow.com but unfortunately I think it is dead. NOOBS was able to install Raspbian once. Raspbian's first-time configuration wizard wanted a reboot and so I let it reboot. It didn't reboot and it has not booted since.

I went through the no boot troubleshooting guide, tried two different verified working microSDHC cards as well as a USB flash drive, and tried NOOBS 2.8.2 and Raspbian Stretch Lite 2018-06-27. My RPi just don't boot. I am using the official power supply and case, and the SD cards are reported as compatible according to https://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards.

Things I'd tried:

  • Removed power and let the RPi rest.
  • Verified the downloaded ZIP files.
  • Overwrite formatted SD cards with SD Formatter & extracted NOOBS to the root folder with WinRAR.
  • Directly flashed Raspbian Stetch Lite with Etcher on to the SD cards.
  • Flashed Raspbian Stetch Lite with Etcher on an USB flash drive to let RPi 3B+ boot from USB.

Nothing I tried worked. The Power LED is lit, the Activity LED is dimmed, and the monitor reported no HDMI signal. Full detail of what I tried.

The troubleshooting guide said,

What to do to make sure your PI is defective, if you suspect it is?
If you have a PI B, B+ or 2B, There is just one way! You must have an identical model that does boot, and only when you exchange just the working and non-working PI's, and leave everything else the same, including sd-card, power supply, USB devices, and cables, -everything-, you do that, and then the "bad" PI still won't boot, then and only then you know it is the PI itself.

Is there any RPi Expert in Sydney willing to lend a hand? I am out of ideas.

Computing Raspberry Pi Foundation Single Board Computer

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 07/08/2018 - 19:25
    +1

    You say you extracted NOOBS to the root folder of the SD card. You should be extracting the IMG file from the NOOBS ZIP file to your Windows directory and then using Etcher to write the IMG file to the SD card. Similarly for Raspbian Stretch. You extract the IMG file from the ZIP then write the IMG file to the SD card.

    It isn't necessary to format the SD card beforehand because writing the IMG raw onto the card with Etcher will create a card with a filesystem on it. That's what an IMG file, it's an image of a disk filesystem. You could plug the card into a PC and you should see partitions on it.

    Please clarify this point, but if you have done it by the book, it sounds like a broken RPi if you don't get any HDMI signal.

    • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 19:48

      NOOBS ZIP contains 2 IMG files amongst 205 other files. The setup guide said to extract everything in the ZIP directly to the SD card root folder, or to extract everything to the local HDD and copy them across to the card. Tried both methods with an overwrite format in between. No boot.

      Etcher supports extraction of IMG within a ZIP. Tried flashing with NOOBS ZIP but it is not valid (probably because it contains 2 IMGs). Tried flashing Raspbian Stretch Lite ZIP. Flashed okay but no boot. Tried extracting the Raspbian Stretch Lite IMG to the local HDD and flash the IMG. Flashed okay but no boot.

      • retiredfeline on 07/08/2018 - 19:52
        +1

        Ok, I don't use NOOBS but Raspbian full and lite. In those cases the ZIP file contains only one file, an IMG file. The zipping is for compression, nothing more. In no situation should you flash a ZIP raw to the SD, that will just not work.

        Try two steps, extract the IMG with say 7zip and use Etcher to write the IMG file. You could also try other IMG writing programs.

        Pity you don't have Linux or I could give you the steps as a series of commands.

        • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 20:22

          Extracted 2018-06-27-raspbian-stretch-lite.img from 2018-06-27-raspbian-stretch-lite.zip to HDD with WinRAR and with 7zip

          Checked CRC32 of the two copies of IMG matched each other and that recorded in ZIP (D8E2DE42)

          Installed the two Windows image flashers

          Flashed IMG with Etcher onto Samsung Pro 16GB Class 10 (MB-MGAGB, reported working on https://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards). Etcher passed validation. No boot

          Flashed IMG with Win32DiskImager onto Samsung Pro. Writing reported successful. No boot.

        • retiredfeline on 07/08/2018 - 20:42

          @alvian: I think your RPi broke, especially as it worked once.

        • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 20:58

          @greenpossum: I think it never worked properly. Why was Raspbian Desktop installed and ran once, and then died on reboot? The bloody RPi was put in its case ever since I received the parcel this morning, and only once did I power it up outside of the case (to try trustnoone's suggestion below). There cannot possibly be an electrical short.

          The FAQ said the only way to be certain is to swap good/bad sd cards between good/bad RPis. Given what I had already tried, can we be certain that my RPi is 100% dead?

          I see that you are in Sydney. Are you willing to help me out with test swaps? Put a known good sd card in my suspect RPi & test my suspect sd card in a known good RPi.

        • retiredfeline on 07/08/2018 - 21:18

          @alvian: One last thing you should try is a different power supply like a phone charger. And cable. I doubt it though. I'm not free to try your SD card in my Rpi2 until next week.

        • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 21:36

          @greenpossum: I tried now with my Sony Portable Powerbank (JB Hi-Fi $29.99 pricing error special) and my 63% off Belkin Dual USB Wall Charger $16.34 (DS special). Both are able to deliver 2.1A and they output the next highest currents after the RPi official adapter. No joy.

          I will see if there is any other suggestion to my post here and on RPi.org forum, and I might take it up your offer via PM next week. Thanks in advance.

  • IVI on 07/08/2018 - 19:44

    If you don't solve it with all the tips you'll likely get from OzB members… here's a possible lead to more help:

    Some Radio Hams are into Raspberry Pi (new & old boards)… look up your nearest few Amateur Radio Clubs, eg, on www.WIA.org.au, & make some phone calls.

  • trustnoone on 07/08/2018 - 20:00

    Try playing around with the sdcard a bit put it in but not fully duper in, just like a little bit out from all the way (heh heh), but mine has this issue if I push it all the way in, and I think the case doesn't help.

    • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 20:32

      Took it out of the case and played with how far the SD card is in the reader. No boot.

      I thought the card reader might be bad and so I have previously tried USB boot that is out-of-the-box enabled on the RPi 3B+. No boot.

      This bloody thing is driving me crazy!

  • poboy on 07/08/2018 - 20:58

    What is the capacity of your SD card?

    • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 20:59

      1. Brand new in pack Samsung Pro 16GB Class 10 (MB-MGAGB, reported working on https://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards)

      2. Used but R/W verified Sandisk Ultra USH-1 48MB/s 8GB Class 10 (SDSQUNB-008G-GN3MN, 16GB version reported working on https://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards)

      3. Lexar JumpDrive 8GB USB flash drive

      The Samsung Pro worked once to install Raspbian Desktop, then Raspbian first-run configuration wizard wanted to reboot, and my RPi died after that. It never rebooted.

      Multiple attempts of formatting and flashing on these cards & USB drive. Nothing helped to make RPi start again. Power LED on, ACT LED dimmed, no HDMI signal.

  • dcuksuop on 07/08/2018 - 23:11

    where in Sydney are you?

    • alvian on 07/08/2018 - 23:51

      Reply sent via PM.

  • boomramada on 07/08/2018 - 23:53

    If all false, download https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ Raspbian to your pc.
    Follow https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/insta… and write to a 8gb or bigger sd card.
    Put it into your pi3, power it up with a at least 1000mA power supply.

    If that didn't work, try different SD card.

    Google is your best friends, plenty of articles and forums for pi.

  • Yummy on 08/08/2018 - 03:17

    Maybe install RetroPie and see what happen? :D

    • alvian on 08/08/2018 - 09:30

      I'll try but seeing RetroPie is based on Raspbian and I had no success with Raspbian Stretch Lite, I don't hold out much hope.

  • Presence on 08/08/2018 - 07:56

    The factory case can obstruct certain HDMI cables. Test it with no case! Then get a file and make the port openings on the case larger.

    • alvian on 08/08/2018 - 09:28

      Thanks for the suggestion. It has already been tested without the case. It made no difference to the problem.

  • [Deactivated] on 08/08/2018 - 11:30

    have you tried replacing every component to elimate a problem?

    hdmi cable
    power supply
    power supply cable
    sd card
    monitor/tv

    I'm not familiar with the OSes you're trying to use, try grabbing one of the ones which you use a tool to extract an image directly onto the sd card.

    • alvian on 10/08/2018 - 09:06

      Rested my RPi for 2 days with nothing connected

      have you tried replacing every component to elimate a problem?

      hdmi cable - replaced with 2 known working cables
      power supply - choose from (1) official RPi supply (5.1V, 2.5A), (2) Belkin wall charger (5V, 2.1A), (3) Sony power bank (5V, 2.1A)
      power supply cable - 3 different known working cables
      sd card - 2 to choose from, Samsung Pro 16GB & Sandisk Ultra 8GB
      monitor/tv - 2 to choose from, Samsung 2333HD & Panasonic VT60, both are in working order

      Downloaded 2018-06-27-raspbian-stretch.zip and verified SHA256. Flashed with Etcher to SD cards. Removed RPi from case. Tested all combinations.

      Results: No boot on all combinations. Power LED lit, Activity LED dimmed, no signal on HDMI.

      • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2018 - 11:05

        sounds like you've done pretty much all the troubleshooting you can, time to look at sending it back

  • ethan961 on 10/08/2018 - 10:06

    I'm having the same issue.

    RPI 3 B+ bought from Arrow last week died after 2 boots just like yours. Solid red power LED, absolutely nothing on the activity and no HDMI output at all. Using 2.5A PSU but no change with other units. Have reformatted the microSD card multiple times with various utilities on both Windows and Linux as per official directions with no dice. Tried different cards, no dice.

    Eventually found my ancient RPI 1 and tried the card through a full sized SD adapter and it booted just fine, so the card is not the issue. With the Pi 3 I inspected the slot and all pins are good, also tried with the card sticking out a hair at multiple lengths in case fully inserted was too far but no change. Initial boots were with latest NOOBS.

    Followong the "no boot" sticky it seems more and more likely to me that it's just died.

    • alvian on 10/08/2018 - 10:49

      The Troubleshooting Forum on raspberrypi.org is usually quite vocal with respect to "No Boot" posts, mostly directing the newbie to read and follow the Sticky. I reported everything I attempted by following the Sticky, and there was only a single, not very helpful, response to my request for help after 3 days. I think our sole remaining option is to return the RPi to Arrow.

      • ethan961 on 10/08/2018 - 12:40

        Yeah, I think so too. Really is a disappointment but there must be an issue with the hardware for this to be happening. Yeah they're tested at the factory but it's not like it was completely DOA, just shortly after.

        It is a bit frustrating having to sift through every post saying "look at the sticky" and usually not much more info after that. Glad to have found your report though, I hesitate to send things back when there's any chance it's just user error or easily fixed but this seems beyond that.

        Mine has a sticker with a QR code and 21/05 underneath, that's the only sort of batch identifier I see (haven't googled for more details yet).

        Was looking forward to using it too, the old one I have was too underpowered to do what I needed so the project had been on hold for quite a while.

        • alvian on 10/08/2018 - 14:16

          I think it is 21/Q5 under that QR code, and the QR code on mine decodes to the text "0000011016585394".

        • 4wd on 16/08/2018 - 20:47

          @alvian:

          It's 21/05 on mine, decodes to: 0000011016586497

          And like yours, is dead except for the Power LED after rebooting once.

  • alvian on 16/08/2018 - 17:44

    Arrow issued a refund without asking for any more detail about the dead RPi and without offering me an option to exchange the product. They said it is uneconomical to ship the dead RPi back, and asked me to place a new order instead. The problem is that the price has increase in the mean time. I think my Raspberry Pi adventure will end here for the time being.

    What to do with my dead RPi, the official case and the power supply now?

    • retiredfeline on 19/08/2018 - 00:19

      Sorry to hear it didn't end well, but at least you only lost some time. Just hang on to the case and PSU, for sure some RPi 3 deal will come along.

      • 4wd on 21/08/2018 - 09:55

        Just got a refund from Arrow, no option for a replacement.

        Think I'll be waiting for a really good deal on a RPi 3B or they fix their quality problems with the 3B+, until then the 1B and 2B will be chugging along.

        • NigelTufnel on 21/08/2018 - 12:17

          I've had the same issue with my RP3B+ from the Arrow deal. Contacted Arrow and haven't heard anything back. What contact did you use?

        • 4wd on 21/08/2018 - 15:58

          @NigelTufnel:

          I just filled out the RMA as Product Defective, that was on the 16th, IIRC.

          Today i received an email saying they're going to refund.

          If I hadn't of heard anything in 7 days I was going to try Live Chat or the websupport email address referencing the ticket number.

    • 4wd on 21/08/2018 - 18:57

      You might want to check the refund email they sent you if you want to try for a working one.

      Mine says the following:

      If shipping applies we will gladly issue you a refund for shipping or if there is a pricing difference, we will refund the difference. Just let us know your new WEB-SO number.

      So it shouldn't cost you any more than your original order.

      • alvian on 21/08/2018 - 19:46

        No such paragraph in my refund notification from [email protected]

        Your request has been approved for credit only. Please reference sales credit memo SCMxxxxxx in the amount of 24.14$. We have also issued a refund to your credit card. If you need replacements can you place a new order on our website? Please let us know if you have any further questions.

        • 4wd on 22/08/2018 - 09:52

          Damn, that sucks … still, I won't be taking them up on that offer even though their Customer Service was pretty good about it.

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