Flashing 400GB MicroSD card problem

Planetdune

Hello

I am trying to install Raspbian, followed by Retropie, first time using a Raspberry, first time using anything non windows. Just started and ran into something I can't seem to fix on my own.. (not a good beginning)

I used a program called Etcher to flash Raspbian Lite to my 400GB MicroSD card. Worked fine but as soon as it was done flashing Windows 10 lost the drive letter (it doesn't show up in local storage at all).

Now, the problem here is that I noticed I flashed the wrong image, I took the lite but the tutorial said to flash the desktop version. So I wanted to just flash again but Etcher cannot see the MicroSD card anymore... no clue how to fix this...

Second question, I have my Raspberry Pi 4 connected to my TV. Stock Pi4 4GB. Connected the microhdmi to hdmi, power etc and turned on the device. There is a red light and a blinking green (yellow?) light. But when I go to the correct input (source) on my TV that the Raspberry is connected to my TV says it is not "receiving any signal'. Now there is no microsd card in the Raspberry so I figured it couldn't "boot" but I thought it would at least show me a raspberry logo or something to know the device is working correctly?

Thanks for the help.

Planetdune

Addendum:

I was able to re-detect the MicroSD card, flashed the correct desktop version of Raspbian and inserted the MicroSD card into the Raspberry. Still getting "no signal" on my TV when selecting the correct HDMI input.

Tried opening boot\congig.txt with notepad and enabled the lines:
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
config_hdmi_boost=4

Nothing changes. I am using the official Raspberry Pi power connector.

I am also using the following case that has a fan in "5volt mode":
https://www.sossolutions.nl/gelaagde-raspberry-pi-behuizing-inclusief-ventilator-zwart-transparant?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2b7uBRDsARIsAEE9XpGOlc0oI07jhEK2LsiNDohIBnIrXe5kiDM-aYFB9JNMl3nlYhelL1EaAtq6EALw_wcB

Now on youtube it said this cooler was pretty silent but I think it makes a fair amount of noise (it does seem to work [it spins]..)

So again, I am stuck..

Planetdune

Addendum 2 (can't seem to edit my posts on this forum)

How do you turn this thing off ? I see no off switch and as I get no input signal at all, the only way to turn it on/off atm is to unplug the power cable. Which seems a weird way to do things...

mitu

@Planetdune There should be a power off option in the desktop log off menu. The PI doesn't have an On/Off switch on the board.

Planetdune

@mitu That's nice if I ever get to this fabled Desktop :(

Addendum 3:

So far I was trying the Rpi on the TV upstairs, which is a Phillips something or another. Now took the Pi downstairs, connected it to the main living room TV which is a Sony Bravia 2019 model, this one detected everything I threw at it, digicorders, blue-ray devices, consoles etc.... same result... "no signal" when I give power to the Rpi...

Tried putting the fan in 3volt mode instead of 5.. doesn't change anything..

This is my first time using a Pi but I kinda expected it to work... like, connect power, connect hdmi, insert sdcard, done... no clue what is happening here, no clue if my Pi is broken (when I connect power it has a red light and a green one that flickers for a while)... but without output, I can't do anything :(

Planetdune

Addendum 4

Tried connecting the Rpi to my Samsung computer monitor instead of a TV... no signal detected once more... this means I tried 3 devices now with 0 results...

I do not have a keyboard or mouse attached to the Rpoi but I am assuming this is not required to see some form of signal output...

Planetdune

Addendum 5

Tried enabling the following in config.txt:
hdmi_safe = 1

Does not work.

The fact I am using a 400GB MicroSD card can't be the issue right? Asking because I saw people with issues with cards larger than 64GB but I presume that Etcher software formatted the card to the correct format for the Pi for a 400GB MicroSD card ?

Planetdune

Addendum 6

Just to be sure I used "SD CArd Formatter" to erase all partitions on the MicroSD card and then the FAT32Format program to add a FAT32 patition for the entire 400GB.

Then used Etcher to flash the desktop Raspbian.

Same non result as always, no signal to HDMI... should I just send this Pi back as "non working" ? I do see the green light flashing which looks to me like the Pi IS doing something but if I can't get output then what can I do... ???

herb_fargus

@Planetdune try it with a small 8 GB microsd card to rule out the SD as the issue. Also try swapping out HDMI cable, remove fan etc. Just take it step by step

steptoe

I've had issues with SD Cards, as suggested, start off with a small SD Card then you know its not anything else. Big cards can cause issues, especially if they seem very cheap ... probably because they are fake cards. Appear ok, but formatting it and losing your drive letter is a pretty good indication its a fake card. As soon as you try to use it it fails

Format32 is a good one, it formats anything to FAT32 that the PI uses

http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm

If it can't format without an error, or even refuses to recognise the card then there is a good chance you've bought a fake card

Planetdune

@steptoe it is not a fake card. It is a Scandisk A1 400GB straight from a retail store. Detects fine. Flashes fine.

Clyde

@Planetdune Even Retail stores and big online vendors are not safe from fake hardware. The fake ones register just fine in your OS, but fail to storage the said amount of data (of course). The only way you can be sure to have a genuine 400GB card is to store 400GB on it, then read it again and compare it to the original. There are tools out there to do that, F3 being a good one, although it has to be compiled first, see the link for instructions. It will test the storage space and actual read/write speed of any drive or card.

Planetdune

@Clyde said in Flashing 400GB MicroSD card problem:

@Planetdune Even Retail stores and big online vendors are not safe from fake hardware. The fake ones register just fine in your OS, but fail to storage the said amount of data (of course). The only way you can be sure to have a genuine 400GB card is to store 400GB on it, then read it again and compare it to the original. There are tools out there to do that, F3 being a good one, although it has to be compiled first, see the link for instructions. It will test the storage space and actual read/write speed of any drive or card.

Hello, it is not the card. Not saying the fact it is 400GB might be the issue, but the card itself is fine.

Just to be clear, the only thing I did was:

Format the card to FAT32
Use Etcher to flash the Raspbian + desktop version to the card
Insert MicroSD card into the Rpi.
Put TV on the correct source input
Connect power and hdmi to the Rpi

The red light is always on, the green one flashes for a while but 2 TV's and one monitor all give no signal...

Should I just return the Pi? I don't have warranty forever.. (think its a month for items bought online)

Planetdune

Addendum to last message:

Maybe I should try flashing that noob thing instead of Raspbian... I'll give that a go..

Clyde

You could also enable SSH and see if the system is running despite the video issues. If you can login via ssh, you could play around with tvservice.

dankcushions

i would remove the pi from the case and run it caseless whilst you’re debugging. fans and cases are additional points of failure.

i would also ask these kind of general pi support questions on the raspberry pi forums as you’ll probably get better answers. you’re not at the retropie stage (and we don’t support pi4 officially yet)