Not loading new install - SD card to blame?

[jamesP]

Hi, I'm a complete rookie at Rasberry Pi so please bear with me.

I'm using a Rasberry Pi 2. When I turned on for the first time it begins to boot and shows 4 rasberries in the top left hand corner and a lightning bolt in the top right hand corner of the monitor. On the Pi the red light flashes and alternates with the green light. Then it goes blank and repeats.

I've followed the instructions to the letter apart from one thing; the SD card. The only card I had at home was a class 4 card. Is this likely to have caused the issue, presumably because it isn't transferring data quickly enough?

Asking this question now before investing in a new card in case any of you recognise this as a different kind of error.

[rbaker]

@jamesP Check your power supply, the lightning bolt suggests your power supply is dropping below the required voltage, especially as the power supply light is blinking. If you do not have the correct power supply, the current demand will collapse the voltage provided by the power adapter. You cannot just use any power brick, you really need a rated 2A power supply for a Pi2 or 2.5A if you connect things to it.......see here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/faqs/#powerReqs

[jamesP]

Thanks, I wasn't sure what the lightning bolt was, makes sense to be power duh.

The plug I used came with the Pi in a Busbi Pi starter kit. I'm at work now so can't check, but I believe it is a 2A.

The link you sent me recommends a 1.8A plug. Will using a 2.5A plug be safe to try?

[rbaker]

@jamesP 2A should be ok for a Pi2, especially if it came with it! But if you have 2.5A supply to try then the more spare capacity the better.