Verification error when writing RetroPie on SD card

paf

Hello

I'm new to Pi/RetroPie and I have my first problem even before booting for the first time.

When I try to write the RetroPie (for Pi 3) image on the SD card with Etcher or Win32 Disk Imager, I get a verification error (Win32 Disk Imagers tells me that it is on sector 8192):

Tried on Windows 10 Pro 64 bits and on Windows XP 32 bits
Tried with portable and installed Etcher 1.3.1 and with portable Win32 Disk Imager 1.0.0 on Windows 10 as well as with installed Win32 Disk Imager 0.9 on XP
Tried with two Kingston SD cards 16GB (categorie 4 and 10) as well as with a 4GB USB stick
Tried with 3 different SD to USB converters

When looking from Windows, the contents of the SD card seem OK (small readable partition with files, big unreadable partition).

I see also that Windows has create a hidden "System Volume Information" at some time during the process (which does not come from the RetroPIe image as it has the actual date and time).

Questions:

Is this hidden folder the reason for the verification failure?
Is it correct to assume that it does not matter and won't disturb the Pi?
If both "yes": what is the use of the verification function of Etcher and Win32 Disk Imager if it always fails even when there was no real error?

Thanks and regards
Patrick

paf

... as nobody seems to be able to help, I will answer part of my questions myself. Maybe it could be helpful for others.

After stopping / disactivating the following services and features which are supposed to create the "System Volume Information" in Windows 10, it works better:

in the policies editor, preventing the removable drives to be used as a library
in the services editor, stopping Windows Search and the storage service

Then I could successfully verify my Kingston micro SD 16GB class 4 as well as the USB stick with Etcher. The class 10 micro SD still doesn't verify sucessfully. With Win32 Disk Imager, the verification error occurs at sector 640'000 now.

It seems that the problem has effectively something to do with the "System Volume Information". Unfortunely, it is still not enough for my second SD card to work.

I still don't understand why the image cannot be written on a perfectly sane SD card... and would still be glad if somebody could help!

Regards, Patrick

rbaker

@paf You cannot write the image then put it back in a windows pc - the linux partition is unreadable by windows. I have never had an issue using win32 disk imager. With a typical genuine class 10 sandisk 16GB card, I write the image in seconds and it's never failed to boot. Never verified a thing. Are you sure that your cards are genuine? Describe exactly your process. If using disk imager, you must uncompress the file to reveal the image.

paf

@baker: genuine cards AFAIK, IMG is OK and decompressed OK (else it would not write and verify correctly on other SD cards or USB sticks), everything seems OK except that the verify fails.

By the way, when burning the problematic micro SD with another USB to micro SD converter, the bad sector is 1 million and something instead of 640'000 and this is reproducible.

What stinks me is that I would like to buy a bigger micro SD (say 128MB), but how can I know if it works before I try? Usually SD cards are packaged so that you have to literally destroy the packaging to get access to them...

rbaker

@paf said in Verification error when writing RetroPie on SD card:

AFAIK

Verification errors tend to mean fake or bad cards. Here is my order:

Format the card - SDFormatter

This is important and dont forget that some cards are not compatible with the pi. I have formatted other ways before and have found that success is hit and miss. This tends to work every time for me.

Download the retropie image for your chosen device either zero etc or 2/3 and unzip it to reveal the iso. If using Etcher - you do not need to unzip - have you tried this?
Using Win32disk imager, browse to the image and click write making sure that the correct drive letter is selected.
Boot. A solid red means fail. If your lights start blinking then look at these meanings

This is fast process. I have never had an issue. I use Sandisk cards 16-128GB and their own cradle - class 10 though, I find class 4 glitches for more intensive tasks. I have also used various usb sd card cradles. Can you describe your exact operations? Do you do this order?