Raspberry Pi 3b not booting from USB after updating to 8.16 without keyboard

Troubleshooting
1

  • DietPi version
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_CORE=8
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_SUB=16
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_RC=2
    G_GITBRANCH=‘master’
    G_GITOWNER=‘MichaIng’
    G_LIVE_PATCH_STATUS[0]=‘not applicable’

  • Distro version
    bullseye 1

  • Kernel version
    Linux DietPi 6.1.21-v7+ #1642 SMP Mon Apr 3 17:20:52 BST 2023 armv7l GNU/Linux

  • SBC model
    RPi 3b

  • Power supply used
    Original RPi powersupply

  • SD card used
    None, booting from USB

  • Can this issue be replicated on a fresh installation of DietPi?
    Yes, I created a new USB-stick with a fresh installation of DietPi. It gave the same results.

  1. Remove USB keyboard (Logitech MK295)
  2. Reboot RPi via command in ssh
  3. RPi doesn´t boot. Only the red led on, on a screen attached to HDMI nothing is shown. Connection via ssh not possible.
  4. Power off RPi
  5. Stick USB keyboard adapter in RPi
  6. Power on RPi
  7. RPi boots and ssh connection is possible. Removing the USB keyboard adapter is no problem.

Expected behaviour

RPI should boot without keyboard attached

Actual behaviour

RPI is not booting without keyboard attached

Extra details

My Raspberry Pi was running headless for years without a problem. After the latest update to 8.16.2 the reboot failed. Trying all kinds of things finally led to the conclusion that the Pi did boot with a keyboard attached, but didn’t boot without it. This makes using it as a headless device difficult.
I am looking for a way (configuration?) to solve this. So far I have not found a clue.

2

Maybe you can attach a screen (or use serial console, if you can) and how far it boots, if it boots at all etc.

3

I had a screen attached. When the keyboard is not attached, the screen shows nothing, not even the coloured square. With the keyboard attached, booting is normal and ssh connection possible.

4

Alright, this sounds really strange, sounds like a hardware issue to me. Maybe you can try with another USB device if the behaviour is the same or if it really depends on this one keyboard :smiley:

5

For me the strange thing is that is booting allright with keyboard, but not without one. So, in some way, the missing keyboard prevents booting. I don’t see how attaching another keyboard would help.

6

It’s not about connecting a different keyboard. More to check with a completely different USB device like mouse or another stick.

Are there any LED blinking codes while trying to boot from USB device? Raspberry Pi Documentation - Configuration

Did you tried to connect the drive to some other USB port?

Another option is to follow RPI docs to enable/verify mass storage boot Raspberry Pi Documentation - Raspberry Pi hardware

7

@Jappe and @Joulinar: Thanks very much for your suggestions.
I tried out a number of USB port configurations and found a configuration that works. Sadly I don’t understand why it works.

I found out (with the connections to the USB ports UL:upper left, UR:upper right, LL:lower left, LR:lower right):
UL: USB stick, UR: -
LL: -, LR: -
Not booting

UL: USB stick, UR: USB keyboard
LL: -, LR: -
Booting
lsusb output:
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

UL: -, UR: USB stick
LL: -, LR: -
Booting
lsusb output:
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

UL: USB kbd, UR: USB stick
LL: -, LR: -
Booting
lsusb output:
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

UL: -, UR: -
LL: USB stick, LR: -
Not booting

UL: -, UR: USB kbd
LL: USB stick, LR -
Booting
lsusb output:
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

UL: USB kbd, UR: -
LL: USB stick, LR: -
Not booting

UL: -, UR: -
LL: -, LR: USB stick
Not booting

UL: -, UR: USB kbd
LL: -, LR: USB stick
Booting
lsusb output:
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Microchip Technology, Inc. (formerly SMSC) SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

So it seems that the upper right USB port has to be occupied for the Raspberry Pi to boot.
But when i put the USB stick back in the upper right USB port and powered the RPi, it didn´t boot.
I put the keyboard receiver in the upper right port again and powered the RPi, took the powersupply out, changed the USB keyboard receiver by the USB stick and powered it on again.
This time it booted.
So it seems to be solved, but I don´t understand why the RPi behaves as it does.

8

maybe some damage on the RPI device itself? To verify the behavior, you could use plain RPI OS on another spare pen stick.