[PROBLEM] USB only boot

[Schlauer Det]

   
[attachment=103]
@Tim Curtis  and @all

After experimenting for quite some time, I built a moOde 4.1 system based only on a USB stick using Moode OS Builder Version 2.4 which runs on my Raspberry 3 with the "Official 7" Touch Screen".

I configured everything as described in the documentation.

It is booting from the USB Stick as expected but then comes to a longer halt at a point as shown in the appended shot:


After about 45 seconds the touch screen gets black for about thirty seconds. Then the Moode start screen builds up very slowly.
The reactions on touch screen action are also very slow; it sometimes takes ten to twenty seconds for the display to react on touch inputs.
When I interact with moode via a web browser everything works as expected, reactions form the screen inputs are immediate.


As far as I can see in the mosbuild.log ( appended)  file the build went flawless.

Since I am not convenient with all that Linux stuff , I need some help to finally get moode running as advertised.


Looking forward to help from Tim and probably the moode community
Cheers from the Northern Coast
Det

[Tim Curtis]

Hi Det,

I'm not sure what your screen shot is attempting to show but I assume you have LocalUI turned on in System config.

I have same config, a Pi3 and a 7" Pi-Touch and the UI starts fast and runs smoothly on it. I'm booting from SDCard and not USB stick so maybe try copying the image to an SDCard and see if that makes a difference.

-Tim

[Schlauer Det]

Hi Det,

I'm not sure what your screen shot is attempting to show but I assume you have LocalUI turned on in System config.

I have same config, a Pi3 and a 7" Pi-Touch and the UI starts fast and runs smoothly on it. I'm booting from SDCard and not USB stick so maybe try copying the image to an SDCard and see if that makes a difference.

-Tim

Hi Tim,

thanks for the fast reply.  

You were right, the "LocalUI" switch was set to "ON". I was thinking that this is necessary when using the TouchScreen.
After setting it to "OFF" my system hangs at exactly the same point of the boot and start-up procedure as before as shown in the screen shot. Only difference: It now hangs permanently .

My intention is NOT to boot from SDCard since I have a lot of bad experiences with these cards and they are not so easy to change when put into a system consisting of Raspi, TouchScreen and the housing for that stuff.

Further explanation of my build process: Using the Moode OS Builder Version 2.4, I used the same destination for the system as the initial Raspbian boot was made from. The only difference is that I didn't use a SDCard but a USB Stick.

Could you probably give me some more hints where to look for a solution of my problem?
In case this is solved, I will stay with moode and donate for its further development.


Thanks in advance
Det

[Tim Curtis]

Hi,

My experience with premium SDCards is that they are almost 100% reliable even when undergoing heavy write I-O. Consider that these cards are used in digital cameras to store valuable photos. If there were some sort of reliability issue with the technology causing customers to loose their photos it would all over the net.

I use only Sandisk Ultra Class 10 cards and I can recall only 2 bad cards in over 4 years of heavy use :-)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M55...UTF8&psc=1

For your particular issue, my recommendation would be to boot the system from a top quality SDCard and see if the symptoms occur. If they do it would suggest the problem is either in the moOde Build itself or the hardware but not in the boot medium. If the symptoms don't occur it would suggest the problem is the USB boot media.

-Tim

[Schlauer Det]

Hi,

My experience with premium SDCards is that they are almost 100% reliable even when undergoing heavy write I-O. Consider that these cards are used in digital cameras to store valuable photos. If there were some sort of reliability issue with the technology causing customers to loose their photos it would all over the net.

I use only Sandisk Ultra Class 10 cards and I can recall only 2 bad cards in over 4 years of heavy use :-)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M55...UTF8&psc=1

For your particular issue, my recommendation would be to boot the system from a top quality SDCard and see if the symptoms occur. If they do it would suggest the problem is either in the moOde Build itself or the hardware but not in the boot medium. If the symptoms don't occur it would suggest the problem is the USB boot media.

-Tim

Tim,

thanks again for your patience, fast reply, and recommendations.

Maybe I am a bit stubborn, but I really would like to use USB sticks only.

What I found out in the meantime:

• the system runs without a glitch when controlled from the web user interface on my windows computer
  

• the boot.log file ends exactly whith the two lines 
  

• • Starting Hold until boot process finishes up...
    
  • Starting Terminate Plymouth Boot Screen...
    

The last two lines from my screen shot say:

• Raspbian/GNU Linux 9 moode tty1
  
• moode login: _
  

Obviously, in a functioning system, someone or some automatic function should log into moode.

Now for my questions:

• How is this accomplished in teh normal process?
  
• How and where in my running system can I find information why the touch display is waiting for input and the automatic process is not providing the input necessary to start moode on the touch screen?
  

Eagerly waiting for your response



Cheers
Det

[Tim Curtis]

USB boot is an option but first it should be eliminated as a source of the particular problem your are experiencing and the easiest way to do this is to simply boot the system from an SD Card and see if the symptoms go away.

When LocalUI is ON it automatically loads moOde UI into a local instance of Chrome Browser. This all happens during moOde startup and will be reflected in moOde startup log. You can view the log either by opening System info (Menu, Configure, System then menu System info) or via ssh: cat /var/log/moode.log

[JST1963]

Hi moOde fans,

[Onionhead]

I had a similar issue, access to sdcard. This solution works well for me.

[img=2x2][/img]

[Schlauer Det]

USB boot is an option but first it should be eliminated as a source of the particular problem your are experiencing and the easiest way to do this is to simply boot the system from an SD Card and see if the symptoms go away.

When LocalUI is ON it automatically loads moOde UI into a local instance of Chrome Browser. This all happens during moOde startup and will be reflected in moOde startup log. You can view the log either by opening System info (Menu, Configure, System then menu System info) or via ssh: cat /var/log/moode.log

Hi Tim,

thanks for your suggestions.
I switched LocalUI to "ON" and the behavior of the system is as described in my first post.

Next step will be to write the img file to a SDCard and check things again.


I will report back with the results.


Cheers
Det  

[Schlauer Det]

My intention is NOT to boot from SDCard since I have a lot of bad experiences with these cards and they are not so easy to change when put into a system consisting of Raspi, TouchScreen and the housing for that stuff.

Hey Det,

I can understand your frustration when something isn't work very well, while it supposed to do so and while other people don't have that problem.
The fact that replacing µSD cards from your RPi when it is built in a case also doesn't add to overcome your frustration.

But for these things, there are special tools: have a look at this:
Extend Male Micro SD to Female micro SD 25cm Raspberry Pi

One end is put in the RPi where you normally put the µSD card and the other end can then be build into your case. This way the µSD card is always easy accessible, and eliminates the need of slooooow USB-sticks... SD cards these days are very reliable, just buy a decent one from a good brand, like Sandisk Ultra family, or the Samsung EVO's.
 

Johan

Johan,

thanks for your reply and your suggestions.
Some time ago, I had exactly this solution in mind. Due to other reasons I digressed from this path.

In the near future, I will test this approach. The extension cable is already ordered. It will probably arrive tomorrow or an Friday.


Thanks again

Cheers
Det