Picochess v3.4

[Peter Eßer]

Hello. 1 question: I've downloaded Picochess v3.0 up to v3.3 Bookworm for Raspberry 5 Desktop, written it to an SD card without making any changes to the script, and that's it. Now with Picochess v3.4, the program won't start! Do I need to make any changes to the script now?

[RandyR]

There is no change in the install instructions so as long as you follow them it should work as before. Ensure you are using the latest image. I haven't heard of any issues with the last update.

Randy

[TobiasL]

Hi,

I also have trouble with installing Picocchess 3.4 on a Raspberry 5. I installed the 3.4 version on two Raspi 4 without any problem (and many verions before also without any problem) . Now I wanted to install it on a new Raspi 5. The Raspi started. the installation of the image went till the point, the desktop image comes. Than the Raspi stops. The light on the raspi blinks 4 times, than a break and again 4 times and so on. I thought, the Raspi is damaged and changed it. But the new Raspi 5 has the same problem.
I downloaded the images fresh and flashed with Pi Imager and balenaEtcher on different SD cards. The images all run fine on the Raspi 4 but not on the Raspi 5.

Could it be, that the second Raspi (both were ordered new on Amazon) is also damaged ? Or should there a problem with the image ?

I cannot test an old image, cause I have no older image saved on my PC

[Randy Reade]

Hi Tobias,

I'm not sure what the issue could be. I've installed it on 2 different Pi5 machines. It doesn't sound like an image problem if it works in the Pi4. Could it be a bad SD card? I assume you followed the readme instructions that on initial boot it will fail and you have to cycle power. Are you able to flash the latest Raspberry Pi OS? Or try the v4 image?

Randy

[RandyR]

Just to be sure, I'm downloading the v3.4 Desktop image to make sure it isn't corrupted somehow. I'll report back with my results.

Randy

[TobiasL]

Hi Randy,

thanks so much for your fast reply. I tested now the v4 and an original Raspi OS and I used several SD cards.  Same problem. I start the Raspi and I only see the green light blinking in the interval 4 times, break, 4 times and so on. Only with the first SD card I started on the new Raspi, the Raspi booted and went to the desktop image. The second try and all other following failed. Also yesterday with the first Raspi 5. Only with the first start I observed an initial booting.

What I did before starting is, I mounted the Raspi on a 10 inch display and installed the included cooler. The display works fine now with a Raspi 4. So I could not imagine that the cooler is defective and will destroy the Raspis.

Perhaps there is a faulty batch of Raspis on Amazon. I will wait or order from another retailer and then try it again.

btw: would a 16 GB Raspi have advantages to a 8 GB model or is it overkill for Picochess ?

Thank you again for your help

Tobias

[RandyR]

That is strange. I downloaded the Desktop image myself and flashed it and it works in my Pi5 (8GB). It is attached to an HDMI monitor. Could it be that you don't have enough power? Can you test the Pi5 by itself outside the display?

I did some searching. It could be that the bootloader is corrupted. You can use the Raspberry Pi Imager to fix it. See this post.

Randy

[TobiasL]

Randy, you are the best. The fix for teh bootloader was ist. Now it works. No idea, why both Raspis was defective. But now it works. Its great.

I did a serach for "green light blinking four times" and get other infos, like corrupted SD card and defective SD card reader. But the link for to rewrite the bootlader eprom was it.

Thank you so much.

Tobias

[RandyR]

Good to hear, Tobias. Thanks for the update.