How to boot from SD Card or USB Stick?

ONE UP
1

How can I try out other distro’s using a SD Card or USB Stick, before I replace the OS already installed on the hard drive.
I got the One Up with CM5 Wireless 8GB RAM, Lite and NVMe drive installed and
I used the Raspberry Pi Imager to setup a SD Card with Ubuntu 24.04. I made the changes to the config.txt file as described in the quick start guide (Download Manual) and configured the boot order using raspi-config to try to boot from the SD Card first.
But on reboot the laptop ignores the SD card and boots from the harddrive.

I saw that there is also a possibility to setup another distro via the OTG, but that requires another computer and as I understand it will also replace the OS currently installed on the hard drive.
So I wonder how can I setup the One Up to ignore the hard disk and to boot from a SD Card or USB Stick?

2

Run raspi-config and under advanced options change the boot order so NVMe is not first.

If you set say USB as first, and it is not there, then likely you will fallback and still boot from the NVMe.

Note you will probably then need RaspberryPi OS on an SDcard as well so you can boot that and run raspi-config from there to set NVMe back as 1st option.

3

My main system is Archlinux ARM on NVMe but i also use Alpine,Debian + test other distros so uSD boot is important to me

Note you will probably then need RaspberryPi OS

That is no entirely correct .. you can do via terminal with ( at own risk )

sudo -E rpi-eeprom-config --edit
change the order of the numbers
save and reboot

As for system “ ignores the SD card and boots from the harddrive.” from OP that could be number of thing. Os on uSD no configured correct , bad uSD so on . i had this problem of uSD was bypassed ( correctly configured OS on it ) it booted to NVMe .. After digging if find issue on github “ [CM5 Lite] SDCard is not detected on bootloader phase. · Issue #670 · raspberrypi/rpi-eeprom · GitHub “

so via terminal i added (SD_QUIRKS=1)

so my look like this

`1 [all]                                                                                                                                                                   
2 PSU_MAX_CURRENT=5000                                                                                                                                                    
3 BOOT_UART=1                                                                                                                                                             
4 BOOT_ORDER=0xf461                                                                                                                                                       
5 NET_INSTALL_AT_POWER_ON=1                                                                                                                                               
6 SD_QUIRKS=1`

After reboot system booted from uSD card ( at the time EndeavourOS cosmic ) which i was testing/try get work on OneUp as i friendly with their main ARM dev + have helped out in past with PineBook Pro ,Rpi5..

Now if look at line (4) that boot order . (it read right to left )

(1) = uSD

(6) = NVMe

(4) = usb

(0xf) = restart

for ref look “ https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/raspberry-pi.html#BOOT_ORDER “

The OneUp no boot usb in stock configuration if there working install on Nvme

(from my testing) unless you set usb 1st in boot order . It will if Empty NVMe installed . (why anyone do this i no understand uSD if a good one is fast enough for test or use for os . you also no have a thumb drive /usb cable hang out of side ) True in dev situation i see benefit but not for normal user .. That just my personal opinion ( take it or leave it ) choice yours

Now if say want system boot order

uSD , usb, NVME line (4) would need be “ BOOT_ORDER=0xf641” i warn you the boot will be about 30 sec may be more . ( or for usb 1st change as need )

i Post this for help .. use at own risk! i no responsible if you break some thing

I hope this Help ..

1 Like
4

You need to edit the EEPROM config file with the command:

sudo rpi-eeprom-config – edit

Once you are in edit mode set the boot order codes to:

0xf641 : Try SD card (1), then USB (4), then NVMe (6) then repeat (f).

if you want USB boot first then set the codes to:

0xf164 : Try USB (4), then NVMe (6), then SD (1) then repeat (f).

Alternately

0xf146 : Try NVMe (6), then USB (4) then SD card (1) then repeat (f).

Save and exit the modified boot order:

press Ctrl+O, then Enter to save the file.

press Ctrl+X, then Enter to exit the editor.

To apply changes with a reboot:

sudo reboot

Note, that though the boot order codes seem illogical they are read right to left and not left to right. This is typical of hexadecimal encoding where the least significant bit/byte is on the right.

5

same i post.. it no help OP if system is bypassing uSD as posted .. you can change boot order as much as you like but if uSD (with OS on it ) is being bypassed it no help ..:wink:

6

True is you are trying to use raspi-config to change the boot order. However, if you directly edit the rpi-eeprom-config file via the terminal and nano editer then what I have posted works.

7

if read my post . via terminal “sudo -E rpi-eeprom-config --edit “

or if want “ sudo rpi-eeprom-config -e “

EDit.. if you want to just look or if want to cancel changes remember to use

“ sudo rpi-eeprom-update -r “

for more info in terminal type “ rpi-eeprom-config -h “ section 5 ..