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Troubleshooting

Image writing or verification fails

The imaging tool reports a bad file, write failure or failed verification.

Start here

  1. Check the filename, expected size and correct compressed/extracted checksum.
  2. Try a different card reader or USB port.
  3. Write to a spare card with sufficient capacity and let verification finish.
  4. Do not format unfamiliar partitions after a successful write just because your desktop prompts you.
What usually causes this?

Incomplete download, wrong hash scope, card/reader trouble or insufficient capacity.

Advanced explanation

An extracted-image checksum cannot be compared directly with the compressed .xz file. Keep image integrity and successful physical boot as separate checks.

Still stuck?

Record what changed after each check. Include your exact board, image, emulator and error when asking for help. These are diagnostic starting points, not guaranteed fixes for every OS.

First Installation: detailed upstream reference →

Reference: RetroPie First Installation documentation. Original companion checklist; historical upstream guidance needs OS-specific review.