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Troubleshooting

Pi will not boot

Nothing usable appears after power-on.

Start here

  1. Read the model printed on the board and compare it with the download page. Pi 5 cannot use the old Buster image.
  2. Connect a known-good display and the correct power supply. Remove unnecessary USB accessories.
  3. Verify the image file and let the imaging tool verify the write to a spare card.
  4. Try that spare card while keeping your working or original card intact. Record any LED pattern or message.
What usually causes this?

Wrong image for the board, an incomplete write, storage trouble or inadequate power.

Advanced explanation

Boot happens before the frontend starts. Diagnose the board, boot image and OS before changing emulator settings.

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.