Problem running batocera from USB on Mini PC

fefo81 · 2023-01-20T14:12:37+00:00

Hello! I am struggling to run Batocera from USB. My pc is Minisforum UM690 with Windows 11 and my USB is SanDisk 512GB Ultra Fit. After a few issues I ma...

fefo81

joinski

Apparently Minisforum released a new Bios but it doesn’t seem really successful from the comments.

A have you had a look?

https://bbs.minisforum.com/threads/um690-bios-download.2649/

joinski

fefo81

I didn’t had time yet, to test the new bios version 1.13
But from what others report in this forum thread, there is a risk of bricking the device, if the flash fails (it already happened to some).
Maybe it is better to just wait a bit more.
Sad, that RGC from youtube did not answer yet, if he has the same issue. Would really like to know, if this issue (rebooting batocera from usb flash drive on UM690 gets stuck) is only occuring to some devices or to all UM690 (so it’s a general issue).

Tchock

I’m glad but also sorry to find out I’m not the only one to have this exact problem with the same exact mini pc. The only way to boot batocera is to go through the bios and force boot from the usb. Otherwise, most of the time, it will get stuck at “booting batocera.Linux”.

I did notice something peculiar. If I boot windows and then reboot with the usb drive inserted then it will boot batocera with no problems.

It’s such a shame as I took this pc just on purpose for retrogaming. I’m tempted to just install batocera on the internal drive. But it would be a shame to lose completely Windows and I don’t know if it would work.

joinski

Tchock

Do you have an external hdd/ssd which you could connect via USB? Because on my UM690 i can (re-)boot Batocera successfully from an external SSD drive, but not via USB flash drive. I still don’t understand, why that is and it is hard to explain this issue to the Minisforum support. This must be something, that should be fixable via a bios update.
Maybe we have to report this in the minisforum-forum to get more attantion from the support:
https://bbs.minisforum.com/

Tchock

joinski So, I’ve been trying out different USB sticks, but they keep giving me the same dang problem. I haven’t bothered with using an external SSD drive, because it seems like a waste of space with all my games already on my PC’s hard drive.

I’m willing to give it a shot. But if it’s going to work and I trust you it might, then it’s a very absurd situation.

I’m wondering then what if we add an ssd internally to the pc and try to boot batocera from there…

SSThing

I am working from memory here (so apologies if I am wrong).

On my UM350 there is an option in the bios boot settings to choose uefi, legacy or both.

Is there anything similar in the UM690 bios?

Tchock

SSThing no, nothing like that

AlxFuture

Hi all.

My first post here as I found this thread in my wrestlings with a Minisforum UM773 Lite over past few days.

Im having similar problems ie. wont reboot to USB batocera install and hangs on “Booting Batocera.Linux…” using an external USB Drive. I then have to go into BIOS and overide the boot sequence selecting the USB Batocera.

I Installed Batocera to the internal NVME drive and it reboots everytime. But my wireless controllers that worked previously on my old NUC hardware can no longer be seen or paired. [sigh]

Im using the latest BETA build of Batocera.

I have also tried insalling HOLOISO SteamOS 3 which goes through the installation onto the internal NVME fine but refuses to boot thereafter.

I got CHIMERAOS installed fine also using a USB Boot installer but no bluetooth support for controllers.

Not been a great first 48hours with the UM773 😂

Thanks for the thread.

joinski

AlxFuture

Maybe the bluetooth card of your UM773 is not supported (yet) by batocera/linux. Can you test another linux distro (for example ubuntu), if the bluetooth works there?

Tchock

AlxFuture

Based on this I guess I’ll try then to just install a small ssd inside and try batocera from there.

AlxFuture

joinski Yeh good idea, I will try a mint distro and see if it picks it up. I keep promising myself a Dolphin Bar but with all the snags i keep hitting with this little PC I am hesitant to jump 😀

👍thanks

AlxFuture

Tchock

Yeh, its booting and rebooting fine from the internal kingston NVME drive that came with the PC. I am now wondering if i could install a wee SATA 2.5″ SSD in there and then find some way to setup a bootmanager that allows me to select disk on power up, ideally with a gamepad but I think that may be a shout, hehe.

joinski

AlxFuture a bootmanager that allows me to select disk on power up, ideally with a gamepad

This would only work with a gamepad, that can act as a keyboard. Don’t know which gamepads have that feature.

Tchock

AlxFuture did you have a dual boot with windows or did you just install batocera exclusively?

AlxFuture

Tchock

I just installed batocera exclusively to NVME drive, dont think it gave me that option actually, i maybe wrong.

Tchock

Well, I’ve ordered a cheap Ssd. I’ll install it inside and see how it goes.

Tchock

After few tests, I can confirm that booting from an added internal ssd, works every single time. It was super cheap to add a small ssd but still I would have preferred to use an usb flash drive, for the convenience of just removing it and booting windows.

AlxFuture

Tchock Thats ecellent news mate. I feel the same way about the plug in when needed feature. This worked flawlessly with my NUC (which is on sale on ebay just now, shameless plug) 😂

I also looked at a few boot managers but it seems youll need a keyboard plugged in to operate one of these at boot time.

joinski

Can you UM690 owners here tell me, if you have the same issue with the power brick?:
https://bbs.minisforum.com/threads/system-randomly-shuts-down-while-sleeping.2667/

If you have your UM690 shut down for a few days, does the LED from the Power Brick turn off at some point?
I noticed, that this sporadically happens after a day or two, and if so (green LED from the Power Brick is off) i can not power on the machine. I have to pull the power plug of the power brick and pull it back in. The green LED then gets on again and i can power on the UM690 again.

fefo81

joinski it happen to me in the past. I’m using the pc quite often at the moment so I didn’t have that issue again but it’s something to keep an eye on

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