Ubuntu MATE image not booting on Raspberry Pi 3b+

[Gary Cacace]

I downloaded ubuntu-mate-16.04.2-desktop-armhf-raspberry-pi.img.xz from the ubuntu-mate.org site. From my Mac (running OS X 10.3.5), I formatted a microSD card as FAT32 (I tried with both 64 GB and 32 GB cards). I then used different tools to put the image on the microSD card. Regardless of approach, this brand new Raspberry Pi 3b+ was unable to boot from the image. The Pi would blink its red LED 4 times slowly, then 4 times rapidly, and repeat. The Pi did display its initial rainbow image, but simply stayed that way.

On a hunch, I took the same microSD card that wouldn't boot on the 3b+, and tried it on a 3b that I have. Sure enough, the image booted immediately, and I was able to configure Ubuntu MATE as desired. I then took the new configured Ubuntu MATE microSD card from the 3b and put it in the 3b+, hoping it would now boot; however, the 3b+ still refused to boot (same red LED flashing pattern).

I tried the Ubuntu MATE microSD card in 2 different 3b+ boards, and neither would boot.

The RPi 3b+ is working fine. I tested using the Raspbian image from raspberrypi.org, and that worked perfectly.

So, it seems there's something missing in the Ubuntu MATE image that is not allowing the Raspberry Pi 3b+ to boot. I'm hoping someone will look into this, and help resolve the issue - or tell me what I've done incorrectly.

Thanks in advance!

[Gary Cacace (dotcomcto)]

Thought: The Raspberry Pi 3 uses a 32-bit ARM Cortex A7 CPU; however the Pi 3b+ uses a 64-bit ARM Cortex A53 CPU (which uses the A8 instruction set). When looking at the Ubuntu MATE download page for the Raspberry Pi, the link to the image says, "For aarch32 (ARMv7) computers, like Raspberry Pi 2/Raspberry Pi 3".

Any chance that the change in architecture and CPU is what is causing this issue, since the code is complied for a different target?

[Gary Cacace (dotcomcto)]

This "bug" can be closed. The issue has nothing to do with the microSD cards and booting. The issue is simply that no aarch64 ARMv8 build exists for Ubuntu & Ubuntu MATE. I've learned that that *may* get resolved in the July timeframe when 18.04 support for the RPi 2/3/3b+ is created.

[Noah Howard (wolfmazter)]

From the forums on the Raspberry Pi webpage people are also saying the B+ firmware differs from the original B. I dont own an original B so I can't compare them. I hope B+ gets MATE compatibility soon!

[James Mendez (jmzcons)]

Interestingly, i have the same issue. For the life of me,no matter what i did or tried to do, i cannot boot from an 32g sdcard or a usb stick. Hlp please

[Gert Kruger (hgkrug1)]

Any progress on Ubuntu Mate for Raspberry Pi 3b+? I have tried it the last couple of days and cant get the SD card image to boot.

[Vincenzo (vincenzo-iaciofano)]

Yes its still the same or the issue is still out there. I get a rainbow flash then it stops and will not go any further with the following initramfs prompts

Hope you can sort this out.

vinnychoff

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Can you reproduce this bug with newer version of Ubuntu MATE?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for Ubuntu MATE because there has been no activity for 60 days.]