Risc OS on Pi Zero boot problem

I have recently got a PI zero and I have read that Risc OS will run on it.
I have also read the zero requires newer firmware so I have replaced the files start.elf, bootcode.bin and fixup.dat from raspbian jessie.
This version of Risc OS boots up fine on my old(!) PI model B, but on the zero it boots with the SD card giving an error Drive empty.

Anyone had this problem?
Cheers Brian

How have you created your SD card?
Writing RC14 from the downloads page is the common place to start, as that gives you the special overlapping drive partitions. Though it does seem strange for it to work on one version of Pi and not another.
Are you actually using the same SD card on both machines?

Hi Chris
I produced a SD card from NOOBS and loaded the RiscOS bit via the internet using my old PI B.
I then installed it using the NOOBS install.
This version boots fine on the PI B
On the zero no boot at all just a blank screen.
Using the NOOBs firmware files (November 2015) start.elf, bootcode.bin, and fixup.dat (these I got from another SD card with raspbian jessie installed) this version still boots on the old PI B
On the zero the boot sequence not quite the same, no black and white raspberry symbol, straight to the RiscOS booting window with the black rectangle which starts to show the boot sequence
but quickly stops with the error SD card drive empty.
On clicking cancel on the error window takes you to Risc OS desktop but no pinboard (just plain colour) no icons on pinboard and clicking on the SD card drive get the same error drive empty.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Brian

NOOBs is not the first choice. I mean I have read that it not works with the zero and the DSI Screen.
If you like you can try my RC14 based Image. I have changed the firmware, the ROM (with the USB fixes) and !Boot (e.g. !ZeroPain). Works with my Zero and my DSI screen.

Hi Raik
Thanks for the help but your version gives the same error.
Again your version boots up fine on the old PI B.

I would wonder if there is a fault on my PI zero, but this cannot be the case as it boots up raspbian fine.
Looking carefully the boot gets to Picolo filing system then the error ‘Machine start up cannot be completed Disc Drive empty’

Cheers
Brian

Can you try a other card? Is also possible yours is not compatible. Not offen but possible. Any times it helps write zeros e.g. with DD or with CloneDisc before you write the image.

Hi Raik
Well I have tried a different SD card but still get the same fault.
I wonder if it is a timing problem.
Or if the memory allocations are slightly different in a zero?

Cheers
Brian

My Image works with my Zero. I try two cards. One I wrote with CloneDisc on ARMX6 and the other with DD and Linux.
My Zero is Rev. 1.2.
You can try Raspbian and make

sudo apt-get update

Sudo apt-get upgrade

And use this firmware. Not sure if anything new since 3 rd january.

Hi Raik
Thanks for being so patient.
One thing has occurred to me.
When booting up the LED on my zero does not light up, is this normal?
I would have thought it should flicker since it is labelled Act.

My zero is V1.2

Cheers
Brian

My LED is on and flicker if I have a bootable card inside and turn the power on.

John. Rather than base it on NOOBS which not many people here have used, try downloading RC14 and then updating start.elf from a recent Raspian

Hi Chris & Raik
Here are the following results using your suggestions:

1) Using start.elf, bootcode.bin and fixup.dat from RC14 boot does not start.
2) Using start.elf from latest raspian again no boot
3) Using start.elf and bootcode.bin from raspian then boot starts but aborts with disc drive empty error.
4) Using all raspian files including fixup.dat then boot starts and aborts with disc drive empty error.

On old PI B risc OS boots up no matter what mixture of files from raspian.

I am going to buy another zero as I have a feeling this one is slightly faulty re: LED never lights even when booting up raspian.

I’ll let you know what happens with the new zero

Cheers
Brian

John: My suggestions was to write the RC14 drive image to an SD card then update the start.elf within the FAT partition. I doubt the Zero is faulty.

Hi Chris
Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear.
I did as your suggestions i.e. write RC14 to SD card then altered the start.elf files etc in the Fat partition.

Anyway its quite an interesting fault! Perhaps when the next Risc OS release is available then the zero will boot that version.

Cheers
Brian

Chris: My linked Image is RC14 based…

I have made a new card using SystemDisc. Is a new Samsung Evo 16GB. Format with HForm and create the Loader with SystemDisc and copy all I need to the card…
Start with this card on my zero do nothing… no LED, no boot… on B+ it was working.
Than I wrote zeros to the card with CloneDisc (with DD in Linux also possible) and do the same like before…
Now the card is working with my Zero.
The old card is a 8GB sandisc ultra. Also any problems with this. Zero ist booting but anytime they are any “write protect errors”, modules in !System are ignored… on B+ all things are fine.

John: My suggestions was to write the RC14 drive image to an SD card then update the start.elf within the FAT partition. I doubt the Zero is faulty.

If you have a Raspberry Pi model A or model B with a working RC14-based SD card image then you can update it to work on the Zero from within RISC OS – see Announcements.

Hi Chris and Raik
Problem solved!
I modified RC14 as described and tried it on the original Zero board. This board got stuck right at the start with the colour rectangle being displayed.
This morning I received a new Zero board. This board booted up fine and the LED flickers.
So the original board must have had a slight fault, only slight since it booted up and worked using Raspian.
Thanks for all the help.
Cheers
Brian