Identify which Raspberry Pi Hardware revisions fail to boot.

[rootnotez]

https://github.com/rootnotez/WAAAVE_GUIDE/blob/main/VSERPI/readme.md

Using WAAVEPOOL1.5 NTSC, there have been reports that some hardware will not boot and it is required to move some newer boot partition files to the disk.

Attempts have been made to isolate this to the 1.3 and 1.4 hardware revisions of RPI 3B+ with inconclusive results.

Per Andrei Jay:
https://andreijaycreativecoding.com/VSERPI-hardware-and-images

Note that some way older versions of 3b+ can have issues. These are noticable by the spring loaded sd card reader. You should only be concerned with this if you are purchasing something used as all currently manufactured 3b+s I’ve played with work great. UPDATE Feb 2024: The EOL pi 3b+ on sale these days dont work with the VSERPI images out of the box (no boot, blinky lights) but there is a mildly convoluted method to get things working.

[rootnotez]

Tested and successfully burned WAAAVEPOOL 1.5 NTSC on hardware:
Model Raspberry Pi Model B Plus Rev 1.3 Revision: a020d3

[beauchab]

Raspberry pi b+ (DOES NOT BOOT):
After downloading image to an sd using balena etcher several failure responses became present:

• If boot modification was not added system would not boot at all and the blinking led failure would become present 4 long blinks followed by 7 short
• Added boot modification described below, created several responses but typically ended with black screen crashes.
  The system would then boot to the initialization screen, then terminal input would showup over the screen typically after a timeout.
  This behaviour would continuously loop and the system would not boot to console or launch the program

---

Raspberry pi 3b+ version 1.4 (BOOTS):
After downloading image and flashed using balena etcher created typical boot response: 4 long blinks followed by 7 short
Added boot mod described below, system worked properly but did not recieve input from the hifiberry for audio input.
In order to fix the audio issue the .asoundrc file at <~/.asoundrc> needs to be modified as follows:

pcm.!default {
type hw
card sndrpihifiberry
}
ctl.!default {
type hw
card sndrpihifiberry
}

The system was then rebooted and audio input worked properly.

---

Boot modification (for both of the above pi tests):
Flash second sd card with Raspberry Pi imager - choose Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy, 32-bit) which is Debian Bullseye
Boot this sd card on the Raspberry Pi 3B+ 1.4 and ensure that you launch the desktop
After desktop boots shut the pi down.
You will need the ability to mount two sd cards to a system for this next step,
I am using a sandisk
Mount the bullseye image and the desired vserpi image to your system and copy the following files from the bullseye images /boot/ directory:

.firmware_revision
bootcode.bin
fixup.dat
fixup_cd.dat
fixup_db.dat
fixup_x.dat
LICENSE.broadcom
start.elf
start_cd.elf
start_db.elf
start_x.elf

Copy these files to a separate folder in a known location on your system as they will be useful in getting all vserpi systems running on a raspberry pi 3b+ 1.4
Open the /boot/ directory of the vserpi image, and copy all of the files within the Boot_Files directory to the /boot/ directory of the vserpi image and click 'yes' to overwriting their reciprocal files in the vserpi image.
After replacing these files, safely remove the sd card, plug it into the vserpi system with all peripherals, then power the system on.
It should boot properly to the vserpi synth.