Pi Zero 2 W moOde setup fail

[maxm272]

As the title says, I can't get moOde to work on my two-year-old Pi Zero 2 W. I did two years ago using balena etcher with an sd card that I can't find anymore. The Pi has been sitting in a drawer unused for more than a year.
I now have followed several guides (https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2994; https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=146; https://raspberrytips.com/moode-on-raspberry-pi/) to set up the Pi remotely, but none of them work:

- when I configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager, I can access moOde only via the Pi's IP address, but the Pi isn't connected to the internet: my wifi isn't listed in the network settings, and I get a prompt to set an Access Point password. When I set one and try to save it, the page reloads forever, and any attempt to access the page afterwards fails.

- when I don't configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager to attempt the Access Point setup, there is no "Moode" SSID.

I'm at a loss. Am I doing something wrong or is my Pi broken? Is there some way to check it? I'm not a computer expert at all, btw, so simple replies or questions would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your help.

 

[5-pot-fan]

Hi,
I have a Pi4b running Moode, and over the last 2 years have experienced setup problems 3 or 4 times, but the following actions have (singly or together) fixed things:
1) try a brand new SD card. Amazing how this helps, but it does
2) use a wired ethernet connection. Don't move to wifi connection until everything else is working.
3) use a usb keyboard+mouse and output to a TV or old PC screen for initial setup.
4) use a different sd card device when imaging (I had one that was dodgy)

You may already have tried all these, in which case how far did you get?

 

[maxm272]

Hi,
I have a Pi4b running Moode, and over the last 2 years have experienced setup problems 3 or 4 times, but the following actions have (singly or together) fixed things:
1) try a brand new SD card. Amazing how this helps, but it does
2) use a wired ethernet connection. Don't move to wifi connection until everything else is working.
3) use a usb keyboard+mouse and output to a TV or old PC screen for initial setup.
4) use a different sd card device when imaging (I had one that was dodgy)

You may already have tried all these, in which case how far did you get?

Thank you for your swift reply!

1/4) I've tried two different (and functioning) SD cards, even formatted them via the registry editor. So, I might have to buy a new one, but I don't really need another 512GB card
2/3) I bought a MakerSpot OTG USB hub (AH10094) to connect my DAC. Connecting a USB ethernet adapter/mouse and keyboard to that would work, right?

Also, which guide would you recommend? Some of them seem a bit outdated...

 

[JeffS7444]

The tools used for imaging the SD cards have changed: It used to be that you’d specify a disk image and a destination, then click the “write” button, but this is no longer the case! Now the official RPi software allows you to do most configuration before starting the imaging process.

 

[maxm272]

The tools used for imaging the SD cards have changed: It used to be that you’d specify a disk image and a destination, then click the “write” button, but this is no longer the case! Now the official RPi software allows you to do most configuration before starting the imaging process.

I've used Raspberry Pi Imager to enable SSH, configure the hostname, SSID, etc. But those configurations weren't carried over, seeing how they were blank in moOde's network settings. Also, I could not access moOde via the Pi's hostname.local but only via its IP address, and there were no radio stations to select. Configuring the network in moOde didn't work either, the page just kept on "loading" without loading, so to speak

 

[threni]

As the title says, I can't get moOde to work on my two-year-old Pi Zero 2 W. I did two years ago using balena etcher with an sd card that I can't find anymore. The Pi has been sitting in a drawer unused for more than a year.
I now have followed several guides (https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2994; https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=146; https://raspberrytips.com/moode-on-raspberry-pi/) to set up the Pi remotely, but none of them work:

- when I configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager, I can access moOde only via the Pi's IP address, but the Pi isn't connected to the internet: my wifi isn't listed in the network settings, and I get a prompt to set an Access Point password. When I set one and try to save it, the page reloads forever, and any attempt to access the page afterwards fails.

- when I don't configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager to attempt the Access Point setup, there is no "Moode" SSID.

I'm at a loss. Am I doing something wrong or is my Pi broken? Is there some way to check it? I'm not a computer expert at all, btw, so simple replies or questions would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your help.

Make sure you're using a writer that lets you set a username and password as it no longer allows you to leave it blank and default to pi/moodeaudio.

 

[JeffS7444]

I've used Raspberry Pi Imager to enable SSH, configure the hostname, SSID, etc. But those configurations weren't carried over, seeing how they were blank in moOde's network settings. Also, I could not access moOde via the Pi's hostname.local but only via its IP address, and there were no radio stations to select. Configuring the network in moOde didn't work either, the page just kept on "loading" without loading, so to speak

What happens if you don’t configure beforehand, or you use Balena Etcher?

 

[maxm272]

Make sure you're using a writer that lets you set a username and password as it no longer allows you to leave it blank and default to pi/moodeaudio.

What happens if you don’t configure beforehand, or you use Balena Etcher?

I've only used Raspberry Pi Imager and always set both username and password. But I'm not sure what I'd have to use them for.
I'll try Balena Etcher. Is the newest moOde OS enough or do I need to image a different OS first?

 

[JeffS7444]

Sorry, can't remember whether it was RPi OS or Moode which gave me grief last time I wrote an image to SD card. But one of those wound up installed in a semi-broken fashion if not pre-configured, like missing SSH components, or username wasn't set. I don't have access to my Pis right now, so I can't confirm behavior of latest version of Moode.

 

[maxm272]

Sorry, can't remember whether it was RPi OS or Moode which gave me grief last time I wrote an image to SD card. But one of those wound up installed in a semi-broken fashion if not pre-configured, like missing SSH components, or username wasn't set. I don't have access to my Pis right now, so I can't confirm behavior of latest version of Moode.

Thank you anyway!
FWIW, I just tried to set it up in Ethernet mode, as explained in the setup.txt. I could access the page via moode.local, but again, there is no internet connection. Setting and saving an AP password renders the web UI unusable because the configuration settings don't load

 

[5-pot-fan]

Hi again,
In the past I have used Balena Etcher and another Windows-based writer. Balena was not 100% consistent for me.
I have used the Raspberry Pi writer 3 times in the last year- each fully successful.
If this writer is not working, and you are confident the sd card is good, then it may be the device doing the writing is faulty in some way, because it would seem that the configuration itself is not being written properly to the card.
I have had issues with my usb-connected card writer because the little jacket that holds the sd card itself was faulty. I bought 2 more of these and had no further problems. At the time I had no inbuilt sd card writer in the laptop.
When you use the RPi writer software to flash the Moode image you do need to add a few items of info, as you have seen. The username and password are for accessing the Moode configuration via its inbuilt SSH function (menu/System/Security). I do not use wifi or AP - just wired ethernet, and if you have a network scanner (eg Advanced IP Scanner if you use Windows) then the Pi IP should show up. If it still does not then the problem has to be in the writing of the Moode file to the sd card.
A 32Gb sd card might still be a useful purchase if you continue to have problems.
HTH

 

[Nutul]

All these things get solved if:
1. Use the Raspberry Imager (I mean it: use the Raspberry Imager, not Balena Etcher, which is not the same, and does not offer the same options. This gets 80% of the problems solved)
2. specify a username + password
3. setup a wi-fi network

all the above is done within the Imager configuration (cog wheel) and must be done BEFORE you flash the image to the SD card.

In any case, please do read the official moOde installation guide; these steps are made a clear requirement due to changes about security in the underlying OS.

moode/www/setup.txt at develop · moode-player/moode

moOde sources and configs. Contribute to moode-player/moode development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[Roland68]

As the title says, I can't get moOde to work on my two-year-old Pi Zero 2 W. I did two years ago using balena etcher with an sd card that I can't find anymore. The Pi has been sitting in a drawer unused for more than a year.
I now have followed several guides (https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2994; https://moodeaudio.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=146; https://raspberrytips.com/moode-on-raspberry-pi/) to set up the Pi remotely, but none of them work:

- when I configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager, I can access moOde only via the Pi's IP address, but the Pi isn't connected to the internet: my wifi isn't listed in the network settings, and I get a prompt to set an Access Point password. When I set one and try to save it, the page reloads forever, and any attempt to access the page afterwards fails.

- when I don't configure my wifi via the Raspberry Imager to attempt the Access Point setup, there is no "Moode" SSID.

I'm at a loss. Am I doing something wrong or is my Pi broken? Is there some way to check it? I'm not a computer expert at all, btw, so simple replies or questions would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your help.

I don't know moOde, but to avoid wasting time I would install something simple that makes sure it runs and there is no problem with the Pi Zero 2 W's hardware.
Volumio runs on the Pi Zero 2 W without any problems.

 

[Nutul]

I don't know moOde, but to avoid wasting time I would install something simple that makes sure it runs and there is no problem with the Pi Zero 2 W's hardware.
Volumio runs on the Pi Zero 2 W without any problems.

moOde runs perfectly on a Pi Zero 2 W, it's just a matter of following the instructions, as I said above

 

[Roland68]

moOde runs perfectly on a Pi Zero 2 W, it's just a matter of following the instructions, as I said above

You didn't understand the reason for my post.
He should only test once whether the Pi Zero 2 W runs smoothly with something else and whether there is no hardware defect. There are thousands of PI users who have sunk not just hours, but days and weeks on a defective device. I wanted to spare him that.
No more and no less.

 

[Gee2]

Moode can be set to join your own home wifi network or it can be set up as to form its own Wifi network (with a Moode SSID). In the latter case it has no internet connection unless you add an ethernet cable.

 

[Prana Ferox]

Moode can be set to join your own home wifi network or it can be set up as to form its own Wifi network (with a Moode SSID). In the latter case it has no internet connection unless you add an ethernet cable.

IIRC the latter is the default intended behavior, like a variety of IOT devices it pops its own default SSID, you log in with a tablet or phone or something and configure it, then it restarts. I don't think you do any config when writing the card in your PC. It's been a while since I set up Moode, though, and I switched to pCp in between.

I'd also mention IIRC the zero-2-W only does 2.4ghz wifi so you need to make sure your router isn't set for 5ghz-only.

I'd step through the install instructions carefully and make sure not to skip anything, but also you can ask on the Moode forum directly.

 

[Nutul]

You didn't understand the reason for my post.
He should only test once whether the Pi Zero 2 W runs smoothly with something else and whether there is no hardware defect. There are thousands of PI users who have sunk not just hours, but days and weeks on a defective device. I wanted to spare him that.
No more and no less.

Maybe it's the other way around:
He states he cannot get it installed properly. I said that his symptoms are those of an incorrect setup of the SD card. I told him what to use and how to setup the image.
In the moOde forums there is roughly one user a week that comes up with the very same laments, gets the very same directions, and comes back saying "my bad I didn't read the instructions, I thought it was like the last time, 5 years ago; now everything is ok.".

 

[maxm272]

Thank you all for your replies.
Just to clarify: I have followed the instructions as laid out in the setup.txt, using Raspberry Pi Imager, setting a hostname, username + password, wireless lan settings, ssh enabled. However, those settings weren't carried over. They were blank in the network settings when I accessed moOde via its IP address ("hostname".local didn't work).
So when that didn't work, I tried the Access Point method by only enabling ssh and setting a username + password, but the MoOde network never showed up.
In the meantime, I have bought a new SD card (Samsung PRO Plus 512 GB) and a Lexar SD card reader (LRW450UBAMZN) and again followed the instructions, but again to no avail.
I'm beginning to think that the Pi is faulty, as some of you suggested. I'll try a different software to check. Maybe Volumio?

 

[Phorize]

I don't know moOde, but to avoid wasting time I would install something simple that makes sure it runs and there is no problem with the Pi Zero 2 W's hardware.
Volumio runs on the Pi Zero 2 W without any problems.

Or try following the only officially supported set up method which is set out in the official documentation.


Edit: read the whole thread and now understand what you were suggesting