Is it possible (and useful) to update firmware on a Pi3B?

The Pi3B in question doesn't run RasPiOS normally. I'm
having some difficulties booting from USB and wonder if
any improvements exist. The OTP bit is confirmed set
but it doesn't detect one of my USB-SATA bridges, a
Sabrent EC-UASP. It's up-to-date per the Sabrent updater.

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)

bob prohaska <bp@www.zefox.net> wrote:

Is it possible (and useful) to update firmware on a Pi3B?

Yes, with rpi-update. Slightly older and tested firmware also comes
regularly with normal updates, though, so in general its not recommended to
use rpi-update for bleeding edge versions unless you're waiting for a
specific fix. It *can* go wrong. Not sure of the recovery procedure but
it's probably on their website somewhere.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)

bob prohaska <bp@www.zefox.net> wrote:

Is it possible (and useful) to update firmware on a Pi3B?

The Pi3B in question doesn't run RasPiOS normally. I'm
having some difficulties booting from USB and wonder if
any improvements exist. The OTP bit is confirmed set
but it doesn't detect one of my USB-SATA bridges, a
Sabrent EC-UASP. It's up-to-date per the Sabrent updater.

There's two parts to the firmware: the GPU firmware on the SD card and the firmware in the EEPROM.

On a Pi4, the EEPROM contains the first stage bootloader and then it fetches the rest from SD, USB, NVMe, network-boot, etc.

On a Pi3, the first stage bootloader is in ROM and can't be updated. So the first stage boot is fixed. It then loads GPU firmware from the boot device - SD, USB, PXE - and the GPU picks up from there.

(Pi1-Pi3 use the same ROM FSBL pattern, although it's been upgraded in each
new release)

If you can't get your Pi3 to read the USB then I'm not sure there's much you can do, because that's ROM firmware which can't be changed. You could put
an SD card in there just to hold the kernel and GPU firmware then put your
main FS on USB.

Theo

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)

Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

If you can't get your Pi3 to read the USB then I'm not sure there's much you can do, because that's ROM firmware which can't be changed.

Ok, that's what I needed to know. The Pi3B does work with some bridges,
just not with one in particular.

I am using a powered hub to forestall power supply issues.

Thanks to all who replied!

bob prohaska

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)

Hello bob!

Tuesday November 15 2022 01:45, you wrote to All:

Is it possible (and useful) to update firmware on a Pi3B?

The Pi3B in question doesn't run RasPiOS normally. I'm
having some difficulties booting from USB and wonder if
any improvements exist. The OTP bit is confirmed set
but it doesn't detect one of my USB-SATA bridges, a
Sabrent EC-UASP. It's up-to-date per the Sabrent updater.

If it is the 3B+ then yes it does as I have it connected to a 1Tb HDD in a geekworm casing and HDD board without any SD plugged in.

If it really is a 3B suggest you look on the forums as raspberrypi.org as I seem to recall there is a solution that 'may' involve a firmware update.
Don't hold me to that though as it has been many months since I read the post.


Vincent

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* Origin: Air Applewood, The Linux Gateway to the UK & Eire (2:250/1)