Troubleshooting • Re: Pi Zero only booting with NOOBS

Desktop or lite images?

What makes you think it isn't booting? Nothing appearing on a connected HDMI screen? Not appearing on your network? Nothing on the ACT LED? Something else?
...

No output on HDMI
Not visible on the network
LEDs on solid

Odd, and IIRC there is only one LED on a zero. Are you 101% certain you're using a 32bit image? 64bit won't boot on an original zero[W].

As it's working with Noobs (and all but the very first stage bootloader is on the SD card) it's 99% likely to be something you're doing.

The only other thing I can suggest is that if you haven't already done so you clone the working Noobs SD card onto one that doesn't work when written to with Imager. It that boots you know the SD card is good. If it doesn't you've found the problem. That and working through The Boot Problems Sticky if you haven't already done so.

Statistics: Posted by thagrol — Mon Jul 27, 2026 7:45 pm

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