Hello Folks!
Could I trouble for some basic help? I got a new PB2 but can’t connect. I created the bootable uSD card with the latest image from this site. But when I plug the USB and wait a bit, then type: 192.168.7.2 in FireFox… nothing happens and it times out. Neither does SSH via CMD nor Putty work. The serial debugger thingy isn’t in stock anywhere, I don’t have that (yet).
Also, I am on a Win10 machine but before we poopoo that, I also got a BeaglePlay and that starts up into VSCode right out of the box. I’m trying to get the PB2 to do that so I can get on with the real work on my application.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Hi @illyak ,
First you need to check if there is a network adapter in your machine - prompt and use the ipconfig - with an ip address 192.168.7.1
Second, if there is a network adapter(ndis/rdis) in windows hardware manager - to check if the usb network driver is installed or if there is any fault hardware - missing driver or something.
Hello @Juvinski ! Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, it is generic procedure and does not help the specific issue. With ipconfig, there is no such 192.168.7.1 present
But if I take a pre-programmed BeaglePlay, with factory installed OS, all the SSH, pinging and even VS Code work fine. Same with a DIY programmed BBB I have lying around, works as expected. So there is a network adapter on my machine for them but not for the PB2. I’m not clear what I could be doing wrong.
Also, I burn the uSD and then go in there to change the sysconfig.txt. I see there are options to enable SSH and auto-launching VS Code. Oh boy, I thought I had it figured out… Nope. When I go back after a yet another unsuccessful debug session and look at that file, all my changes and saves are reverted back to the “foobar” defaults. ???
Has ANYONE gotten their PB2 working?
Hello…try the beagleboard.org site for distros under the header boards. Then, pick your board (PB2), pick the Distro, and flash with the bb-imager.
For instance:
- PocketBeagle 2 Debian 12.9 2025-03-05 Minimal (v6.12.x-ti) - BeagleBoard
a. That link will bring you to the Distro. - Install bb-imager
- Use bb-imager to flash your Pocket Beagle 2.
While under the options to change the data, pick your username and password, do not use Wifi options unless you have a Wifi use case, and then save-save-save.
It should prompt you to change the settings and then once the flashing starts is when apply your root password.
This should help a bit. If you get past all this data here, use this to sign in: Pocket Beagle 2 and Sharing - #7 by RobertCNelson
Enjoy and post your build if you get around to it!
Much obliged, @silver2row! Thanks for the tips!
I have approached much as you say but continue to stumble on this.
The BB-Imager does NOT work for me, I have been using Etcher, which also works for other Beagles.
First, which file is the right BB-Imager? The link goes to a general Git page and buried in there I dug up this for my Win10 system: bb-imager-gui-x86_64-pc-windows-gnu.zip
But it doesn’t work.
When I try to customize and click to advance to burn the uSD, it hangs up with a CMD window:
It just sits there…
If I X-cancel that CMD window, it proceeds and goes through the whole motion only to finish with a fail…
Aw…
Try Ubuntu. If you have a computer, use Ubuntu with the bb-imager tool.
I use bb-imager with Ubuntu and maybe Debian. I will check on Debian soon. I know it works with Ubuntu.
I think my Ubuntu versioning is Noble. yes…it is Noble. It works with Noble.
Hey @illyak, try using our bb-imager rust tool. You don’t have to download any image from our distros page, you can select the provided under the bb-imager tool.
The latest from bb-imager rust from @ayush1325 for windows can be found here: https://openbeagle.org/ayush1325/bb-imager-rs/-/jobs/54201/artifacts/download
Do read our quick start guide as well, Quick Start Guide — BeagleBoard Documentation
If this doesn’t resolve your issue, I recommend you try a different SD card just to be sure.
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I feel you illyak. I am a newbie in imbedded and linux world…I have EXACT same issues you have…attempted to create uSD boot disk using the Quick Start Quide, went to 192.168.7.2:3000…nothing happens/times out. Username and password change reverts back…and the same happening of your last post…“it just sits there”. when x-cancel, it proceeds and fails…Apparently it works for other people but doesn’t seem to work for you and me…
You have to modify the sysconf file. You have to add a user, and specify a password. Otherwise, you won’t be able to access the linux on the board. You have to do this either it’s the Debian or the ubuntu image. If you need more information, let me know and I can provide a video.
At first boot with the modified sysconf.txt, the OS will apply the changes in that file then revert it back to default values. This is so that the changes dont get reapplied every boot and is not indicative of a problem.
Hello @lorforlinux !!
Thanks for the tips!
I tried the imager you sent and YES it does seem to work. There have been a number of issues going on here. Not the least of which is that I mostly don’t know what I’m doing! 
However, to your point about the SD card… That appears the leading issue right now.
I had 2 cards here, SanDisk brand, and not that old or used and I thought they should have been fine. They did work for a while with the experiments I had tried on the BBB. Finally, one of them failed outright, doesn’t get recognized at all, and now the other gives me this error when I try to run the BB-Imager to burn an image:
So I’ll order a couple new cards. Stand by…
Thanks again for your help!
But wait…
This card that fails with the BB-Imager above picture I attached, it works fine with Etcher and the old BBB. I plug the card into the BBB, power up, open Putty to SSH into it, I’m in Linux, no problem.
So… what is different about the PB2 setup???
I can get through all the motions with the BBB but cannot with the PB2.
OK, I’ll still be ordering some new “fresh” uSD cards. But I’m not convinced that’s the problem.
NOPE…! NOGO!
Brand new uSD card fails with the same error as above.
This is a top quality card purchased through reliable supply chain, so it’s not some fake: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1375051-REG/sandisk_sdsqxaf_032g_gn6ma_extreme_microsd_32gb.html
So I don’t know what else to try. The PB2 simply doesn’t want to cooperate with my WIN10 setup.
Burning a flash card should be possible with WIN10, it is a fairly simple task. I don’t have any problems like this with an old BBB.
first, i don’t have win10, using ubuntu 22.04
however, i did see something strange.
using image “pocketbeagle2-debian-12.9-minimal-arm64-2025-01-30-8gb” and Etcher
if i modify the sysconf.txt file, then i cannot ssh in via 192.168.7.2 or .6.2
without modifying sysconf.txt
“https://192.168.7.2:3000/” worked
ssh in via 192.168.7.2 or .6.2 works
i did add “sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=1” to my desktop
“sudo apt update” did not work
will take another look at it in the morning.
it takes a few minutes for ssh key’s to regenerate and then reboot… maybe i need to add a led pattern or something…
Regards,
Still nothing…
I did a fresh start and followed the quick-start to the letter. It does not work. It does not show up as a drive, nor can I connect with Putty/SSH. And https//192.168.7.2:3000 does nothing, it times out… NOGO.
The RPI debugger was back in stock at Mouser, so I got that on its way.
I’ve been pushing updates every week what file are you currently working with? Pushed this last night: PocketBeagle 2 Debian 12.10 2025-03-18 Minimal (v6.12.x-ti) - BeagleBoard
Regards,
it shut down, i had to power cycle it to get it to come back up.
on the Linux system, the IP popup failed thing kept popping up, ifconfig on desktop did not show 7.1 or 6.1
Serial console to PB2 had both 7.2 and 6.2
with the sdcard w/o modified sysconfig.txt, everything seemed to come up without any issues
@RobertCNelson
the image you referenced did not work on first boot with the timeout of the 4 boot from options
there are two solid green lights
Starting kernel …
I/TC: Secondary CPU 1 initializing
I/TC: Secondary CPU 1 switching to normal world boot
I/TC: Reserved shared memory is enabled
I/TC: Dynamic shared memory is enabled
I/TC: Normal World virtualization support is disabled
I/TC: Asynchronous notifications are disabled
[ 22.787620] rcu: INFO: rcu_preempt detected stalls on CPUs/tasks:
[ 22.787645] rcu: 1-…!: (0 ticks this GP) idle=25ac/1/0x400000000000000)
[ 22.787659] rcu: (detected by 0, t=5256 jiffies, g=-1055, q=37 ncpus=2)
[ 32.788882] rcu: rcu_preempt kthread timer wakeup didn’t happen for 5255 jif2
[ 32.788891] rcu: Possible timer handling issue on cpu=1 timer-softirq=43
[ 32.788897] rcu: rcu_preempt kthread starved for 5256 jiffies! g-1055 f0x0 R1
[ 32.788906] rcu: Unless rcu_preempt kthread gets sufficient CPU time, OO.
[ 32.788909] rcu: RCU grace-period kthread stack dump:
[ 85.823616] rcu: INFO: rcu_preempt detected stalls on CPUs/tasks:
[ 85.823628] rcu: 1-…!: (0 ticks this GP) idle=25ac/1/0x400000000000000)
[ 85.823642] rcu: (detected by 0, t=21015 jiffies, g=-1055, q=37 ncpus=2)
[ 95.824860] rcu: rcu_preempt kthread starved for 21015 jiffies! g-1055 f0x2 1
[ 95.824870] rcu: Unless rcu_preempt kthread gets sufficient CPU time, OO.
[ 95.824873] rcu: RCU grace-period kthread stack dump:
On second boot, i choose option 1 (the fail safe one) and it booted
ssh via 7.2 worked
running the pc-internet.sh on the desktop
with my Ethernet changes,
and running “sudo ./pb2-internet.sh” on pb2
i get the following
debian@BeagleBone:~$ sudo ./pb2-internet.sh
SIOCADDRT: File exists
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
— 8.8.8.8 ping statistics —
1 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 0ms
Q: so do i need to make changes to the sysconfig.txt file for “apt update” to work ?
I have been using the latest image.
I just tried this latest one from 3-18 last night and it doesn’t work either. In fact the LED don’t even have the heartbeat blinking and my user and pwd updates to the sysconfig file did not get reverted back to the foobar. So looks like it’s worse than previous, whatever was changed.