From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Hello!

I got another Pi 3+ - used.
I booted FreeBSD.

I edited
/boot/efi/config.txt

[all]
arm_64bit=1
dtparam=audio=on,i2c_arm=on,spi=on
dtoverlay=mmc
dtoverlay=disable-bt
device_tree_address=0x4000
kernel=u-boot.bin

[pi4]
hdmi_safe=1
armstub=armstub8-gic.bin
program_usb_boot_mode=1

and rebooted.

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

It says no storage devices found if the SD card is missing.
The USB ttumb stick is being detected in the running FreeBSD.

Is there anything I can check?
--
kind regards
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 21.10.2026 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Hello!

I got another Pi 3+ - used.
I booted FreeBSD.

I edited
/boot/efi/config.txt

[all]
arm_64bit=1
dtparam=audio=on,i2c_arm=on,spi=on
dtoverlay=mmc
dtoverlay=disable-bt
device_tree_address=0x4000
kernel=u-boot.bin

???

[pi4]

Will this work for a Pi 3B?

hdmi_safe=1
armstub=armstub8-gic.bin
program_usb_boot_mode=1

and rebooted.

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

It says no storage devices found if the SD card is missing.
The USB ttumb stick is being detected in the running FreeBSD.

Is there anything I can check?

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 23.10.26 um 12:53 schrieb Marckus:

Am 21.10.2026 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Hello!

I got another Pi 3+ - used.
I booted FreeBSD.

I edited
/boot/efi/config.txt

[all]
arm_64bit=1
dtparam=audio=on,i2c_arm=on,spi=on
dtoverlay=mmc
dtoverlay=disable-bt
device_tree_address=0x4000
kernel=u-boot.bin

???

[pi4]

Will this work for a Pi 3B?

Good question, I do not know.
The file is from FreeBSD, they only offer one RPi image for both models.

Is there a knows way for RPi3?

Which part does read that and change the PROM on the Pi?
Is that something from the OS or from the Pi's onboard firmware?
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 23.10.26 um 12:53 schrieb Marckus:

Am 21.10.2026 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Hello!

I got another Pi 3+ - used.
I booted FreeBSD.

I edited
/boot/efi/config.txt

[all]
arm_64bit=1
dtparam=audio=on,i2c_arm=on,spi=on
dtoverlay=mmc
dtoverlay=disable-bt
device_tree_address=0x4000
kernel=u-boot.bin

???

[pi4]

Will this work for a Pi 3B?

Good question, I do not know.
The file is from FreeBSD, they only offer one RPi image for both models.

Is there a knows way for RPi3?

Which part does read that and change the PROM on the Pi?
Is that something from the OS or from the Pi's onboard firmware?

There's a "bootcode.bin-only" boot method that works for some older
Pi3B version. IIRC it worked for one of mine, but not another.

There's some information at https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/raspberry-pi.html#usb-boot-modes

Good luck, please post what your discover!

bob prohaska


--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 23.10.26 um 19:12 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 23.10.26 um 12:53 schrieb Marckus:

Am 21.10.2026 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Hello!

I got another Pi 3+ - used.
I booted FreeBSD.

I edited
/boot/efi/config.txt

[all]
arm_64bit=1
dtparam=audio=on,i2c_arm=on,spi=on
dtoverlay=mmc
dtoverlay=disable-bt
device_tree_address=0x4000
kernel=u-boot.bin

???

[pi4]

Will this work for a Pi 3B?

Good question, I do not know.
The file is from FreeBSD, they only offer one RPi image for both models.

Is there a knows way for RPi3?

Which part does read that and change the PROM on the Pi?
Is that something from the OS or from the Pi's onboard firmware?

There's a "bootcode.bin-only" boot method that works for some older
Pi3B version. IIRC it worked for one of mine, but not another.

There's some information at https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/raspberry-pi.html#usb-boot-modes

Good luck, please post what your discover!

Thanks for the link.
I need to figure out how I can read and set the OTGID in FreeBSD.
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Thanks for the link.
I need to figure out how I can read and set the OTGID in FreeBSD.

It's a physical 5th pin on the micro USB connector. If you insert a normal
A male (host) to microUSB male (device) cable the cable grounds the pin. If you insert an OTG cable (microUSB to A female, so the Pi becomes the host)
the pin is left floating.

So if you use an 'OTG' cable the port will be put into 'host' mode, if you connect it to a PC with a regular micro USB cable the port will be in
'device' mode.

You can override this with some dwc2 settings in config.txt.

Theo
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 24.10.26 um 13:40 schrieb Theo:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Thanks for the link.
I need to figure out how I can read and set the OTGID in FreeBSD.

It's a physical 5th pin on the micro USB connector. If you insert a normal
A male (host) to microUSB male (device) cable the cable grounds the pin. If you insert an OTG cable (microUSB to A female, so the Pi becomes the host) the pin is left floating.

So if you use an 'OTG' cable the port will be put into 'host' mode, if you connect it to a PC with a regular micro USB cable the port will be in 'device' mode.

I have a normal USB cable (other side is male) connected to a USB power supply.

I have another PI 3B (in use, so I cannot play around with it) connected
to a USB power supply. I do not know how that cable handles it.

You can override this with some dwc2 settings in config.txt.

Can you give more info about this setting?
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here.

I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 13:40 schrieb Theo:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Thanks for the link.
I need to figure out how I can read and set the OTGID in FreeBSD.

It's a physical 5th pin on the micro USB connector. If you insert a normal A male (host) to microUSB male (device) cable the cable grounds the pin. If
you insert an OTG cable (microUSB to A female, so the Pi becomes the host) the pin is left floating.

So if you use an 'OTG' cable the port will be put into 'host' mode, if you connect it to a PC with a regular micro USB cable the port will be in 'device' mode.

I have a normal USB cable (other side is male) connected to a USB power supply.

I have another PI 3B (in use, so I cannot play around with it) connected
to a USB power supply. I do not know how that cable handles it.

You can override this with some dwc2 settings in config.txt.

Can you give more info about this setting?

It's:
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=host
or
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=peripheral
or
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=otg

The latter is the default, which is deciding between host and device using
the ID pin in the microUSB socket.

There's a doc: https://pip-assets.raspberrypi.com/categories/685-app-notes-guides-whitepapers/documents/RP-009276-WP-1-Using%20OTG%20mode%20on%20Raspberry%20Pi%20SBCs.pdf

Theo
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here.

I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time
in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing.

There are many more notes at
http://www.zefox.net/~fbsd/
and subdirectories, probably too many 8-)

Good luck,

bob prohaska

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is
related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here.

I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time
in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing.

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.
I asked here: https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is
related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here.

I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be >> typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's
parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time
in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing.

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

The Pi's bootcode blob starts u-boot but u-boot then fails to notice
the hard disk. That's where tweaking things like usb_pgood_delay can
help. Hitting spacebar should stop autoboot and give you a
u-boot>
prompt.

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.

Yes, but it's likely a configuration problem related
to the specifics of your USB hardware.

I asked here: https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html

Yes, I just found your post. You may get replies on the list
and I suspect the first response will be .... .what kind of storage
device and bridge?

Mechanical disks can be surprisingly fussy, solid-state storage usually
works better for detection. If you have a USB thumb drive that's worth
a try. You can also put a bootable microSD card in a usb adapter and
try that. If either of those work, it helps to know. If neither works
that's bad news.
good luck,

bob prohaska

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 25.10.26 um 05:03 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is >>>> related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here.

I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be >>> typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's >>> parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time >>> in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing. >>

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

The Pi's bootcode blob starts u-boot but u-boot then fails to notice
the hard disk. That's where tweaking things like usb_pgood_delay can
help. Hitting spacebar should stop autoboot and give you a
u-boot>
prompt.

Is my guess right that the Pi can access the USB thumb stick?

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.

Yes, but it's likely a configuration problem related
to the specifics of your USB hardware.

I asked here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html

Yes, I just found your post. You may get replies on the list
and I suspect the first response will be .... .what kind of storage
device and bridge?

I will add some context.

Mechanical disks can be surprisingly fussy, solid-state storage usually
works better for detection. If you have a USB thumb drive that's worth
a try. You can also put a bootable microSD card in a usb adapter and
try that. If either of those work, it helps to know. If neither works
that's bad news.
good luck,

I only tried USB thumb devices, no USB- hard disks etc.
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 25.10.26 um 05:03 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is >>>>> related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here. >>>>>
I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be >>>> typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's >>>> parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time >>>> in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing. >>>

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

The Pi's bootcode blob starts u-boot but u-boot then fails to notice
the hard disk. That's where tweaking things like usb_pgood_delay can
help. Hitting spacebar should stop autoboot and give you a
u-boot>
prompt.

Is my guess right that the Pi can access the USB thumb stick?

Yes, if I understand what you've done, it boots RasPiOS from a
thumb drive so it should boot FreeBSD from the same media.

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.

Yes, but it's likely a configuration problem related
to the specifics of your USB hardware.

I asked here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html

Yes, I just found your post. You may get replies on the list
and I suspect the first response will be .... .what kind of storage
device and bridge?

I will add some context.

Mechanical disks can be surprisingly fussy, solid-state storage usually
works better for detection. If you have a USB thumb drive that's worth
a try. You can also put a bootable microSD card in a usb adapter and
try that. If either of those work, it helps to know. If neither works
that's bad news.
good luck,

I only tried USB thumb devices, no USB- hard disks etc.

A thumb drive is a good "acid test" of whether a Pi can boot
from USB, but the process is somewhat different between RasPiOS
and FreeBSD:

On RasPiOS bootcode.bin finds and loads a Linux kernel and starts it.

On FreeBSD bootcode.bin finds and loads u-boot.bin in place of a kernel,
which then probes for bootable devices and starts that system's loader chain. That loader chain inherits details from u-boot.

U-boot's search for devices isn't involved for RasPiOS at all. Thus my
emphasis on reaching a u-boot prompt and looking for tunable parameters.

I will say that not all FreeBSD images work equally well, sometimes they
don't and it's worth trying a few different examples from microSD first,
then thumb drive and finally an external HDD to feel your way along.

Hope this helps!

bob prohaska

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Am 25.10.26 um 16:28 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 25.10.26 um 05:03 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is >>>>>> related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here. >>>>>>
I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be
typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's >>>>> parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time >>>>> in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing.

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

The Pi's bootcode blob starts u-boot but u-boot then fails to notice
the hard disk. That's where tweaking things like usb_pgood_delay can
help. Hitting spacebar should stop autoboot and give you a
u-boot>
prompt.

Is my guess right that the Pi can access the USB thumb stick?

Yes, if I understand what you've done, it boots RasPiOS from a
thumb drive so it should boot FreeBSD from the same media.

I didn't boot RaspiOS from the USB thumb stick, but I should give it a try.

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.

Yes, but it's likely a configuration problem related
to the specifics of your USB hardware.

I asked here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html >>>

Yes, I just found your post. You may get replies on the list
and I suspect the first response will be .... .what kind of storage
device and bridge?

I will add some context.

Mechanical disks can be surprisingly fussy, solid-state storage usually
works better for detection. If you have a USB thumb drive that's worth
a try. You can also put a bootable microSD card in a usb adapter and
try that. If either of those work, it helps to know. If neither works
that's bad news.
good luck,

I only tried USB thumb devices, no USB- hard disks etc.

A thumb drive is a good "acid test" of whether a Pi can boot
from USB, but the process is somewhat different between RasPiOS
and FreeBSD:

On RasPiOS bootcode.bin finds and loads a Linux kernel and starts it.

On FreeBSD bootcode.bin finds and loads u-boot.bin in place of a kernel, which then probes for bootable devices and starts that system's loader chain. That loader chain inherits details from u-boot.

U-boot's search for devices isn't involved for RasPiOS at all. Thus my emphasis on reaching a u-boot prompt and looking for tunable parameters.

I will say that not all FreeBSD images work equally well, sometimes they don't and it's worth trying a few different examples from microSD first,
then thumb drive and finally an external HDD to feel your way along.

Good to know, this confirms that the USB boot is working.
--
Gruß
Marco

Spam bitte an [email protected]
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 25.10.26 um 16:28 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 25.10.26 um 05:03 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 24.10.26 um 18:58 schrieb [email protected]:

Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:

Am 21.10.26 um 20:36 schrieb Marco Moock:

Although, it still does not boot from the USB thumb device.

I now installed RPi OS on the SD card and checked the bit.
It is set
https://raspberry.tips/en/raspberrypi-tutorials/boot-raspberry-pi-from-usb-ssd-flash-drive-pi-4-5
vcgencmd otp_dump | grep 17:
gives 3020000a

That means the Pi can boot from USB and it also does. The issue here is >>>>>>> related to FreeBSD.

I see U-Boot, which seems to be the bootloader used by FreeBSD here. >>>>>>>
I will ask at the FreeBSD mailing lists about the further issue. >>>>>>>
Thanks for all the suggestions.

It's worth messing around at the u-boot prompt. If you hit spacebar within the
two-second uboot timeout you'll get a u-boot prompt, where commands can be
typed to learn what's going on.

One very useful command sequence is printenv, which lets you see u-boot's
parameters, and editenv, which lets you change them.

One that I've often tinkered with is usb_pgood_delay, which sets the time
in milliseconds that u-boot waits before turning on a disk before probing.

The problem is that it says it does not detect the storage media.
Although the media itself was used to boot.

The Pi's bootcode blob starts u-boot but u-boot then fails to notice
the hard disk. That's where tweaking things like usb_pgood_delay can
help. Hitting spacebar should stop autoboot and give you a
u-boot>
prompt.

Is my guess right that the Pi can access the USB thumb stick?

Yes, if I understand what you've done, it boots RasPiOS from a
thumb drive so it should boot FreeBSD from the same media.

I didn't boot RaspiOS from the USB thumb stick, but I should give it a try.

That's a critical first step. If RasPiOS won't boot from a USB device
there's little hope of making FreeBSD work. My understanding is that
later Pi3's do boot from USB "out of the box", certainly my Pi4 and 5
did. The V1.2 Pi3 should be new enough to do the same, but it's worth
checking against the documentation; the Pi3 is getting old. For some
of them it's possible to use the "bootcode.bin-only" method which works
on Pi2B as well, at least some of them.

hth,

bob prohaska

This seems to be an issue of the FreeBSD image.

Yes, but it's likely a configuration problem related
to the specifics of your USB hardware.

I asked here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-arm/2026-October/006172.html >>>>

Yes, I just found your post. You may get replies on the list
and I suspect the first response will be .... .what kind of storage
device and bridge?

I will add some context.

Mechanical disks can be surprisingly fussy, solid-state storage usually >>>> works better for detection. If you have a USB thumb drive that's worth >>>> a try. You can also put a bootable microSD card in a usb adapter and
try that. If either of those work, it helps to know. If neither works
that's bad news.
good luck,

I only tried USB thumb devices, no USB- hard disks etc.

A thumb drive is a good "acid test" of whether a Pi can boot
from USB, but the process is somewhat different between RasPiOS
and FreeBSD:

On RasPiOS bootcode.bin finds and loads a Linux kernel and starts it.

On FreeBSD bootcode.bin finds and loads u-boot.bin in place of a kernel,
which then probes for bootable devices and starts that system's loader chain.
That loader chain inherits details from u-boot.

U-boot's search for devices isn't involved for RasPiOS at all. Thus my
emphasis on reaching a u-boot prompt and looking for tunable parameters.

I will say that not all FreeBSD images work equally well, sometimes they
don't and it's worth trying a few different examples from microSD first,
then thumb drive and finally an external HDD to feel your way along.

Good to know, this confirms that the USB boot is working.

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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 23/10/2026 11:53, Marckus wrote:

[pi4]

Will this work for a Pi 3B?

No, that is why it is a section which is not run on anything earlier
than a Pi 4.

---druck
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