Ubuntu updater fail, partical win, fail again

[Msemmett]

1) I think the first time I flashed the card withOUT using the PinePhone Etcher. That one didn't work. It just gives me flashing red LED with a click and no update is running.
2) Then, I think I used the PinePhone PINE A64 (512MB) and flashed the SD card. I flashed to the card, put the card in and plugged it in to charge. I hit the power button and it started up and I saw the UB robot on the screen saying it was updating. I ran for about 20 minutes and then went black. When I tried to power back up an hour later, I had all three colors of LED flashing and clicking but it wouldn't start.
3) I decided to start over since it sounds like that's what everyone does here. I reformatted that same card but wonder if I used a different type (exfat, etc.) So I loaded to the card and tried PINE A64 (1GB/2GB). I put the card into the phone and I only get the red flashing light.
Please help this dumbass. I am wondering if I should try to load a different OS to see if it's the Pine installer, the SD card, the SD card format type, or MEEEEEEE!!
Help.

[evilbunny]

What OS do you want on your phone?

I don't think the A64 images are the way to go...

[Msemmett]

What OS do you want on your phone?

I don't think the A64 images are the way to go...

I want ubuntu

[bcnaz]

1) I think the first time I flashed the card withOUT using the PinePhone Etcher. That one didn't work. It just gives me flashing red LED with a click and no update is running.
2) Then, I think I used the PinePhone PINE A64 (512MB) and flashed the SD card. I flashed to the card, put the card in and plugged it in to charge. I hit the power button and it started up and I saw the UB robot on the screen saying it was updating. I ran for about 20 minutes and then went black. When I tried to power back up an hour later, I had all three colors of LED flashing and clicking but it wouldn't start.
3) I decided to start over since it sounds like that's what everyone does here. I reformatted that same card but wonder if I used a different type (exfat, etc.) So I loaded to the card and tried PINE A64 (1GB/2GB). I put the card into the phone and I only get the red flashing light.
Please help this dumbass. I am wondering if I should try to load a different OS to see if it's the Pine installer, the SD card, the SD card format type, or MEEEEEEE!!
Help.

Perhaps try :
 Not sure what operating system you have on your computer ?
If you have Debian/Ubuntu,  use 'disks' to zero wipe your sd card. (takes a long while to complete)
Then format to ext4.
Then use Balena Etcher to flash your preferred operating system to your sd card...
(remove then re-attach your sd card)
Next I go back to disks (be extra careful to pick the correct 'disk') and resize your OS partisan
to all or most of your sd card space.
There are many ways to do this, but this works well for me.
Good Luck

[evilbunny]

What OS do you want on your phone?

I don't think the A64 images are the way to go...

I want ubuntu

You will need this image:

https://ci.ubports.com/job/rootfs/job/ro...one.img.xz

I have run it both on emmc and sdcard.

[Msemmett]

What OS do you want on your phone?

I don't think the A64 images are the way to go...

I want ubuntu

You will need this image:

https://ci.ubports.com/job/rootfs/job/ro...one.img.xz

I have run it both on emmc and sdcard.

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I'm on MacOS Mojave and I've put aside Pine64 installers and I'm working with BalenaEtcher.

[bcnaz]

I do not have to zero wipe every time, but I think it is advisable occasionally, especially when you see the fresh install seems exceptionally slow or corrupted.

[evilbunny]

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I'm on MacOS Mojave and I've put aside Pine64 installers and I'm working with BalenaEtcher.

I think the recommended way to put the image on emmc is using Jump Drive

[bcnaz]

I do not have to zero wipe every time, but I think it is advisable occasionally, especially when you see the fresh install seems exceptionally slow or corrupted.

-------------------

Re-sizing step is skipped on UBPorts, it has its own utility in it.
But I find it necessary when preparing the Mobian sd card.