Table of Contents
1. Objective #
This tutorial describes the procedure for flashing the eMMC memory of the Compute Module 5 (CM5) so that it appears as a removable disk on your computer using the rpiboot utility.
2. Required Equipment and Connections #
Figure 1: General wiring diagram for flashing.
| Element | Specifications |
|---|---|
| USB-C cable | Must support data transfer. |
| Food | Stable power supply (avoid using your computer's USB ports to power the card). |
| Flash software | Raspberry Pi Imager |
⚠️ Warning: A low-quality USB cable or a "charging-only" cable is the cause of 80% of detection failures.
3. Switch Configuration #
Locate the boot switch on your carrier board and set it before powering on:
Figure 2: Location and positions of the boot switch.
| Position Switch | Fashion | Description |
|---|---|---|
| nRPIBOOT | FLASH | The CM5 is waiting for a USB initialization (bootloader). |
| runOS | NORMAL | The CM5 boots from the system installed on the eMMC. |
4. Installing rpiboot #
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu/Raspberry Pi OS) #
Terminal
sudo apt update sudo apt install git libusb-1.0-0-dev build-essential git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/raspberrypi/usbboot cd usbboot && make sudo ./rpiboot
Windows #
Download and install the executable: rpiboot_setup.exe. The drivers will be installed automatically.
5. Flash Procedure #
Figure 3: Running rpiboot and detecting the module.
- Set the switch to nRPIBOOT (see Figure 2).
- Connect the CM5's USB-C port to your computer.
- Plug in the CM5's power supply.
- Start
rpiboot(A black window opens and closes when the process is complete, as shown in Figure 3.) -
Open Raspberry Pi Imager :
Figure 4: Raspberry Pi Imager configuration.
- Model: Raspberry Pi 5
- OS: Select your image (e.g., Pi OS 64-bit)
- Storage: Select "RPi-MSD-0001" (your eMMC; see Figure 4)
- Click WRITE.
💡 Note: If the disk does not appear after
rpiboot, try unplugging and plugging the USB-C cable back in.
6. Finalization #
- Once the flash is complete, unplug the power cord.
- Important: Set the switch back to runOS.
- Unplug the USB-C cable (optional).
- Plug it back in: the system is starting up!
7. Quick Troubleshooting #
| Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|
Waiting for BCM2712... infinite |
Check the nRPIBOOT switch and the USB cable. |
| Typo in Imager | Insufficient power to the CM5 or locked eMMC. |
| Black screen on reboot | Make sure you've set the switch to runOS. |
