.. note:: Hello, welcome to the SunFounder Raspberry Pi & Arduino & ESP32 Enthusiasts Community on Facebook! Dive deeper into Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and ESP32 with fellow enthusiasts. **Why Join?** - **Expert Support**: Solve post-sale issues and technical challenges with help from our community and team. - **Learn & Share**: Exchange tips and tutorials to enhance your skills. - **Exclusive Previews**: Get early access to new product announcements and sneak peeks. - **Special Discounts**: Enjoy exclusive discounts on our newest products. - **Festive Promotions and Giveaways**: Take part in giveaways and holiday promotions. 👉 Ready to explore and create with us? Click [|link_sf_facebook|] and join today! ===================== FAQ - NVMe Kit Series ===================== This section answers common questions about the **SunFounder NVMe Kit Series**, including both **Dual NVMe Raft** and **General NVMe PIP**. If you're unsure which kit you own, see :ref:`identify_model`. .. contents:: :local: :depth: 2 :backlinks: none General Questions ================= Q1. How to identify my NVMe Kit? -------------------------------------------------------- The **Dual NVMe Raft** supports two NVMe SSDs, while the **General NVMe PIP** supports only one. If your board has two M.2 slots and a larger form factor, it is the Dual NVMe Raft. Q2. My PWR LED is off, what should I check? ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Ensure the FPC (PCIe) cable is properly connected and oriented. 2. Use the official **27 W Raspberry Pi 5 power supply** — underpowered adapters may cause the LED to remain off. 3. Check whether the board’s **FORCE EN** jumper is correctly set. 4. If the LED still stays off, try providing external 5 V power. Q3. The SSD is not detected by the system. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Check the following: - Run ``dmesg | grep pcie`` to verify PCIe initialization. - Run ``lspci`` and ``ls /dev/nvme*`` to see if the SSD appears. - Ensure ``dtparam=pciex1`` or ``dtparam=nvme`` is added to ``/boot/firmware/config.txt``. - Try reseating or swapping the SSD or the cable. Q4. Raspberry Pi cannot boot from NVMe SSD. ------------------------------------------------------------------- - Confirm you’ve **updated the bootloader** to NVMe/USB mode. - Ensure EEPROM boot order is set to PCIe first. - Verify ``dtparam=pciex1_no_l0s=on`` is enabled. - Make sure the NVMe SSD has a valid OS image (see :ref:`install_raspberry_os`). Q5. What is the “FORCE ENABLE” jumper? -------------------------------------------------------------- The FORCE EN jumper (J4) manually enables the 3.3 V rail for NVMe SSDs when the PCIe power signal isn’t provided. Use it only when the SSD isn’t powering on automatically. Q6. Can I use a longer FPC cable? --------------------------------------------------------- Not recommended. The included cable is tuned for signal integrity. Longer cables may cause instability or detection failure. Q7. Why is my SSD extremely hot? -------------------------------------------------------- NVMe SSDs can reach high temperatures under load. - Ensure proper airflow or active cooling. - Avoid enclosing the Raspberry Pi and NVMe board in sealed cases. - Some SSDs throttle performance above 70 °C; this is normal. Q8. The SSD appears but cannot be formatted. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If the SSD shows up in ``lsblk`` but cannot be formatted: - Make sure it’s not mounted. - Use ``sudo fdisk /dev/nvme0n1`` to delete old partitions. - Then re-format with ``mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1p1``. Q9. Power LED flickers or NVMe disconnects under load. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This usually indicates **insufficient power**. - Use a genuine 27 W Raspberry Pi power supply. - Avoid powering other peripherals from the same USB port. - Consider using the board’s external 5 V input. Q10. PCIe or NVMe not initializing after config changes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If ``dmesg`` shows PCIe errors: - Double-check ``/boot/firmware/config.txt`` syntax. - Remove extra spaces or duplicate ``dtparam`` lines. - Reset the bootloader using a Micro SD recovery image if needed. Q11. Is it safe to update Raspberry Pi OS? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Yes. Updates are recommended, but always back up data first. If boot fails after an update, re-flash the bootloader using Raspberry Pi Imager. Q12. Can I copy my existing OS to an NVMe SSD? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes. Use **SD Card Copier** in Raspberry Pi OS to duplicate your Micro SD card to the NVMe drive. See :ref:`copy_sd_to_nvme_rpi`. Q13. OpenMediaVault (OMV) cannot detect my disks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Verify you installed **Raspberry Pi OS Lite**, not the Desktop version. - Ensure the SSD is properly mounted and formatted (ext4). - Run ``lsblk`` to confirm detection before starting OMV. Q14. I get “500 – Internal Server Error” in OMV when setting RAID. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Restart the OMV service: .. code-block:: bash sudo systemctl restart openmediavault and retry. Ensure at least two drives are present for RAID 0/1. Dual NVMe Raft Specific ======================= Q15. Does the Dual NVMe Raft require driver installation? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm and most Linux kernels support PCIe NVMe natively. Q16. Does it support PCIe Gen 3 or higher drives? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, but all devices operate at **PCIe Gen 2** speeds due to Raspberry Pi 5 limitations. Q17. Can I install only one NVMe SSD? ------------------------------------------------------------ Yes. It works with one or two drives installed. Q18. Will using both slots reduce performance? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Slightly. Both drives share the same PCIe 2.0 lane, so bandwidth is divided during simultaneous transfers. Q19. Can I use one slot for an AI accelerator and the other for storage? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes. You can combine an **AI accelerator (like Hailo)** in one slot and an NVMe SSD in the other. General NVMe PIP Specific ========================= Q20. Does the NVMe PIP support hot swapping? -------------------------------------------------------------------- No. PCIe on Raspberry Pi 5 does **not** support hot plug. Always power off before inserting or removing SSDs. Q21. Can I mount the PIP both above and beside the Pi? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yes. It supports **dual mounting** (top or side) using the included standoffs and FPC cables. Ensure the cable isn’t twisted or bent sharply. Q22. Does the NVMe PIP need external power? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Normally no, but high-power SSDs (> 5 W) may require connecting the 2-pin external 5 V input. Compatibility and Other Topics ============================== Q23. Which SSDs are compatible? ----------------------------------------------------------- See :ref:`compatible_nvme_ssds` for the tested list. Avoid models using **Phison controllers** (e.g. WD SN770, Corsair MP600). Q24. Why can’t I boot with a Western Digital Blue SN550 SSD? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Older bootloaders cannot recognize this drive. Install the latest ``pieeprom-2024-01-24.bin`` via ``sudo rpi-eeprom-update``. Q25. Compatibility between AI Kit, AI HAT+, and NVMe modules ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The **Raspberry Pi AI Kit** and the **AI HAT+** are both *official* Raspberry Pi products, but they differ in design: - **Raspberry Pi AI Kit** includes a **M.2 HAT+** carrier and a **detachable Hailo-8L M.2 module (2242, M-Key)**. The AI module is pre-installed on the HAT+ and can be removed. This M.2 module can be **installed directly into the General NVMe PIP** (M-Key slot) if desired. When doing so, ensure adequate cooling and power delivery. .. image:: img/output2.jpg :width: 400 - **Raspberry Pi AI HAT+** is an *integrated board* with a built-in Hailo accelerator chip (Hailo-8L 13 TOPS or Hailo-8 26 TOPS). Its accelerator is soldered onto the PCB and **cannot be detached or used with NVMe boards**. It also occupies the Pi 5’s PCIe interface, meaning it **cannot be used simultaneously** with any NVMe expansion. .. image:: img/output3.png :width: 400 .. note:: When moving the Hailo module from the AI Kit to the NVMe PIP: - Verify form factor (M.2 2242, M-Key) and standoff alignment. - Provide sufficient cooling (the Hailo module can reach > 70 °C under load). - Use the official Raspberry Pi AI Kit SDK and Hailo driver stack for software setup. Q26. Is RAID 0/1 supported on Raspberry Pi? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, using **software RAID** (via OpenMediaVault). RAID 0 = performance, RAID 1 = redundancy. Q27. My NVMe SSD disappears after reboot. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Possible causes: - PCIe not initialized at boot (check ``config.txt``). - Power supply insufficient. - SSD requires more than 3 A startup current. Q28. Where can I get help or share feedback? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Join our official **SunFounder Raspberry Pi Community** on Facebook for troubleshooting and discussion.