# Can't make it boot on rpi4 SSD only
**URL:** https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738
**Category:** DIY Community
**Created:** [August 10, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738 "2024-08-10T17:26:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lip](https://community.start9.com/u/lip)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/1 "2024-08-10T17:26:17Z")
I want to install start9 on a rpi4 or on an odroid m1, with SSD only on the rpi or on the ssd m2 on the odroid m1.
I tried on the rpi4, flashing as usual the image to the SSD but it will never boot, seeing the led lights it seems to go on an ethernal loop. On Umbrel for example I used to install debian then run a script that would install umbrel on top of debian, is it possible?
On the odroid m1, I could install debian or ubuntu than run such a script also.
on the rpi4 I tried the image for the rpi4 but also the arm iso, but both had the same result.
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### Author:  [@StuPleb](https://community.start9.com/u/StuPleb)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/2 "2024-08-10T17:32:56Z")
Unlike Umbrel, StartOS is an advanced operating system, not a set of apps installed on **top of someone else’s operating** system. StartOS is a replacement for Debian, not something you install on Debian.
StartOS also expects certain things to be a certain way, as it’s designed to be run on hardware that we test on and that we sell (on in the case of the outdated Pi4 - used to sell).
What you’re attempting (booting from an SSD) isn’t possible with StartOS since it’s coded to boot from an SD card. You’re free to modify StartOS to suit your needs, it is open source. Typically we don’t recommend using unpowered external SSDs at all any more as the Pi4 isn’t capable of properly powering them. As such, no time has been spent on developing a way to boot StartOS from one.
Maybe just run Debian and install the software you need on that?
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### Author:  [@lip](https://community.start9.com/u/lip)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/3 "2024-10-10T15:49:01Z")
it doesn’t make much sense. The rpi4 is very powerfull to run a server like start9 with ssd/hdd only as a main driver, I have done it with many different servers like umbrel and yunohost. I just need to find to way to do it, and I will do it.
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### Author:  [@StuPleb](https://community.start9.com/u/StuPleb)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/4 "2024-10-10T15:58:52Z")
You’re free to modify StartOS to make it boot from a USB-attached SSD, rather than the default microSD card, since StartOS is open source.
Let me know how you get on!
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### Author:  [@Rexter](https://community.start9.com/u/Rexter)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/5 "2024-10-10T16:12:17Z")
Once you have Debian booting from the external SSD, you could run StartOS in a KVM, set to boot automatically. This would certainly be easier than modifying the OS, for a non software developer.
[https://wiki.debian.org/KVM](https://wiki.debian.org/KVM)
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### Author:  [@lip](https://community.start9.com/u/lip)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/cant-make-it-boot-on-rpi4-ssd-only/1738/6 "2024-10-10T16:17:37Z")
It must be some uboot config if i’m not wrong, had some similar issues when installing arch on a rpi4 in the past…