How to force off a uConsole without removing the batteries? (Power button doesn't do it)

For whatever reason, my uConsole CM5 corrupted its SD card, and is now bootlooping. (Which is only visible on an external monitor. The LCD is dark.)

How do you power it off without opening it up and removing the batteries? Holding down the power button does nothing.

the only way I found, just wait… I clicked out the SD card once, and it seemed to go faster, but honestly not sure if that might have been just been a cooincidence.

The new boards by @vileer have an option to install a hard switch though, see here: https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/hackergadgets-uconsole-upgrade-kit-adding-nvme-ssd-pcie-rj45-ethernet-and-usb-3-0-to-your-uconsole/

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on a cm5 removing the battery is the only option
raspberry pi made some changes to the power control pins between the cm4 and cm5 so the powerbutton only works when the kernel is still responding on the cm5

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Well, at least I know it’s not a hardware problem. My battery ran out and eventually solved the problem. Thanks.

it’s a hardware problem!

Wait so will my upcoming cm5 build eat up battery even while “off”?

no, they just meant that its a hardware issue that you can only take off the batteries for force shutdown a uconsole.

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no, raspberry pi changed how some of the pins work between the cm4 and cm5
so the pin that handled forced shutdown got moved. The uconsole can fully shot down when everything works normally, but when the kernel crashes or doesn’t load properly the button doesn’t work

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Was there some reason you were unable to remove the battery?

it’s just annoying having to open up the back with a hex driver

Hi,

Next time your device hangs up, could you please check if holding pressed the power button during 10 seconds does turn off the uConsole?

I’m just curious because this way to force shutdown should work anytime, no matter why.

It’s like a basic safety measure :expressionless:

the issue is that raspberry pi changed how one of the power pins works, so what worked for a cm4 behaves slightly different on a cm5

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That is the whole point of this thread. That works with the CM4 but not the CM5. If the CM5 hangs, you have to unscrew the back to power it off, or wait for the battery to run out.

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