# uConsole with CM5 with eMMC boots but crashes

**URL:** <https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/uconsole-with-cm5-with-emmc-boots-but-crashes/22430>\
**Category:** uConsole\
**Created:** [May 21, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/uconsole-with-cm5-with-emmc-boots-but-crashes/22430 "2026-05-21T19:38:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FujG](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/fujg/32/16717_2.png) [@FujG](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/FujG)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/uconsole-with-cm5-with-emmc-boots-but-crashes/22430/1 "2026-05-21T19:38:32Z")

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First all let me say thank you to Rex and all the contributors of this forum. It’s been so much help up until this point.

So I recently bought a uConsole with a CM4, without the LTE/4G board. I love the unit. The only thing I didn’t like was the speed. Sluggish.

So I decided to upgrade to a CM5 but I’m so dumb, I didn’t know I should have bought the Lite version. Instead I bought the 8GB, 16GB eMMC. After, lots of research in this forum, I managed to get it to boot with Bookworm 6.12.y. I used a CM4 IO Expansion board. Such a cool desktop.

But now I’m stuck. The unit only runs for a couple of minutes. It crashes to a black screen but the green power light stays on. To reboot, I have to disconnect the batteries.

I’m guessing this is a power issue. I’ve tried 3 different brands of 18650s. I’ve booted with and without usb-c power supply. I am using the stock clay heat sink.

Is the CM5 8GB, 16GB simply too much of a power draw for the stock uConsole? Or are there other settings where I can throttle down…something?

Thanks so much for your help! FYI-I consider myself a newb and am slow with Linux mods. : )

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![white-round-square](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/white-round-square/32/10385_2.png) [@white-round-square](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/white-round-square)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 10:11pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/uconsole-with-cm5-with-emmc-boots-but-crashes/22430/2 "2026-05-21T22:11:18Z")

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> [@FujG](#):
>
> I didn’t know I should have bought the Lite version.

you shouldn’t, on cm5 you actually get speed boost on internal emmc!

> [@FujG](#):
>
> I managed to get it to boot with Bookworm 6.12.y. I used a CM4 IO Expansion board.

as you install new system you can also upgrade to trixie

> [@FujG](#):
>
> I am using the stock clay heat sink.

does your unit become warm?

> [@FujG](#):
>
> Is the CM5 8GB, 16GB simply too much of a power draw for the stock uConsole?

do you have a hdmi cable? can you check if there is anything on display after internal display go black?

> [@FujG](#):
>
> I’m guessing this is a power issue. I’ve tried 3 different brands of 18650s. I’ve booted with and without usb-c power supply.

doesn’t look like one. uconsole should restart on the first boot, but it should happen only once.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FujG](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/fujg/32/16717_2.png) [@FujG](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/FujG)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/uconsole-with-cm5-with-emmc-boots-but-crashes/22430/3 "2026-05-23T00:22:21Z")

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Thank you for responding so quickly. Awesome tips, I’ll have to try them out. The unit doesn’t get unusually warm. It’s warm to the touch but I can still hold it. I’ll have to get the heat sensor out. Thanks w-r-s! : )