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I am trying to get my RPi4B(4GB) powered ON with a power supply but am frustrated with the results. I found a workaround to this problem, which is that I can power on the Pi4B with a type-C USB cable connected to a desktop USB port, but I do not want to continue doing this. Since powering on the Pi4B this way, I have installed Raspbian OS and Kali Linux on it, both of which run smoothly.

I used the Raspberry Pi's official charger with 5.1V/3A output and it just doesn't power it on. Some different cables(connecting via the desktop USB port) that i used earlier to check the Pi4B showed the low power symbol and other experiments with the Power(like using a powerbank, instead!) smoked 2 of my Class 10 memory cards.

I found success with the Samsung cable so I subsequently stopped looking.

The only way my VGA monitor responds to the RPi4 is if I connect the power from the desktop USB port. Also I am doing this in my college and this works on just 1 monitor(/23), which is not an HDMI monitor [1440x900]. Although I haven't changed anything in the config file to set this resolution for even boost hdmi, it just works! Also tried using a 5V/3.1A[shorturl.at/AGLVW] and that doesn't work for me either. I have another RPi4B 2GB variant which responds exactly the same way to all the issues i mentioned above.

As of now i have kept the RPi4 aside(ever since the last SD card burnt), please tell me how i can get it running again without having to rely on a a desktop USB port everytime...

Edit1: The official PSU is not powering it on. I do not need a cable when i can use it directly after connecting it to a power socket. Issue is it does not work with any other charger either. The only way it works is if I put the PSU away from another charger and use it's cable from the desktop USB port.

Also, I did use another (Official)PSU and yet the it didn't power on, so i don't think the psu is the issue.

Seamus
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mach3
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    And have you checked that your official PSU is working? – Dirk Mar 12 '20 at 17:11
  • Surprised it powers up from a usb port, presumably it must be usb3 as usb2 only provides 0.5 amp – Bra1n Mar 12 '20 at 19:31
  • @Bra1n OTOH, USB-C ports on computers built in the past few years are often/usually intended for fast recharge of phones, etc., so will provide the amps, and because they are probably on relatively high quality PSUs (particularly desktops), unlike many/most wall wart chargers, they'll probably provide a pristine 5V under load. So there's a good chance this is a better supply than a $25 5V PSU, official or otherwise. – goldilocks Mar 12 '20 at 19:37
  • @mach3 Thank you for not taking that too personally, I've deleted all the relevant comments. – goldilocks Mar 12 '20 at 19:39
  • @goldilocks, it's cool. just want to get this setup working, appreciate all the things i can learn! – mach3 Mar 12 '20 at 20:03
  • We're obviously missing something, I have RPI4s running from both official PSUs and repurposed desktop PSUs without issue although I do run mine headless using SSH. What do you have connected to yours? – Bra1n Mar 12 '20 at 20:32
  • @Bra1n A VGA monitor connected via a hdmi to vga converter, a mouse, keyboard and the USB cable that supplies the power. – mach3 Mar 12 '20 at 20:39
  • The VGA converters have been problematic here historically; on older models they sometimes did not work at all because they draw power via the HDMI that the Pi could not provide (there is no way for them to draw power via the monitor, obviously). Can you set this up headless and check booting that way, or with a temp HDMI monitor? – goldilocks Mar 12 '20 at 20:46
  • "smoked 2 of my Class 10 memory cards" -> While SD card data corruption is possible, this smacks of a much more serious problem, since it's implied the cards were physically damaged and are no longer usable for any purpose. If so, you should stop using that Pi, period, and return it to the distributor; low voltage all by itself should not do this. First, though, you might want to clarify why you believe the cards are wrecked. – goldilocks Mar 12 '20 at 20:49
  • @goldilocks, sure. One of the cards got corrupted i believe due to a continually low power supply, i realized this after a week of usage and next time i put the sd card in the Pi it wouldn't boot, which i checked and found out to be completely unusable. – mach3 Mar 12 '20 at 21:55
  • The next time i tested a new memory card, I used the official PSU but the OS didn't load this time either. To find a portable solution, I tested a Powerbank USB port instead of the usual Desktop USB port. That was when i smelled barbecued metal, i thought the PI had burnt, but fortunately (or unfortunately) it was the memory card. Wouldn't have realised it if the LED hadn't blnked 4 times, suggesting start.elf missing. BTW this was all with Kali Linux installed in the card. Haven't used it since then. – mach3 Mar 12 '20 at 21:55
  • If this is the case the Pi is busted. Stop using it before you damage more stuff. We get lots and lots of SD card corruption problems reported here, and low power problems. But physically wrecking a card through shorting it in the holder, no (I think I can recall one, but I could be wrong). If that's happened twice, it's obviously not the card itself. – goldilocks Mar 12 '20 at 22:16
  • thank you SIre! If it really is the Pi that has an issue, then there is really nothing more i could do other than send it back to get tested... – mach3 Mar 12 '20 at 22:22
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    TL;DR, and this may have nothing to do w/ your issue, but FYI: The RPi4 suffered a brain fart during design that left initial units incapable of being powered from e-Marked USB cables. I've read that The Organization has since decided to remedy the issue, and have released a new hardware version of the RPi 4B. We'll be interested to hear how your issue turns out! – Seamus Mar 12 '20 at 23:12

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