Troubleshooting: Why Arduino 1.8.5 Won't Start on Raspbian Jessie (Raspberry Pi 3B)

Are you experiencing issues getting started with your Raspberry Pi 3B after installing Arduino IDE v1.8.5? Despite following all the necessary steps, whenever you try to launch the application from the desktop or terminal, it simply won’t start up as expected?

In this article, we'll dive into some common reasons behind this problem and provide step-by-step solutions for getting your Arduino environment running smoothly on Raspbian Jessie.

Reason 1: Corrupted Installation

One of the most straightforward yet often overlooked causes is a corrupted installation. Sometimes, during or after downloading the IDE package from official sources (like the official 'Arduino website'(https://www.arduino.cc/), you might encounter issues with file integrity or permissions that prevent proper extraction and setup.

Solution:

1. Delete Existing Arduino Folder(s): Before proceeding, navigate to your home directory (`cd ~`) using `sudo -i` if necessary for elevated privileges.

2. Remove any existing Arduino folders (including `.arduino15`, `.Arduino`, etc.) and their contents using the command `rm -rf ./*`.

3. Download Fresh IDE Package: Return to a terminal or open an file manager like Nautilus/PCManFM, navigate back up one directory (`cd ..`), then download the latest Arduino IDE package for your operating system (Raspbian Jessie/Raspberry Pi) from 'here'(https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/IDEv1_8x3).

4. Run `./install.sh` Again: Once downloaded, navigate back to where you saved it (`cd ~`) and give the script execution permissions by running `chmod +x ./path/to/downloaded/file_name.linuxarm32hf.tar.gz`, then execute it with a dot-slash followed by `./`.

Reason 2: Incompatible Dependencies

Another possible reason for Arduino not launching is due to missing or outdated dependencies required by certain libraries and tools included in the IDE.

Solution:

1. Update Your System: Before diving deeper, ensure your Raspbian Jessie distribution is up-to-date.

- Open a terminal as root with `sudo -i`.

- Update all packages using `apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade` or simply `apt upgrade --full-system`.

Reason 3: Conflicting Software

Sometimes other development environments, especially those requiring similar libraries like Processing or even older versions of Arduino IDE might conflict with the newly installed version.

Solution:

1. Uninstall and Purge Extra Development Tools: Use your package manager to remove any extra Java/Processing-related packages not currently in use.

- `sudo apt-get purge --purge java-* processing*`

2. Reboot Your Raspberry Pi for changes to take effect after removing unnecessary software.

Reason 4: Hardware or Environment Issues

In rare cases, the problem might be related to hardware malfunctions or environmental factors rather than software issues per se.

Solution:

1. Try a Different SD Card: If you're experiencing these problems across multiple boards and environments with different installations of Raspbian Jessie on various microSD cards.

2 Check Your USB Port(s) & Cable Connection:

- Ensure your Raspberry Pi's micro-USB ports are securely connected to both the power source and any peripherals like USB-to-SATA adapters or SD card readers.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to identify and resolve common issues preventing Arduino 1.8.5 from starting up on Raspbian Jessie running on your Raspberry Pi 3B.

Remember that patience is key when working with complex software ecosystems like this one! If none of the above solutions work for you, feel free to share more details in our comments section below so we can continue assisting you further.

Arduino 1.8.5 won't start