PiFace Shim RTC not recognised on a RPi B+

Hi @bandit-rider

did you get an error when you ran the installation script install_pi_facereal_time_clock.sh?

Hello amgalbu 

I've just entered the command again and got the same result

Though new to the Raspberry Pi, I've entered Unix/Linux commands in various flavours of Linux on both PCs and the iMac I own

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo ./install-piface-real-time-clock.sh

Enabling I2C module.

Changing /etc/rc.local to load time from PiFace Clock.

Please reboot and then set your clock with:

    sudo date -s "14 JAN 2014 10:10:30"

pi@raspberrypi ~ $

Again any ideas to through light on what's happening would be much appreciated

Regards

Andrea

Is it possible I2C module is not installed?

try to run

lsmod

if you see any module named i2c_*

Eventually, run

sudo aptget install i2ctools

Hello amgalbu

Here is the result of run lsmod

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

ctr                     3993  1

ccm                     8238  1

rtc_ds1307              9868  0

i2c_dev                 6709  0

i2c_bcm2708             6004  0

snd_bcm2835            21342  0

snd_pcm                93100  1 snd_bcm2835

snd_seq                61097  0

snd_seq_device          7209  1 snd_seq

snd_timer              23007  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq

snd                    67211  5 snd_bcm2835,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_seq_device

arc4                    1964  2

rt2800usb              18970  0

rt2800lib              81833  1 rt2800usb

rt2x00usb              12510  1 rt2800usb

rt2x00lib              48797  3 rt2x00usb,rt2800lib,rt2800usb

mac80211              557746  3 rt2x00lib,rt2x00usb,rt2800lib

evdev                  11000  3

cfg80211              472025  2 mac80211,rt2x00lib

crc_ccitt               1612  1 rt2800lib

rfkill                 22347  2 cfg80211

uio_pdrv_genirq         3666  0

uio                     9897  1 uio_pdrv_genirq

pi@raspberrypi ~ $

and for aptget

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo aptget install i2ctools

sudo: aptget: command not found

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install i2ctools

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

E: Unable to locate package i2ctools

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install i2c-tools

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

i2c-tools is already the newest version.

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 7 not upgraded.

pi@raspberrypi ~ $

I’ve also swapped with another RPi B+ board as I bought two at the same time, results are the same

Just done an update and upgrade process and found a couple of changes to the raspi-config app

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo raspi-config

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo hwclock -s

hwclock: Cannot access the Hardware Clock via any known method.

hwclock: Use the --debug option to see the details of our search for an access method.

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

ctr                     3993  1

ccm                     8238  1

rtc_ds1307              9868  0

i2c_dev                 6709  0

snd_bcm2835            21342  0

snd_pcm                93100  1 snd_bcm2835

snd_seq                61097  0

snd_seq_device          7209  1 snd_seq

snd_timer              23007  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq

snd                    67211  5 snd_bcm2835,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_seq_device

arc4                    1964  2

rt2800usb              18970  0

rt2800lib              81833  1 rt2800usb

rt2x00usb              12510  1 rt2800usb

rt2x00lib              48797  3 rt2x00usb,rt2800lib,rt2800usb

mac80211              557746  3 rt2x00lib,rt2x00usb,rt2800lib

i2c_bcm2708             6004  0

spi_bcm2708             6018  0

evdev                  11000  3

cfg80211              472025  2 mac80211,rt2x00lib

crc_ccitt               1612  1 rt2800lib

rfkill                 22347  2 cfg80211

uio_pdrv_genirq         3666  0

uio                     9897  1 uio_pdrv_genirq

pi@raspberrypi ~ $

though still getting the same result with sudo hwclock

A Raspberry Pi NoIR camera was also bought, this has a blue film stuck to the front, it this intended to be removed or is it to remain in place whilst using the camera

Regards

Andrea

Can you at least see the Shim RTC board by typing

i2cdetect -y -r 1

If not, I would check the hardware connections between the two boards...

Hi Amgalbu

Here's the output of i2cdetect -y -r 1

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ i2cdetect -y -r 1

     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  a  b  c  d  e  f

00:          -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

20: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

50: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6f

70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

pi@raspberrypi ~ $

Does Raspian install the RTC if present from a NOOBS installer

Regards

Andrea

Got the same problem, PiFace Shim RTC + Raspbian NOOBS installation on B+. I think it worked before latest upgrades a few days ago.

I tried to re-install according to PiFace instructions, but no-work.

Err msgs:

1) With hwclock --debug

"hwclock from util-linux 2.20.1

hwclock: Open of /dev/rtc/ failed: No file or directory exist (= or equivalent; the last sentenc in my language)

No usable clock interface found.

hwclock: Cannot access the Hardware Clock via any known method."

2) lsmod

"i2c_dev  (size) 6709 (Used by) 0

i2c_bcm2708 (size) 6200 (Used by) 0"

3) sudo i2detect - y 1

in address 60:f 6f

Any help appreciated!

Hi, seems to work now:

sudo hwclock -r

su 15. helmikuuta 2015 23.54.22  -0.035001 seconds

In my case Raspberry's i2c did not work properly and there seems to be some problem in installation script, too.

I got first the i2c working this way before doing the clock adjustments into the system. It was not enough to turn i2c on with raspi-config, but I had to do this additional manual stuff.

1) add (if they are missing) to /etc/modules

i2c-bcm2708

i2c-dev

and save.

You might have to edit /etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf, I did not have it, so no changes here for me (if you have it, check https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruits-raspberry-pi-lesson-4-gpio-setup/configuring-i2c).

2) edit /boot/config.txt

dtparam=i2c1=on (here one means B+, i.e., ver. 2 using bus 1)

dtparam=i2c_arm=on

save, and reboot.

3) test that the PiFace Shim RTC is connected and found on the bus

sudo i2cdetect -y 1 (again, 1 is the bus)

In this case 6f is marked at 60:f meaning 0x6f. It may also show as UU at 60:f, which is ok.

4) Loading and testing the PiFace Shim RTC module

sudo modprobe i2c:mcp7941x

and then with root rights (= sudo bash)

echo mcp7941x 0x6f > /sys/class/i2c-adapter/i2c-1/new_device

exit (= to quit root rights' shell), and try

sudo hwclock -r

It should show very old date on the first time, but you can fix it by writing the system time to the PiFace Shim RTC with

sudo hwclock -w

Thereafter the time should be right, and the clock works!

5) make it load when booting:

add to /etc/modules (after the line i2c-dev)

i2c:mcp7941x

add to /etc/rc.local (before the line exit 0)

echo mcp7941x 0x6f > /sys/class/i2c-adapter/i2c-1/new_device

( sleep 2; hwclock -s ) &

and it should give the system a time from RTC thereafter.

I have a Pi2 and using the fresh Raspbian image. I enabled i2c and (multiple times) ran the script.

When I do:

     sudo i2cdetect -y 1

I get the UU on 60:f (which I understood is ok! )

But when I sudo su or just su and type     

    echo i2c:mcp7941x 0x6f > /sys/class/i2c-adapter/i2c-1/new_device

I get the following error:

bash: echo: write error: Invalid argument

Also when I first modprobe i2c:mcp7941x

Any idea?

Cheers!

#mknod /dev/rtc c [10] [135]

mknod: invalid major device number `[10]'

One of the sites was suggesting the following:

"modprobe: Can't locate module char-major-10-135

char-major-10-135 refers to the character device, major 10, minor 135, which is /dev/rtc. It provides access to the BIOS clock, or RTC, the Real Time Clock. See /usr/src/linux/Documentation/rtc.txt for more information.

The error is because something, most likely hwclock, is trying to use /dev/rtc but you haven't configured kernel support for it in your kernel. Either delete /dev/rtc so hwclock won't try to use it or enable RTC support in your kernel. It's located in make menuconfig under "Character devices" -> "Enhanced Real Time Clock Support"."

Clem