Arduino 1.8.13 / Pi400 problem

Discussion Raspberry Pi
1

I have a problem with my pi400 with latest version of Pi OS.

Arduino 1.8.13 (arm32) installs fine apart from the following (very common) error:

sudo ./install.sh
Adding desktop shortcut, menu item and file associations for Arduino IDE...

touch: cannot touch '/root/.config/mimeapps.list': No such file or directory
/usr/bin/xdg-mime: 848: /usr/bin/xdg-mime: cannot create /root/.config/mimeapps.list.new: Directory nonexistent

done!

It starts fine.
It adds boards and libraries (inc the new PiPico lib) fine.
It uploads sketches fine.
It talks to a board over serial.
It closes fine.

Will it then start up again? Does it ‘bleep’ as like!! The splash screen appears and then disappears, I get a pointer with hourglass for a few seconds then nothing!. Rebooting doesn’t help.

I’ve found the same problem with a Pi3A+. I’ve even tried running Arduino 1.8.6 (on the 3A+) and that wont even start once!

Andrew

PS is there a command to remove all traces of arduino 1.8.13 from PI OS system files?

2

Now there is a twist to this problem, which leaves me totally confused!

With my Pi400 the Arduino problem happens when I am booting from a WD Green 250GB ssd using a UGREEN M.2 SATA SSD Enclosure. I’ve reinstalled PI OS twice on this drive with the same problem. With my Pi3A+ the problem happens when I am booting from a Silicon Power Elite (HC1 U1) 32Gd microSD card

HOWEVER… I’ve used a fresh Silicon Power Elite (HC1 U1) 32Gd microSD card with my Pi400 … no Arduino problem, booting from a Kingston 32Gb DataTraveller 100 G3 flash drive … yep, no problem!!!

What the expletive is going on?
Is this some sort of hardware problem?
is it some sort of software problem?
Is it a combination of the two combined with inconsistencies in hardware manufacturing?

My head hurts!!!