Running MM2 on Pi Zero W

[pattanner92]

I apologize if this has been answered before, I have done extensive searching and not found how to fix my issue.

I have a Pi Zero W laying around and figured I would install MagiMirror as a server only so I can use a cheap tablet from Walmart to display it. Rather than build a whole setup. I have a pretty extensive setup in my office with a Pi 3B+, but I also want something at home.

Here goes it. I have, what I think to be, everything correctly installed. Naturally the MM2 installer fails part way due to Electron not being supported by ARMv6. This isn’t an issue for me, I’m building a server. My issue comes when actually trying to access the mirror remotely. I head to my Pi’s IP address with port 8080. The pages loads, but only to a black screen. I can tell it working to some extent as the cursor auto hides when on a desktop device. Any help would be fantastic.

Here is what I know.

I installed node.js an npm manually by pulling directly from the nodejs website. Their versions are v10.21.0 and 6.14.4 respectively.

I have all my logs and config files, however the forum will not allow me to post them as it is being flagged as spam. I will try posting in the comments the code.

[sdetweil]

@pattanner92 use the install script line from my repo

https://github.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror_scripts

it will.install and run on the pi0w
use raspian buster

[pattanner92]

I will give this a try. Is there anything different your script does than just installing directly from Michael’s site?

[sdetweil]

@pattanner92 my stuff is listed as one of the alternative installers. I do a lot of work to make it run, regardless of platform.

on pi0w I use chrome to show mm. over the server. as electron is no longer available

[sdetweil]

@pattanner92 u need to move the current MagicMirror folder out of the way, or delete it

[pattanner92]

@sdetweil I know of and appreciate the work you do, and this did work, however I am someone who likes to know what is going awry when tinkering. So I can apply that knowledge later when something is broken again. Which is why I ask. I am not using the browser on the Pi itself. Is a browser still needed when running server only mode? I figured the Pi just shares the information to whatever device is requesting it to allow it to be analyzed and displayed on the client.

[sdetweil]

@pattanner92 browser is not needed. you can set

serverOnly: true, 

in config.js to have it not start the browser.
to access mm from outside the pi, u need to enable outside access

address:"0.0.0.0",
ipWhitelist:[],

it’s a lot for people to learn all at once. I want to get you running, then you feel accomplished and can move on to other changes.

[pattanner92]

@sdetweil I understand all that, I was just getting tripped up on making it show things. For some reason it was displaying a black screen on remote devices. It was properly connecting to the Pi as the tab in the browser showed “MagicMirror2”, but no modules loaded. I couldn’t make sense of the logs either.

I appreciate your script as it got me going. I can indeed move to other changes, and I have plenty to do if I want something to look as nice as the one in my office (photo attached - including my custom Christmas snow)!

https://imgur.com/rQcRCWH

[sdetweil]

@pattanner92 open the developers window on the remote browser
ctrl-shift-i and select the console tab