Public bug reported:
Release: Ubuntu 26.10 (amd64), kernel 7.3.0-9-generic
Package: rpi-imager 1.8.5+noembed-0ubuntu6 (universe)
Image: Raspberry Pi OS "Raspberry Pi reference 2026-10-06" (from the Imager OS
list; uses cloud-init for first-boot configuration)
Summary
-------
Please use a more current rpi-imager. The current one has a solved bug.
When writing a current Raspberry Pi OS image with the "OS customisation"
settings filled in (hostname, user and password, SSH, Wi-Fi
SSID/password/country, timezone, keyboard), rpi-imager 1.8.5 reports
success, but almost none of the settings are written to the card. The Pi
boots without Wi-Fi, without the configured user and hostname, and
without SSH. There is no warning or error.
Steps to reproduce
------------------
1. Install rpi-imager from the Ubuntu archive (1.8.5+noembed-0ubuntu6).
2. Choose Raspberry Pi OS (current, 2026-10-06), select an SD card.
3. Open OS customisation and set hostname, username/password, enable SSH, set
Wi-Fi SSID, password and country, timezone, keyboard layout. Save and write.
4. After writing and verifying finish, mount the boot partition (bootfs) of the
card.
Expected
--------
- `user-data` contains the hostname, user, password hash, SSH, timezone and
keyboard settings.
- `network-config` contains the wlan0 access point with the configured SSID and
password.
- `cmdline.txt` contains a cloud-init NoCloud datasource entry
(`ds=nocloud;...`).
Actual
------
- Only `cmdline.txt` is modified: `cfg80211.ieee80211_regdom=DE` is appended.
- `user-data`, `network-config` and `meta-data` are unchanged from the image
(original timestamps from 2026-10-06; every setting is still commented out).
- No `firstrun.sh` is created and there is no `systemd.run=` entry in
`cmdline.txt`.
- Result: the Pi does not join Wi-Fi and none of the other settings are applied.
Comparison with upstream
------------------------
The same steps with the upstream Raspberry Pi Imager v2.0.12 (official x86_64
desktop AppImage from github.com/raspberrypi/rpi-imager/releases, sha256
9589b1619b12008de8d2ed9e928d8d58901c1013f3305091c5cc238a5c9691e5), on the same
machine with the same card and image, produce correct `user-data` and
`network-config` files and add `ds=nocloud;i=rpi-imager-<id>` to `cmdline.txt`.
The Pi then joins Wi-Fi with the configured hostname and SSH comes up on first
boot. So the problem is the outdated version in the archive, not the hardware
or the image.
Additional observation (UI)
---------------------------
When saved customisation settings are reused, the Wi-Fi password field shows
the stored 64-hex-digit WPA PSK instead of the passphrase. This is confusing
(it looks like a corrupted password). If the SSID is then changed, the stored
PSK no longer matches the new SSID.
Workaround
----------
Use the upstream AppImage (v2.0.x) instead of the archive package, or write
`user-data`/`network-config` by hand.
Related
-------
- LP: #2134313 "Please update rpi-imager to 2.0"
- LP: #2140973 "rpi-imager package out of date"
- LP: #2080407 "Please merge rpi-imager 1.9.0"
- LP: #2016911 (Wi-Fi country not written to network-config)
This bug shows a concrete user-visible failure caused by the outdated
version: with current Raspberry Pi OS images, customisation silently
does nothing.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 26.10
Package: rpi-imager 1.8.5+noembed-0ubuntu6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.3.0-9.9-generic 7.3.0-rc6
Uname: Linux 7.3.0-9-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.36.0-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Thu Oct 29 00:15:28 2026
InstallationDate: Installed on 2026-10-21 (7 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 26.10 "Stonking Stingray" - Official amd64 (20261014)
ProcEnviron:
LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no username)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: rpi-imager
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
** Affects: rpi-imager (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug stonking
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2172425
Title:
rpi-imager 1.8.5 silently drops all OS customisation (Wi-Fi, user,
hostname, SSH) for current Raspberry Pi OS images
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