If you are the one experiencing the exec format error on Raspberry Pi, read this guide to learn about it and find ways to fix it.
Here, the guide outlines:
- What is Exec Format Error
- Why Exec Format Error Occurs on Raspberry Pi
- How to Fix Exec Format Error on Raspberry Pi
- How to Run Other System Applications on Raspberry Pi
- Conclusion
What is Exec Format Error
The exec format error on Raspberry Pi is a common type of error that occurs when you try to execute a file on the terminal. This error is related to the file compatibility since the system is not able to detect the type of file, thus throwing the format error, as shown below:
Why Exec Format Error Occurs on Raspberry Pi
The exec format error occurs on Raspberry Pi due to the following reasons:
- File Format is Not Supported on Raspberry Pi
- Missing or Incompatible Dependencies on Raspberry Pi
- Architecture Mismatch
- File Permission
- File is Not Downloaded Correctly
1: File Format is Not Supported on Raspberry Pi
The primary reason for the exec format error to occur on Raspberry Pi is the incorrect file format. The Raspberry Pi is an ARM based architecture that only supports executing a file with armv7l, armv8l or arm64 format. In case you try to execute a binary file other than the aforementioned formats, you will get the error.
2: Missing or Incompatible Dependencies on Raspberry Pi
Sometimes the files you are trying to run on your system require certain dependencies or libraries, which should be installed on the system. However, these libraries and dependencies are no longer supported on your system or they are not developed for such systems. In that case, you will encounter the exec format error after executing the file.
3: Architecture Mismatch
The Raspberry Pi system comes in two different architectures, 32 Bit or 64 Bit. If you try to execute a 32-Bit file on a 64-Bit operating system, you will encounter an exec format error. However, this case doesn’t apply if you are using a 64-Bit version and installing a 32-Bit application on it.
4: File Permission
The exec format error can also occur because the file doesn’t have necessary permission to execute on your system. Raspberry Pi doesn’t allow executing all the files on your system due to security issues since it keeps your file safe from malware threat. Thus, if you try to run a file on your system, it may throw this type of error.
5: File is Not Downloaded Correctly
Sometimes the file you are trying to execute is not correctly downloaded on your system, thus it throws an exec format error.
How to Fix Exec Format Error on Raspberry Pi
To fix exec format error on Raspberry Pi, you can try out the following fixes:
- Check the File Type
- Install Dependencies or Libraries on Raspberry Pi
- Match the File Architecture
- Verify File is Correctly Downloaded
- Compile the File from Source
- Allow Execute Permission
1: Check the File Type
Before downloading, installing or running the file on your system, ensure that the file you are trying to manipulate is supported on your system. You can check for the file type from the file command as given below:
As in my case, I have checked the AppImage file from the above command, which ensures that file is supported for x86_64 Linux operating systems not for Raspberry Pi:
2: Install Dependencies or Libraries on Raspberry Pi
You must search for missing dependencies or libraries that are needed to run the desired binary file on your Raspberry Pi system. Most of the dependencies and libraries can easily be found in Raspberry Pi system repository and can be installed from the apt command:
You can also install missing libraries or dependencies in a single command with a space in between each library or dependency.
3: Match the File Architecture
Make sure you must download a file according to your system architecture. If you are using 32-Bit architecture, you must download a file with armv7l or armv8l architecture. While, if you are using a 64-Bit Raspberry Pi system, you will need to download the arm64 architecture file. The file can be downloaded directly from the website or using the wget command in the terminal.
4: Verify File is Correctly Downloaded
If your file is not downloaded correctly, you must check for the original file on the website, note down its size and then check your file size downloaded on your system. To check the file size on Raspberry Pi, you can go with the GUI option or use the du command by opening the terminal to check for the file size.
For a detailed guide on how to check file size on Raspberry Pi, follow here.
5: Compile the File from Source
Compiling the source file can also sometimes fix the exec format error. The reason is this type of error can occur on a system when you try to compile a file that is designed to run on a different platform rather than the Raspberry Pi system.
Compiling the file from source will create a binary file that will be able to run on your Raspberry Pi system. However, compiling the source file isn’t a feasible solution since you will need a source code to compile the file. Additionally, it is a time consuming and complex process that may be hard for a beginner who is new to programming. You can find many pre-compiled binaries that you can run on your system to create a binary file that can run on your system.
6: Allow Execute Permission
To execute the file that is not allowed to run on your system initially, you can use the chmod command. The chmod command with the required read and write permissions will make the file executable on your system. The following command syntax can be followed to allow execute permission to the file on Raspberry Pi:
The 755 code in above command means that everyone is given read and execute permission and also write access for the owner of the file.
How to Run Other System Applications on Raspberry Pi
Running the supported system files or applications on Raspberry Pi is important since it runs smoothly on your system. However, Raspberry Pi does support running other system files like Windows, CentOS, Fedora or RHEL. For running Windows applications on your Raspberry Pi, you can install and set up Wine. However, if you want to run Red Hat based packages on your Raspberry Pi system, you can install a package called alien that converts your rpm package to a system supported deb file. After that, you can install the deb file on Raspberry Pi from the sudo apt command.
Conclusion
The exec format error is a common error that most Raspberry Pi users face while executing the file or an application on their systems. This type of error occurs due to unsupported file format, missing dependencies and libraries, architecture mismatch, file permission or incorrect download. You can fix this error by checking the file type, installing required packages, match the file architecture, give execute permission to the file and verify the file is correctly downloaded. If you are still interested in running other system files on your system, you can try installing Wine or alien packages on your system. These applications will allow you to run other system programs on your Raspberry Pi system.
