Safely shut down and disconnect the PYNQ board

⚠️ Warning

It is important to stop using the PYNQ board in the right way, otherwise the SD card may be corrupted. The PYNQ will not work correctly (or at all) with a corrupted SD card, and your data on the card will be lost.

Step 1. Select or open a terminal on the PYNQ board

• When using Visual Studio Code, if you have no terminal open already, open a terminal by clicking terminal > new-terminal at the top of your screen.
  
  A new terminal should open at the bottom of your screen.

Step 2. Shut down the PYNQ board

Type sudo halt on the terminal prompt and press return. Wait for a few seconds until the terminal output stops. Visual Studio Code will lose the connection to the PYNQ board since the PYNQ board is no longer running, and you can close the session/terminal. At this point it is safe to switch off your PYNQ board.

Step 3. Turn off the power switch and disconnect the cables

• We recommend unplugging the cables before storing the PYNQ board, as otherwise they may put stress on the connectors during storage and transport.
• The micro-USB connector is a bit fragile: pull out the cable with care (aligned with the board, not perpendicular to it).
  
• To unplug the Ethernet cable push the lock at the top of the cable to unlock and then pull. If you just pull the Ethernet cable it'll break.
• We recommend to keep any extension boards (e.g. for the display or Rock your Baby) always plugged in. There is no need to take them off if they are not used, and the risk of bending or breaking pins is high if they are (un)plugged too many times.

Step 4. Safely store your PYNQ board

The PYNQ board is quite robust, but you can still damage the board if it is not handled or stored with care. In particular, keep the PYNQ board in the plastic (electrostatic) bag in the original PYNQ box to safely store it when you don't use it. When you close the lid, make sure the display isn't under pressure.