Prepare the SD Card

Prepare the SD Card
	Chapter 3. Raspberry PI OS Installation

There is a big ongoing evolution of rpi-imager https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/. So use version 1.9.6 or newer to create the SD Card. Newer rpi-imager versions support the new models, a more safe setup and more features. Also headless installation (no need to plug in keyboard and monitor) using OS customizations is supported.

Note

rpi_imager version 2.0.0 has been arrived. It comes as AppImage.

AppImage can run directly under Linux (when the exec permission is set) and contain all required libraries.

It refuses to run without having root permissions. If running as root if allowed by the system administrator do: sudo ./imager_2.<x>.<y>_amd64.AppImage

Important

For Raspberry Lite versions do not yet turn on rpi-connect within the rpi-imager. This might not work. rpi-connect can be enabled later

Choose the device

Select one out of the many images.

For headless systems (without graphical desktop, monitor and mouse and therefore suited for IoT devices) use Raspi PI OS Lite, it is less problematic for sw updates, faster and use less memory space.

Now take a SDCard an plug it into the computer. Be aware that lifetime of SD Cards are limited, use therefore ones with higher or industrial quality. Newer Raspberry models have support for other media than SD Cards. The smaller the card the better, it is easy possible to move a small disk image to a larger card, the other way around not.

Important

For Headless systems it is important to not skip the OS customization. The OS customization allows to put all what is required to connect to the device via the network and use ssh to do the work. So click Edit settings:

Set now hostname, and username, password, time zone and optionally WLAN settings:

Important

Enable SSH for headless systems. Click run-ssh-keygen to get a the necessary keys to have public-key authentication. This enables the computer used to create the SD card to login using ssh-keys. Click use password authentication as well even public-key authentication is more safe, this allows other computers not having the keys yet to login.

When done click Save and Yes to use the OS Customization and to erase the SD card.

rpi-imager then downloads the OS from the Internet and programs it to the SD Card.

Plug in the SD Card and boot

Check the local router to see if the raspberry appears on wired Ethernet and if configured on WLAN.

Important

Be patient the raspberry has a lot to do and will do a reboot

If nothing seem to happen attach a screen.

Check the network sudo ifconfig

ping -c3 <wired IP> and ping -c3 <wlan IP>

Then log in using ssh


Chapter 3. Raspberry PI OS Installation		Power up and using keyboard and screen