How to Install Raspberry Pi OS on an SD Card

Materials Needed:

  • Raspberry Pi 4 (minimum 4GB RAM, 8GB recommended)

  • MicroSD Card (Samsung PRO Endurance, 64GB recommended)

  • MicroSD Card reader

Instructions:

1. Download Raspberry Pi Imager

2. Prepare the SD Card

  • Insert your MicroSD card into the card reader and connect it to your computer.

3. Launch Raspberry Pi Imager

  • Open the Raspberry Pi Imager application. Raspberry Pi Imager


4. Select the Device

  • Click on CHOOSE DEVICE. Choose Device

  • Select Raspberry Pi 4. Select Raspberry Pi 4


5. Select the OS

  • Click on CHOOSE OS. Choose OS

  • Select Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit). Select Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit


6. Select the Storage

  • Click on CHOOSE STORAGE. Choose STORAGE

  • Select your MicroSD card from the list. Select MicroSD card


7. Edit Settings

  • Click on NEXT. Choose NEXT

  • Click on EDIT SETTINGS. Choose EDIT SETTINGS

7a. General Settings

  • Select the GENERAL tab and make the following changes:

    • Set hostname to valet-vision, valet-link, (or some other preferred name).

      Note

      If you will have more than one Valet on your network, we recommened adding a number after the hostname (e.g. “valet-vision-34”).

    • Set the username to tapster.

    • Enter a password and store it somewhere safe, like a password manager.

    • If you’ll be using a wireless network connection with your Valet, enter SSID and Wi-Fi password. However, if you’ll be using a wired network connection, then leave “Configure wireless LAN” unselected and the SSID and password fields blank.

      Note

      In the default installation, we do not set Wi-Fi credentials here with Raspberry Pi Imager; instead, we use Comitup to bootstrap Wi-Fi support. However, the use of Comitup is configurable, and can be disabled when the system set-up scripts are run in a later step. If you really would rather set up Wi-Fi here, though, go for it!

    • (Optional) Set locale settings for your preferred time zone and keyboard layout. Choose GENERAL tab


7b. Services Settings

  • Select the SERVICES tab.

  • Enable SSH and select “Use password authentication”.

    Note

    You can also enable key-based authentication later after logging into Valet.

Choose SERVICES tab

7c. Options Settings

  • Select the OPTIONS tab.

  • If desired, deselect “Enable telemetry”.

    Note

    Information about the telemetry collected by Raspberry Pi Imager can be found the projects’s README.

    Raspberry Pi Imager’s collected stats are available at https://rpi-imager-stats.raspberrypi.com/.

Choose OPTIONS tab

7d. Save Settings

  • When you’re done making changes to the settings, click on SAVE.

7e. Apply Settings

  • When asked “Would you like to apply OS customization setttings?”, click YES. Apply Settings?

8. Write the OS to the SD Card

  • When asked “Are you sure you want to continue”, click YES to continue. Continue?

  • If you’re shown an admin prompt, grant the Imager permission to continue. Admin Permission

  • Wait for the writing process to complete; this may take a few minutes. Write the Image

9. Safely Eject the SD Card

  • After the writing process is complete, click CONTNIUE and safely eject the SD card from your computer. Write Successful

10. Boot Up Your Valet

  • Insert the MicroSD card into the Valet’s Raspberry Pi.

  • (Optional) If no wireless connection was configured, connect a wired network cable to the Valet.

  • Connect the Valet to a power supply.

🎉 Well done!

Well, almost! Your Valet’s Raspberry Pi is now running Raspberry Pi OS, but next we need to install Valet specific software.