In the previous article, I wrote about Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. So I thought maybe it would be better to write a simple tutorial about getting started with Raspberry Pi. But before we get into it, let’s see what raspberry pi really is.
What is a Raspberry Pi?
Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized single board computer introduced by the RaspberryPi Foundation in 2012. This compact computer quickly became popular among the maker community for its portability and versatility.
There are 3 categories of Pi all having different form factor. Namely Model A, B and Zero. The most popular and powerful one being the B. As of 2019 Raspberry Pi 4 B is the latest board.
Zero is the smallest of all boards. It is half the size of a Pi 4 and is the cheapest of all. Below I have shared some specs of Pi Zero W. To know more about Pi 4 B check out this article.
- BCM2835 1GHZ processor
- 512MB RAM
- Integrated WiFi 2.4GHz
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 2 USB ports, 1 mini HDMI
You can learn more about these boards and other, Check out Raspberry Pi Foundation’s official website raspberrypi.org.
Now lets see how to start using raspberry pi.
Installing OS:
Similar to any other computer, Raspberry Pi also needs an operating system. In this step we will see how to install an OS onto a Pi. Follow the steps below carefully:
- Download the Raspbian Stretch, 7-zip and win-32 disk imager.
- Next install 7-zip like any other windows application and extract the Raspbian Stretch using 7-zip.
- Now install Win32disk imager and plug in your SD card in PC using a card reader.
Note: Use a class 10 SD card and it should be 8GB or more. - Next, open win32disk imager and click on the file icon. Now navigate to the location where Raspbian is extracted and select the ISO file.
- Click on “write” and wait. It will take some time for the image to get written on SD card, do not unplug the card in middle or cancel the process. It could damage the SD card.
After the OS is written on SD card, unplug it and insert it into the Pi
First Boot:
Now that we have Installed OS onto the Pi and plugged it into our Raspberry Pi we can boot our Pi. Follow the steps given below.
- Connect HDMI to the port on board and a monitor.
- Connect the wireless module of the keyboard into the USB port of Rpi, if you have Pi Zero W use an OTG adapter.
- Finally, power the board using a micro USB. Make sure you use a proper power supply. I used a 5v 2A smartphone charger which works perfectly.
The Pi will take a while for the first boot so be patient and do not power it off or remove the SD card.
Once the boot is successful, you will see the home screen of Raspbian. You can use a mouse or trackpad to navigate.
That’s all for this article, using this tutorial you can boot any Raspberry Pi computer. Now use the Pi like any other computer. If you have any questions or face any doubts, feel free to ask in the comments.
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