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A Holt edited this page Jan 21, 2024 · 7 revisions

Install Raspberry Pi Imager

If you want to quickly install Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) onto a Raspberry Pi, please start by reading IIAB Images for Raspberry Pi.

(The instructions below supplement the above, if you need help installing Raspberry Pi Imager.)

Instructions — Windows, Linux or macOS

On Windows, Ubuntu for x86, or macOS:

  1. Browse to: https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
  2. Download Raspberry Pi Imager for your OS.
  3. Open the downloaded file and install it.
  4. Raspberry Pi Imager needs to be run in a special way — so that you can write IIAB onto a microSD card — please follow the precise instructions below for your OS!

On Raspberry Pi OS with desktop, the above browser/downloading steps aren't necessary: proceed to the Linux section below.

Windows

  1. In File Manager, double-click the downloaded file (e.g. imager_1.8.5.exe) to install it.

  2. Raspberry Pi Imager should now be in your Windows Start menu. However you need to launch it in a different way — so proceed to Step 3.

  3. Run this command: 
    rpi-imager --repo http://iiab.io/fast.json

    If the above fails, try this: (make sure to include the quotes!)

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Raspberry Pi Imager\rpi-imager.exe" --repo http://iiab.io/fast.json

Linux

  1. Open a command-line Terminal.
  2. If your OS is Raspberry Pi OS with desktop, run sudo apt install rpi-imager (this will install or upgrade Raspberry Pi Imager). Proceed to Step 4.
  3. If your OS is Ubuntu for x86 (Desktop version), then run: 
    cd ~/Downloads
sudo apt install ./imager_1.8.5_amd64.deb    # ADJUST VERSION NUMBER AS NECESSARY!
  4. Check that it's now installed at: /usr/bin/rpi-imager
  5. Run this command: 
    sudo rpi-imager --repo http://iiab.io/fast.json

macOS

  1. Open the downloaded file (e.g. imager_1.8.5.dmg) in Finder by double clicking on it.
  2. Drag rpi-imager into the Applications folder (macOS convention).
  3. Run these 2 commands in a Terminal window: (BACKGROUND: Terminal.app should be in Applications > Utilities — if you want to use it often, drag Terminal.app to the menu bar at the top of your screen) 
    sudo echo "open /Applications/Raspberry\ Pi\ Imager.app/ --args --repo http://iiab.io/fast.json" > /usr/local/bin/iiab-imager
sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/iiab-imager
  4. Open a Terminal and run this command: iiab-imager

How it Works

[Obsolete explanation from mid-2020...explains how we got here:]

There are 3 .json files that make this work. They are...

...and its 2 "child" .json files:

The "parent" (images.json, sourced from os_list_imagingutility.json) only needs to be re-generated if the Raspberry Pi Foundation publishes new images.

The two "child" .json files must be re-generated every time IIAB publishes a new image, using techniques outlined here: (e.g. this happens every few of months, typically soon after an IIAB release)

[Dec 2021 / Feb 2022...simplification:]

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