Run UBOS on Raspberry Pi 5

/docs/linux/installation/raspberrypi5/

You can run UBOS on your Raspberry Pi 5 by downloading an image, writing it to an SD card, and booting your Raspberry Pi with that card. (Alternatively you can keep running your existing Linux distro on your Raspberry Pi, and run UBOS in a Linux container. This is described in Run UBOS in an aarch64 Linux container.)

If you are not sure which model you have, consult this page.

Raspberry Pi models older than the Pi 5 are no longer supported, although it may work on the Pi 4.

Note

Some monitor configurations may go black half-way through the boot process. UBOS still boots, though, and you can access it via ssh and the UBOS Staff.

To install UBOS on a Raspberry Pi, either on a micro-SD card or external USB disk:

Download a UBOS boot image from the Depot. Images for the Raspberry Pi are at depot.ubosfiles.net/green/aarch64/images/index.html. Look for a file named ubos_green_aarch64-rpi5_LATEST.img.xz.
Optionally, you may now verify that your image downloaded correctly by following Verify your downloaded UBOS image.
Uncompress the downloaded file. This depends on your operating system, but might be as easy as double-clicking it, or executing
```
% xz -d ubos_green_aarch64-rpi5_LATEST.img.xz
```
on the command line.
Write this image file “raw” to an SD card appropriate for your Raspberry Pi. This operation depends on your operating system:
On first boot, it is recommended you have a monitor and keyboard connected to your Raspberry Pi. If this is impractical, create a UBOS Staff by following The UBOS Staff, so you can securely log in over the network without the need for monitor or keyboard.
Remove the SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi. If you created a UBOS Staff, insert it into a USB port.
Connect Ethernet to your Raspberry Pi and your Ethernet network.
Plug in the Raspberry Pi’s USB power.
When the boot process is finished, log in as user root from the attached keyboard and monitor. For password, see I need root. If you used a UBOS Staff, you can log in over the network instead as described in The UBOS Staff.

Note

There are reports some monitors go blank in the second part of the boot process. If so, you can still log into your Pi over the network using The UBOS Staff.
Now: wait. UBOS needs to generate a few cryptographic keys before it is ready to use and initialize a few other things on the first boot. That might take 5 or 10 minutes. To determine whether UBOS ready, execute:
```
% systemctl is-system-running
```
Check that your Raspberry Pi has acquired an IP address:
```
% ip addr
```
Make sure you are connected to the internet before attempting to proceed.
Update UBOS to the latest and greatest:
```
% sudo ubos-admin update
```
You are now ready for Setting up your first Site and App.