Raspberry Pi Setup & Configuration

This guide covers setting up your Raspberry Pi from a blank SD card to a fully configured system ready for PiTrac installation.

Quick Start: This guide covers Raspberry Pi OS installation and initial system configuration. Once complete, proceed to Install PiTrac Software.

Overview

What you’ll do:

  1. Install Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager
  2. Log in and perform initial updates
  3. (Optional) Configure advanced features like NVMe boot or NAS mounting

Time Required:

  • Essential setup: ~45 minutes
  • With optional configs: ~75 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner-friendly with step-by-step instructions

System Requirements

Required Hardware

  • Raspberry Pi 5 with at least 8GB RAM (Pi 4 also supported)
  • MicroSD card - 64GB minimum (32GB may work but 64GB+ recommended)
  • Power supply - Official Raspberry Pi power supply recommended
  • Network connection - Ethernet cable strongly recommended for initial setup
  • Monitor, keyboard, mouse - Helpful for first boot, even if running headless later
  • NVMe HAT + SSD - For significantly faster performance (Pi 5 only)
  • Second computer - For SSH access and easier copy-paste from documentation
  • NAS or file server - For development work and safer file storage

Setup Process

Step 1: Install Operating System

Install Raspberry Pi OS using Raspberry Pi Imager with proper configuration for PiTrac.

→ Install Raspberry Pi OS

What you’ll do:

  • Download and use Raspberry Pi Imager
  • Choose correct OS version (64-bit Bookworm or Trixie)
  • Configure hostname, username, WiFi, and SSH
  • Image your SD card and first boot

Time: ~30 minutes

Step 2: First Login & Updates

Log into your Pi (via SSH or console) and perform essential system updates.

→ First Login & Updates

What you’ll do:

  • Connect via SSH or console
  • Update system packages
  • Verify sudo privileges
  • Check system configuration

⏱ Time: ~15 minutes

Step 3: Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Configure optional features for enhanced performance and development workflows.

→ Advanced Configuration

Optional features:

  • NVMe Boot - Boot from SSD for 5-10x speed improvement
  • NAS Mounting - Mount remote drives for safer development
  • Samba Server - Share files between Pis
  • SSH Keys - Passwordless authentication
  • Git Setup - Configure for shared drives

Time: Varies by feature (15-60 minutes)

These are optional. PiTrac works fine without them.

Current System Architecture

Modern PiTrac uses a simplified architecture:

  • Single Pi setup is now standard
  • All services run on one Raspberry Pi 5
  • Legacy dual-Pi configurations still supported but not recommended
  • Pre-built packages handle dependencies automatically

You do not need to manually build OpenCV, ActiveMQ, or other dependencies - the installation process handles everything.

After Setup

Once your Pi is set up, continue to:

→ Install PiTrac Software

This will install the launch monitor binary, web dashboard, and all required services.

Quick Reference

Essential Commands 

# Update system
sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade

# Check OS version
cat /etc/os-release

# Check architecture (must be aarch64)
uname -m

# Find IP address
hostname -I

# Reboot
sudo reboot now

# Shutdown
sudo poweroff

Network Access

SSH from another computer:

# Using hostname (usually works)
ssh <username>@pitrac.local

# Using IP address
ssh <username>@192.168.1.100

Find Pi’s IP address:

  • Check router’s DHCP client list
  • On Pi with monitor: hostname -I
  • Network scanner: nmap or Angry IP Scanner

Troubleshooting

Can’t find Pi on network:

  • Wait 5 minutes after first boot
  • Check router for new DHCP clients
  • Verify ethernet cable connected
  • Check WiFi credentials if using wireless
  • Try connecting a monitor to see boot progress

SD card won’t boot:

  • Verify you selected 64-bit OS
  • Check SD card isn’t corrupted
  • Try re-imaging with Raspberry Pi Imager
  • Ensure SD card is properly inserted
  • Try different SD card

SSH connection refused:

  • Verify SSH was enabled during OS installation
  • Check Pi is on network: ping pitrac.local
  • Wait longer - first boot takes 3-4 minutes
  • Try IP address instead of hostname
  • Check firewall isn’t blocking port 22

System updates fail:

  • Check internet connection: ping google.com
  • Verify DNS works: nslookup google.com
  • Check disk space: df -h
  • Try: sudo apt update --fix-missing

Need Help?

What’s Next?

After completing Pi setup:

  1. OS Installed - Raspberry Pi OS running
  2. System Updated - All packages current
  3. Network Configured - SSH access working
  4. Install PiTrac - Next: Install PiTrac Software

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Page last modified: Jan 4 2025 at 12:00 AM.