Raspberry Pi 3B+ OS Setup

Overview

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Setting up a Raspberry Pi for robotics projects requires proper OS installation. This guide covers the basic setup process using Raspberry Pi Imager.

Requirements

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Hardware

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• Raspberry Pi 3B+ (or compatible model)
• microSD card (16GB+ recommended)
• USB card reader
• HDMI monitor
• USB keyboard and mouse
• Power supply (5V 2.5A)

Software

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• Raspberry Pi Imager (download from raspberrypi.org)
• Computer for image writing

Installation Steps

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Step 1: Download Raspberry Pi Imager

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Download from official website:

• Windows, macOS, or Linux versions available
• Simple installer process

Step 2: Prepare SD Card

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1. Insert microSD card into reader
2. Connect reader to computer
3. Launch Raspberry Pi Imager

Step 3: Select Operating System

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For TurtleBot3/ROS:

• Recommended: Ubuntu Server 20.04 (64-bit)
• Alternative: Raspberry Pi OS (for testing)

Raspberry Pi Imager
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│  CHOOSE OS                          │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────┐    │
│  │ Ubuntu Server 20.04 (64-bit)│    │
│  │ Other Ubuntu versions...    │    │
│  │ Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit)    │    │
│  └─────────────────────────────┘    │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 4: Select Storage

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Choose the microSD card:

• Verify correct drive selected
• All data will be erased

Step 5: Configure Settings (Optional)

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Click gear icon for advanced options:

• Set hostname
• Enable SSH
• Configure WiFi
• Set username/password

Advanced Options
├── Hostname: turtlebot
├── Enable SSH: Yes
├── WiFi SSID: your_network
├── WiFi Password: ********
└── Username: ubuntu

Step 6: Write Image

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1. Click “Write”
2. Confirm data erasure
3. Wait for completion
4. Verify write

First Boot

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Connect Hardware

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1. Insert SD card into Pi
2. Connect monitor via HDMI
3. Connect keyboard
4. Connect power (boot starts)

Initial Login

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Default credentials (Ubuntu):

• Username: ubuntu
• Password: ubuntu

You’ll be prompted to change password on first login.

Network Setup

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If WiFi wasn’t configured:

# Edit netplan configuration
sudo nano /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml

Add WiFi configuration:

network:
  version: 2
  wifis:
    wlan0:
      dhcp4: true
      access-points:
        "your_network":
          password: "your_password"

Apply changes:

sudo netplan apply

Enable SSH

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sudo systemctl enable ssh
sudo systemctl start ssh

Post-Installation

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System Update

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sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Essential Tools

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sudo apt install -y vim git curl wget

Check IP Address

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ip addr show wlan0

Note the IP for remote connection.

Remote Access

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SSH from Desktop

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ssh ubuntu@<raspberry_pi_ip>

Headless Operation

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After initial setup, no monitor needed:

• Power on
• Auto-connects to WiFi
• Access via SSH

Troubleshooting

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Next Steps

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1. Install ROS (ros-noetic-ros-base)
2. Install TurtleBot3 packages
3. Configure ROS networking
4. Test communication with desktop