Size of MicroSD card for Pi4 image

Support RACHEL-Pi
#1

Hi, I am playing with the Pi4 image rachelpi_64EN_4.0.img - and am happy to see that it has the download function that some earlier versions didn’t have. However, is it possible to burn this image onto a 128GB or 256GB card and make that space available for content? I see that a similar question was asked 2 1/2 years ago - and so am wondering if the answer is that same with the newer Pi4 image. Thanks

#2

Continuing on with my question here - there are 4 images in the rachelpi_64EN/rachelpi_2020 directory. What is the difference in them? I am running one of them on my Pi4 (forget which one I downloaded), on a 64GB card. Could I have loaded them onto a 128, 256, or 512GB card? Which image is recommended? Is there some place where this is documented?
I am called on more frequently now to demonstrate RACHEL to various Rotary clubs who are thinking of setting up projects. The Pi4, connected by Ethernet to my router, makes a perfect tool for demonstrating the capabilities, and the module-flexibility.
Thanks for whatever help you can provide.

#3

Hi @ronsat,

This post http://community.worldpossible.org/t/2020-rachel-pi-images/1294 has a bit more information about the images and is the main place they are updated.

The images resize automatically to take up the free space of the device once they are flashed. There is an installation instructions PDF on that post that shows how to use the new Raspberry Pi Imager to flash it which is recommended. You can flash the image to any size MicroSD card or USB device.

The 32bit images are recommended as the 64bit images are experimental. RaspiOS 64bit has a lot of issues still.

If you want to use a USB device instead of a MicroSD card, use the rachel-pi-pi4_usb-10_16_2020 image. This has USB boot enabled so you don’t need a MicroSD card. The USB boot from RaspiOS is experimental, but I’ve never had an issue with it yet.

If you just want to use a MicroSD card, you can use the 32bit - rachel-pi-10_16_2020 image.

Hope that helps

#4

I use 128g cards without any issues

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#6

Thanks giakonda. I am going to try loading up a 256GB card to demonstrate something that would be quite close to what a RACHEL+ would have.

#7

Thanks James - That information is great. Is there a similar image (ie a skeletal image that permits modules downloads) for Pi2s and Pi3s? I followed the link in your 2020 images page for “Rachel Image for RPI 3 Model B+” (although my Pi 3’s are not B+'s) and then your link " RACHEL-Pi images for the 3B+ and other models are available at this post" but that took me back to your 2020 images page. So, which image do you recommend for Pi2 or Pi3 that are not Pi3B+.
Thanks

#8

Hi @ronsat - You’re welcome. You should be able to use the same image with any Pi device now. Most of the comments in the 2020 images post are outdated and I will likely remove them and lock it in the future to avoid confusion.

In the past different images were required for WIFI support on different Raspberry Pi models but this isn’t necessary anymore. The Pi4 specific image is just for the USB Booting on the Pi4 which is still experimental. I would use the rachel-pi-10_16_2020 image with your 256GB card.

The only issue you may run into is if you flash the image, place it in a pi4 first, then place it in a pi2. It’s best to flash the MicroSD and place it in the same model device that will be running it, but it may still work when swapping between models.

Just a note on the closeness to the Rachel+, I’ve been working with a Plus for a bit now and they really are fantastic. They solve a lot of issues like number of clients that can connect, the power button, portability with the built-in battery, and have some features that aren’t on the Pi version like datapost for email among other things. I highly recommend it.

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#9

Thanks James. I checked back - and realized that I am using the rachel-pi_10_16_2020 image on the Pi 4. I will upgrade my older Pi’s to that image. Is there with that image of setting the home page and the tabs such as “install, hardware, settings” to Spanish or French?

I am heavily involved in a couple of Rotary projects that, when completed, will place RACHEL+s in 100 schools in northern Guatemala (we have done 36 so far). My use of the Pi’s is for demonstration purposes. I have given RACHEL Pi’s to a Rotary Club in Guatemala, one in Toronto that is doing work in Cambodia, and to a medical clinic in Guatemala. In each case, the idea is to let them play with the system over time to better understand it so that they can plan further projects.

#10

Another couple of questions.

  1. If you prep a 128GB card, and fill it with many modules, is it possible to copy that card to a 256GB card, and have the extra 128GB space available for additional modules? I am trying to reduce the massive downloading that I am doing over my 10Mb connection.

  2. I downloaded KALite to my 128GB card - but ended up with the following failure:
    command: rsync -Pavz --del rsync://dev.worldpossible.org/rachelmods/en-kalite …/modules/
    runtime: 11:03:33 failed
    files_done: 55762 out of 55762 ( 100% )
    data_done: 42059380 out of 42210768 ( 100% )
    data_rate: 574.22kB/s
    latest output:

FI: setting up variables
Unknown System – exiting

Any idea why?
Thanks

#11

Hi @ronsat

The RACHEL content shell checks the browser’s language setting for the language to display in. If you go into your browser settings and switch to French or Spanish and restart the browser, most buttons and tabs will show in the corresponding language.

KA-Lite was removed from the RACHEL-Pi because it is no longer being updated or supported and has been replaced by their new service, Kolibri. Through Kolibri you can install the Khan Academy channel which should be the latest version. KA-Lite and Kolibri both run a server in the background so I opted to leave KA-Lite out of the latest images to free up system resources and not have issues moving forward without support. There is a way to install it if you’d like but I suggest starting people out on Kolibri.

There are a few ways to save time/bandwidth on your downloads. The first way is to make a copy of your image like you’ve mentioned. You can do that by doing the following

  1. Download win32diskimager from https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/
  2. Place your MicroSD card in a USB MicroSD card reader
  3. In win32diskimager choose a file path to save your new image to
  4. Select your MicroSD Card reader under device
  5. Click “Read” and when it’s done you will have a copy of your SD card as a .img
  6. Open up Raspberry Pi Imager and flash that image to the new larger SD card
  7. Log in to the pi either using a monitor/keyboard, or over ssh using putty https://www.putty.org/ and the default pi/rachel user/pass
  8. At the terminal type “sudo raspi-config”
  9. Look for “expand filesystem”. This option will expand the filesystem to take up the rest of the space on the device

A few notes about this. A 128GB image sometimes can’t be flashed to another 128GB MicroSD because most devices that say 128GB are not really that size, so the image you made of one device won’t always fit on another. Also, there is another way to make images resize by running a bunch of commands and editing some files on the Pi before you shutdown and make the image. I can help you with this if you’d like to try it but it’s not that straightforward.

The other way, and my preferred method of doing this, is to use a program called WinSCP that you can download here https://winscp.net/eng/download.php. This lets you connect to your RACHEL-Pi over your network and see the filesystem. You can drag and drop modules to your desktop or back to the device. These tutorials http://rachelfriends.org/downloads/public_ftp/rachelpi_64EN/rachelpi_2019/Tutorials.zip are a bit older but the one that explains transferring modules with WinSCP in the advanced folder has images and should be better to understand than just text.

There is also the option of getting a hardware “SD Card Copier” that you place both cards into and it copies from one to another. There are some more expensive ones that can copy up to 7 cards. This is something I know some users on here use to save a lot of time and let people in the field copy cards.

I hope that covers your questions. A few more notes about content to save you some frustration.

  • en-file_share and -en-kolibri_index are included in the image as the versions available through the install tab don’t work out of the box with the Pi.

  • Kolibri Modules should always be installed through Kolibri as channels and not through the install tab.

  • Moodle, KA-Lite, and fairshake are not currently supported.

  • en-KAOS ( Khan Academy on a Stick ) is supported as it doesn’t require ka-lite.

What you’re doing is really amazing. I love hearing about the places RACHEL is being deployed and all of the hard work people are doing to get it to the places that need it, so thank you for that.

James

#12

Thanks James - I have set up my desktop to replicate the modules so that I can load up a RACHEL quite easily. The tutorials are great.

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#13

You’re welcome @ronsat. Glad it’s all working.

#14

Hi @ronsat I use an SD card copier to help with making new cards,it saves a lot of time.It works with up to 256Gb

#15

Hi @jamesk, Is the newest image file for the raspberry pi 4 in this pinned thread: 2021 - RACHEL-Pi Images or is there any newer image?

Thanks.

#16

Hi @acedillo - Yes those are the latest images. I suggest using the latest 32bit image rachel-pi_09_06_2021 for a Raspberry Pi 4.

There may be new 2022 images available in the next few weeks which will be posted there.

James

#17

Okay, got it, Thank you!

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