Flashing the SD Card using Linux

[INFO] This part of the guide assumes that you already followed the first part of the Quick start guide.

Intro

The SD card will be the home for your unit's Operating System. This installation will flash the RuneOS onto the card, along with formatting the card to a bootable state. This is different than copying the image onto the drive, but similar and almost as easy.

[INFO] We recommend removing all other USB devices at this time to avoid confusion during flashing.

Procedure using ImageWriter (graphical interface)

  • Install the ImageWriter tool (via Ubuntu Software Center, via command line with apt-get ..., etc.)
  • Insert your card into the card reader, and the card reader into your USB port.
  • Launch the ImageWriter tool (it needs your administrative password) and select the image file.
  • Select the target device to write the image to (your device will be something like /dev/mmcblk0 or /dev/sdc). If you're not sure what to choose, then check it through df -h command (see below) or GParted.

[WARNING] Double-check your card's name! Choosing the wrong drive will likely result in data loss or even worse harm to your computer.

  • Click the Write to device button. The write may take a while, so don't panic.
  • When write has completed, close the program, and properly eject your drive.
  • You are now ready to plug your SD card into your device. Easy, right?

Procedure using the command line

  • Run df -h command to see what devices are currently mounted.
  • Insert your card into the card reader, and the card reader into your USB port.
  • Make sure that the device is mounted; the easiest way to do that is to open it with your file manager.
  • Run df -h again. The device that wasn't there last time is your SD card. The left column gives the device name of your SD card. It will be listed as something like /dev/mmcblk0p1 or /dev/sdd1. The last part (p1 or 1 respectively) is the partition number, but you want to write to the whole SD card, not just one partition, so you need to remove that part from the name (getting for example /dev/mmcblk0 or /dev/sdd) as the device for the whole SD card.
  • Unmount the card with umount /dev/[sd_name] command, where [sd_name] is the name you got from the previous step.

[INFO] You can also check device name through GParted.

  • Write the image to the card with command sudo dcfldd bs=1M if=[img_file_path] of=/dev/[sd_name], replacing if= argument with the path to your .img file, and the of= argument with the right device name. The write may take a while, so don't panic.

[WARNING] Double-check your card's name! Choosing the wrong drive will likely result in data loss or even worse harm to your computer.

  • When write has completed, run command sudo sync (this will ensure the write cache is flushed and that it is safe to unmount your SD card) and properly eject your drive.
  • You are now ready to plug your SD card into your device. Easy, right?

Ready to get listening? Let's plug stuff in!

Having Issues? Head on over to Troubleshooting for some help.

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