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INSTALL UBUNTU SERVER 20.10 64-Bit ON RASPBERRY PI 4 USING A M.2 Drive

This guide shows you how to install an Operating System on a Raspberry Pi 4. The one I chose for this guide is Ubuntu Server 20.10 64 bit, so if you are installing that, you can follow along easily. If you are wondering which hardware I used, the exact items are linked at the bottom

On a Windows computer
Insert your USB M.2 Drive into the USB 3.0 Port on your Windows computer
Open a web browser
Navigate to
Download the Raspberry Pi Imager

Once it is downloaded, double click the imager.exe file
Select Yes
Click Install
Checkmark Run Raspberry Pi Imager
Click Finish

Now that the Raspberry Pi Imager is running
Click Choose OS
Scroll down and select Ubuntu
Then select Ubuntu Server 20.10 (RPI 3/4/400) 64-BIT
Select your SD Card (500GB WD M.2 Drive)
Click Write
All existing data …. will be erased. Are you sure you want to continue?
Click Yes
Data is written to the SD Card
The data is automatically verified after it is written
Once it finishes you will see the message that “you can now remove the SD card from the reader”
Remove the card
Click Continue

Now back on the Raspberry Pi
Plug in network cable
Connect the keyboard
Plug in a mouse
Connect the HDMI cable
Install the M.2 USB Drive you just made (up above)
Plug in the power (Last step)

Boot up your Raspberry Pi
The first time you login the username is ubuntu
The password is ubuntu
You will be forced to change the password immediately
Now you will want to run the following commands
sudo bash
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
y
apt install net tools
ifconfig
Note your ip address

You can now connect remotely and finish setting up the system

You are done. Your Raspberry Pi 4 is setup with the Ubuntu Server 20.10

Hardware that I used:
Raspberry Pi 4 (4gb)
https://amzn.to/3q551IO

SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
https://amzn.to/2Vfvo0y

CanaKit 3.5A Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (USB-C)
https://amzn.to/3fNTYPu

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Micro HDMI Cable – 6 Feet
https://amzn.to/33u5hr9

Western Digital 500GB WD_Black SN750 NVMe
https://amzn.to/3nZ5pH4

Plugable USB C to M.2 NVMe Tool-free Enclosure
https://amzn.to/3lflV3L

Thanks for reading…….

SET A STATIC IP ON YOUR RASPBERRY PI 4

This guide assumes that you are running the latest version of Raspbian on your Pi. If you are not, you can follow this guide to get it setup.

How to install Raspbian on your Raspberry Pi 4
https://tacticalware.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1240&action=edit

My build also uses a FAST M.2 drive instead of the slow Micro SD card:
https://tacticalware.com/boot-raspberry-pi-4-from-m-2-usb-drive/

Now that we have both those straightened out, to set a static IP is simple. Just perform the following:

Open a Terminal
Type:
sudo bash
nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf
Replace hostname with the name of the Pi, I set mine to tacticalware1
Then you will want to
uncomment the following lines and set your address(to uncomment, remove the # from the beginning of them)
#interface eth0
#static ip_address line and set the ip
#static routers line and set it
#static domain_name_servers line and set it
Note that if your local network is 192.168.1.xxx or 192.168.0.xxx use an ip scheme that matches your setup
Ctrl x to save
y
Press Enter
nano /etc/hostname
Make sure you set it to tacticalware1 or whatever your pi’s name is
ctrl x
y
nano /etc/hosts
make sure tacticalware1 is listed in there as well at the bottom of the file, next to 127.0.0.1
ctrl x to save
reboot

Your system will now reboot and your static ip address will now be in effect.

Hardware that I used:
Raspberry Pi 4 (4gb)
https://amzn.to/3q551IO

SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
https://amzn.to/2Vfvo0y

CanaKit 3.5A Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (USB-C)
https://amzn.to/3fNTYPu

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Micro HDMI Cable – 6 Feet
https://amzn.to/33u5hr9

Western Digital 500GB WD_Black SN750 NVMe
https://amzn.to/3nZ5pH4

Plugable USB C to M.2 NVMe Tool-free Enclosure
https://amzn.to/3lflV3L

Thanks for reading…….


RASPBERRY PI GREEN SCREEN

An issue that you will find with the Raspberry Pi’s are the Green Screens, as show in the picture. Green Screens are the result of a corrupted Operating System. The simple fix for this, is to reinstall the OS onto the Micro SD card, or onto the M.2 ssd if you run your Pi devices the way I do.



Thanks for reading

Hardware that I used:
Raspberry Pi 4 (4gb)
https://amzn.to/3q551IO

SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
https://amzn.to/2Vfvo0y

CanaKit 3.5A Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (USB-C)
https://amzn.to/3fNTYPu

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Micro HDMI Cable – 6 Feet
https://amzn.to/33u5hr9

Western Digital 500GB WD_Black SN750 NVMe
https://amzn.to/3nZ5pH4

Plugable USB C to M.2 NVMe Tool-free Enclosure
https://amzn.to/3lflV3L


BOOT RASPBERRY PI 4 FROM M.2 USB DRIVE

If you want huge performance increases, consider getting rid of the Micro SD card, and moving your data and OS over to an M.2 Drive on the Raspberry Pi. How do you do this, you ask. First, make sure you have the same hardware as me, in order to follow along. Second, run through the following guide.

If you need to do this from scratch, follow this guide to setup your Raspberry Pi: https://tacticalware.com/install-raspbian-os-on-raspberry-pi-4/

Then, make sure your firmware / eeprom is up to date. If you need assistance with it, follow this guide:
https://tacticalware.com/update-new-raspberry-pi-4-firmware-eeprom/

Once you have both steps above completed, you can move onto setting up the M.2 drive

For this, I have inserted a WD 500GB M.2 Drive into a USB 3.0 dongle, and have it connected to my Pi. If you want to get the same parts as I have, skip to the bottom of this page.

Now, you will want to connect your M.2 dongle to your Raspberry Pi 4, and boot it up.

Once you are at the Desktop:
Open a Terminal
sudo bash
raspi-config
Select option 6 – Advanced Options
Choose option A6 – Boot Order
Select option B1 – USB Boot
Press Enter
You should now be on the “Usb device is the default boot device” screen
Select OK
Scroll to Finish and select it
You will see the message:
Would you like to reboot now?
Choose NO

Back on your Raspberry Pi 4 Desktop
In the top left corner, click on the Raspberry to access the drop down menu
Select Accessories
Scroll over to and choose SD Card Copier

A dialog box will open
If you have the same setup as me, using the same hardware below, you will want to select the same options, otherwise you will have to choose the relevant settings for you
Copy from Device – Select the option for the SC32G
Copy to Device – Select the option for the WDS500G3
Select Start
Choose YES – to erase all contents
Click OK once the contents are copies over successfully
Select Close
Shutdown your Raspberry Pi 4
Remove your Micro SSD
Power the Pi back on, it should now boot from the USB M.2 Drive
Open a terminal
Type
sudo bash
raspi-config
Select option 6 – Advanced Options
Choose option A1 – Expand filesystem
Press Enter
Root File system will be resized
Click Ok
Reboot

You are done!

Hardware that I used:
Raspberry Pi 4 (4gb)
https://amzn.to/3q551IO

SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
https://amzn.to/2Vfvo0y

CanaKit 3.5A Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (USB-C)
https://amzn.to/3fNTYPu

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Micro HDMI Cable – 6 Feet
https://amzn.to/33u5hr9

Western Digital 500GB WD_Black SN750 NVMe
https://amzn.to/3nZ5pH4

Plugable USB C to M.2 NVMe Tool-free Enclosure
https://amzn.to/3lflV3L

Thanks for reading…….

UDATE EXISTING RASPBERRY PI 4 FIRMWARE / EEPROM

This guide assumes you already have a running Raspberry Pi 4 device. If you do not already have it setup, you can follow this guide first (https://tacticalware.com/install-raspbian-os-on-raspberry-pi-4/)

This objective of this guide is to show you how to update Raspian and how to update the eeprom / firmware

Open a terminal
sudo bash
apt update
apt upgrade
rpi-update
Would you like to proceed
Type y
Now reboot your Pi

Open a terminal
sudo bash
rpi-eeprom-update -d -a
reboot your Pi after it updates

Open a terminal
raspi-config
Scroll down and select Option 8 – Update
Update now runs, and after the update completes
Scroll down and select Option 6 – Advanced Options
Then scroll down to Option A7 – Bootloader Options
Select Option E1 Latest – Use the latest version of the boot rom software
Press Enter
Select OK
On the Reset boot rom to defaults screen
Select No
On the Boot rom not reset to defaults screen
Select OK
Scroll down and select Finish
Select Yes

Your Firmware / EEPROM are updated, and you will have the latest version with the latest features.

Hardware I used:
Raspberry Pi 4 (4gb)
https://amzn.to/3q551IO

SanDisk 32GB Ultra microSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter
https://amzn.to/2Vfvo0y

CanaKit 3.5A Raspberry Pi 4 Power Supply (USB-C)
https://amzn.to/3fNTYPu

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Micro HDMI Cable – 6 Feet
https://amzn.to/33u5hr9


Thanks for Reading!