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Updated September 24, 2023

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none Title: How to Install CentOS on Raspberry Pi 4

Headline: Step-by-Step Guide for Setting Up CentOS on Your Raspberry Pi 4

Description: Learn how to install the latest version of CentOS Linux on your Raspberry Pi 4 and configure it for optimal performance. This guide includes all necessary steps and troubleshooting tips.

Raspberry Pi is a popular single-board computer used for various projects and applications, including home automation, IoT devices, and more. However, the default operating system, Raspbian, may not be suitable for all use cases. In this article, we will show you how to install CentOS on your Raspberry Pi 4 and configure it for optimal performance.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure that you have the following:

  • A Raspberry Pi 4 Model B or later with a power supply and SD card (at least 8GB)
  • An internet connection to download CentOS images
  • An SSH client (e.g., PuTTY for Windows) if you want to access your Raspberry Pi remotely
  • A monitor, keyboard, and mouse if you prefer to configure the system locally

Download the CentOS Image

To install CentOS on your Raspberry Pi 4, you need to download a compatible image. Unfortunately, official CentOS images for ARM architecture are not available. However, you can use the Alpine Linux image with minimal modifications.

  1. Download the latest Alpine Linux image from https://alpinelinux.org/downloads/. Select the “armv7” option for your Raspberry Pi 4.
  2. Extract the downloaded archive and rename the alpine-minirootfs-3.12.0-rpi2.tar.gz file to centos.tar.gz.
  3. Download the CentOS boot files from https://github.com/alpinelinux/boot-scripts/tree/master/alpine-rpi. Copy bootcode.bin, fixup.dat, and start.elf to the root of your SD card.

Prepare the SD Card

Insert the SD card into your computer and create three partitions:

  1. Boot partition (FAT32, 1MB)
  2. Root partition (ext4, the rest of the space)
  3. Swap partition (size depends on your RAM; recommended is twice the amount of RAM)

Use a tool like GParted to create and format these partitions. Once you have created the partitions, extract the centos.tar.gz file to the root partition.

Configure Networking

Edit the cmdline.txt file on your boot partition and add the following parameters:

ip=dhcp
hostname=centos-rpi

This will enable DHCP for network configuration and set the hostname of your Raspberry Pi to “centos-rpi”.

Boot the Raspberry Pi

Insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi 4, connect it to a power source, and boot up. Once the system is running, you should be able to SSH into it using the hostname “centos-rpi” or access it locally through a monitor and keyboard.

Update System Packages

Before installing any additional packages, update your system:

sudo apk update
sudo apk upgrade

Install Essential Packages

To make sure that your Raspberry Pi works seamlessly with CentOS, install some essential packages:

sudo apk add vim openssh bash-completion networkmanager systemd-networkd dhcpcd

Configure Network Manager

If you want to use a graphical interface for networking, configure NetworkManager:

sudo rc-update add networkmanager boot
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager

You can now access your Raspberry Pi remotely using SSH or connect a monitor and keyboard to manage the system. Enjoy your new CentOS installation on Raspberry Pi 4!