Image Backup and New Installation

We show you here how to save an image of the flash memory of your RevPi and how to install a new image on your RevPi. You can save the image on a USB stick, on the hard disk of your PC or on an external hard disk.

It is not possible to back up and reinstall the image for RevPi Flat, but for all other base modules, including RevPi Flat S.
For the following base modules, it is only possible to back up and reinstall the image if the watchdog is deactivated by the jumper on terminals 0 V and WD:

  • RevPi Connect+
  • RevPi Connect S
  • RevPi Connect SE

We use here a PC with a Windows operating system. But the whole thing also works with Linux or Mac. You can find tools and help on the Raspberry Pi homepage.

If you want to back up a hard disk on your PC, then backup programs write a complete image of the memory to a backup medium (e.g. a second hard disk). Such a memory image is called an “image”. If the content of the memory is overwritten or deleted once by an error, then your RevPi has no more operating system and cannot start (boot). For this case you should take precautions and save the complete image of the memory on an external storage medium. For this purpose there are Raspberry utilities with which you can save the image on your PC and also restore it from the PC to the RevPi.

You require:

Hardware

  • Your PC
  • Your RevPi
  • Power supply unit for the RevPi
  • USB 2.0 cable from type-A to Micro-B
    NOTE: Use a high-quality cable. Poor workmanship of the cable can lead to transmission problems.
  • USB stick or other storage medium, e.g. hard disk.
    NOTE: The free space on your storage medium must be at least equal to the size of the memory of your RevPi.

Software

Download the following files and programs and install them on your PC:

Backing Up Old Image to a USB Stick

  • Connect your RevPi to the PC via its Micro-USB socket using the USB cable.
  • Start RPi Boot.
  • Connect your RevPi to the power supply.

RPi Boot will now search for your RevPi. The following window opens (depending on your Windows version):

Your RevPi has been detected.

    • Click on “Select to choose what happens with removable drives.”

The following window opens (depending on your Windows version):

  • Click on “Take no action”.
  • Start Win32 Disk Imager.

The following window opens:

  • Click on the folder icon.
  • Select the USB stick to save the image there.
  • At the end of the selection, write the file name you want the image to have. The name must have the file extension “.img”.
  • Select your RevPi from the drop-down list under “Device”.
    NOTE: Only the drive letters are displayed for selection. If you cannot remember which one it was, you can look it up in Explorer. You can find your RevPi under “Devices with removable media”. It is displayed as “boot”.
    Remember the drive. You will have to select it again later when you install the new image.
  • Click on “Read”.

The backup of your image will now be created. This process may take a few minutes. You will receive a confirmation that the file has been created.

Installing New Image

  • First, unpack the image file downloaded from our homepage.
  • Start WinMD5Free.
  • Select the file of the new image.

The program starts calculating the MD5 checksum.

After a few seconds, the calculated checksum will be displayed.

  • Open the *.MD5 file from the unzipped download with an editor. The file is called e.g. 2023-03-24-revpi-stretch.md5.
  • Copy the MD5 sum, paste it in the “Original file MD5 checksum value …” field and click the “Verify” button.

If the dialog shows “Matched!”, the unpacked image matches the checksum we published.
However, if “NOT Matched!” is displayed, the image is not correct. This can happen in rare cases when downloading or copying. In this case, you have to download the image again before you can continue. Start again at “Installing New Image”.

  • Start Win32 Disk Imager.
  • Select your RevPi in the drop-down list under “Device”.
    NOTICE! Check if you really selected your RevPi.
    If you select the wrong device, the data on the data medium is overwritten.
    NOTE: Only the drive letters are displayed for selection. If you can’t remember which one it was, you can look it up in Explorer. You can find your RevPi under “Devices with removable media”. It is displayed as “boot”.
  • Click on the folder icon.
  • Select the new image file.
  • Click on “Write” and confirm with “Yes”.
Your image will now be loaded onto the RevPi. This process may take a few minutes. You will receive the confirmation “Write Successful” when the file has been transferred.

Logging on to the RevPi for the first time

  • Remove the Micro-USB cable and turn the RevPi off and on again.
    NOTE: While the Micro-USB plug is connected to your RevPi, it is in flash mode and can only be put into operating mode by rebooting.
  • Log in to your RevPi: When logging in for the first time, the login name is pi and the password is raspberry.
    NOTE: Consider the English keyboard layout when entering the password. You must enter a “z” instead of a “y”.

Configure RevPi at initial login

If you use a RevPi with HAT EEPROM, the message appears: “The device configuration was detected automatically. Manual configuration is therefore not necessary. Click on “OK”.

  • Click on OK.

When you first log in, you will be asked which RevPi device you are using. The data you need for the device is then stored in the memory. If you enter the wrong product type, your RevPi may not work properly after restarting.

  • Enter the serial number and MAC address printed on the front of the housing.

Restarting RevPi

The password for the next login is automatically reset to the default password that is on the sticker on the side of the RevPi device.

  • Reboot your RevPi with sudo reboot.
    NOTE: Only after the reboot the device can be used to its full extent.