Raspberry Pi 2 OS Update

This tutorial describes how to update the Operating System of your Raspberry Pi 2 to the latest supported version. This will take you through the steps to install a Raspberry Pi Operating System image onto an SD card and then use the SD card to install the OS onto the Raspberry Pi 2.

Prerequisites


None

Hardware


  • MicroSD card
  • Computer with an SD card reader
  • Raspberry Pi 2

Software


  • Raspbian 4.1
  • Win32 Disk Imager

Procedure


Write the Image to an SD Card

  1. Insert the MicroSD card into the SD card reader of your computer (or use a USB to microSD adapter)
  2. Download the .zip file of the latest version of Raspbian here.
  3. Unzip to get the .img file
  4. Download the Win32 Disk Imager utility (or any tool that allows you to write to SD cards on your computer's OS)
  5. Right-click on the executable and select Run as Administrator
  6. Step through the installation instructions then launch the utility
  7. Choose the .img file that you extracted in Step 3
  8. Under Device, choose the drive letter of the MicroSD card.
  9. Click Write and wait for the process to complete
  10. Click Exit to close out of the utility
  11. Eject the MicroSD card

NOTE: Make sure you choose the right drive letter, otherwise you could potentially clear information on your computer.

Install the Image onto the Raspberry Pi 2

  1. Insert the MircoSD into the MicroSD card slot on the bottom side of the Raspberry Pi
  2. Connect a USB keyboard and mouse to the USB ports
  3. Connect a monitor or TV to the Raspberry Pi using an HDMI cable
  4. Connect the Raspberry Pi to your network using an ethernet cable
  5. Connect the power adapter to the board; the Raspberry Pi will start to boot and install the operating system. If you are running headless, the green light on the Raspberry Pi board will flash as it installs the OS. Once it is complete, the green light will turn off, signaling that the boot is complete!