Raspberry Pi users can install OS from bootloader

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released a beta version of a bootloader with a function to connect the minicomputers directly to the Internet. This allows users to download and install an operating system on the singleboard.

The foundation is asking users to beta test the new feature. For that, users can install a new version of the bootloader. It contains a feature called Network Install. Users can then download and install the imager that the foundation offers. Normally, this imager can be used to write an operating system to an SD card on another PC. The new feature allows the user to retrieve an image from the Internet and put it on the card directly from the Raspberry Pi.

According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the new feature is an important solution for users who don’t own or have another computer on hand. Users now have to put an operating system on an SD card on a separate PC with its own software.

Only users with a Raspberry Pi 4 or a Pi 400 can participate in the beta. Users must also have a keyboard and Ethernet connected for this. The function does not work with Wi-Fi. In addition, users must remove all other boot media from their Pi, such as USB sticks. Beta testers who try the optional bootloader should bear in mind that all data on the card will disappear, the makers warn. In the installation menu, users can choose from the standard Raspberry Pi OS, as well as other operating systems such as Kodi, Home Assistant or Ubuntu. It is also possible to perform other actions in the menu, such as reformat the card.