Build solution using Windows PC

[Stephenlewis1905]

Hi Guys

sorry if this is a NOOB question, but I'll give it a go anyway.

What I'd like to be able to do is build PI projects directly on the SD card whilst still in my Windows PC instead of plugging it into the PI after formatting and loading the OS via the PC. Reason is that working directly on the PI means moving my monitor, mouse and keyboard from the desktop to the PI. If SSH was out of the box I could do it headless and connect using Putty, but as far as I can see it isn't.

I tried running a VM using VMWare Workstation on my PC, but that doesn't allow you to save the VM as an .iso to install onto the SD card. I then tried a Linux emulator (cygwin), and mounted the SD drive, but that didn't seem to do what I want either.

Any advice would be welcome

thanks

[thagrol]

If SSH was out of the box I could do it headless and connect using Putty, but as far as I can see it isn't.

It isn't but it's trivial to enable. Just create a file called "ssh" or "ssh.txt" in the boot partition (that's the only one windows will be able to access) and reboot.

I'm surprised you missed that when checking the Help pages (https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/). You did do that before posting?

[fruitoftheloom]

Hi Guys

sorry if this is a NOOB question, but I'll give it a go anyway.

What I'd like to be able to do is build PI projects directly on the SD card whilst still in my Windows PC instead of plugging it into the PI after formatting and loading the OS via the PC. Reason is that working directly on the PI means moving my monitor, mouse and keyboard from the desktop to the PI. If SSH was out of the box I could do it headless and connect using Putty, but as far as I can see it isn't.

I tried running a VM using VMWare Workstation on my PC, but that doesn't allow you to save the VM as an .iso to install onto the SD card. I then tried a Linux emulator (cygwin), and mounted the SD drive, but that didn't seem to do what I want either.

Any advice would be welcome

thanks

VMWare / VirtualBox and similar can not emulate ARM CPU Architecture, the only option is Qemu, time for a Google !

[neilgl]

Yes and if you also enable VNC server on your pi via raspi-config, you can put VNCviewer on your PC to look at and control the pi desktop GUI.

[TheFireman]

If SSH was out of the box ..., but as far as I can see it isn't.

... Just create a file called "ssh" or "ssh.txt" in the boot partition (...) and reboot.
I'm surprised you missed that when checking the Help pages (https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/). You did do that before posting?

I'll see your "I'm surprised you missed that" and raise you

, SSH can be enabled by placing a file named ssh, without any extension, onto the boot partition of the SD card from another computer.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... /README.md

[klricks]

If SSH was out of the box ..., but as far as I can see it isn't.

... Just create a file called "ssh" or "ssh.txt" in the boot partition (...) and reboot.
I'm surprised you missed that when checking the Help pages (https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/). You did do that before posting?

I'll see your "I'm surprised you missed that" and raise you

, SSH can be enabled by placing a file named ssh, without any extension, onto the boot partition of the SD card from another computer.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... /README.md

At first only ssh was accepted but because Windows Notepad or whatever has a habit of automatically appending .txt to the filename, the ssh enabling was changed to accept both ssh and ssh.txt

[TheFireman]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... /README.md

At first only ssh was accepted but because Windows Notepad or whatever has a habit of automatically appending .txt to the filename, the ssh enabling was changed to accept both ssh and ssh.txt

So we can't rely on even the Official Raspberry Pi Organization for up-to-date corrected documentation.

Oh, the horrors...

[DougieLawson]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... /README.md

At first only ssh was accepted but because Windows Notepad or whatever has a habit of automatically appending .txt to the filename, the ssh enabling was changed to accept both ssh and ssh.txt

So we can't rely on even the Official Raspberry Pi Organization for up-to-date corrected documentation.

Oh, the horrors...

You can send updates for RPF/RPT docs. That stuff is ALL on github. Write your update as a pull request.
https://github.com/raspberrypi/document ... /README.md

[GlowInTheDark]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... /README.md

At first only ssh was accepted but because Windows Notepad or whatever has a habit of automatically appending .txt to the filename, the ssh enabling was changed to accept both ssh and ssh.txt

So we can't rely on even the Official Raspberry Pi Organization for up-to-date corrected documentation.

Oh, the horrors...

It's not like the documentation was incorrect in any way. It is and always will be the case that if you put out a file called "ssh" WITHOUT ANY EXTENSION, it will work.

It's just that other things might also work.

I'm still assuming, of course, that any day now, it will also work if you put out a file called "ssh.xlsx".
That is necessary in order to keep the Excel users happy.

And, of course, "ssh.docx" for the Word crowd.

[thagrol]

I'll see your "I'm surprised you missed that" and raise you

I see you've taken that out of context and entirely missed the point.

It was a hint to the OP (and anyone else reading this thread) that if they'd read the documentation before posting they would have found the answer themself.

Asking without checking the docs, searching the forum, or searching the internet is quite common around here. And often quite annoying.

I could have responded with four letters (RTFM) but that would have been insulting, unhelpful, and aggressive. But maybe if I had you'd have got my point.

[bjtheone]

I could have responded with four letters (RTFM) but that would have been insulting, unhelpful, and aggressive. But maybe if I had you'd have got my point.

and I find it a sad commentary on society that RTFM is viewed that way. In just 4 letters, you have assured the questioner there is a solution, and told them how to discover it themselves. If they actually did read the fine manual they might even acquire further knowledge, in the process of answering their question. And even further they would have discovered a way to answer most of their future critically important, must be answered right now questions in a timely matter, rather than continuing to have to rely on the fickleness of the internet, and subject matter experts sleep habits.

[HawaiianPi]

If SSH was out of the box I could do it headless and connect using Putty, but as far as I can see it isn't.

It isn't but it's trivial to enable. Just create a file called "ssh" or "ssh.txt" in the boot partition (that's the only one windows will be able to access) and reboot.

I'd also like to add that you can even configure WiFi before first boot, so it is possible, and quite simple to set up a completely headless Raspberry Pi with SSH and wireless network, without ever connecting it to a keyboard or screen.

[DougieLawson]

I could have responded with four letters (RTFM) but that would have been insulting, unhelpful, and aggressive. But maybe if I had you'd have got my point.

Nothing wrong with "read the fine manual", although I prefer RTFWP (read the fine web page) these days.

It's up to the reader whether they want to read those "F"s as expletives.

[thagrol]

@ bjtheone and DougieLawson:

There's nothing worng with referring folks to the documentation, I've done it and will continue to do so. The problem, as I see it, is with that particular acronym especially when it's the sole contents of a reply.

But perhaps I'm still tainted by my experiences with usenet. Back them RTFM was often the respone of someone who knew the answer but chose not to provide it or often to even say where the FM could be found.

[DougieLawson]

@ bjtheone and DougieLawson:

There's nothing worng with referring folks to the documentation, I've done it and will continue to do so. The problem, as I see it, is with that particular acronym especially when it's the sole contents of a reply.

But perhaps I'm still tainted by my experiences with usenet. Back them RTFM was often the respone of someone who knew the answer but chose not to provide it or often to even say where the FM could be found.

It's a good thing the days of Lusenet are done.
RTFM or RTFWP without a link is just rude. It's almost as rude as LMGTFY (If I were an American, I'd plead the 5th on that).

Although, as ever, this comes down to new posters not bothering with that ever so simple Google search before they post on here. It's amazing how many threads are already answered on here or on StackOverflow/StackExchange.

[rpdom]

It's a good thing the days of usenet are done.

Not completely. Some parts of it are still active(ish). I still occasionally read and sometimes post to a group I've been on for some time.

[W. H. Heydt]

I'm still assuming, of course, that any day now, it will also work if you put out a file called "ssh.xlsx".
That is necessary in order to keep the Excel users happy.

And, of course, "ssh.docx" for the Word crowd.

"ssh.odt" would make more sense...given that OpenOffice is a standard part of the full Raspbian.

[W. H. Heydt]

I could have responded with four letters (RTFM) but that would have been insulting, unhelpful, and aggressive. But maybe if I had you'd have got my point.

I once saw a post in comp.unix.questions that (after describing the problem) said, "Don't tell be to RTFM if you WTFM." It was pertinent, because some of the regulars there had not only written the manual, but the programs as well.

[GlowInTheDark]

I'm still assuming, of course, that any day now, it will also work if you put out a file called "ssh.xlsx".
That is necessary in order to keep the Excel users happy.

And, of course, "ssh.docx" for the Word crowd.

"ssh.odt" would make more sense...given that OpenOffice is a standard part of the full Raspbian.

Irrelevant.

The whole point of the "drop a file in the FAT32 partition" hack is that it is Windows-centric.
It's all based on making it as easy as possible for the non-Unix/non-Linux "I am a Windows person only" type of user.

[TheFireman]

from a terminal, execute the following very complicated, very long command

touch ssh

[thagrol]

from a terminal, execute the following very complicated, very long command

touch ssh

And how precosely are you going to do that when no keyboard, mouse, and monitor are connected?

And you forgot the reboot.

[jahboater]

from a terminal, execute the following very complicated, very long command

touch ssh

I just type:

>ssh

[GlowInTheDark]

from a terminal, execute the following very complicated, very long command

touch ssh

I just type:

>ssh

C:\Documents And Settings\YourUserNameHere>>ssh
The syntax of the command is incorrect.
C:\Documents And Settings\YourUserNameHere>echo>ssh

The later command works.

P.S. Yes, I know, you're doing it from a Unix/Linux perspective, but the whole point is to be able to do it from WinBlows.

[bjtheone]

I could have responded with four letters (RTFM) but that would have been insulting, unhelpful, and aggressive. But maybe if I had you'd have got my point.

I once saw a post in comp.unix.questions that (after describing the problem) said, "Don't tell be to RTFM if you WTFM." It was pertinent, because some of the regulars there had not only written the manual, but the programs as well.

Given that I predate the lovely chaos and anarchy that usenet became, I remember quite fondly when you could ask questions and have interactions with the folks that wrote the software. Did a lot of work with Perl and Larry Wall, Randal Schwartz, and Tom Christiansen to name but a few were on comp.lang.perl all the time. I remember getting grief about one project we were developing, as Perl was "unsupported", and politely pointing to the discussion I had with Larry to resolve a bug, and contrasted that to the interactions we were having at the time with Cadence (who we were paying vast tracks of money for both software licenses and yearly maintenance), and the timeliness of both interactions.

I also actually quite liked that you were required to do you "homework" first and ask well crafted questions, or at best you would just be ignored. As more and more folks got access the signal to noise ratio went south, and now folks are chastised for even suggesting the equivalent of RTFM, when you can find most answers inside of minutes with Google. I have sympathy for the folks that don't even know enough to describe the issue to ask the right question, but the constant, answer my very important question RIGHT NOW, when it is obvious the OP has done zero homework, is rather grating.