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Q4OS on Raspberry Pi

A free operating system optimized for Raspberry Pi hardware with full desktop environment support.

Raspberry Pi Logo
Raspberry Pi

Optimized for all Raspberry Pi models

1. Introduction

Q4OS Raspberry Pi port is a free operating system based on Raspbian distribution, optimized for the Raspberry Pi family hardware - the series of credit card-sized single-board ARM computers.

Q4OS provides a familiar desktop experience on ARM hardware, bringing the efficiency and stability of Q4OS to the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. This makes it an excellent choice for educational projects, home automation, media centers, and general computing tasks on Raspberry Pi devices.

🖥️ Full Desktop Environment

Complete Trinity desktop environment optimized for ARM architecture, providing a familiar computing experience.

🔧 Hardware Optimized

Specifically tuned for Raspberry Pi hardware capabilities and limitations for optimal performance.

2. Installation

You need to install the Q4OS operating system image on your own SD card, so prepare a computer with an SD card writer to install the image.

Using Q4OS Imager (Recommended)

The preferred way for Windows and Q4OS users is to use the Q4OS Imager. This tool simplifies the process of creating bootable SD cards with Q4OS images.

Manual Installation

Optionally, you can create the bootable SD card manually:

  1. Download the Image: Q4OS RPi images are available for download from the Unofficial repository.
  2. Extract the Image: After downloading the compressed file, uncompress it to get the .img image file for writing to your SD card.
  3. Write to SD Card: Use an image writing tool to install the image on your SD card.

Recommended Image Writing Tools

Raspberry Pi Imager

Official tool from Raspberry Pi Foundation, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Download
Balena Etcher

Cross-platform image writing tool with a simple interface.

Download
dd (Linux/macOS)

Command-line tool available on Unix-like systems for advanced users.

dd if=image.img of=/dev/sdX

3. Getting Started

Once you have successfully written the Q4OS image to your SD card and inserted it into your Raspberry Pi, you can boot the system.

Default Login Credentials

First Boot Setup

  1. Boot from SD Card: Insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi and power it on
  2. Initial Setup: Follow the on-screen setup wizard for basic configuration
  3. Network Configuration: Configure Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection
  4. System Updates: Run system updates to ensure you have the latest packages
  5. Desktop Environment: Enjoy the Trinity desktop environment optimized for Raspberry Pi
System Configuration
  • Change default password
  • Configure keyboard layout and locale
  • Set up time zone
  • Enable SSH if needed
  • Configure display settings
Software Management
  • Update package lists
  • Install additional software
  • Configure automatic updates
  • Set up backup solutions
  • Install development tools if needed

4. Additional Resources

Official Documentation

Comprehensive guides and documentation for Raspberry Pi hardware and software.

Raspberry Pi Guide Full Documentation
Community Support

Join the communities for help, tutorials, and project ideas.

RPi Community Q4OS Forum

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Ensure the SD card is properly seated
  • Check power supply (use official Raspberry Pi power adapter)
  • Verify the image was written correctly
  • Try a different SD card (Class 10 or better recommended)

  • Use a high-quality, fast SD card (UHS-I or better)
  • Ensure adequate cooling for your Raspberry Pi
  • Disable unnecessary services
  • Consider overclocking (with proper cooling)
  • Use lightweight applications when possible

Q4OS on Raspberry Pi administrator manual, rev. 01/2024