Flash the SD Card¶
You'll flash stock Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit) to your SD card. ChillCheck installs on top of a standard Pi OS — there is no custom image.
What you need¶
- Your MicroSD card (32 GB+)
- A laptop or desktop with an SD card reader (or a USB-to-MicroSD adapter)
- Raspberry Pi Imager — free, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Step 1 — Download and open Raspberry Pi Imager¶
Download from raspberrypi.com/software and install it. Open the app.
Step 2 — Choose the OS¶
- Click Choose OS
- Select Raspberry Pi OS (other)
- Select Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit)
Why Lite?
Lite has no desktop environment — it uses less memory and storage, and is more stable for headless 24/7 operation.
Step 3 — Configure settings before flashing¶
Click the gear icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X) to open Advanced Options before flashing.
Configure the following:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Hostname | chillcheck |
| Enable SSH | Yes — use password authentication |
| Username | pi |
| Password | Choose a strong password |
| Configure wireless LAN | Optional — you can skip this if using ethernet |
| Locale | Set your timezone and keyboard layout |
Hostname = chillcheck.local
Setting the hostname to chillcheck means the Pi will be accessible at http://chillcheck.local on your network — no need to look up its IP address.
Step 4 — Flash¶
- Insert your SD card
- Click Choose Storage and select your SD card
- Click Write and confirm
Flashing takes 3–8 minutes. Do not remove the card until Imager reports it is safe to do so.
Step 5 — Insert and connect¶
- Remove the SD card from your computer
- Insert it into the Raspberry Pi
- Connect the ZigBee dongle to a USB port
- Connect an ethernet cable (strongly recommended)
- Connect power — the Pi will boot automatically