Raspberry Pi Hacks

Chapter 1. Configuration Hacks

They say the beginning is usually a good place to start anything, but this is a Hacks book. You’re likely to skip around to things with interesting titles, or perhaps the one that starts in Old English because you were flipping through the pages and it looked like the book had some terrible printing errors.

That said, there are some things that it’s nice to keep in the back of your head before you start building things, and the Raspberry Pi has a few unexpected quirks that it’s good to be aware of. If you’re entirely new to Linux, electronics hacking, or both, it’s a good idea to give this chapter a read-through before proceeding with any of the other hacks. You just might learn something that will save your Pi (and the $35 of having to replace it).

Hack 1. Choose and Format the Right SD Card

The Raspberry Pi does not have any built-in flash storage; it needs an SD card to do anything. Picking the right one might seem simple, but we’re here to help you make the right choice.

Your SD card choice is an important one. After all, when it comes to the Raspberry Pi, it’s the equivalent of choosing a hard drive. Being able to change the entire system quickly by inserting a new SD card is also one of the Pi’s most interesting strengths, especially when it comes to education. A few factors should weigh into your card selection, though, and even if you think you’ve chosen well, you might still need to troubleshoot minor problems.

SD cards are sold with a class number ...