Using RISC OS on the Raspberry Pi (Rev #13, changes)
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Introduction
This section of the wiki contains information to assist users who wish to run RISC OS on the Raspberry Pi.
If you are new to RISC OS you may wish to read the Introduction to RISC OS and the RISC OS Beginners FAQ.
Raspberry Pi models supported
All RISC OS builds mentioned on this page can be used on models of Raspberry Pi up to and including the Pi 4B.
If you wish to use RISC OS on the Raspberry Pi 400, please see this page for installation instructions.
Known issues:
- RISC OS can only run in a single core: the other cores in the four-core Raspberry models are currently unused.
- The onboard WiFi chip (in the Pi Zero W, Pi 3 and Pi 4) is not currently supported. One of the open bounties should address this issue.
- The USB3 ports on the Pi 4 will only work at USB2 speeds.
RISC OS builds available for the Raspberry Pi
Pi 400
- The most straightforward to use are RISC OS Pi 400 (Raspberry Pi 400 only) and RISC OS Pi (all other Pi models). These archives contain an SD card image which needs to be written to a microSD card using a utility such as Win32DiskImager or Etcher. Once this has been done, you can plug the card into your Raspberry Pi and switch on.
See this page for installation instructions.
- If you prefer, you can use Raspberry Pi Imager (Windows/macOS/Linux) to install RISC OS. This downloads the software and writes it to the SD card in a single process. If you have a Pi 400, make sure you choose the “Pi 400” version of RISC OS.
Pi Zero, Pi 1, Pi 2, Pi 3, Pi 4B
- The most straightforward to use is RISC OS Pi. This archive contains an SD card image which needs to be written to a microSD card using a utility such as Win32DiskImager or Etcher. Once this has been done, you can plug the card into your Raspberry Pi and switch on.
- If you prefer, you can use Raspberry Pi Imager (Windows/macOS/Linux) to install RISC OS version 5.28. This downloads the software and writes it to the SD card in a single process.
The remaining builds are for the more experienced user. Installation instructions (including an indication of other software you will need to download) are given on the linked pages.
- RPi ROM stable – The RISC OS 5.28 ROM, for people who prefer to “roll their own”.
- Beta RPi ROM – The latest development build, for the more adventurous user. The Raspberry Pi 400 is supported.
Setup and configuration information
- Hardware compatibility list – peripherals seen to work with the Raspberry Pi
- Installing RISC OS – How to create your own SD card image.
- Dual-format SD card – Why the SD card needs to be in a special format
- Raspberry Pi Firmware – The other files you need to get RISC OS to load on the Raspberry Pi
- config.txt (Raspberry Pi) – Settings needed for the Raspberry Pi bootloader
- cmdline.txt (Raspberry Pi) – Parameters passed to the RISC OS ROM on boot
- CMOS RAM on the Raspberry Pi
UpgradingyourRaspberryPitothelatestdevelopmentbetaofRISC OS Upgrade – How to upgradefromtoantheolderlatest stable release ofRISC OS- Upgrading your Raspberry Pi to the latest development beta of RISC OS
Hints and tips
- RISC OS Pi Welcome guide
- RISC OS bugs specific to the Raspberry Pi
- Raspberry Pi questions and answers – Topics include “Can I use RISC OS on the Pi 400?”, “Can I boot the Pi from USB?”, “What happened to RISC OS Pico?” and “What is all this talk of RC15 and RC16?”
- Community support forum – Help and advice from other RISC OS users
Technical information from other websites
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Buy RISC OS Open merchandise here, including SD cards for Raspberry Pi and more.