Use a USB drive to setup and update a pi-top[4] without an internet connection, speeding up the configuration of multiple devices at once!
USB setup and update options are only available for your pi-top if its software has been installed or updated since January 2024.
Downloading the setup file
Start by downloading the file which will configure and update your devices. You can get the file from the guide here on Further.
Using the file to Update or Set Up your devices
There are 2 ways to use the setup file: with a USB drive or through a web-browser when onboarding the device.
Both of these methods will end up presenting you a guide in the pi-top[4] Miniscreen for you to start the setup or update process.
We recommend using the USB drive alternative, since it's faster than uploading the file through a browser.
This method is also recommended when configuring multiple devices, since the same USB drive can be used on all of them.
Use with a USB drive
- Download the setup file onto your computer.
- Plug a USB drive into your computer.
- Copy the downloaded file onto the USB drive (just drag & drop as is).
- Eject the USB drive from your computer.
- Plug the USB drive into your pi-top[4].
- Follow the instructions on the pi-top[4] Miniscreen.
Once prompted on the Miniscreen, it's possible to unplug the USB drive before the setup and update process is complete. This is usually around 5 minutes after starting it.
If you're configuring multiple devices, you can now use the USB drive with another device!
Use when onboarding the device
You can also upload the setup file into your pi-top[4] when onboarding the device via a web browser.
- Turn on your pi-top[4].
- Connect with your device, following this guide.
- In the first page of the onboarding, select 'Teacher' and click 'Next'.
- Upload your pi-top setup file: click on the 'upload here' button or drag the file into the drop area of the page.
- When the upload starts, a bar will appear to let you know about the progress.
Uploading the setup file might take a long time, depending on your network capabilities.
- Once the upload completes, follow the instructions on the pi-top[4] Miniscreen.
Miniscreen guide
After following any of the methods described above, a miniscreen application will start, asking you to confirm that you want to configure the device or exit.
On confirmation, the pi-top[4] will start updating itself and applying any configuration based on the setup file. A bar will be displayed in the miniscreen to let you know about the progress of the setup process.
The duration of the whole process is variable, from 5 up to 20 minutes depending on how out-of-date the device software is.