Pi-Star Beta Downloads

Beta Images available to Download
Pi-Star_RPi_V4.3.4_24-Apr-2025.zip

Slow download?

Download mirror available for the most popular downloads: http://download.pistar.uk

Change Log
24-Apr-2025 Version 4.3.4 BETA RESPIN #5 - Available for Download. There is no way to upgrade to this version, but for most of you there is also no need. This version solves the no boot on Pi2 hardware, and has some other tweeks to the config.txt in /boot/firmware. Some other OS changes to reduce the image footprint and minor cleanup around the move to Bookworm. 18-Apr-2025 Version 4.3.4 BETA RESPIN #4 - Available for Upgrade Download now uploaded too. IPv6 improvements, specifically enabling IPv6 for the dashboard. Wi-Fi issue with the Pi 02W boards is solved at this point, they stay connected very well now since 4.3.3. D-Star issues with the current MMDVMHost code, this is being worked on by Jonathan (G4KLX), we're running the bleading edge to help with this and provide real and I hope, useful feedback. It works mostly, but some packets can cause the process to get stuck, a service restart or reboot of your Pi-Star system will cure it, until the next time it happens. 11-Apr-2025 Version 4.3.3 BETA RESPIN #3 - Available for Download and upgrade, yep from here on I am trying to make sure that I put out the patches in the upgrade system to help us get to a release version rather than beta. Wi-Fi issue with the Pi 02W persist, but we have a nice new way to address them by setting some parameters in the boot loader rather than having to change the OS. This makes it possible to automatically apply the fix ONLY to the Pi02W hardware and not any other Raspberry Pi Foundation hardware. NextionDriver bumped to v1.26. 10-Apr-2025 Version 4.3.2 BETA RESPIN #3 - Available for Download. You will find that you cannot upgrade 4.3.x to 4.3.2, this is because too much of the core system needed to be modified to produce 4.3.2, yes that really does mean that you need to burn yet another card to use this one. I hope this will be the last beta, and should go into mainline / production use once you all have a chance to test it. 4.3.2 has a seperate set of binaries from all previous versions, it does still share the scripts etc, but all of the DV software is new/up to date with current. This may cause some of you some issues, but please do your testing, this is why we release as beta after all. IPv6 has been enabled in this system matching the lastest 4.2.2 build. Wi-Fi bugs as seen specifically on Pi02W (and only this SBC) have been resolved I think. Thank you to Chip (W0CHP) from WPSD for the tips. Kernel changes, I have removed the v7/v7l kernels, they are just not required, they have some GPU performance advantage on Pi2 boards, Pi-Star does not need/use the GPU. Everything from the Pi3 and onwards uses the 64Bit kernel by default, including the Pi400, Pi500 and the Pi02W. Please do not confuse this informaton, Pi-Star still supports ALL Raspberry Pi Foundation hardware, and should boot perfectly well on all platforms. Temperature control / Reduction - there was an issue with Pi4 and Pi5 hardware that was causing the CPU to run at max clock ALL the time, we just don't need that, and it was causing Pi4 and Pi5 SBCs to run REALLY hot. Now resolved. GPU Underclock - This is required on the Pi02W for Wi-Fi stability, yes this sounds insane, it relates to how the Wi-Fi is connected to the the SoC, I have also applied the same GPU underclock on other models, I do not expect any issues arising from that, but this is a deliberate move to slightly reduce power use and SoC temps. CPU Underclock - Again this might sound a little crazy, but the idea here is to slightly under clock the CPU to help keep the operating temps down. Keep in mind that we already set the throttling temp to 75C (rather than the factory 85C) in order to prolong the life of any Raspberry Pi Foundataion boards, this step is more about helping knock the edge of running temps rather prolonging life. Pi 4 / Pi 5 retain full clock speed since most people are running coolers on them already. 04-Apr-2025 Version 4.3.1 BETA RESPIN #2 - Available for Download. This is a re-spin of the Beta image, but we're getting close to production ready. Crushed a few bugs that were causing some wild logging, filling the logs moutned on tmpfs very quickly. This should not happen any more. Fully updated the OS, modified the Kernels in use, to the new ones, and also fixed and reduced the number of installed kernels available. Technically this does leave some performance on the table, but only in places that we don't need to care about when running Pi-Star. GPIO issues, including the gpio command have been fixed and updated, and are working correctly so far as I can see, please report any bugs you find. 10-Feb-2024 Version 4.3.0 BETA RESPIN #1 - Available for Download. This is a re-spin of the Beta image, fixing up a number of bugs that have been discovered in the origional. Most of these can be applied to your running 4.3.0 install with an update, however some are fixed in the base image, and for that you need a new image. 08-Feb-2024 Version 4.3.0 BETA - Available for Download. This release upgrades the base OS from Bullseye to Bookworm. Binaries / Dashboard are all the same as 4.x chain. There will be some of you that need (for some reason) to use the older binary set, if that happens to be the case, check out this post on the forum: https://forum.pistar.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4806 This is an EARLY release, there are going to be things that do not work properly, please keep that in mind before you choose to download it. Updates and fixes MAY need a new image to be burned.

Change Log

24-Apr-2025 **Version 4.3.4 BETA RESPIN #5** - Available for Download.
    There is no way to upgrade to this version, but for most of you
        there is also no need.
    This version solves the no boot on Pi2 hardware, and has some
        other tweeks to the config.txt in /boot/firmware.
    Some other OS changes to reduce the image footprint and minor
        cleanup around the move to Bookworm.

18-Apr-2025 **Version 4.3.4 BETA RESPIN #4** - Available for Upgrade
        Download now uploaded too.
    IPv6 improvements, specifically enabling IPv6 for the dashboard.
    Wi-Fi issue with the Pi 02W boards is solved at this point,
        they stay connected very well now since 4.3.3.
    D-Star issues with the current MMDVMHost code, this is being
        worked on by Jonathan (G4KLX), we're running the
        bleading edge to help with this and provide real
        and I hope, useful feedback. It works mostly, but
        some packets can cause the process to get stuck, a
        service restart or reboot of your Pi-Star system will
        cure it, until the next time it happens.

11-Apr-2025 **Version 4.3.3 BETA RESPIN #3** - Available for Download
        and upgrade, yep from here on I am trying to make sure
        that I put out the patches in the upgrade system to help
        us get to a release version rather than beta.
    Wi-Fi issue with the Pi 02W persist, but we have a nice new way
        to address them by setting some parameters in the boot
        loader rather than having to change the OS. This makes
        it possible to automatically apply the fix ONLY to the
        Pi02W hardware and not any other Raspberry Pi Foundation
        hardware.
    NextionDriver bumped to v1.26.

10-Apr-2025 **Version 4.3.2 BETA RESPIN #3** - Available for Download.
    You will find that you cannot upgrade 4.3.x to 4.3.2, this is
        because too much of the core system needed to be
        modified to produce 4.3.2, yes that really does mean
        that you need to burn yet another card to use this one.
        I hope this will be the last beta, and *should* go into
        mainline / production use once you all have a chance
        to test it.
    4.3.2 has a seperate set of binaries from all previous versions,
        it does still share the scripts etc, but all of the DV
        software is new/up to date with current. This may cause
        some of you some issues, but please do your testing,
        this is why we release as beta after all.
    IPv6 has been enabled in this system matching the lastest 4.2.2
        build.
    Wi-Fi bugs as seen specifically on Pi02W (and only this SBC)
        have been resolved *I think*. Thank you to Chip (W0CHP)
        from WPSD for the tips.
    Kernel changes, I have removed the v7/v7l kernels, they are just
        not required, they have some GPU performance advantage
        on Pi2 boards, Pi-Star does not need/use the GPU.
        Everything from the Pi3 and onwards uses the 64Bit
        kernel by default, including the Pi400, Pi500 and the
        Pi02W. Please do not confuse this informaton, Pi-Star
        still supports ALL Raspberry Pi Foundation hardware,
        and should boot perfectly well on all platforms.
    Temperature control / Reduction - there was an issue with Pi4
        and Pi5 hardware that was causing the CPU to run at
        max clock ALL the time, we just don't need that, and it
        was causing Pi4 and Pi5 SBCs to run REALLY hot. Now
        resolved.
    GPU Underclock - This is required on the Pi02W for Wi-Fi
        stability, yes this sounds insane, it relates to how
        the Wi-Fi is connected to the the SoC, I have also
        applied the same GPU underclock on other models, I do
        not expect any issues arising from that, but this is
        a deliberate move to slightly reduce power use and SoC
        temps.
    CPU Underclock - Again this might sound a little crazy, but
        the idea here is to slightly under clock the CPU to
        help keep the operating temps down. Keep in mind that
        we already set the throttling temp to 75C (rather than
        the factory 85C) in order to prolong the life of any
        Raspberry Pi Foundataion boards, this step is more
        about helping knock the edge of running temps rather
        prolonging life. Pi 4 / Pi 5 retain full clock speed
        since most people are running coolers on them already.

04-Apr-2025 **Version 4.3.1 BETA RESPIN #2** - Available for Download.
    This is a re-spin of the Beta image, but we're getting close to
        production ready.
    Crushed a few bugs that were causing some wild logging, filling
        the logs moutned on tmpfs very quickly. This should not
        happen any more.
    Fully updated the OS, modified the Kernels in use, to the new
        ones, and also fixed and reduced the number of installed
        kernels available. Technically this does leave some
        performance on the table, but only in places that we
        don't need to care about when running Pi-Star.
    GPIO issues, including the gpio command have been fixed and
        updated, and are working correctly so far as I can see,
        please report any bugs you find.

10-Feb-2024 **Version 4.3.0 BETA RESPIN #1** - Available for Download.
    This is a re-spin of the Beta image, fixing up a number of
        bugs that have been discovered in the origional.
        Most of these can be applied to your running 4.3.0
        install with an update, however some are fixed in the
        base image, and for that you need a new image.

08-Feb-2024 **Version 4.3.0 BETA** - Available for Download.
    This release upgrades the base OS from Bullseye to Bookworm.
        Binaries / Dashboard are all the same as 4.x chain.
        There will be some of you that need (for some reason)
        to use the older binary set, if that happens to be
        the case, check out this post on the forum:
        https://forum.pistar.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4806
    This is an *EARLY* release, there are going to be things
        that do not work properly, please keep that in mind
        before you choose to download it.
    Updates and fixes *MAY* need a new image to be burned.

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