Installing Operating System Images using

Windows

Insert the SD card into your SD card reader and check which drive letter was assigned.
You can easily see the drive letter (for example G:) by looking in the left column of
Windows Explorer. You can use the SD Card slot (if you have one) or a cheap SD
adaptor in a USB port.
Download the Win32DiskImager utility from the Sourceforge Project page (it is also a
zip file); you can run this from a USB drive.
Extract the executable from the zip file and run the Win32DiskImager utility; you may
need to run the utility as administrator. Right-click on the file, and select Run as
administrator.
Select the image file you extracted above.
Select the drive letter of the SD card in the device box. Be careful to select the correct
drive; if you get the wrong one you can destroy your data on the computer's hard disk! If
you are using an SD card slot in your computer and can't see the drive in the
Win32DiskImager window, try using a cheap SD adaptor in a USB port.
Click Write and wait for the write to complete.
Exit the imager and eject the SD card.

Raspberry Pi Models and Revisions

Page Contents

Overview
The Model B+
The Model A+
The Model B
The Model A
The Compute Module

Overview
This page describes the models of Raspberry Pi available. It does not attempt to provide full
specifications, and is intended as an overview in order to help prospective purchasers make a
decision as to which device they need.
There are currently five Raspberry Pi models. They are the Model B+, the Model A+, the Model
B, the Model A, and the Compute Module (currently only available as part of the Compute
Module development kit ). All models use the same SoC (System on Chip - combined CPU &
GPU), the BCM2835, but other hardware features differ.
The A and B use the same PCB, whilst the B+ and A+ are a new design but of very similar form
factor. The Compute Module is an entirely different form factor and cannot be used standalone.
For a table comparing the specifications of each model, see here

Model B+
Released in July 2014, the Model B+ is an updated revision of the Model B. It increases the
number of USB ports to 4 and the number of pins on the GPIO header to 40. In addition, it has
improved power circuitry which allows higher powered USB devices to be attached and now
hot-plugged. The full size composite video connector has been removed and the functionality
moved to the 3.5mm audio/video jack. The full size SD card slot has also been replaced with a
much more robust microSD slot.
The following list details some of the improvements over the Model B.

Current monitors on the USB ports mean the B+ now supports hot-plugging
Current limiter on the 5V for HDMI means HDMI cable-powered VGA converters will now all
work
14 more GPIO pins
EEPROM readout support for the new HAT expansion boards
Higher drive capacity for analog audio out, from a separate regulator, which means a better
audio DAC quality

No more backpowering problems, due to the USB current limiters which also inhibit back flow,
together with the "ideal power diode"
Composite output moved to 3.5mm jack
Connectors now moved to two sides of the board rather than the four of the original device
Ethernet LEDs moved to the ethernet connector
4 squarely-positioned mounting holes for more rigid attachement to cases etc.

The power circuit changes also means a reduction in power requirements of between 0.5W and
1W.
Revisions
There have been a number of revison changes over the lifetime of the Model B; and the B+,
despite its dramatic improvements over the B, is simply a new revision, and is expected to be the
final one using the BCM2835. It is in effect revision 3 of the board.
Revision 1 is the revision as of initial launch, whilst revision 2 improved the power and USB
circuitry to increase reliability, and also included 2 registration holes that could also be used for
mounting the device. There have also been minor revision changes during the lifetime of the
board to help wth manufacture, testing, and production line BOM (Bill of material) transitions.

Model A+
Released in November 2014, this is the 'plus' variant of the Model A. It has 40 GPIO pins, a
single USB port, no ethernet and 256MB of SDRAM. It also has a smaller form factor than the
other models measuring 65mm in length.

Model B
Until July 2014, this was the top end device. It has two USB ports, and 512MB of SDRAM.
Note, early versions of the board had 256MB of SDRAM.
Additional ports included over the Model A specification are:

One ethernet port

Model A
This is the basic device, with a single USB port and 256MB of SDRAM. Onboard ports include:

Full size SD card

HDMI output port
Composite video output
One USB port
26 pin expansion header exposing GPIO, I2C etc
3.5mm audio jack

Camera interface port (CSI-2)

LCD display interface port (DSI)
One microUSB power connector for powering the device

Beause there is no ethernet or extra USB ports on this device, it has a lower power comsumption
than the Model B/B+.

Two USB ports

Compute Module
The compute module is intended for industrial applications, it is a cut down device which simply
includes the BCM2835, 512MB of SDRAM and a 4GB eMMC flash memory, in a small form
factor. This connects to a base board using a repurposed 200 pin DDR2 SODIMM connector.
Note the device is NOT SODIMM compatible, it just repurposes the connector. All the
BCM2835 features are exposed via the SODIMM connector, including twin camera and LCD
ports, whilst the Model A or B/B+ only have one of each.
The compute module is expected to be used by companies wishing to shortcut the development
process of new product, meaning only a baseboard needs to be developed, with appropriate
peripherals, with the Compute Module providing the CPU, memory and storage along with
tested and reliable software.