Moving USB Boot Drive (RasPi OS) from Raspberry Pi 4 to Pi 5

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of transferring a USB boot drive containing Raspberry Pi OS from a Raspberry Pi 4 to a Raspberry Pi 5. Participants explore whether the boot drive will function seamlessly on the new hardware, the risks involved, and the implications of different operating system versions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the USB boot drive will likely work on the Pi 5, but recommend making a backup first.
  • There is a consensus that backing up the OS drive means creating an image clone, as personal data should remain usable.
  • One participant notes that while the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 share the same processor architecture, there is no guarantee that the OS and drivers will be directly compatible.
  • Another participant points out that the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 have different System on Chips (SOCs), although they still utilize ARM cores.
  • It is mentioned that support for Raspberry Pi 5 starts with OS versions based on Debian Bookworm, and attempting to boot from an older OS version may lead to compatibility issues.
  • A participant shares their experience of encountering a message indicating that the Raspberry Pi 5 is not supported by the installed OS version, which can be overridden but is not recommended.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that there is a possibility the USB boot drive will work on the Pi 5, but there is no consensus on the extent of compatibility, particularly regarding the OS and drivers. Multiple views on the risks and necessary precautions remain present.

Contextual Notes

There is uncertainty regarding the compatibility of specific OS versions with the Raspberry Pi 5, particularly concerning the need for updated software based on Debian Bookworm. The discussion also highlights the potential risks of using an older OS version on new hardware.

Swamp Thing
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If I just take the USB boot drive (Raspberry Pi OS) from a Pi 4 and plug it into a new Pi 5, will it work seamlessly just as before? Will it work at all? Or, is there a risk that it will become unusable on the original Pi 4 board?

... Given that it has been in use for a year and has lots of packages and upgrades installed on it?
 
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It will probably be fine. If it were me, I'd make a backup first, though.
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
It will probably be fine. If it were me, I'd make a backup first, though.
For an OS drive, "backup" means image clone.
The personal data of yours should be usable, but the OS and drivers are probably not directly usable.
 
Same processor, same architecture, same installer image - while it is not guaranteed to work, the odds don;t get much better. And yes, a backup means an image.
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
Same processor, same architecture, same installer image
I stand corrected. I didn't realize that 4 and 5 were so similar.
 
They have different SOCs, but they are still ARM cores.
 
Just learned that support for Raspberry 5 begins with the OS version based on Debian Bookworm.

If I try to boot from an old OS version, it says Raspberry Pi 5 is not supported on the installed OS, giving me an option to try anyway by setting an override flag. I decided not to try that, so I downloaded the latest OS for my Pi-5.
 
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Swamp Thing said:
Just learned that support for Raspberry 5 begins with the OS version based on Debian Bookworm.

If I try to boot from an old OS version, it says Raspberry Pi 5 is not supported on the installed OS, giving me an option to try anyway by setting an override flag. I decided not to try that, so I downloaded the latest OS for my Pi-5.
Thanks for the update. That is a wise move and definitely the safest.
 

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