When you start talking about operating systems for single board computers Raspberry, one immediately thinks of one of the many GNU/Linux distributions dedicated to the ARM platform. more expert users could report other operating systems, such as those of the BSD family or much more niche projects such as RISC OS, but in reality the list does not stop here: it is in fact possible to run also Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Of course, running Windows on Raspberry is definitely nothing new. Although the official port of Windows has gone a bit on the sly, the arrival of Tiny11 has revived interest towards the union between Raspberry Pi 4 and Windows11. Tiny11 is meant to run on low-power machines and dated thanks to the reduced impact on CPU, RAM and storage and thanks to the recent build for ARM64 it can finally be used on Raspberry: in this guide we will therefore explain how to install Tiny11 on Raspberry Pi.
Necessary hardware and software
- Raspberry Pi 4 4GB or 8GB.
- At least 32GB MicroSD, or at least 32GB SSD in a USB3 adapter for better performance.
- MicroSD for firmware flash.
- a Windows 10 or 11 PC.
- Keyboard, mouse and video for your Raspberry Pi 4.
Before you begin, if you haven’t already done so, you will need to enable Boot via USB 3.0 on your Pi 4. The procedure is very simple, just load the firmware on the MicroSD with the Raspberry Imager tool and proceed to start the Pi 4 after inserting the MicroSD; this will start the Firmware update making it possible to boot from USB. For more detailed information, you can consult this guide.
Install Tiny11 for ARM64
Installing Tiny11 on ARM64 is not the same as on a regular PC. No boot from installation and setup support, the procedure requires a PC with Windows 10 or 11 on board and will allow you to install the OS on a USB 3.0 device, then start it on the Raspberry and complete the guided configuration (OOBE) almost like a normal OEM PC.
Here are the steps to follow:
Starting Tiny11 on Raspberry Pi 4 / 400
Tiny 11 Launched on Rasberry Pi – Credit: Tom’s Hardware
The longest and most complex part of the process has been done. At this point, just connect the newly created support to our Raspberry and start it: iThe first Windows boot will take longer than usual so be patientthe duration of the procedure depends on the performance of the chosen memory and will end with the classic wizard to finalize the Windows settings before arriving at the Desktop.
Tiny11 on Raspberry performs well overall and in a basic home and office use scenario, where compactness and economy are key factors, this option could be a viable alternative to the classic x86 computer, offering everything a Windows user normally expects from his PC.
Obviously If you intend to use Tiny11 on a regular basis on your Raspberry you will need an operating system license. You can activate Tiny11 using normal Windows 11 and Windows 10 Pro keys that you can buy here with our discount code!
