If you want to run Windows 10 on your Raspberry Pi, then previously, you’ve needed to stick with the IoT Core spin of Microsoft’s OS – designed for low-powered devices like Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets – but now it’s apparently possible to stuff Windows 10 on ARM onto the Pi.
This is achieved via an installer tool which has been made available by the same folks who put Windows 10 ARM on old Lumia 950 XL smartphones.
José Manuel Nieto, the developer behind the WoA Installer for Raspberry Pi 3, notes that it’s “super easy to use”, although it needs a set of Core Package binaries to function. Nieto observes: “These binaries are not mine and are bundled and offered just for convenience to make your life easier, since this tool is focused on simplicity.”
- An in-depth look at Windows 10 on ARM and Windows 10 IoT
- A few Windows 10 on ARM laptops can run Linux
- Here’s how to turn a Raspberry Pi into a Steam Link
At any rate, the download page and installation instructions can be found on Github here. You’ll need to be running a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B or B+, and have a microSD card to hand, as well as a Windows 10 ARM64 image (which is linked along with the download instructions).
Brothers in ARMs
Why is this good news? Mainly because Windows 10 on ARM offers punters a full version of the desktop OS, as opposed to Windows 10 IoT Core, which as mentioned is very much a cut-down affair.
The caveat, however, is that the Raspberry Pi is equally a cut-down device, certainly when compared to a full-on desktop PC, or indeed an ‘always connected’ ARM-based laptop powered by one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips.
And we have to bear in mind that even those notebooks – at least the initial crop, such as HP’s Envy x2 – can feel underpowered when trying to tackle more demanding applications. And given that, the Raspberry Pi is clearly going to struggle when running Win32 apps via emulation.
Still, this is very interesting to see and another string to the compact computer board’s bow, and no doubt there will be viable use cases – plus it should be okay for basic computing tasks, you would hope (though we should make it clear that we haven’t tried this tool out).
Nieto’s previous project certainly proved that the Lumia 950 XL is capable of running Windows 10 on ARM, at least when it comes to general navigation around the OS and the likes of simple web browsing.
- Or you can turn your Raspberry Pi into a retro games console
Via Windows Latest
