New Person: RPi4b+/8GB Install Pointers Needed

I am brand new to VitalPBX, and looking for something to get me thru mid-2024. I am losing my 3CX in house environment at the end of 2023, and retiring my hobby/business. Points to what I would think are already established ‘for dummies’ would be most appreciated. I am a Linux novice and less than a year from walking away from all of this. I have this SIP contract I want to get thru without having to write off the months that are left on it.

This is where I currently am… I have only a Rasberry Pi 4B+/8GB I can use without downing a running Intel Core i5 computer I’d rather leave in place on Windows and doing needed things.

. Following this gets me in the same dilemma… Raspbian is protective of letting one log into the console as root. The user forums are filled with users asking how to do this and getting hit up with reasons not to, instead of how to.
. When I follow the VitalPBX instructions, the system reboots back into the default user, so VitalPBX never fires up.

https://www.debian.org/CD/torrent-cd/
. Going this route, I get to a root command prompt OK. Loading a GNome desktop gets me a desktop with nothing on it but the upper right buttons to change wi-fi and log off, restart or shut down.

I appreciate a kind pointer to where I should be reading. For some reason, I am just not finding myself on the correct resource link(s) to get me going on this.

I suggest going with an older mini PC as a Proxmox Server. This way you are very flexible and you don’t have to use the arm version of vitalpbx.

If you really want the raspberry to run with vitalpbx then check the vitalpbx blog.

If you want to run the commands from the article you posted then connect to the pi via SSH. Use putty on windows for example.

Has anyone used a ZimaBoard? Intel N100 based. It would make a better project device than this RPI4B+ has turned out to be. Any ideas? That will still be over $150 after I get an M.2 SSD into it.

mo10, thank you for the reply. I am guessing that the answer to using the RPi4B+ is to not use it and go for an Intel-based computer.
. I really did not want to expend any more money for something that is to get me thru the first half of 2024 and then becomes unneeded. I am losing about $300 on the SIP contract if I terminate it before its term. Buying a NUC… not sure about that.

I got a really nice email response from the VitalPBX Channel Manager to just follow the instructions page.
. My take is that I am doing something incorrectly, or getting VitalPBX working on ARM is not for a novice. The instructions are for Raspbian 11, and I am downloading v12. Not sure if that makes a difference.

I appreciate the response. Just looking for the cheapest way to get thru the first half of 2024 spending the least money. I may have to pick up an SSD and take down the one Intel Windows PC I didn’t want to.

My take is that I am doing something incorrectly, or getting VitalPBX working on ARM is not for a novice. The instructions are for Raspbian 11, and I am downloading v12.

Using a different OS version would bring different package versions in your repositories which will certainly cause issues. Could you get any project to work on a newer version, with enough knowledge and experience you might, but you are just complicating yourself and are going to be outside of available support if you do so. The instructions are set to your Debian Bullseye which is v11, so use that by choosing to install Raspberry PI OS (Legacy) which will get you Debian 11. Its always best, especially if you are a novice to stay withing the instructions of the devs.

If you keep on having issues when using the supported OS, it will be way easier to get help.

hlev… That was my issue. I am now on the web console logged in and registered!

Time to start learning VitalPBX (:>)

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