Build Your Own Supercomputer 4 - Downloading/Installing an MPI

TL;DR

To download and begin installing MPICH 3 for a Raspberry Pi supercomputer, connect through SSH, change the default password, update the system, install GFortran, create an MPICH 3 directory, and download the 3.0.4 tarball with wget. The tutorial also identifies the University of Southampton white paper as its setup guide and explains several Bash commands, so read on for the exact sequence and command purposes.

Transcript

all right guys what is going on welcome to the next part in the Raspberry Pi supercomputer series where we left off we were installing the operating system after your first installation you'll get that rest by config page if you haven't figured it out just hit finish there uh then once you're done there and you're at the line you shouldn't have to ... Read More

Key Insights

• 📼 The video tutorial is part of a series on setting up a Raspberry Pi supercomputer.
• 📽️ The presenter acknowledges the University of Southampton for their contribution to the project and emphasizes the importance of giving credit to sources of inspiration and knowledge.
• 🔒 Changing the default password is a fundamental security measure for any Raspberry Pi setup.
• ♓ The MPI CH 3 software is essential for enabling communication and parallel processing in a Raspberry Pi supercomputer.
• 📁 Steps like updating the system and creating directories are necessary for a smooth setup process.
• 🎮 The presenter mentions upcoming videos that will cover additional steps in the supercomputer setup.
• 👤 Users are encouraged to explore alternative software options and resources for their specific requirements.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you download and begin installing MPICH 3 on a Raspberry Pi supercomputer?

Connect to the Raspberry Pi through SSH, change its password with passwd, and update the system with sudo apt-get update. Then install GFortran using sudo apt-get install gfortran, create and enter an MPICH 3 directory, download the MPICH 3.0.4 tarball with wget, and begin unpacking it with tar xfz.

Q: How do you find the Raspberry Pi address needed for SSH?

Run ifconfig on the Raspberry Pi and look for its inet address. The presenter says to look for an address beginning with 192.168 and enters that address into the SSH client.

Q: Do Windows users need PuTTY to access the Raspberry Pi through SSH?

The tutorial directs Windows users to download and open PuTTY. Users accessing through OS X or Linux are told they do not need PuTTY.

Q: What are the default Raspberry Pi login credentials shown in the tutorial?

The default username is pi, and the default password is raspberry. The presenter uses these credentials to log in before changing the password.

Q: How do you change the default Raspberry Pi password?

Type passwd and press Enter. Enter the current password, raspberry, and then provide the new password when prompted.

Q: What commands prepare the Raspberry Pi before downloading MPICH 3?

Run sudo apt-get update to update the system, then run sudo apt-get install gfortran to install GFortran. The tutorial prompts the user to continue during the GFortran installation.

Q: Why does the tutorial use MPICH 3 instead of MPICH 2?

The University of Southampton guide referenced by the presenter uses MPICH 2. The presenter chooses MPICH 3 because version 3 is available and downloads the MPICH 3.0.4 tarball.

Q: Which Bash commands does the tutorial explain while setting up the MPICH directory?

The tutorial explains that ls displays the contents of the current directory and pwd shows the current directory’s path. It also uses mkdir to create the MPICH 3 directory and cd to enter it.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video provides step-by-step instructions for changing the default password, updating the system, and downloading the MPI CH 3 software for a Raspberry Pi supercomputer setup.

• The presenter mentions that the information and inspiration for this project came from the University of Southampton and their white paper on building a Raspberry Pi supercomputer.

• The video concludes with a note about upcoming videos that will cover additional steps in the setup process.