Download and Installation

Welcome to Austral OS! In this guide, you will find the necessary steps to download the system image, prepare your installation media, and configure your environment with the Horizon desktop.

1. System Requirements

Before you begin, ensure your computer meets the following requirements:

• Processor: 64-bit CPU (x86_64) with hardware virtualization support (optional, but recommended).
• RAM: 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended for a smooth experience).
• Storage: At least 20 GB of free disk space.
• Graphics: Graphics card with 3D acceleration support (to optimally enjoy Horizon’s visual effects).

2. Download Austral OS

Currently, Austral OS is under active development. You can download the latest testing ISO image directly from our official repository.

1. Visit the Releases page on our GitHub repository.
2. Download the .iso file for the latest stable or testing version available.

3. Create the Installation Media

To install Austral OS, you will need a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB.

1. Connect your USB drive to the computer. Warning: All data on it will be erased.
2. Use a tool like BalenaEtcher or Rufus to flash the downloaded .iso image to your USB drive.
3. If you use Linux or macOS, you can also use the dd utility from the terminal:

   sudo dd if=/path/to/austral-os.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

   (Be sure to replace /dev/sdX with the correct path to your USB drive).

4. Installation

1. Restart your computer with the USB drive connected.
2. Access your BIOS/UEFI boot menu (usually by pressing F12, F8, F2, or Del during startup).
3. Select to boot from your USB drive.
4. Once the Austral OS “Live” system starts and loads the Horizon desktop, click the Install Austral OS icon you will see on the Dock.
5. Follow the graphical installer steps (language selection, time zone, disk partitioning, and user creation).
6. Once the process is finished, the installer will ask you to reboot. Remove the USB drive and enjoy your new environment.

5. Installation on Virtual Machine (QEMU)

If you prefer to test Austral OS without modifying your physical hardware, you can easily run it in a QEMU virtual machine.

1. Create the virtual disk: First, create a virtual disk image to install the system on (we recommend at least 20 GB):

   qemu-img create -f qcow2 austral.qcow2 20G

2. Run the installation: Launch the virtual machine using the following command (make sure to replace austral-os-0.5.37-alpha.iso with the actual name of the ISO file you downloaded):

   qemu-system-x86_64 \
     -enable-kvm \
     -cpu host \
     -smp 4 \
     -m 4096 \
     -bios /usr/share/ovmf/OVMF.fd \
     -cdrom austral-os-0.5.37-alpha.iso \
     -drive file=austral.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
     -boot menu=on \
     -nic user,model=e1000,dns=8.8.8.8 \
     -device virtio-vga-gl \
     -display gtk,gl=on,zoom-to-fit=on \
     -audiodev pa,id=snd0 \
     -device ich9-intel-hda \
     -device hda-output,audiodev=snd0

3. Once the system boots, click on Install Austral OS and follow the normal installation steps.

6. Ready to explore!

Congratulations! You now have Austral OS running the Horizon environment natively. We invite you to explore its unified configuration center, experience the visual coherence, and start working in a distraction-free desktop.