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398 lines
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398 lines
20 KiB
Markdown
---
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lang: en
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layout: doc
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permalink: /doc/installation-guide/
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redirect_from:
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- /en/doc/installation-guide/
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- /doc/InstallationGuide/
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- /wiki/InstallationGuide/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR1/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR2B1/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR2B2/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR2B3/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR2rc1/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR2rc2/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR3.0rc1/
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- /doc/InstallationGuideR3.0rc2/
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- /doc/live-usb/
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ref: 153
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title: Installation guide
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---
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# Installation guide
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Welcome to the Qubes OS installation guide!
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This guide will walk you through the process of installing Qubes.
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Please read it carefully and thoroughly, as it contains important information for ensuring that your Qubes OS installation is functional and secure.
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## Pre-installation
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### Hardware requirements
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<div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i>
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<b>Warning:</b> Qubes has no control over what happens on your computer before you install it.
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No software can provide security if it is installed on compromised hardware.
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Do not install Qubes on a computer you don't trust.
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See <a href="/doc/install-security/">installation security</a> for more information.
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</div>
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Qubes OS has very specific [system requirements](/doc/system-requirements/).
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To ensure compatibility, we strongly recommend using [Qubes-certified hardware](/doc/certified-hardware/).
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Other hardware may require you to perform significant troubleshooting.
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You may also find it helpful to consult the [Hardware Compatibility List](/hcl/).
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Even on supported hardware, you must ensure that [IOMMU-based virtualization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input%E2%80%93output_memory_management_unit#Virtualization) is activated in the BIOS.
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Without it, Qubes OS won't be able to enforce isolation.
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For Intel-based boards, this setting is called Intel Virtualization for Directed I/O (**Intel VT-d**) and for AMD-based boards, it is called AMD I/O Virtualization Technology (or simply **AMD-Vi**).
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This parameter should be activated in your computer's BIOS, alongside the standard Virtualization (**Intel VT-x**) and AMD Virtualization (**AMD-V**) extensions.
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This [external guide](https://web.archive.org/web/20200112220913/https://www.intel.in/content/www/in/en/support/articles/000007139/server-products.html) made for Intel-based boards can help you figure out how to enter your BIOS to locate and activate those settings.
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If those settings are not nested under the Advanced tab, you might find them under the Security tab.
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<div class="alert alert-warning" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-circle"></i>
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<b>Note:</b> Qubes OS is not meant to be installed inside a virtual machine as a guest hypervisor.
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In other words, <b>nested virtualization</b> is not supported.
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In order for a strict compartmentalization to be enforced, Qubes OS needs to be able to manage the hardware directly.
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</div>
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### Copying the ISO onto the installation medium
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Start by [downloading](/downloads/) a Qubes ISO.
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<div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i>
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<b>Warning:</b> Any file you download from the internet could be malicious, even if it appears to come from a trustworthy source.
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Our philosophy is to <a href="/faq/#what-does-it-mean-to-distrust-the-infrastructure">distrust the infrastructure</a>.
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Regardless of how you acquire your Qubes ISO, <a href="/security/verifying-signatures/">verify its authenticity</a> before continuing.
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</div>
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Once the ISO has been verified as authentic, you should copy it onto the installation medium of your choice, such as a dual-layer DVD, a Blu-ray disc, or a USB drive.
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The size of each Qubes ISO is available on the [downloads](/downloads/) page by hovering over the download button.
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<div class="alert alert-warning" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-circle"></i>
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<b>Note:</b> There are important <a href="/doc/install-security/">security considerations</a> to keep in mind when choosing an installation medium.
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</div>
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<div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i>
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<b>Warning:</b> Be careful to choose the correct device when copying the ISO, or you may lose data.
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We strongly recommended making a full backup before modifying any devices.
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</div>
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If you choose to use a USB drive, copy the ISO onto the USB device, e.g. using `dd`:
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```
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$ sudo dd if=Qubes-RX-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdY status=progress bs=1048576 && sync
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```
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Change `Qubes-RX-x86_64.iso` to the filename of the version you're installing, and change `/dev/sdY` to the correct target device e.g., `/dev/sdc`).
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Make sure to write to the entire device (e.g., `/dev/sdc`) rather than just a single partition (e.g., `/dev/sdc1`).
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On Windows, you can use the [Rufus](https://rufus.akeo.ie/) tool to write the ISO to a USB key.
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MediaTest is not recommended.
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Be sure to select "DD image" mode (*after* selecting the Qubes ISO):
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<div class="alert alert-warning" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-circle"></i>
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<b>Note:</b> If you do this on Windows 10, you can only install Qubes without MediaTest, which is not recommended.
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</div>
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If you are an advanced user, and you would like to customize your installation, please see [custom installation](/doc/custom-install/).
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Otherwise, follow the instructions below.
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## Installation
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This section will demonstrate a simple installation using mostly default settings.
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### Getting to the boot screen
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Just after you power on your machine, make the Qubes OS medium available to the computer by inserting your DVD or USB drive.
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Shortly after the Power-on self-test (POST) is completed, you should be greeted with the Qubes OS boot screen.
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<div class="alert alert-info" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-info-circle"></i>
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<b>Note:</b> When installing Qubes OS 4.0 on UEFI, there is intentionally no boot menu.
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It goes straight to the installer.
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The boot menu will be back in Qubes OS 4.1.
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</div>
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From here, you can navigate the boot screen using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
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Pressing the "Tab" key will reveal options.
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You can choose one of three options:
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* Install Qubes OS
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* Test this media and install Qubes OS
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* Troubleshooting
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Select the option to test this media and install Qubes OS.
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If the boot screen does not appear, there are several options to troubleshoot.
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First, try rebooting your computer.
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If it still loads your currently installed operating system or does not detect your installation medium, make sure the boot order is set up appropriately.
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The process to change the boot order varies depending on the currently installed system and the motherboard manufacturer.
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If **Windows 10** is installed on your machine, you may need to follow specific instructions to change the boot order.
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This may require an [advanced reboot](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026206/windows-10-find-safe-mode-and-other-startup-settings).
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After the POST, you may have a chance to choose a boot device.
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You may wish to select the USB drive or DVD drive as a temporary boot option so that the next time you boot, your internal storage device will be selected first.
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### The installer home screen
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On the first screen, you are asked to select the language that will be used during the installation process.
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When you are done, select **Continue**.
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Prior to the next screen, a compatibility test runs to check whether IOMMU-virtualization is active or not.
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If the test fails, a window will pop up.
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Do not panic.
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It may simply indicate that IOMMU-virtualization hasn't been activated in the BIOS.
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Return to the [hardware requirements](#hardware-requirements) section to learn how to activate it.
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If the setting is not configured correctly, it means that your hardware won't be able to leverage some Qubes security features, such as a strict isolation of the networking and USB hardware.
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If the test passes, you will reach the installation summary screen.
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The installer loads Xen right at the beginning.
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If you can see the installer's graphical screen, and you pass the compatibility check that runs immediately afterward, Qubes OS is likely to work on your system!
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Like Fedora, Qubes OS uses the Anaconda installer.
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Those that are familiar with RPM-based distributions should feel at home.
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### Installation summary
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<div class="alert alert-success" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-check-circle"></i>
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<b>Did you know?</b> The Qubes OS installer is completely offline.
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It doesn't even load any networking drivers, so there is no possibility of internet-based data leaks or attacks during the installation process.
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</div>
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The Installation summary screen allows you to change how the system will be installed and configured, including localization settings.
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At minimum, you are required to select the storage device on which Qubes OS will be installed.
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### Localization
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Let's assume you wish to add a German keyboard layout.
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Go to Keyboard Layout, press the "Plus" symbol, search for "German" as indicated in the screenshot and press "Add".
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If you want it be your default language, select the "German" entry in the list and press the arrow button.
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Click on "Done" in the upper left corner, and you're ready to go!
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The process to select a new language is similar to the process to select a new keyboard layout.
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Follow the same process in the "Language Support" entry.
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You can have as many keyboard layout and languages as you want.
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Post-install, you will be able to switch between them and install others.
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Don't forget to select your time and date by clicking on the Time & Date entry.
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### Software
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On the software selection tab, you can choose which software to install in Qubes OS.
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Two options are available:
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* **Debian:** Select this option if you would like to use [Debian](/doc/templates/debian/) qubes in addition to the default Fedora qubes.
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* **Whonix:** Select this option if you would like to use [Whonix](/doc/whonix/) qubes.
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Whonix allows you to use [Tor](https://www.torproject.org/) securely within Qubes.
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Whonix lets you route some or all of your network traffic through Tor for greater privacy.
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Depending on your threat model, you may need to install Whonix templates right away.
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Regardless of your choices on this screen, you will always be able to install these and other [TemplateVMs](/doc/templates/) later.
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If you're short on disk space, you may wish to deselect these options.
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By default, Qubes OS comes preinstalled with the lightweight Xfce4 desktop environment.
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Other desktop environments will be available to you after the installation is completed, though they may not be officially supported (see [advanced configuration](/doc/#advanced-configuration)).
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Press **Done** to go back to the installation summary screen.
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### Installation destination
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Under the System section, you must choose the installation destination.
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Select the storage device on which you would like to install Qubes OS.
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<div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i>
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<b>Warning:</b> Be careful to choose the correct installation target, or you may lose data.
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We strongly recommended making a full backup before proceeding.
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</div>
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Your installation destination can be an internal or external storage drive, such as an SSD, HDD, or USB drive.
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The installation destination must have a least 32 GiB of free space available.
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<div class="alert alert-warning" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-circle"></i>
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<b>Note:</b> The installation destination cannot be the same as the installation medium. For example, if you're installing Qubes OS <em>from</em> a USB drive <em>onto</em> a USB drive, they must be two distinct USB drives, and they must both be plugged into your computer at the same time. (Note: This may not apply to advanced users who partition their devices appropriately.)
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</div>
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Installing an operating system onto a USB drive can be a convenient way to try Qubes.
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However, USB drives are typically much slower than internal SSDs.
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We recommend a very fast USB 3.0 drive for decent performance.
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Please note that a minimum storage of 32 GiB is required.
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If you want to install Qubes OS onto a USB drive, just select the USB device as the target installation device.
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Bear in mind that the installation process is likely to take longer than it would on an internal storage device.
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<div class="alert alert-success" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-check-circle"></i>
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<b>Did you know?</b> Qubes OS uses full-disk AES encryption (FDE) via LUKS by default.
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</div>
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As soon as you press **Done**, the installer will ask you to enter a passphrase for disk encryption.
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The passphrase should be complex.
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Make sure that your keyboard layout reflects what keyboard you are actually using.
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When you're finished, press **Done**.
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<div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert">
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<i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i>
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<b>Warning:</b> If you forget your encryption passphrase, there is no way to recover it.
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</div>
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When you're ready, press **Begin Installation**.
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### Create your user account
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While the installation process is running, you can create your user account.
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This is what you'll use to log in after disk decryption and when unlocking the screen locker.
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This is a purely local, offline account in dom0.
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By design, Qubes OS is a single-user operating system, so this is just for you.
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Select **User Creation** to define a new user with administrator privileges and a password.
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Just as for the disk encryption, this password should be complex.
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The root account is deactivated and should remain as such.
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When the installation is complete, press **Reboot**.
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Don't forget to remove the installation medium, or else you may end up seeing the installer boot screen again.
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## Post-installation
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### First boot
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If the installation was successful, you should now see the GRUB menu during the boot process.
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Just after this screen, you will be asked to enter your encryption passphrase.
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### Initial Setup
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You're almost done.
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Before you can start using Qubes OS, some configuration is needed.
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By default, the installer will create a number of qubes (depending on the options you selected during the installation process).
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These are designed to give you a more ready-to-use environment from the get-go.
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Let's briefly go over the options:
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* **Create default system qubes:**
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These are the core components of the system, required for things like internet access.
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* **Create default application qubes:**
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These are how you compartmentalize your digital life.
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There's nothing special about the ones the installer creates.
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They're just suggestions that apply to most people.
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If you decide you don't want them, you can always delete them later, and you can always create your own.
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* **Create Whonix Gateway and Workstation qubes:**
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If you want to use Whonix, you should select this option.
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* **Enabling system and template updates over the Tor anonymity network using Whonix:**
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If you select this option, then whenever you install or update software in dom0 or a TemplateVM, the internet traffic will go through Tor.
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* **Create USB qube holding all USB controllers:**
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Just like the network qube for the network stack, the USB qube isolates the USB controllers.
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* **Use sys-net qube for both networking and USB devices:**
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You should select this option if you rely on a USB device for network access, such as a USB modem or a USB Wi-Fi adapter.
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* **Do not configure anything:**
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This is for very advanced users only.
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If you select this option, you'll have to set everything up manually afterward.
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When you're satisfied with you choices, press **Done**.
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This configuration process may take a while, depending on the speed and compatibility of your system.
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After the configuration is done, you will be greeted by the login screen.
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Enter your password and log in.
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Congratulations, you are now ready to use Qubes OS!
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## Next steps
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### Updating
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Next, [update](/doc/updating-qubes-os/) your installation to ensure you have the latest security updates.
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Frequently updating is one of the best ways to remain secure against new threats.
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### Security
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The Qubes OS Project occasionally issues [Qubes Security Bulletins (QSBs)](/security/bulletins/) as part of the [Qubes Security Pack (qubes-secpack)](/security/pack/).
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It is important to make sure that you receive all QSBs in a timely manner so that you can take action to keep your system secure.
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(While [updating](#updating) will handle most security needs, there may be cases in which additional action from you is required.)
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For this reason, we strongly recommend that every Qubes user subscribe to the [qubes-announce](/support/#qubes-announce) mailing list.
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In addition to QSBs, the Qubes OS Project also publishes [Canaries](/security/canaries/), XSA summaries, TemplateVM releases and end-of-life notices, and other items of interest to Qubes users.
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Since these are not essential for all Qubes users to read, they are not sent to [qubes-announce](/support/#qubes-announce) in order to keep the volume on that list low.
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However, we expect that most users, especially novice users, will find them helpful.
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If you are interested in these additional items, we encourage you to subscribe to the [Qubes News RSS feed](/feed.xml) or join one of our other [venues](/support/), where these news items are also announced.
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For more information about Qubes OS Project security, please see the [security center](/security/).
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### Backups
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It is extremely important to make regular backups so that you don't lose your data unexpectedly.
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The [Qubes backup system](/doc/backup-restore/) allows you to do this securely and easily.
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### Submit your HCL report
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Consider giving back to the Qubes community and helping other users by [generating and submitting a Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) report](/doc/hcl/#generating-and-submitting-new-reports).
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### Get Started
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[Get Started](/getting-started/) with Qubes, and read more about [Common Tasks](/doc/#common-tasks) and [Managing Operating Systems within Qubes](/doc/#managing-operating-systems-within-qubes).
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## Getting help
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* We work very hard to make the [documentation](/doc/) accurate, comprehensive useful and user friendly.
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We urge you to read it! It may very well contain the answers to your questions.
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(Since the documentation is a community effort, we'd also greatly appreciate your help in [improving](/doc/doc-guidelines/) it!)
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* If issues arise during installation, see the [Installation Troubleshooting](/doc/installation-troubleshooting) guide.
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* If you don't find your answer in the documentation, please see [Help, Support, Mailing Lists, and Forum](/support/) for places to ask.
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* Please do **not** email individual members of the Qubes team with questions about installation or other problems.
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Instead, please see [Help, Support, Mailing Lists, and Forum](/support/) for appropriate places to ask questions.
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