---
title: Preparation steps
description: How to prepare CachyOS for installation
---

import { Steps, Tabs, TabItem, Aside } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';
import ImageComponent from '~/components/image-component.astro';

## System Requirements

Before preparing the installation, make sure that the computer used meets the minimum system requirements in order to run CachyOS. The installer
uses an online installation process so a stable and relatively fast internet connection is mandatory.

:::note[Virtual Machines]
It is not recommended to install CachyOS on a virtual machine. VMs can have issues with incorrect configuration or can be broken entirely. It is recommended to install CachyOS on bare metal.
:::

<Tabs>

<TabItem label="Minimum requirements">

*   3 GB RAM
*   30 GB of Storage Space (HDD/SSD)
*   Stable internet connection

:::caution
Unstable internet may result in extended installation times or failed installations in the worst case.
:::

</TabItem>

<TabItem label="Recommended requirements">

*   8GB RAM
*   50 GB of Storage Space (SSD/NVMe)
*   [x86-64-v3 capable CPU](/installation/installation_prepare#x86_64-microarchitecture-level-support)
*   50 Mbps or better internet speed
*   NVIDIA GPU (900+ - e.g: GTX 950), AMD +GCN 1.0 (e.g: AMD R7 240) or Intel (Integrated HD Graphics series or higher. Arc Series)

</TabItem>

</Tabs>

## x86_64 Microarchitecture Level Support

<table className="bm-table" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
  <thead>
    <tr style="border: 2px solid #444;">
      <th style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px; text-align: left;">x86-64 ABI</th>
      <th style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px; text-align: left;">CPU Families / Examples</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr style="border: 2px solid #444;">
      <td style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px;"><strong>x86-64-v3</strong></td>
      <td style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px;">
        <ul>
          <li>AMD Family 15h (Excavator)</li>
          <li>AMD Family 17h (Zen)</li>
          <li>AMD Family 17h (Zen+)</li>
          <li>AMD Family 17h (Zen 2)</li>
          <li>AMD Family 19h (Zen 3)</li>
          <li>Intel 4th Gen Core (Haswell)</li>
          <li>Intel 5th Gen Core (Broadwell)</li>
          <li>Intel 6th Gen Core (Skylake)</li>
          <li>Intel 7th Gen Core (Kaby Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 8/9th Gen Core (Coffee Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 10th Gen Core (Comet Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 12th Gen (Alder Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 13th Gen (Raptor Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 14th Gen (Raptor Lake Refresh)</li>
          <li>Intel 15th Gen (Lunar / Arrow Lake)</li>
        </ul>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr style="border: 2px solid #444;">
      <td style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px;"><strong>x86-64-v4</strong></td>
      <td style="border: 2px solid #444; padding: 8px;">
        <ul>
          <li>AMD Family 19h (Zen 4 / Zen 4c)</li>
          <li>AMD Family 1Ah (Zen 5 / Zen 5c)</li>
          <li>Intel 6th Gen Core (Skylake X)</li>
          <li>Intel 8th Gen Core i3 (Cannon Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel Xeon / 10th Gen Core (Ice Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel Xeon (Cascade Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel Xeon (Cooper Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 3rd Gen 10nm++ (Tiger Lake)</li>
          <li>Intel 4th Gen 10nm++ (Sapphire Rapids)</li>
          <li>Intel 5th Gen 10nm++ (Emerald Rapids)</li>
          <li>Intel 11th Gen (Rocket Lake)</li>
        </ul>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

## Creating a Bootable CachyOS USB Drive

There are several tools and methods that can be used to create a bootable USB drive of CachyOS.

:::tip
Keep a copy of the CachyOS ISO in the same drive or in a different location, so that you can use it later for troubleshooting purposes via chroot.
:::

:::note
The USB drive must have at least 8GB of available space.
:::

### balenaEtcher

<Steps>

1. Download [balenaEtcher](<https://etcher.balena.io/>). balenaEtcher supports flashing an image of Linux, MacOS and Windows.
   If a `.zip` file was downloaded, extract it and execute the binary using the following commands:
      ```sh
      # Extract zip file:
      bsdtar xvf <zip file name>
      # cd to the new folder:
      cd balenaEtcher-linux-x64/
      # Execute balenaEtcher:
      ./balena-etcher
      ```
2. Plug in a USB drive to the computer.
3. Select `Flash from file` and select the CachyOS ISO image file.
4. Click `Select target` and choose the USB drive that was previously plugged in.
5. Press `Flash` to start the flashing process.

</Steps>

:::note
balenaEtcher may prompt for administrator privileges. If so, enter your password and click on `Authenticate`.
:::

<br />

<ImageComponent imgsrc={import('~/assets/images/etcher.png')} />


### Command Line Interface (Linux & MacOS)

<Steps>

1. Plug in a USB drive.
2. Detect the plugged USB drive using the following commands:
   ```sh
   # Linux
   # The USB drive could be identified e.g: /dev/sda, by disk model and size.
   sudo fdisk -l

   # MacOS
   # USB drives are identified as "/dev/diskY" where "Y" could be 0,1 etc.
   diskutil list
   ```
3. Copy the iso contents to the plugged-in USB drive by running:
   ```sh
   # Replace <usbdrive> with the label of the drive.
   sudo dd bs=4M if=full_iso_name.iso of=/dev/<usbdrive> status=progress oflag=sync
   ```
</Steps>

- `dd` will now copy the contents of the ISO file over to the plugged-in USB drive.

### Rufus (Windows Only)

<Steps>

1. Plug in a USB drive.
2. Download [Rufus](<https://rufus.ie/>) and install it, or run the portable version.
3. On `Device`, click on the dropdown list and select the plugged-in USB drive.
4. On `Boot selection`, click on `SELECT` and locate the CachyOS ISO image file.
5. Click `START`.

</Steps>

### Ventoy (Linux & Windows)

<Tabs>

<TabItem label="Linux">

<Steps>

1. Plug in a USB drive.
2. Download [Ventoy](<https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html>)
3. Untar Ventoy using the following command:
   ```sh
   # Replace version with the correct one e.g: ventoy-1.1.07-linux.tar.gz
   bsdtar xvf ventoy-version-linux.tar.gz
   # cd to the new folder: (version might change)
   cd ventoy-1.1.07/
   ```
4. Execute `VentoyGUI.x86_64` by either double clicking on it or via the terminal:
   ```sh
   # It will ask for administrative privileges, enter your credentials
   ./VentoyGUI.x86_64
   ```
5. Select the plugged-in USB drive by clicking on `Device`.
6. Click on `Install`.
7. After it finishes installing Ventoy into the plugged-in USB drive, close the window and place the CachyOS ISO file into the new usable partition of the drive.

</Steps>

</TabItem>

<TabItem label="Windows">

<Steps>
1. Plug in a USB drive.
2. Download [Ventoy](<https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html>)
3. Run `Ventoy2Disk.exe`
4. Select the plugged-in USB drive by clicking on `Device`.
5. Click on `Install`.
6. After it finishes installing Ventoy into the USB drive, close the window and place the CachyOS ISO file into the new usable partition of the drive.
</Steps>

</TabItem>

</Tabs>
