Install Clear Linux* OS from the live desktop

This page explains how to boot the Clear Linux* OS live desktop image, from which you can install Clear Linux OS or explore without modifying the host system. Alternatively, use a YAML configuration file to install Clear Linux OS.

System requirements

Before installing Clear Linux OS, verify that the host system supports the installation:

• Requires 20 GB or more disk space

• Recommended minimum system requirements

• Check Processor Compatibility

Preliminary steps

1. Visit our Downloads page.

2. Download the file clear-<release number>-live-desktop.iso, also called the Clear Linux OS Desktop.

   Note

   <release-number> is the latest Clear Linux OS auto-numbered release.

3. Follow your OS instructions to create a bootable usb drive.

Install from live image

After you download and burn the live desktop image on a USB drive, follow these steps.

1. Insert the USB drive into an available USB slot.

2. Power on the system.

3. Open the system BIOS setup menu by pressing the F2 key. Your BIOS setup menu entry point may vary.

4. In the setup menu, enable the UEFI boot and set the USB drive as the first option in the device boot order.

5. Save these settings, e.g. F10, and exit.

6. Reboot the target system.

Choose boot menu option

1. Choose one of the options shown in Figure 1.

   1. Follow Verify integrity of installer media (optional).

   2. Select Clear Linux OS in the boot menu.

      

      Figure 1: Clear Linux OS in boot menu

      Note

      If no action is taken, the live image starts by default.

Verify integrity of installer media (optional)

Use Verify ISO Integrity to verify the checksum of the image burned to the installer media. The checksum ensures that the ISO is uncorrupted (see Figure 1). For every ISO generated, the clr-installer implants checksums, which are verified during early boot stage as part of initrd.

1. Select Verify ISO Integrity. The media will be validated.

2. If the check passes, it will boot into the live image. Continue in the next section.

3. If the check fails, a failure message appears.

   • Restart the process at Preliminary Steps.

Launch the Clear Linux OS installer

1. After the live desktop image boots, scroll over the vertical Activities menu at left.

2. Click the Clear Linux OS penguin icon to launch the installer, shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2: Clear Linux OS installer icon

3. After the installer is launched, it will appear as shown in Figure 3.

   

   Figure 3: Clear Linux OS OS Desktop Installer

4. In Select Language, select a language from the options, or type your preferred language in the search bar.

5. Select Next.

Network Proxy (optional)

1. Configure Network Proxy settings.

2. In the top right menu bar, select the Power button.

3. Select Wired Connected and then Wired Settings.

   1. In Network Proxy, select the Gear icon to view options.

   2. Select an option from Automatic, Manual or Disabled.

   3. Close Network Proxy.

4. Close Settings.

Minimum installation requirements

To fulfill minimum installation requirements, complete the Required options. We also recommend completing Advanced options.

Note

• The Install button is only highlighted after you complete Required options.

• Check marks indicate a selection has been made.

• The installer image contains the default bundles required for installation. An Internet connection is only required if you install additional bundles from Advanced options.

Clear Linux OS Desktop Installer

The Clear Linux OS Desktop Installer Main Menu appears as shown in Figure 4. To meet the minimum requirements, enter values in all submenus for the Required options. After you complete them, your selections appear below submenus and a check mark appears at right.

Figure 4: Clear Linux OS Desktop Installer - Main Menu

Navigation

• Use the mouse to navigate or select options.

• Use Tab key to navigate between Required options and Advanced options

• Use Up or Down arrow keys to navigate the submenus.

• Select Confirm, or Cancel in submenus.

Required options

Select Time Zone

1. From the Main Menu, select Select Time Zone. UTC is selected by default.

2. In Select Time Zone, navigate to the desired time zone. Or start typing the region and then the city. (.e.g., America/Los_Angeles).

3. Select Confirm.

   

   Figure 5: Select System Time Zone

Select Keyboard

1. From the Main Menu, select Select Keyboard.

2. Navigate to your desired keyboard layout. We select “us” for the United States.

3. Select Confirm.

   

   Figure 6: Select Keyboard menu

Select Installation Media

1. From the Main Menu, select Select Installation Media.

2. Choose an installation method: Safe Installation or Destructive Installation.

   

   Figure 7: Select Installation Media

Safe Installation

Use this method to safely install Clear Linux OS on media with available space, or alongside existing partitions, and accept the Default partition schema. If enough free space exists, safe installation is allowed.

Note

Clear Linux OS allows installation alongside another OS. Typically, when you boot your system, you can press an F key to view and select a bootable device or partition during the BIOS POST stage. Some BIOSes present the Clear Linux OS partition, and you can select and boot it. However, other BIOSes may only show the primary partition, in which case you will not be able boot Clear Linux OS. Be aware of this possible limitation.

Destructive Installation

Use this method to destroy the contents of the target device, install Clear Linux OS on it, and accept the Default partition schema.

Disk encryption

For greater security, disk encryption is supported using LUKS. Encryption is optional.

1. To encrypt the root partition, select Enable Encryption, as shown in Figure 8.

   

   Figure 8: Enable Encryption

2. When Encryption Passphrase appears, enter a passphrase.

   

   Figure 9: Encryption Passphrase

   Note

   Minimum length is 8 characters. Maximum length is 94 characters.

3. Enter the same passphrase in the second field.

4. Select Confirm in the dialogue box.

   Note

   Confirm is only highlighted if passphrases match.

5. Select Confirm in submenu.

Advanced Installation

Use this method to manually partition the target media using gparted. Our example uses the Default partition schema. The space you allocate for root, or additional partitions, may vary.

1. Select Advanced Installation.

2. Select Partition Media, shown in Figure 11.

   

   Figure 10: Advanced Installation

boot partition

1. Select the available target media shown as unallocated.

   

   Figure 11: Advanced Disk Partitioning

2. Choose Device ‣ Create Partition Table.

3. In the Warning screen, under Select new partition table type , select gpt from the pull-down menu.

4. Select Apply.

5. Select Partition ‣ New.

   Note

   The /boot partition must be VFAT(FAT32).

6. In Create new Partition, complete the following fields to match Figure 12. Don’t change other default values.

   • New size: 150

   • Partition name: CLR_BOOT

   • File system: fat32

   • Label: boot

   

   Figure 12: boot partition

7. Select Add.

swap partition (optional)

A swapfile is generated by default during installation. However, if you prefer to create a swap partition, follow the steps below.

1. With unallocated highlighted, select from the menu Partition ‣ New.

2. In Create new Partition, complete the following fields to match Figure 13. Don’t change other default values.

   • New size: 256

   • Partition name: CLR_SWAP

   • File system: linux-swap

   • Label: swap

   

   Figure 13: swap partition

3. Select Add.

root partition

1. With unallocated highlighted, select from the menu Partition ‣ New.

2. In Create new Partition, complete the following fields to match Figure 14. Don’t change other default values.

3. In New size, enter the desired size, or leave as is to accept the default: remaining size.

   • New size: <varies>

   • Partition name: CLR_ROOT

   • File system: ext[234], XFS, or f2fs

   • Label: root

   

   Figure 14: root partition

4. After all partitions are defined, verify your partition configuration is similar to Figure 15.

   

   Figure 15: Final partition configuration

5. Select Edit ‣ Apply All Operations.

6. A dialog box appears asking “Are you sure you want to apply the pending operations?”

7. Select Apply.

8. When dialog Applying pending operations is complete, select Close.

9. Select GParted ‣ Quit.

You are returned to installer.

Manage User

1. In Required Options, select Manage User.

2. In User Name, enter a user name.

   

   Figure 16: Manage User

3. In Login, create a login name. It must start with a letter and can use numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Maximum length is 31 characters.

4. In Password, enter a password. Minimum length is 8 characters. Maximum length is 255 characters.

5. In Confirm, enter the same password.

   Note

   Administrator rights are selected by default. For security purposes, the default user must be assigned as an Administrator.

6. Select Confirm.

   Note

   Select Cancel to return to the Main Menu.

Modify User

1. In Manager User, select Manage User.

2. Modify user details as desired.

3. Select Confirm to save the changes you made.

   Note

   Optional: Select Cancel to return to the Main Menu to revert changes.

Optional: Skip to Finish installation.

Telemetry

Choose whether to participate in telemetry. Telemetrics is a Clear Linux OS feature that reports failures and crashes to the Clear Linux OS development team for improvements.

1. From Required Options, select Telemetry.

2. Select Yes.

   

   Figure 17: Enable Telemetry

3. If you don’t wish to participate, select No.

Advanced options

After you complete the Required options, we recommend completing Advanced options–though they’re not required. Doing so customizes your development environment, so you’re ready to go immediately after reboot.

Note

You can always add more bundles later with swupd.

Select Additional Bundles

This option is only available with a valid network connection. Bundle selection is disabled if no network connection exists.

1. On the Advanced menu, select Select Additional Bundles.

2. Select your desired bundles.

   

   Figure 18: Bundle Selection

3. Select Confirm.

4. View the bundles that you selected.

   

   Figure 19: Select Additional Bundles

Optional: Skip to Finish installation.

Assign Hostname

1. In Advanced Options, select Assign Hostname.

2. In Hostname, enter the hostname only (excluding the domain).

   

   Figure 20: Assign Hostname

   Note

   Hostname does not allow empty spaces. Hostname must start with an alphanumeric character but may also contain hyphens. Maximum length of 63 characters.

3. Select Confirm.

Optional: Skip to Finish installation.

Kernel Configuration

1. In Kernel Configuration, navigate to select your desired kernel. Native is selected by default.

   

   Figure 21: Kernel Configuration

2. To add arguments, enter the argument in Add Extra Arguments.

3. To remove an argument, enter the argument in Remove Arguments.

4. Select Confirm.

Software Updater Configuration

1. In Advanced Options, select Software Updater Configuration.

2. In Mirror URL, follow the instructions if you wish to specify a different installation source.

3. Enable Auto Updates is selected by default. If you do not wish to enable automatic software updates, uncheck the box.

   

   Figure 22: Software Updater Configuration

4. Select Confirm.

Finish installation

1. When you are satisfied with your installation configuration, select Install.

   

   Figure 23: Finish installation

2. If you do not enter a selection for all Required Options, the Install button remains disabled, as shown in Figure 24. Return to Required Options and make selections.

   

   Figure 24: Required Options - Incomplete

3. After installation is complete, select Exit.

4. Shut down the target system.

5. Remove the USB or any installation media.

6. Power on your system.

   Note

   Allow time for the graphical login to appear. A login prompt shows the administrative user that you created.

7. Log in as the administrative user.

Congratulations. You successfully installed Clear Linux OS.

Default partition schema

Create partitions per requirements in Table 1.

Table 1. Default partition schema

FileSystem	Label	Mount Point	Default size
VFAT (FAT32)	boot	/boot	150MB
ext[234], XFS, or f2fs	root	/	Size depends upon use case/desired bundles.

Note

A 64MiB swapfile is generated by default. The default size may be set manually with the --swap-file-size command-line option.

Troubleshooting

Erase LVM Partitions Before Installing Clear Linux OS

Related topics

• Install using clr-installer and a configuration file