Note: These instructions are aimed at special circumstances sometimes encountered by partners of the Endless OS Foundation. Most users should instead follow the simpler Installation documentation. to create an Endless USB Stick.
¶ Introduction
These instructions will enable you to create a USB reformatter drive which can be used to install Endless OS on one or more computers. Compared to a normal Endless OS USB stick, a USB reformatter drive:
- 🤝 Is intended for use by Endless OS Foundation partners
- ✅ Requires fewer clicks
- ✅ Enables installing custom images
- 🚫 Does not enable dual-boot with Windows
- 🚫 Does not enable trying Endless OS without installing
You can choose to either use either Windows or Endless OS to create your reformatter drive, depending on which is more convenient for you.
Once you have created a reformatter drive, you can re-use it as many times as you want to install the same version of Endless OS on multiple computers.
¶ Using Windows
Using a Windows device to create the reformatter is a graphical process that does not require using the command line.
¶ Requirements
¶ Hardware
- A USB flash drive or external hard drive with enough capacity to store your image, plus approximately 4 GB for the live installer system.
For the best speeds, use a USB 3 device connected to a USB 3 port, which can be recognized by having blue connectors or a SS (SuperSpeed) label.
- A computer running Windows 7 or later with administrator permissions and enough free space to fit the image to be used.
Double-check that you have enough free space to fit the image to be used; some can require 200 GB or more!
¶ Files
-
The Endless Installer for Windows. Direct download: Endless Installer (.exe)
-
The Endless OS image and its signature file. If you don't have your custom image available, please contact our support channels to get a download link.
Two files are required, a larger file with extension:
.img.gzand a smaller file with extension.img.gz.asc.
- The Endless Mass Installer and its signature file. If you don't have these files, please see Endless OS direct download or contact our support channels to get a download link.
Two files are required, a larger file whose name begins with
eosinstaller-and ends with.img.xz, and a smaller file with a similar name ending.img.xz.asc.
¶ Procedure
- Create a new folder on your Windows computer's internal storage (e.g. on the Desktop), and put all the downloaded files in it: the Endless Installer for Windows, your Endless OS image and signature file, and the Endless Mass Installer and signature file.
The Endless Installer for Windows needs these files to all be in the same folder, and it can reduce errors to ensure there are no other files present.
-
Connect your blank USB drive to an available USB port. If Windows prompts you to repair the drive, allow it to repair it.
-
Double click the
endless-installer.exefile to run the Endless Installer for Windows. Since it needs to be able to see and overwrite your USB drive, it may prompt you for admin rights to run the app; if so, allow it to run. Once running, you should see the following welcome screen:
- For the option to use your own custom image, you must Ctrl-click the advanced options link:
- Locate the label that says “For advanced install options using an Endless USB Stick, click here.”,
- Hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard, and
- Click the click here link.
You must hold the Ctrl key while clicking! Otherwise the Reformatter option will not display.
- On the Advanced Install Options screen, choose “Create Reformatter USB”.
- On the Select Your Endless OS Version screen, select your custom image under Use existing image file, then click “Next”.
If your custom image is not shown, ensure the files are all in the same directory as
endless-installer.exe, including the signature files.
- On the Select USB Drive screen, select your previously-inserted USB drive in the drop down menu. You must check the box that states “I understand that this will erase all my files on the USB device”, then click “Next”.
- The installer will now create the reformatter USB! It will verify your files, then write the changes to the USB drive. This process can take quite a while (e.g. multiple hours) depending on your computer and the size of the image. When finished, it will confiem that your Reformatter USB has been created.
If you get an error instead, a new log file will be created in the same folder as
endless-installer.exe. Please send this file to Endless for support.
¶ Using Endless OS
¶ Requirements
You will need:
-
A blank USB Stick with enough capacity to store your image. For faster speeds, use a USB3 device connected to a USB 3 port, which can be recognized by having blue connectors or a SS (SuperSpeed) label.
-
A computer running Endless OS
-
The Endless OS image and its signature file. If you don't have your custom image available, please contact our support channels to get a download link.
Two files are required, a larger file with extension:
.img.gzand a smaller file with extension.img.gz.asc.
- The Endless Mass Installer and its signature file. If you don't have these files, please see Endless OS direct download or contact our support channels to get a download link.
Two files are required, a larger file whose name begins with
eosinstaller-and ends with.img.xz, and a smaller file with a similar name ending.img.xz.asc.
¶ Procedure
- Place the above mentioned files in a single folder.
- Open the Disks app by typing the word "disks" in the search bar.
- Once Disks is open, you will see the list of all the storage devices connected to your PC.
- Insert your USB device, you will see it being added to the list of storage devices.
- Locate the Device path (highlighted in a red circle in the picture below, eg: /dev/sdc). You will need this information for the next steps.
If you are not using a brand new USB, make sure your device does not have extra partitions. If your USB has any extra partitions, you may use the same Disks app to delete all of them
-
Close the Disks app and open a Terminal window by typing "terminal" in the search bar.
-
Navigate to the folder where you store the required files.
-
Run the following command to start the process. Take a look at the guide below on what to write between the brackets. You need to insert 3 pieces of information:
gnome-session-inhibit --inhibit suspend sudo eos-write-installer -i [eosinstaller] -o [Endless OS image] [device]
-
[eosinstaller]: This is the file name of the installer. It starts with "eosinstaller..." ending with extension .img.xz
-
[Endless OS image]: This is the file name of the Endless image you want to use, it ends with extension .img.gz
-
[device]: This is the device that belongs to your USB, e.g.
/dev/sda,/dev/sdb. Refer to Step 5 for how to determine the device name on your system.Example:
gnome-session-inhibit --inhibit suspend sudo eos-write-installer -i eosinstaller-eos3.9-amd64-amd64.210522-223424.base.img.xz -o impact-eos3.9-amd64-amd64.210602-035451.oaxaca.img.gz /dev/sdb
Make sure you write the file names correctly to avoid errors. File names above are examples, the files you will use will be different than the examples. There are several ways to do facilitate writing the file names, it can be by drag and dropping the files into the terminal, or autocompleting the file name using the TAB key. You may want to test a procedure first.
- The system will automatically start creating the USB Reformatter. This process could take up to an hour. You will be able to see the progress made by the installer until it is done.
- When you are done, you will see the progress bar at 100% and a message that the device has been unmounted. Now you can unplug your USB device and use it to install Endless OS in a computer.