Getting Started

Download guideXOS

Get the latest ISO image from the downloads page:

System Requirements

guideXOS is designed to run on x86/x64 hardware or virtual machines:

Minimum Requirements

• CPU: x86/x64 processor (Intel or AMD)
• RAM: 512MB minimum, 2GB recommended
• Storage: None required (runs from ISO)
• Graphics: VGA/VESA compatible
• Network: Intel 825xx or Realtek RTL8139/8111 (optional)

Supported Virtual Machines

• ✅ QEMU - Recommended for development
• ✅ VMware Workstation/Player - Best compatibility
• ✅ Oracle VirtualBox - Good performance
• ⚠ Hyper-V - Limited support

🖥️ Running in Virtual Machines

Virtual machines provide the easiest and safest way to test guideXOS without affecting your main system. Choose from QEMU, VMware, or VirtualBox based on your preference and platform.

Running in QEMU

QEMU is a fast, open-source emulator perfect for testing guideXOS:

1. Install QEMU

Download from qemu.org and install to the default path.

2. Launch guideXOS

qemu-system-x86_64.exe 
  -m 2048 
  -smp 2 
  -boot d 
  -cdrom guideXOS.iso 
  -netdev user,id=net0 
  -device rtl8139,netdev=net0 
  -serial stdio

QEMU Options Explained

• -m 2048 - 2GB RAM
• -smp 2 - 2 CPU cores
• -device rtl8139 - Realtek network card (for networking)
• -serial stdio - Serial console output

Running in VMware

VMware provides excellent compatibility and performance:

1. Create New VM

• Open VMware Workstation or Player
• Click "Create a New Virtual Machine"
• Select "I will install the operating system later"
• Choose "Other" → "Other 64-bit"

2. Configure VM Settings

• Memory: 2048 MB (2GB)
• Processors: 2 cores
• Network: NAT
• CD/DVD: Use ISO image "guideXOS.iso"

3. Boot the VM

Power on the virtual machine and guideXOS will boot from the ISO.

Running in VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a free, open-source alternative:

1. Create New VM

• Click "New" in VirtualBox Manager
• Name: guideXOS
• Type: Other
• Version: Other/Unknown (64-bit)

2. Configure Settings

• Memory: 2048 MB
• Processors: 2 CPUs
• Enable ACPI and I/O APIC
• Network: NAT, Adapter Type: Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop (82540EM)
• Storage: Attach guideXOS.iso to optical drive

3. Start VM

Click "Start" and guideXOS will boot.

💻 Running on Real Hardware

Experience guideXOS on actual physical hardware! Create a bootable USB drive and run it on any x86/x64 compatible computer. Perfect for testing performance, hardware compatibility, and the true bare-metal experience.

Creating a Bootable USB Flash Drive

Run guideXOS on real hardware by creating a bootable USB flash drive from Windows. This allows you to test the OS on physical x86/x64 computers.

Requirements

• USB Flash Drive: Minimum 512MB (1GB+ recommended)
• guideXOS ISO: Downloaded from the downloads page
• Windows PC: Any version (7, 8, 10, 11)
• Administrator Access: Required for disk operations

Method 1: Using Rufus (Recommended)

Rufus is a free, lightweight tool that makes creating bootable USB drives simple and reliable.

Step 1: Download Rufus

1. Go to rufus.ie
2. Download the latest version (portable or installer)
3. Run Rufus (no installation needed for portable version)

Step 2: Configure Rufus Settings

1. Insert your USB flash drive
2. In Rufus, select your USB drive from the Device dropdown
3. Click SELECT and choose your guideXOS.iso file
4. Configure the following settings:

Step 3: Create Bootable USB

1. Review your settings (double-check the correct USB drive is selected!)
2. Click START
3. If prompted about ISOHybrid/DD Image mode, select Write in ISO Image mode
4. Wait for the process to complete (usually 1-3 minutes)
5. Click CLOSE when finished

Method 2: Using dd for Windows

For advanced users who prefer command-line tools, dd for Windows provides direct disk writing capabilities.

Step 1: Download dd for Windows

1. Download from chrysocome.net/dd
2. Extract the dd.exe to a folder (e.g., C:\tools\)

Step 2: Identify USB Drive

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. List all disks:

dd --list

3. Find your USB drive (look for size/name) - Note the device path like \\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0

Step 3: Write ISO to USB

dd if=C:\path\to\guideXOS.iso of=\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0 bs=4M --progress

Replace C:\path\to\guideXOS.iso with your actual ISO path and Harddisk1 with your USB drive number.

Method 3: Using PowerISO

PowerISO is a commercial tool (with free trial) that offers a user-friendly interface for creating bootable media.

Steps

1. Download and install PowerISO
2. Launch PowerISO
3. Click Tools → Create Bootable USB Drive
4. Click Browse and select guideXOS.iso
5. Select your USB drive from the Destination USB Drive dropdown
6. Choose Write Method: USB-HDD
7. Click Start and confirm the warning
8. Wait for completion

Method 4: Using Windows Built-in Tools (Manual)

For those who prefer using only built-in Windows utilities, this method works but is more complex.

Step 1: Prepare USB Drive

1. Open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc)
2. Right-click your USB drive and select Delete Volume
3. Right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume
4. Format as FAT32
5. Mark partition as Active (right-click → Mark Partition as Active)

Step 2: Extract ISO Contents

1. Mount the ISO (double-click in Windows 8/10/11) or use 7-Zip to extract
2. Copy all files from the ISO to your USB drive
3. Ensure the bootloader files are in the root directory

Booting from USB on Real Hardware

After creating your bootable USB, follow these steps to boot guideXOS on a physical computer:

Step 1: Configure BIOS/UEFI

1. Insert the USB drive into the target computer
2. Power on and press the BIOS key (usually F2, F12, Del, or Esc)
3. Enable Legacy Boot/CSM mode (if using UEFI BIOS)
4. Disable Secure Boot (guideXOS is not signed)
5. Set Boot Order to prioritize USB drives
6. Save and exit

Step 2: Boot Menu

Alternatively, use the one-time boot menu:

1. Power on the computer
2. Press the boot menu key (usually F12, F8, or Esc)
3. Select your USB drive from the list
4. Press Enter

Troubleshooting USB Boot Issues

Hardware Compatibility Guide

guideXOS supports a wide range of x86/x64 hardware. Here's what works and what to expect:

✅ Fully Supported Hardware

Processors

• Intel - Core 2 Duo and newer (Core i3/i5/i7/i9, Xeon, Pentium, Celeron)
• AMD - Athlon 64 and newer (Ryzen, Threadripper, EPYC, Phenom, FX)
• Architecture - x86 (32-bit) and x86-64 (64-bit)
• Multi-core - SMP support for multiple cores/processors

Input Devices

Network Adapters

Storage Devices

• IDE/PATA - Full support for legacy IDE hard drives and CD/DVD drives
• SATA - AHCI mode support for modern SATA drives
• USB Flash Drives - Boot and storage support
• CD/DVD-ROM - Read support for ISO 9660 filesystems

Graphics

• VESA VBE - All VESA 2.0+ compatible graphics cards
• Resolutions - 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1920x1080, and more
• Color Depth - 32-bit true color (16.7 million colors)
• Framebuffer - Hardware-accelerated drawing via direct framebuffer access

Audio

⚠️ Known Limitations

• UEFI - Must use Legacy/CSM mode; pure UEFI boot not supported
• Secure Boot - Must be disabled (kernel is unsigned)
• NVMe SSDs - Not yet supported (use SATA or IDE mode if available)
• WiFi - No wireless network support (use Ethernet)
• Bluetooth - Not supported
• USB 3.0/3.1 - Limited support (USB 2.0 EHCI recommended)
• NVIDIA/AMD GPU Drivers - No accelerated 3D graphics (VESA mode only)

🏆 Recommended Hardware Configurations

🧪 Testing Your Hardware

Once booted, test hardware compatibility:

# Check detected hardware
sysinfo         # System information
cpuinfo         # CPU details
lspci           # PCI devices

# Test input devices
# Move mouse/touchpad - cursor should respond
# Type in console - keyboard should work

# Test network
netinit         # Initialize network
ipconfig        # Show IP address (if DHCP successful)
ping 8.8.8.8    # Test connectivity

# Test storage
ls /            # List root filesystem
df              # Show disk usage

# Test audio (if available)
beep            # Play system beep
# Open Media Player from Start Menu

First Boot Experience

When guideXOS boots, you'll see:

Boot Sequence

1. GRUB Bootloader - Press Enter or wait 5 seconds
2. Kernel Loading - Hardware detection and driver initialization
3. Desktop Launch - GUI desktop environment appears

Desktop Features

• Taskbar - Bottom of screen with Start menu and system tray
• Start Menu - Click the Start button to see applications
• Console - Opens automatically for command-line access
• Window Manager - Drag, resize, minimize, and maximize windows

Try These Commands in Console

help            # List all available commands
ls /            # List files in root directory
apps            # Show installed applications
netinit         # Initialize network (if NIC detected)
ipconfig        # Show network configuration

Next Steps