Install

CabinetOS replaces everything on the drive you install it to. It is a whole operating system, not an app.

What you need

• A PC for under the TV. x86-64, with an AMD Radeon graphics chip. The only machine CabinetOS has been tested on is the GEEKOM A9 Max (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Radeon 890M). Other AMD machines may work; reports are welcome, with the machine named.
• A USB stick of 8 GB or more, for the installer.
• A USB keyboard for the installer and for first run. After that a controller does everything.
• A controller. Most Bluetooth and USB pads work. See Controllers and Bluetooth.
• A RomM server, version 5.1 or newer, on your network, with your games, BIOS and firmware in it. See Your RomM server.
• A network. Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

A graphics chip without Vulkan still runs the console, but PlayStation 2 and GameCube need Vulkan, and every system starts on the lowest picture level.

Get the installer

Download cabinetos.iso (about 6.7 GB). No account needed; it is always the newest release. What changed in it: the release notes.

Optional: check it is whole against its SHA-256 (shasum -a 256 cabinetos.iso; on Windows certutil -hashfile cabinetos.iso SHA256).

The installer only has to be new enough to install. Once installed, the console updates itself (see Updates).

Write it to a USB stick

Any image writer works: Fedora Media Writer, balenaEtcher, Rufus (in DD mode), or dd on Linux:

sudo dd if=cabinetos.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync

/dev/sdX is the whole stick, not a partition. Everything on it is erased.

Firmware settings

Before installing, open the PC’s firmware setup (on the A9 Max: Delete during the logo) and change two things:

• Restore on AC power loss: Power On. The console comes back by itself after a power cut.
• Secure Boot: Off.

Install

1. Plug in the stick and the keyboard. Start the PC and open its boot menu (on the A9 Max: F7 during the logo). Pick the USB stick, then Install CabinetOS.
2. The installer lists the internal drives (USB drives are never offered). With more than one, type the number of the one to use.
3. It asks once: This will erase this machine’s 2.0 TB drive (model). Continue? (y/n). y goes on. n switches the PC off with nothing written.
4. Time & Date: pick your time zone (it is what the console’s dark hours follow), Done, then Begin Installation. Nothing else is asked, and no network is needed.
5. The PC restarts by itself into CabinetOS. Take the stick out.

The whole drive is erased and used. There is no dual boot and no partition choice.

Next: First run.

Something wrong or missing here? See this page on GitHub or open an issue.