Install Prismara OS

This article shows you how to install Prismara OS on a PC from a USB drive. The steps are the same for every edition; you choose the edition during setup.

• Check that your PC meets the system requirements.
• You need a USB drive of at least 8 GB. Everything on it will be erased.
• Back up your files. Installing Prismara OS can erase the disk you install it on.
• Connect a laptop to mains power for the whole installation.
• If your PC is managed by your organisation, ask your IT team before you start. They may provide the Enterprise edition with its own setup steps.

1. Go to the Prismara OS download page at https://prismara.eu/os.

2. Choose your edition and select Download. The download is an .iso file.

3. Check the download is complete and genuine by comparing its checksum with the one shown on the download page.

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux

1. Insert the USB drive.

2. Open a USB image writing tool. Any tool that can write an .iso file to a USB drive in disk image mode works.

3. Select the Prismara OS .iso file and your USB drive. Check carefully that you’ve selected the right drive.

4. If the tool asks for a partition scheme, choose GPT for UEFI.

5. Start writing and wait for it to finish, then eject the drive.

   Screenshot folgtA generic USB image writing tool on Windows with the Prismara OS ISO selected and a USB drive chosen as the target

1. Insert the USB drive into the PC you want to install Prismara OS on.

2. Restart the PC and open its boot menu. The key depends on the manufacturer; it’s often F12, F11, F10 or Esc, pressed as soon as the PC starts.

3. Select the USB drive. If it’s listed twice, choose the entry that starts with UEFI.

4. When the Prismara OS start screen appears, select Install Prismara OS.

   Screenshot folgtPrismara OS start screen from the USB drive with Install Prismara OS and Try Prismara OS options

1. Choose your language, keyboard layout and time zone.

2. Choose where to install:

   • Erase disk and install replaces everything on the disk with Prismara OS.
   • Install alongside Windows keeps Windows, so you can choose which to start each time. Make sure you have enough free space first.

3. Leave Encrypt the disk turned on, and set a strong encryption passphrase. You’ll need it each time the PC starts.

4. Create your user account. With the Personal edition, this is a local account and you don’t need to sign up to anything. With the Business edition, you can sign in to Prismara after installation.

5. Select Install, and wait for the installation to finish.

   Screenshot folgtPrismara OS installer disk options showing Erase disk and install, Install alongside Windows, and Encrypt the disk turned on

6. When prompted, remove the USB drive and select Restart.

If the PC shows a Secure Boot message when it restarts, see Troubleshoot Prismara OS.

1. Sign in to Prismara OS.

2. Open Settings > About and check the edition and version.

3. Check that Secure Boot shows On.

• Prismara OS system requirements
• Troubleshoot Prismara OS
• Prismara OS overview