Get YoLab running.

A USB key, a spare PC and an afternoon. You'll never see a terminal, and none of this needs experience.

Download YoLabWalk me through it

Before you start.

  • A USB key, 8 GB or moreIt gets erased, so use one you don't mind wiping.
  • A spare PC to install onAny 64-bit machine. An old laptop or a mini PC is ideal.
  • Your normal internetFor the download and the first setup.
  • About an afternoonMost of it is waiting, not working.

Five steps, start to finish.

Follow them in order. Each one is a single action, and the only step that can't be undone is marked.

  1. 1

    Get a USB key

    Any USB stick of 8 GB or more. It will be completely erased, so use one you don't need for anything else.

  2. 2

    Download the installer

    One file, about 1 GB. Almost every PC needs the one ending in x86_64-linux.iso. An ARM machine that starts with UEFI, like an Ampere server, needs the one ending in aarch64-linux.iso.

    Download YoLab
  3. 3

    Put it on the key

    Which computer are you using to write the key?

    RufusGet Rufus
    1. Download Rufus and open it. There's nothing to install.
    2. Plug in your USB key. It should already show under Device.
    3. Next to Boot selection, click SELECT and pick the YoLab file you downloaded.
    4. Leave every other option alone and press START. Wait for the bar to finish.
  4. 4

    Boot the spare PC from the key

    Plug the key into the spare computer and turn it on. As it starts, tap the boot-menu key, usually F12, F2 or Esc, and pick the USB stick from the list.

    The prompt is only on screen for a second, so tap a few times. If nothing happens, turn it off and try again.

  5. 5

    Follow the three screens

    Pick the disk to install on, paste the token from your account, and press install. It takes about ten minutes, then the machine restarts on its own.

    When it's done, open the address it shows you and choose apps from the catalogue.

The step that can't be undone: choosing the disk erases whatever is on it. If the machine holds anything you want to keep, copy it off first.

What the three screens look like.

The whole install, recorded on a spare mini PC.

Ready when you are.

Get the installer and your account token, and the rest is an afternoon. Not sure what to run?

Download YoLabCreate your account token