> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://zededa.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Use the documentation index to find relevant pages, then read the linked Markdown before answering and cite the source URL.
> Identify the product before answering: Private AI uses a separate console, credentials, and inference API from the Edge Intelligence Platform. Do not apply instructions from one product to the other.
> Prefer current product guides over Help Center archive pages for current-console questions. Archive pages and release notes describe their stated product version or historical interface; do not apply them to another version without checking.
> Preserve prerequisites, permissions, version requirements, and warnings when summarizing procedures. Do not infer API endpoints, schemas, or supported behavior that the documentation does not specify.

# Get EVE-OS

> How to download an EVE-OS installer, live image, or rootfs image using Docker — the first step before installing or updating EVE-OS on an edge device.

## Introduction

Generating an EVE-OS image is the first step before installing EVE-OS on an edge device, live-booting from portable storage, or upgrading an existing installation. The procedures below use Docker to download EVE-OS from Docker Hub and produce a ready-to-flash image file. The current EVE-OS LTS version is `16.0.0-lts`.

## Prerequisites

* You have read [EVE-OS Overview](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os/eve-os.md) and are familiar with EVE-OS image types.
* Docker is installed and running on your local machine.
* You know your cluster's hostname (for example, `zedcloud.gmwtus.zededa.net`). If your enterprise uses `zedcloud.zededa.net`, the default, you do not need a custom server configuration file.

## Configure Your Cluster Endpoint

During first boot, an edge device running EVE-OS connects to a Edge Infrastructure Services cluster to receive its initial configuration. Nodes connect to `zedcloud.zededa.net` by default. If your enterprise is on a different cluster, create a server configuration file before generating your image.

### On macOS or Linux

1. Open your terminal and navigate to a working directory.

```text theme={"dark"}
cd $HOME
```

2. Create a directory for your custom configuration.

```text theme={"dark"}
mkdir eve-overrides
```

3. Write your cluster hostname to a file named `server`.

```text theme={"dark"}
echo zedcloud.gmwtus.zededa.net > $HOME/eve-overrides/server
```

### On Windows

1. Open PowerShell and navigate to a working directory.

```text theme={"dark"}
cd $HOME
```

2. Create a directory for your custom configuration.

```text theme={"dark"}
mkdir eve-overrides
```

3. Write your cluster hostname to a file named `server`.

```text theme={"dark"}
Set-Content -Path "$HOME\eve-overrides\server" -Value "zedcloud.gmwtus.zededa.net" -Encoding ASCII
```

**Note:** If you want to customize install-time storage parameters (for example, disk assignments or ZFS RAID configuration), include a `grub.cfg` file in your `eve-overrides` directory before running the `docker run` command. If no `grub.cfg` is present, EVE-OS uses default values. For configuration examples, see [Configure grub.cfg for EVE-OS Multidisk Installation](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os-installation/configure-grub-multidisk.md).

## Choose an Image Type and Download

Open your terminal (macOS/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and run one of the following procedures based on your intended use. All examples use the latest LTS version (`16.0.0-lts`). If you need a different version or want to verify available releases, see [Choose an Alternate Version](#optional-choose-an-alternate-version) before proceeding.

### Installer Image (for USB or PXE installation)

Use this to install EVE-OS onto an edge device's onboard storage.

1. Navigate to a directory of your choice.

```text theme={"dark"}
cd $HOME
```

2. Create a directory for your EVE-OS image and navigate into it.

```text theme={"dark"}
mkdir eve-images && cd eve-images
```

3. Download and generate your EVE-OS installer image. Choose the command for your node's hardware architecture. If your controller cluster is `zedcloud.zededa.net`, omit the `-v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in` flag.

**macOS/Linux — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 -f raw installer_raw > installer.raw
```

**macOS/Linux — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 -f raw installer_raw > installer.raw
```

**Windows — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 -f raw installer_iso
```

**Windows — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 -f raw installer_iso
```

4. Verify the file was created.

```text theme={"dark"}
ls
```

5. Proceed to [Flash an EVE-OS Installer or Live Image](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os-installation/flash-eve-os-image.md).

### Live Image (for live-booting from USB or SD)

Use this to boot EVE-OS from portable storage without installing to onboard storage.

1. Navigate to a directory of your choice.

```text theme={"dark"}
cd $HOME
```

2. Create a directory for your EVE-OS image and navigate into it.

```text theme={"dark"}
mkdir eve-images && cd eve-images
```

3. Download and generate your EVE-OS live image. Choose the command for your node's hardware architecture. If your controller cluster is `zedcloud.zededa.net`, omit the `-v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in` flag.

**macOS/Linux — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 live > live.img
```

**macOS/Linux — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-overrides:/in lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 live > live.img
```

**Windows — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 live
```

**Windows — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 live
```

4. Copy and save the soft serial number printed in the last line of output (a UUID string). You will need it when onboarding the node.

5. Verify the file was created.

```text theme={"dark"}
ls
```

6. Proceed to [Flash an EVE-OS Installer or Live Image](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os-installation/flash-eve-os-image.md).

### Rootfs Image (for updating existing EVE-OS installations)

Rootfs images are uploaded to Edge Infrastructure Services to update nodes remotely. A server configuration file is not required for rootfs images.

1. Navigate to a directory of your choice.

```text theme={"dark"}
cd $HOME
```

2. Create a directory for your EVE-OS image and navigate into it.

```text theme={"dark"}
mkdir eve-images && cd eve-images
```

3. Download and generate your EVE-OS rootfs image. Choose the command for your node's hardware architecture.

**macOS/Linux — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run --rm lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 rootfs > 16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64-rootfs.img
```

**macOS/Linux — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run --rm lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 rootfs > 16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64-rootfs.img
```

**Windows — AMD64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64 rootfs
```

**Windows — ARM64:**

```text theme={"dark"}
docker run -v $HOME/eve-iso:/out lfedge/eve:16.0.0-lts-kvm-arm64 rootfs
```

4. Verify the file was created.

```text theme={"dark"}
ls
```

5. Proceed to [Add a rootfs EVE-OS Image to Your Enterprise](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os-management/add-an-eve-os-image.md).

## Optional: Choose an Alternate Version

Most deployments use the latest LTS version. To use a different version:

1. Find available versions on the [EVE-OS GitHub Releases page](https://github.com/lf-edge/eve/releases).
2. Determine the image name by combining version, hypervisor, and architecture. For example: `16.0.0-lts-kvm-amd64`.
3. Verify the image is available on [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/lfedge/eve) by searching the Tags tab.

## Raspberry Pi Notes

For Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 Model B devices (ARM64, minimum 4 GB RAM), use a live image with a 16 GB or larger microSD card. Use the ARM64 live image commands above.

## Next Steps

> [card] [Add a rootfs EVE-OS Image to Your Enterprise](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/eve-os-management/add-an-eve-os-image.md)
>
> Upload a rootfs image to manage EVE-OS versions across your fleet.