--- title: Preparation description: published: true date: 2021-11-17T22:13:28.351Z tags: editor: markdown dateCreated: 2021-11-15T15:39:49.074Z --- > Section under construction {.is-warning} # Prepare the host computer ## Requirements These instructions are valid for x86-64 computers that do ship with Linux or Windows. Phyllome OS targets x86 systems with hardware-assisted virtualization, with a strong preference for those providing IOMMU as well. It is expected that Phyllome OS will consume approximately 1 CPU core and 1 GB of RAM, which should be enough to accommodate a few virtual machines. For instance, on a system with a CPU with 4 cores and 8 GB of RAM, a guest virtual machine will be able to be assigned up to 3 cores and 7 GB of RAM. ### Minimum requirements for Phyllome OS Desktop * x86 computer that supports the first generation of hardware-assisted virtualization extensions * For AMD-based configurations, it means that AMD V is available and enabled * For Intel-based configurations, it means that Intel VT-x is available and enabled * 2-core processor * 8 GB of RAM * SSD-based storage device to store disk images and Phyllome OS * Any graphics card (Linux or macOS guests only) ### Recommended requirements for Phyllome OS Desktop * x86 computer that supports the second generation of hardware-assisted virtualization extensions * For AMD-based configurations, it means that AMD Vi is available and enabled * For Intel-based configurations, it means that Intel VT-d is available and enabled * 8-core processor * 16 GB of RAM * NVME-based storage device to store disk images and Phyllome OS * Two graphics cards or a graphics card that supports vfio-mdev or SR-IOV ## Enable hardware-assisted virtualization ### Access the firmware ![uefi_tianocore_first-screen.png](/uefi_tianocore_first-screen.png) The Open Virtual Machine Firmware (OVMF), which is based on the TianoCore firmware, is the default firmware for EFI-based virtual machines. It can be accessed using the Esc key. * **Since Windows 8**: command-line instructions Press the Win and X keys simultaneously to make a context menu appears. Then press Shift and a to politely ask Windows to open `Powershell` using elevated privileges, and click on the `Yes` button to bypass the User Account Control pop-up. Finally, input the following command inside the command prompt and press `enter`. ``` shutdown /fw /r ``` * **Since Windows 8**: a visual walk-through * Open the start-up menu and write `start-up`, then select *Change advanced start-up options* ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_223413.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_223413.png) * Under the *Advanced start-up* section, click on `Restart now` ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220109.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220109.png) * Select `Troubleshoot` ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_224620.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_224620.png) * Then select `Advanced options` ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_225032.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_225032.png) * Select `UEFI Firmware Settings` ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220153.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220153.png) * Hit `Restart` ![screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220200.png](/windows-access-firmware/screenshot_win10pro_2021-11-17_220200.png) * **macOS-based computers** Hardware-assisted virtualization is a hit or miss on Apple computers, as there is no way to access the firmware on these computers. Apple users can jump to the section *Make sure that hardware-assisted virtualization is enabled* to check whether this feature is activated or not on their particular model. * **Other computers** Make sure the targeted computer is shut down. During the POST phase, you need to press a certain key to access the firmware configuration tool for your motherboard, which is part of your BIOS or UEFI. Just after pressing the `power-on`, press one the following common keystrokes are F2 or Del, depending on your model. > Do not hesitate to repeatedly press the key to make sure it is registered {is.info} > Hardware manufacturers could not agree on a common keystroke to access the firmware configuration tool, so, if the given keys do not work out for you, please have a look at the documentation provided by the manufacturer of your computer. {is.info} ### Modify the firmware configuration `to be done` ### Make sure that hardware-assisted virtualization is enabled `to be done` * **Windows** * **macOS** * **Linux** > Failing to activate hardware-assisted virtualization will make running virtual machines extremly slow, if possible at all. If, for some reasons, it cannot be activated on your computer, you would be better off picking a Linux distribution which doesn't require it, such as [Debian](https://www.debian.org/distrib/). {.is-warning} --- *If the activation is successful, you can go to the next section [to prepare an installation medium](https://wiki.phyllo.me/deploy/medium).*