---
title: Preparation
description:
published: true
date: 2021-11-18T14:07:43.767Z
tags:
editor: markdown
dateCreated: 2021-11-15T15:39:49.074Z
---
> Section under construction
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# Prepare the host computer
## Meet the requirements
These instructions are valid for x86-64 computers that do ship with Linux, Windows or macOS.
Phyllome OS targets x86 systems with hardware-assisted virtualization, with a strong preference for those providing IOMMU-based hardware-assisted virtualization (AMD Vi or Intel VT-d).
A CPU that supports hardware-assisted virtualization might not be enough, as the motherboard also requires to support this feature. Together with the lack of documentation, it makes the selection of a platform rather tricky.
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Sitting idle, Phyllome OS consumes approximately 1 CPU core and 1.5 GB of RAM.
> This requirement scales up with the number of virtual machines running on a dedicated host: the more virtual machines are running, the more ressources Phyllome OS will use.
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### Minimum requirements for Phyllome OS Desktop
* **x86-64** computer that supports the first generation of hardware-assisted virtualization features
* 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)
> For Intel-based configurations, you can check if your model supports Intel VT-d by looking for your model [here](https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/search/featurefilter.html?productType=873&2_VTX=true).
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### Recommended requirements for Phyllome OS Desktop
* **x86-64** computer that supports the second generation of hardware-assisted virtualization features
* 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
> For Intel-based configurations, you can check if your model supports Intel VT-d by looking for your model [here](https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/search/featurefilter.html?productType=873&0_VTD=True).
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## Enable hardware-assisted virtualization
### Access the firmware
*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*
* Under the *Advanced start-up* section, click on `Restart now`
* Select `Troubleshoot`
* Then select `Advanced options`
* Select `UEFI Firmware Settings`
* Hit `Restart`
* **macOS-based computers**
Hardware-assisted virtualization is a hit or miss on Apple computers, as there is no way to access the firmware configuration tool on these computers. Apple users can go to the install section directly.
* **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` button, hit the right key to access the firmware configuration tool, usually F2 or Del, but it may be another keystroke on your model.
> Do not hesitate to repeatedly press the pertinent key as soon has your computer has started, to make sure it is registered.
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### Modify the firmware configuration
> Unfortunately, most firmware configuration tool do differ, and the steps here might not be identic on your own platform.
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In general, the sought after features are found under the `security` tab.
For an AMD-based computer, you need to look for references to `AMD SVM`, AMD V or AMD Vi. Conversingly, for an Intel-based computer, you need to look for `Intel VT-x` and `Intel VT-d`. It is also possible that the feature will be refered simply to as `virtualization`.
Enable these options, choose to *save and exit* the configuration tool, which will reboot your computer.
> While you are there, you could also change the boot order, to make sure that your computer will boot from an attached USB thumb drive first.
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> 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, for example because of a lack of hardware support, you would be better off picking a Linux distribution which doesn't require it, such as [Debian](https://www.debian.org/distrib/).
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---
*If the activation is successful, you can go to the next section [to prepare an installation medium](https://wiki.phyllo.me/deploy/medium).*