GETTING STARTED

NoahOS Documentation

Everything you need to download, prepare, and explore the NoahOS live desktop.

Early release — Version 0.1.0

NoahOS is an early-stage project. Features, instructions, and system behavior may change between releases.

Before you begin

NoahOS is a bootable Arch Linux-based live operating system powered by KDE Plasma. You can explore the desktop without installing it.

What you'll need

A compatible 64-bit x86 computer.
A USB flash drive with enough capacity for the image.
A computer capable of booting from USB.
An internet connection to download the release files.

Important

Writing an image to a USB drive erases the existing contents of the selected drive. Back up anything important before proceeding.

Download NoahOS

The official NoahOS 0.1.0 release is hosted on GitHub. The ISO is provided as two split files.

Visit the download page

Download these files

noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso.part-00
noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso.part-01
SHA256SUMS.txt

Save all three files into the same folder before continuing.

Verify your download

Before writing the image to a USB drive, reconstruct the ISO from its two parts.

Linux

cat noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso.part-* > noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso

Windows Command Prompt

copy /b noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso.part-00+noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso.part-01 noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso

Check the SHA256 checksum

On Linux, run:

sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS.txt

On Windows PowerShell, run:

Get-FileHash .\noahos-2026.11.08-x86_64.iso -Algorithm SHA256

The expected SHA256 hash is:

cf7d0a4181642cb8d4f4db1e25a0e0db4659f1cc26f88f6a744c77ac1a6d8f63

The calculated hash should match exactly. If it doesn't, check that both parts downloaded completely and try again.

Create a bootable USB

Once the ISO has been reconstructed and verified, write it to a USB flash drive using an image-writing utility.

Windows — Rufus

Connect your USB flash drive.
Open Rufus.
Select the correct USB device.
Choose the reconstructed NoahOS ISO.
Review the selected device carefully.
Start the writing process and follow the prompts.

Linux — KDE ISO Image Writer

Connect your USB flash drive.
Open KDE ISO Image Writer.
Select the NoahOS ISO file.
Select the correct USB device.
Confirm the selection and write the image.

Double-check the target drive

Selecting the wrong drive can erase important data. Make sure the USB device is selected before writing.

Boot NoahOS

NoahOS supports both UEFI and legacy BIOS boot modes.

Leave the USB drive connected.
Restart your computer.
Open the computer's boot selection menu.
Select the USB device.
Allow NoahOS to start.

Boot menu keys vary by computer manufacturer. Consult your computer's documentation if needed.

Using the live environment

Once NoahOS has finished loading, you can explore the KDE Plasma desktop and its available applications.

NoahOS runs as a live environment. It does not require installation to explore the desktop.

Live session behavior

The current release can continue running from memory after the boot media is removed, once the system has fully loaded. Avoid removing the media before startup is complete.

Troubleshooting

USB drive does not appear in the boot menu

Check that the USB image was written successfully.
Try another USB port.
Check your computer's boot menu and firmware settings.

NoahOS does not start

Verify the downloaded ISO checksum.
Recreate the bootable USB using the verified ISO.
Try the other available boot mode if supported.

Still having trouble?

Visit the NoahOS GitHub issue tracker to report a problem or see existing reports.