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VPS ON - Custom ISO and OS Installation

The guide applies to VPS ON. For VPS SSD, use the guide VPS SSD – Connecting and booting from ISO.

This guide deals with installing an OS from your own ISO file. If you want to install an OS from an image prepared by us, follow the guide VPS ON – Installation of a preinstalled OS. If you are installing Windows, follow the guide VPS ON – Installing Windows with VirtIO.

In this article you will learn:

Creating an ISO CD/DVD image

In the Open Nebula storage, you can have up to 3 custom ISO images of any CD/DVD at once. The lifetime of these custom images is 3 days from creation.

The maximum size of a custom ISO image is 8 GB. Larger images may not work correctly.

Create a CD/DVD image using the following procedure:

  1. Log in to the Open Nebula Sunstone administration Open Nebula Sunstone ⧉.
  2. Go to Storage (Storage) Images (Images).
  3. Click the green + button and select Create (Create).
  4. Fill in the Name (Name) field and the image path, or upload your own file.
  5. As Type (Type), select Readonly CD-ROM (Readonly CD-ROM).
  6. Click the green Create (Create) button at the top of the page.
Setting the name, type, and URL address of the ISO CD/DVD for a custom Linux OS installation
Setting the name, type, and URL address of the ISO CD/DVD for a custom Linux OS installation

You can verify that the disk is ready for use in the image overview. The disk is usable from the moment when the Status (Status) is READY (READY). To refresh the status overview, click the gray refresh button  at the top of the page.

Custom ISO file of type CDROM in READY status – ready for use
Custom ISO file of type CDROM in READY status – ready for use

Attaching the ISO image to the server

If you have created your own ISO image, attach it to the server using this procedure:

  1. Go to Instances (Instaces)  VMs (Virt. Machines).
  2. Select the server to which you want to attach the ISO image.
  3. If the server is on, shut it down and refresh until it is in the POWEROFF state.
  4. Go to Storage (Storage) and choose Attach disk (Attach disk).
  5. From the menu, select the disk you want to attach; if it is in READY (READY) state, confirm the choice by clicking the green Attach (Attach) button.
  6. Start the server using the  button at the top of the page.
Attaching a disk via Storage
Attaching a disk via Storage

After you finish working with the disk, we recommend detaching it again. You can detach it by clicking the × cross in the Actions (Actions) column.

Booting the operating system from ISO

This procedure will cause you to lose all stored data on the original disks. Before continuing with the guide, make a backup.

First check that you do not have any other disks connected to the server besides the installation CD-ROM. If you also see another disk in the list, remove it by pressing the button in the Actions (Actions) column and refresh the VM status with the button.

If only the installation CD-ROM is attached in the system, attach an empty disk using this procedure (on VPS ON, skip steps 4 and 5, the system will set the size for you):

  1. Click the green Attach disk (Attach disk) button.
  2. From the disk list, select Empty Image.
  3. CLOUD: Select Advanced options (Advanced options).
  4. CLOUD: Set the value of Size on instantiate (Size on instantiate) to the current VPS size.
  5. Confirm the choice by clicking the green Attach (Attach) button.
  6. Refresh the status list by clicking the refresh button  at the top of the page.
Attaching an empty disk
Attaching an empty disk

Complete the rest of the installation process with these steps:

  1. Start the server using the  button at the top of the page.
  2. Enter the KVM console using the  button at the top of the page.
  3. Click the SendCtrlAltDel button, then quickly click the console window and press the Esc key to open the boot menu.
    If the console shows the message No bootable device, repeat this step.
  4. Select the drive number from which you want to boot (the CD with the description).
  5. Continue with the installation itself.
Boot screen after Ctrl+Alt+Del and pressing the Esc key
Boot screen after Ctrl+Alt+Del and pressing the Esc key

Common issues

Common issues with attaching a custom ISO and installing an OS on VPS ON include:

Cannot attach or detach a disk

Problem: The interface for attaching or detaching a disk does not work.

Cause: You cannot attach disks to a running VM or detach them from it; in the ATTACHING/DETACHING state you cannot detach disks.

Solution: Make sure the VM is in the POWEROFF state. Refresh the status by pressing the [icon name=“rotate“ prefix=“fas“] button.

Limit reached for SYSTEM_DISK_SIZE

Problem: When trying to attach the installation disk, I get the error limit reached for SYSTEM_DISK_SIZE quota in VM.

Cause: You are hitting the limit for the size or type of the attached disk.

Solution: Make sure the ISO file size is smaller than 8 GB and that it has the CDROM type.

KVM does not respond to key presses

Problem: KVM does not respond to key presses.

Cause: Usually you have left the KVM interface by clicking outside the console field or by pressing keys (typically Esc), or there is an issue with the keyboard layout.

Solution: Click the console window and try using the keys again. If KVM does not respond to the numeric keypad numbers, try entering the numbers using the keys with symbols + to é.

Frequently asked questions

How do I install Windows?

Follow the guide VPS ON – Installing Windows with VirtIO.

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