Skip to main content
The recommended way to install Zirconium is using our pre-built ISO images. This provides a clean installation experience with automatic setup of bootc.

​
Download ISO

Choose the appropriate ISO variant for your hardware: 
curl -LO https://isos.zirconium.gay/zirconium-isos/zirconium-amd64.iso
curl -LO https://isos.zirconium.gay/zirconium-isos/zirconium-amd64.iso-CHECKSUM
If you have an NVIDIA GPU, make sure to download the NVIDIA variant. The NVIDIA images only support GTX 16xx series and newer RTX cards.

​
Verify checksum

Before installation, verify the ISO integrity: 
sha256sum -c zirconium-amd64.iso-CHECKSUM
Replace zirconium-amd64.iso with your downloaded ISO filename.

​
Installation steps

1

Create bootable media

Write the ISO to a USB drive using your preferred tool:
sudo dd if=zirconium-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
Replace /dev/sdX with your USB device path. You can also use graphical tools like Ventoy, Rufus, or balenaEtcher.
2

Boot from USB

Restart your computer and boot from the USB drive. You may need to:
  • Access your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually F2, F12, Del, or Esc during boot)
  • Disable Secure Boot if using the NVIDIA variant
  • Select the USB drive as the boot device
3

Run the installer

The Anaconda installer will start automatically. Follow the on-screen prompts to:
  • Select your language and keyboard layout
  • Configure your disk partitioning
  • Set your timezone
  • Create a user account
The installer will automatically configure bootc to pull the appropriate Zirconium image based on your chosen ISO variant.
4

Complete installation

Once the installation is complete, remove the USB drive and reboot your system.

​
Post-installation

After your first boot into Zirconium:
1

Verify bootc status

Check that bootc is properly configured:
sudo bootc status
You should see the Zirconium container image reference.
2

Update to latest version

Ensure you’re running the latest version:
sudo bootc upgrade
sudo systemctl reboot
3

Configure your environment

Zirconium comes with pre-configured dotfiles for Niri and DankMaterialShell. You can customize these configurations to your liking.
While Zirconium updates may include dotfile changes, you’re free to customize them. The update process may overwrite some configurations, so consider backing up your customizations.

​
Next steps

  • Learn about GPU variants to understand the differences between standard and NVIDIA images
  • Explore rebasing if you want to switch between variants later
  • Join the Zirconium Discord for support and community discussions