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Custom ISOs

Upload installer ISO images to a storage pool and boot virtual machines from them.

Custom ISOs let you install an operating system that is not in the image catalog. You upload an ISO image to a storage pool, create a virtual machine that boots from it, and run the installer in the VM's graphical console.

The Custom ISOs page appears under Storage only when your deployment supports ISO volumes. If you do not see it, ask your administrator.

Upload an ISO

  1. Go to Storage → Custom ISOs and click Upload custom ISO.
  2. Select the ISO file from your machine.
  3. Enter an alias — the name the ISO is listed under.
  4. Choose the target storage pool.
  5. Click Upload. A progress bar tracks the upload; you can cancel while it runs.

The list shows each ISO's name, storage pool, upload date, size, and how many instances use it.

Create a VM from an ISO

You can start instance creation directly from the ISO list with its Create instance action, or select the ISO from the instance create form (Instances → Create instance → Use custom ISO). Either way:

  • The instance type is set to VM — ISO installs are not available for containers.
  • The ISO is attached to the VM as a disk device, and the VM boots from it.
  • Only Create is offered (not Create and start); after creation, open the VM's graphical console to run the OS installer.

Work through the installer in the console as you would on physical hardware, installing onto the VM's root disk. Once the installation is finished, detach the ISO so the VM boots from its root disk: on a running VM you can detach (or attach) an ISO from the graphical console toolbar.

See Create an instance for the full create form and Access instances for working with the console.

Delete an ISO

Delete an ISO from the Custom ISOs list. Detach it from any instances that still use it first — the Used by column shows how many instances still use it.