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Downloading the Operating System

This section cover how to download both Windows 10/11 and the Virtio ISO.

Keep in mind that Windows 11 has some additional requirements, like TPM (Trusted Platform Module), which makes its setup a bit different.

Don’t worry, I’ll guide you through every step, so just follow along.

Visit the Website to Download the ISO​

You can find the Windows ISO files on Microsoft’s official website, should be simple lol.

For a more tailored approach, here are a couple of recommended sources:

Revision​

The Revision website offers Windows ISO files and provides a playbook for debloating Windows. Although I won’t go into the debloating process here, you can download the ISO from:

Revision - Windows ISO Downloads

AtlasOS​

AtlasOS is another excellent option, especially if you’re interested in debloating Windows 10/11. Again, I won’t cover the debloating process here, but you can download the ISO from:

AtlasOS - Download ISO

Downloading the Virtio ISO​

For better performance with virtual machines, you'll need the Virtio drivers. Download the latest or stable Virtio ISO from the official GitHub repository:

  1. Visit the Virtio Win GitHub page.
  2. Download the stable or latest ISO from the provided links in the repository.

Fastest Way to Download​

Downloading via a standard browser can be slow because it uses a single thread. To speed up the process, I recommend using aria2, a tool that supports multi-threaded downloads. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Install aria2 with pacman:

    sudo pacman -S aria2

  2. Copy the download link from the website or use your browser’s network monitor (press F12) to grab the URL.

  3. Use aria2 to download the ISO with multiple threads:

    aria2c -x 16 "paste-your-download-link-here"

Next Steps​

The guide will be split into different sections for Windows 10, Windows 11, and GNU/Linux.

  • For Windows 10: Follow the instructions in the Windows 10 section.
  • For Windows 11: Refer to the Windows 11 section.

Each section will provide detailed steps for installing the respective operating system. The GNU/Linux installation is straightforward and does not require any additional steps beyond the basics.