Live Installers

Void provides live installer images containing a base set of utilities, an installer program, and package files to install a new Void system. These live images are also useful for repairing a system that is not able to boot or function properly.

There are x86_64 images for both glibc and musl based systems. There are also images for i686, but only glibc is supported for this architecture. Live images are provided for aarch64 in both glibc and musl variants, but they only support UEFI-capable devices. Live images for aarch64 do not support void-installer.

Live installers are not provided for other architectures. Users of other architectures will need to use rootfs tarballs, or perform an installation manually.

Installer images

Void releases two types of images: base images and xfce images. Linux beginners are encouraged to try one of the more full-featured xfce images, but more advanced users may often prefer to start from a base image to install only the packages they need.

Base images

The base images provide only a minimal set of packages to install a usable Void system. These base packages are only those needed to configure a new machine, update the system, and install additional packages from repositories.

Xfce image

The xfce image includes a full desktop environment, web browser, and basic applications configured for that environment. The only difference from the base images is the additional packages and services installed.

The following software is included:

  • Window manager: xfwm4
  • File manager: Thunar
  • Web Browser: Firefox
  • Terminal: xfce4-terminal
  • Plain text editor: Mousepad
  • Image viewer: Ristretto
  • Other: Bulk rename, Orage Globaltime, Orage Calendar, Task Manager, Parole Media Player, Audio Mixer, MIME type editor, Application finder

The install process for the xfce image is the same as the base images, except that you must select the Local source when installing. If you select Network instead, the installer will download and install the latest version of the base system, without any additional packages included on the live image.

Accessibility support

All Void installer images support the console screenreader espeakup and the console braille display driver brltty. On UEFI-based systems, GRUB is the bootloader, and it will play a two-tone chime when the menu is available. On BIOS-based systems and UEFI systems in legacy/compatibility mode, SYSLINUX is the bootloader, and no chime is played.

Several hotkeys exists in the bootloader, which will select different entries:

  • s will boot with screenreader enabled
  • r will boot with screenreader enabled and will load the live ISO into RAM
  • g will boot with screenreader enabled and graphics disabled
  • m will enter Memtest86+ (if supported)
  • f will enter the UEFI firmware setup interface (if supported)
  • b will reboot the computer
  • p will power off the computer

SYSLINUX requires pressing enter after pressing a hotkey.

After booting into the installer image with accessibility support enabled, if there are multiple soundcards detected, a short audio menu allows for the selection of the soundcard for the screenreader. Press enter when the beep for the desired soundcard is heard to select it.

If the Local installation source is selected in the installer, espeakup and brltty will also be installed and enabled on the installed system if enabled in the live environment.

The xfce image also supports the graphical screenreader orca. This can be enabled by pressing Win + R and entering orca -r. Orca will also be available on the installed system if the Local installation source is selected.

Kernel Command-line Parameters

Void installer images support several kernel command-line arguments that can change the behavior of the live system. See the void-mklive README for a full list.