tuxenix

Updated 9 November 2026

Project status

The new installer passed qualification. Release integration is next.

Current public download: October 22, 2026. The November 9 candidate is not published yet.

What changed

Easy mode can install Tuxenix into existing unallocated space on a UEFI/GPT disk. You choose the root size and an existing EFI partition to preserve, then review the plan before installation. Automatic shrinking is not implemented.

  • Windows EFI checks accept the exact harmless volume-label mismatch found during testing, while still rejecting dirty or damaged filesystems.
  • The first installation now retains an older Tuxenix boot entry on another EFI partition, even when the selected EFI partition initially has no EFI directory.
  • The installed system waits for udev readiness before device events, fixing a startup race that prevented a normal-user desktop.

Final-image test results

These results refer to the exact candidate below. Earlier image results are kept separately.

  • Minimum sizes and small screen: actual 12,801 MiB root and 64 MiB EFI partition; complete 1024×768 workflow, preservation, both Linux boot choices, normal-user desktop, restart and shutdown.
  • Empty drive: automatic layout, installed normal-user desktop and authenticated shutdown.
  • Real Windows: Easy installation and Expert reinstallation, original partition and 146 EFI-file preservation, both desktops, recovery environment and stable firmware entries.
  • BitLocker: encrypted data preservation, controlled recovery, resealing and a subsequent protected Windows boot.
  • 4Kn and multiple EFI partitions: selected region/EFI installation, preserved neighboring disks, two desktop boots and zero-write rejection of stale or altered plans.
  • Artifact checks: 289 pinned archives, actual ISO contents and library audits; 50 settings tests, four readiness tests, 41 toolkit tests and seven unchanged native installer suites passed.

Windows and BitLocker scope

Tests used genuine Windows 11 Enterprise Evaluation with a software TPM and Secure Boot disabled. The first Windows boot through Limine required the recovery key. Recovery succeeded. Suspending protection, booting Windows through Limine, resuming protection and booting through the same entry again reached Windows without another prompt, with encryption at 100% and protection On.

Suspension before installation was not tested. This result does not guarantee prompt-free startup on other machines. Secure Boot, hardware TPM and physical graphics, Wi-Fi, audio, games and suspend remain unqualified.

Next steps

  1. Complete protected source review and merge package MR !5 and installer MR !3.
  2. Publish the qualified ISO and six package versions, then verify the complete public downloads and checksums.
  3. Collect dated physical-hardware results for the remaining coverage gaps.

The personal project overview includes the development history and current status. The installation guide continues to describe the published October 22 image.

Qualified candidate

Calamares 3.4.2.23 · settings 1.5.13 · dinit services 0.1.14.
1,329,913,856 bytes; 289 pinned archives, 262 target and 285 live packages.

Candidate SHA-256, for identification only; this is not the current download checksum:

c026c48c7bd2775c79af03dfadfd432b4166d96516667511b80febb3915c4f46

Download the published October 22 ISO · Published ISO checksum