This is a brief summary of the steps you need to perform, as outlined in this document.

• Obtain a suitable computer to be used as the server.
• Download a bootable disk image (.img file) from the Internet.
• Transfer that image file onto a USB stick.
• Boot from that USB stick and run an installation wizard to copy the required software onto the server.

Once this is done, you'll then also need to configure the server according to your network and specific requirements, before you can start using it.

To build a PIXILAB BLOCKS Server from scratch, you'll need the following items:

• A Mac or Windows computer with an internet connection, for downloading the software and copying it to the USB stick.
• A USB memory stick of at least 32GB in size. A USB 3 compatible stick will speed up the process.
• A suitable computer to install the server software onto, which will become your BLOCKS Server.

The server image is qualified for use on servers supplied by PIXILAB, as well as on a NUC (e.g., model NUC5CPYH or later) or other similar small form factor PC with at least 4GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

A NUC-based server is primarily intended for demos and basic tests. For final installation, please contact PIXILAB to obtain a suitable server.

Follow these instructions to download the installer disk image and putting it on the USB stick.

1. Download Etcher for your computer (Mac or Windows).
2. Download the server installer disk image (.img) file.
3. Use Etcher to create a bootable USB stick from the .img file downloaded in step 2.

NOTE: The resulting USB stick isn't readable on a Mac/Windows computer. If the computer prompts you to format it, click Cancel/Eject.

Do as follows to start the NUC/small form factor computer, from the USB stick

1. Insert the USB stick into the target computer.
2. Connect a display, keyboard and optionally a mouse to the computer.
3. Power up the computer.
4. Press the "Enter Setup" key on the keyboard (often F2, F8, DEL, or similar), as instructed on screen early in the start-up sequence.
5. Disable the secure boot option.
6. Make sure the USB stick is set as the startup disk (typically found under "Boot order" or "Boot Sequence").
7. Chose "Save and Exit" as instructed on screen.

After re-booting, the installer interface should appear on screen momentarily, as shown below.

After observing the message on the first page of the installation wizard, press Enter to continue. You will now be prompted to select the disk where the PIXILAB Blocks Linux server should be installed. Use the arrow keys to change the selection and press Enter to continue. Make sure to not select the USB stick that you booted from.

Once you have selected the destination disk, the installation process will begin. A progress bar is displayed, indicating the progress of the installation operation, which may take several minutes depending on the speed of the computer, the hard drive etc.

If all goes well, a final message will be displayed, prompting you to disconnect the USB stick and reboot the server. If the server doesn't reboot automatically after pressing Enter, you can manually power it off and on again using the physical power button.

NOTE: If the server fails to boot after the imaging procedure concludes, you may need to return to the BIOS settings to select the internal drive as the boot disk.

To configure the server, please continue with the First Start article.