Initial Setup

After installing StartOS, follow these steps to initialize your server, set a master password, and download your Root CA.

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1. Connect your server to power and Ethernet.

   Important

   Always plug your server into a surge protector — never directly into the wall. Power surges from lightning, utility events, or appliances on the same circuit can permanently damage your server’s hardware and corrupt your data drive. A standard surge protector is the minimum; an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is strongly recommended for added protection against brownouts and unexpected power loss.

2. From a computer connected to the same Local Area Network (LAN) as your server, open a browser and visit http://start.local.

3. Select a setup option:

   • Start fresh: Select this option if you are setting up a new server.

   • Restore from Backup: Select this option only if your existing StartOS data drive has been lost or corrupted. This is for disaster recovery only.

   • Transfer: Select this option if you are transferring your existing data from one drive to another.

4. Set a strong master password. Make it good. Write it down. Resetting your password is non-trivial, but your data will be preserved.

5. Set your server name. Your server’s mDNS address is derived from this name.

6. Following successful initialization, you will be prompted to download a StartOS-info.html. This file contains your server’s mDNS address and Root Certificate Authority (Root CA). It is recommended to save this file for future reference.

7. Click “Continue to Login” and follow instructions for Trusting your Root CA