Skip to main content
Talos Linux can install itself to disk from a multi-document machine configuration by using UnattendedInstallConfig. Use unattended install when a node boots from an ISO, PXE, iPXE, or another ephemeral boot asset and should install to a selected local disk without invoking the installer manually. UnattendedInstallConfig replaces the deprecated .machine.install field for new configurations. It is especially useful with Image Factory assets and custom installer images that include system extensions.

​
Configure unattended install

Add an UnattendedInstallConfig document to the machine configuration. The following example installs Talos to the disk whose stable path is /dev/sda:
The provisioning.diskSelector.match field is a CEL expression evaluated against discovered disks as disk. Use a selector that matches exactly one intended install target. For production configurations, prefer stable disk properties such as disk.serial, disk.wwid, or disk.symlinks instead of /dev/sd* names when possible. Inspect the disks reported by the node before choosing a selector:
Apply the configuration patch while the node is running from the ephemeral boot media:
After the configuration is applied, Talos waits for disks to be discovered, selects the first matching disk, runs the installer container, and records progress in UnattendedInstallStatus. If multiple disks match, Talos logs a warning and uses the first match.

​
Installer image

Set installer.image to the installer image you want the node to write to disk. Use the Image Factory installer image for the same schematic as the boot asset when the installed system needs the same system extensions or other image customizations:
If installer.image is omitted, Talos tries to derive the installer image from the Image Factory boot entry and the current schematic. This requires booting from an Image Factory asset. Set installer.image explicitly for non-Image Factory boot assets or when installing a custom installer image.

​
Wipe behavior

By default, Talos wipes the target disk during installation. Set provisioning.wipe to false only when you intentionally want to preserve existing partition data that the installer can reuse:

​
Reboot behavior

The optional reboot field controls what happens after a successful installation:
  • If reboot is not set, Talos reboots only when installer.image is set explicitly.
  • If reboot: true, Talos always requests a reboot after installation.
  • If reboot: false, Talos leaves the node running from the current boot media after installation.
Example:

​
Inspect installation status

Use the unattended install status resource to monitor progress:
Request YAML output to see the installer image and any error message:
The phase is one of:
  • pending: no disk currently matches the selector.
  • installing: the installer is running.
  • installed: installation completed and no reboot is pending.
  • waiting-for-reboot: installation completed and Talos requested a reboot.
  • failed: installation failed; inspect the error field and machine logs.
Once a node is installed to disk, Talos reports the install as complete and does not run the unattended installer again on that boot.