Full freedom
Any distribution not included in the panel of common distributions. You can deliver the install media, we'll take care of the hypervisor and the bare metal.
Custom ISO VPS
Custom ISO VPS, bring your own Linux.
For any 64-bit Linux ISO upload the ISO in the panel as usual for install from virtual CD on our bare metal EPYC Genoa server with NVMe storage in RAID10 configuration.
This has been tested with: Arch, NixOS, Gentoo, Alpine, Void, Slackware and many other security-oriented Linux distributions that are KVM-compatible.
Why custom ISO support exists.
The panel includes an image library for the most common distributions. For all the other distributions, custom ISO support exists for four reasons why teams use this functionality.
Any 64-bit Linux that boots on KVM.
We do not maintain a list of pre-built example images on this page. Upload any 64-bit Linux ISO from the control panel and install it like you would on bare metal. Arch, NixOS, Alpine, Gentoo, Slackware, Void, or any other distribution that boots on KVM works the same way. The exact set of images shipped via the panel changes over time; the list of common pre-built images for Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky and CentOS Stream is on the Linux VPS page.
How the custom ISO flow works.
Five steps to install any 64-bit Linux on a BuyVPS instance via custom ISO.
NVMe RAID10 and EPYC, in numbers.
This is using a Dedicated CPU instance based out of Amsterdam: 4 cores pinned to an EPYC Genoa processor, 8 GB of DDR5 ECC memory and NVMe RAID10 storage. The test machine does not match one specific plan.
Everything you need to operate it.
The control panel and API for the life-cycle of the VPS, to operate it without needing support. All end-to-end, scriptable, and also supported by Terraform and Ansible.
- Reboot, shutdown, force-reset
- Reboot / shutdown / force-reset from the panel or the API (hard-reset when the VPS is unresponsive to normal shut-down, ACPI shutdown when it is OK).
- Reinstall any supported OS
- Clear existing VPS's disk and deploy from scratch any supported OS within 1 minute or less. Your SSH key(s) will automatically carry over to new deployed server(s) thanks to Cloud-Init.
- Rescue mode
- Boot into rescue mode (e.g. with a Recovery CD mounted on your disks) to repair a server, for example to fix a filesystem, to re-set the root password or to fix an unbootable initramfs.
- Custom ISO upload
- Upload an ISO and attach as a virtual CD-ROM, then install from the HTML5 console with any 64-bit Linux distribution.
- HTML5 console
- HTML5 console accessible via URL for the VPS when SSH is configured incorrectly (VNC connection can also be opened for such VPS separately).
- Reverse DNS (PTR)
- Set IPv4 and IPv6 PTR records from the control panel. Required for any server that sends e-mail outside of the network.
- SSH key management
- Existing ssh keys can be attached to newly created servers. The attached ssh keys are then automatically used to log into newly created servers after the first boot, via Cloud-Init.
- REST API
- Deploy, resize, power-cycle and snapshot servers through a full REST API that also covers volumes, backups, ISO uploads, firewall rules, SSH keys and recipes. Generate API credentials and drive everything from Terraform, Ansible or your own CI/CD pipeline.
Pricing
Same Linux, both regions.
Same Linux, both regions.
Same price.
It costs the same for Linux in both regions.
Compare every plan
Standard
$6.40/mo
Shared 1:4 vCPU, S-2 to S-64
Dedicated CPU
$29.60/mo
Pinned 1:1 cores, D-4 to D-64
High Memory
$199.20/mo
1:8 RAM ratio, H-64 to H-192
Common questions
FAQ about running Custom ISO on BuyVPS.
Quick answers about plan choice, deployment, support and day-to-day operation of Custom ISO on KVM.
FAQ
Common questions
Which ISOs work on the custom ISO flow?
Any 64-bit Linux ISO that boots on KVM. We do not validate every distribution but KVM compatibility is the only hard requirement.
How large can my ISO be?
Up to 5 GB per ISO upload. Larger images can be netboot-installed via the rescue environment.
Does the panel handle UEFI ISOs?
Yes, both UEFI and BIOS boot modes are supported. You can toggle the firmware type per VPS in the panel.
Can I install Windows from a custom ISO?
This page is for Linux. Windows licensing and activation are out of scope. Reach out via the contact page if you have a specific Windows use case.
Are Arch, NixOS or Alpine considered production-supported?
We run the hardware; you run the distribution. Our support is hypervisor-level (deploy, reboot, rescue, network). Distro-level support is yours.
Can I keep the ISO mounted permanently?
No. Detach the ISO after install so the next reboot uses the installed disk. You can re-attach later for repairs.
Can I provision custom ISO installs via the API?
Yes. The REST API exposes ISO upload and attach actions, suitable for Terraform or Ansible.
What about offensive security and forensic distros?
Allowed for authorised offensive security work and lab use. Read the Acceptable Use Policy first to understand the scope.
Ready to deploy
Deploy your own ISO on a measured VPS
From $6.40/mo on a 2-year term, fixed for life. Paste this cloud-init to boot hardened in one step:
#cloud-config
package_update: true
packages: [ufw, fail2ban]
runcmd:
- ufw allow OpenSSH
- ufw --force enable
- systemctl enable --now fail2ban30-day performance guarantee. Not satisfied? Full refund, no admin fee. How it works