[Yandex Cloud documentation](../../index.md) > [Yandex BareMetal](../index.md) > [Concepts](index.md) > Setup and management > Images

# OS images

An _image_ is a complete copy of the file system structure and data on a disk. Images are ideal for providing software, including OS distributions and other software products.

In Yandex BareMetal, you install each [server](servers.md) OS from an image. These images fall into the following categories:

* [Marketplace images](#marketplace-images)
* [Custom images](#user-images)

## Marketplace images {#marketplace-images}

Marketplace images are public, preconfigured OS images available in a catalog for all BareMetal users to install on their BareMetal servers. Currently, the following Marketplace images for OS installation are available:

* Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
* Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
* Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
* Debian 11
* Debian 12
* Debian 13
* AlmaLinux 8
* AlmaLinux 9
* AlmaLinux 10
* Rocky 8
* Rocky 9
* Rocky 10
* Proxmox VE 9
* CentOS 7

Marketplace images include all hardware drivers and system settings required for the OS to run properly on a BareMetal server.

When you [install](../operations/servers/reinstall-os-from-marketplace.md) a server OS from a Marketplace image, it is always installed and booted in Legacy [mode](server-advanced-settings.md#boot-mode).

When installing a server OS from a Marketplace image, you can select the image you need directly in the [management console](https://console.yandex.cloud) interface. Alternatively, you can specify the image ID or name if you are using the Yandex Cloud [CLI](../../cli/cli-ref/baremetal/cli-ref/index.md) or [API](../api-ref/authentication.md).

## Custom images {#user-images}

Custom images are OS or software product images that users [upload](../operations/image-upload.md) on their own into BareMetal. With custom images, you can install a [Linux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux) or [Windows](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows) OS as well as software such as VMware [ESXi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware_ESXi), [OPNsense](https://opnsense.org/), etc.

Custom images must be uploaded to BareMetal in [ISO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_disc_image) format.

When installing an OS from a custom image, you can select the [boot mode](server-advanced-settings.md#boot-mode), `Legacy` or `UEFI`, and, optionally, [create](server-advanced-settings.md#creating-rst-raids) RAIDs on the server drives using the built-in RAID controllers on its motherboard, provided the OS or software supports this feature.

To [install](../operations/servers/reinstall-os-from-own-image.md) an OS from a custom image, employ the [server KVM console](../operations/servers/server-kvm.md) to mount the custom image on the server's virtual CD drive, then boot from it as follows:

1. Click the CD icon or select **Media** → **Virtual Media Wizard...** in the top menu of the KVM console window. In the window that opens, do the following:

    1. In the **CD/DVD Media1** section, click **Browse** and select the [previously uploaded](../operations/image-upload.md) custom OS image in the `user-iso` directory.
    1. Click **Connect CD/DVD**.
    1. Check the **Status** section for the **Virtual CD 1** device to make sure the **Connected To** field now gives the path to the image you selected, and click **Close**.
1. To boot the server up from the selected custom image, click **Reboot to cdrom** in the top-right corner of the KVM console.

    The server will restart and boot from the virtual CD drive.

#### See also {#see-also}

* [Reinstalling an OS from a Marketplace image](../operations/servers/reinstall-os-from-marketplace.md)
* [Reinstalling an OS from a custom ISO image](../operations/servers/reinstall-os-from-own-image.md)
* [Advanced server settings](server-advanced-settings.md)