# Garry USB release status

September 20, 2026: **Bootable Desktop is a VM-tested preview.** The Debian
desktop boots in BIOS and UEFI virtual machines, saved work survived a reboot,
and the downloaded local AI produced a reply with no network interface.
Physical USB and firmware compatibility still need testing on the user's PC.

## Bootable Desktop edition

- Base: Debian 13 amd64 with XFCE and LightDM.
- Included desktop: Firefox ESR, Thunar file manager, terminal, editor, archive
  manager, PDF/image/media viewers, audio and NetworkManager Wi-Fi controls.
- Google Chrome: optional official installer shortcut, after the user reviews
  and accepts Google's terms. A proprietary Chrome binary is not bundled.
- Garry: local loopback workspace running as the desktop user; fresh data,
  tasks, text files and optional downloaded local AI. No cloud logins, history,
  hotel access, credentials or remote-control permissions are included.
- Model: pinned, checksum-verified Qwen3 4B, approximately 2.5 GB, downloaded by
  Garry's System setup after persistent storage is active. No model is bundled.
- Preparation: spare 32 GB or larger USB, Rufus ISO mode and at least 8 GB of
  persistent space. Rufus's official implementation creates Debian full-system
  persistence (`/ union`), which can save files, profiles and installed apps.
  Instructions are in [DESKTOP_GUIDE.html](DESKTOP_GUIDE.html).
- Compatibility: Intel/AMD x86-64 PCs. Not an ARM, phone or Apple Silicon image.
  This is Linux; it does not run ordinary Windows programs.

## Download

- Filename: [Garry-Desktop-amd64.iso](Garry-Desktop-amd64.iso).
- Size: **1,607,467,008 bytes** — 1.61 GB / approximately 1.50 GiB.
- SHA256: `abc1675dbf417f41ab2d7a70f7a4713ad173da6455a52113e88ef6204a267a4f`.
- Checksum file: [BOOT_SHA256SUMS](BOOT_SHA256SUMS).
- Package manifest: [desktop-packages.tsv](evidence/desktop-packages.tsv).
- Actual Linux desktop screenshot: [desktop-linux.png](desktop-linux.png).
- Garry in Firefox on that desktop: [garry-linux.png](garry-linux.png).

## Verified virtual-machine tests

Tests ran September 20, 2026 under QEMU with Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHPX),
two virtual CPUs, and emulated USB storage. BIOS boot used 4 GB of RAM; the UEFI
reboot and offline AI test used 5 GB. The virtual persistence disk used Debian
full-system saving. These were isolated test disks, not a user's physical USB.

| Check | Verified result |
| --- | --- |
| BIOS desktop boot | XFCE desktop and Firefox visibly running; local Garry workspace opened |
| UEFI desktop boot | XFCE and local Garry running; `/sys/firmware/efi` present |
| App identity and privileges | Correct Garry USB health response; app tested as desktop user UID 1000 over loopback |
| Ordinary desktop provision | Firefox 140.15.0esr and Thunar visibly opened; NetworkManager service active |
| Local save operations | Task, text note, Documents file and a configuration-file marker created |
| Reboot persistence | All four saved items read back after BIOS shutdown and UEFI boot |
| Offline local AI | Qwen3 4B returned an actual reply with no non-loopback interfaces and no IPv4 or IPv6 default routes |

Saved evidence:

- [Initial save check](evidence/first-check.json), 16:25:35 UTC.
- [Reboot readback check](evidence/reboot-check.json), 16:28:20 UTC.
- [Offline model check](evidence/model-check.json), started 16:28:34 UTC.

The offline prompt produced: “A USB flash drive is a portable storage device
that allows data to be stored, transferred, and shared between computers.”
That short response took approximately **22.05 seconds** on the two-vCPU,
5-GB test VM. It is one working example, not a general speed or intelligence
benchmark. CPU performance, memory and USB speed will affect real use.

For this test, engine and model assets were staged separately onto the test
storage. They remain outside the downloadable ISO. The full first-use model
download through the final guest's browser was not the path used for this test.

## Remaining limits

- Physical USB writing with Rufus and booting it on an actual PC are untested.
  Rufus behavior is supported by its official source, while the test above
  proves the image's persistence behavior in a virtual machine. Use the guide's
  visible **System → Saved with your workspace** and task/reboot check on your
  own USB before downloading the model or storing important work.
- Secure Boot, real Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, physical audio and hardware-specific
  graphics are untested. Having a network control installed is not a Wi-Fi test.
- The official Chrome download/install and Chrome GUI launch are untested in
  the final image. Firefox is included and was visibly opened in the VM.
- The configuration-file marker proves file persistence, not that every desktop
  setting or saved browser login was exercised. No cloud login was copied in.
- Local Garry does not inherit Cloud Garry's account access or operator tools.
  Sign in separately at GarryHQ for cloud services. USB data is not automatically
  encrypted or backed up.

Rufus references:

- https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/blob/master/src/format.c
- https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/blob/master/src/format_ext.c

## Existing Windows preview — unchanged

Download: [Garry-USB-Windows-x64.zip](Garry-USB-Windows-x64.zip), **18,668,098 bytes**.

SHA256:
`a2fc5764f7f2197d18e5555726ddbc8230db9585beb608c96f0f56449243bfce`

This workspace opens while Windows 10/11 x64 is already running. Extract the
entire GarryUSB folder and open Start Garry.exe. It does not make a bootable
USB. The Windows package is unsigned, and launch on physical Windows hardware
has not yet been verified. Do not disable Windows protection to run it.

The original release recorded 12 backend tests, four launcher tests, browser
integration and extracted-archive checks on Linux; a public HTTPS download
matched the complete hash. These checks are not native Windows execution.
The ZIP contains its Windows runtime and CPU engine; model setup separately
downloads about 2.5 GB. Existing QUICK_START.txt and SHA256SUMS are preserved.

## Previous Alpine boot prototype

Superseded by this Debian desktop build. It did not reach a usable desktop in
its bounded software-emulated test and remains unpublished. It is not this
Desktop download.