Downloading OpenMandriva
You have some great choices when downloading OpenMandriva. Because OpenMandriva is optimized for several architectures, such as x86_64 (Intel), znver1 (AMD), and aarch64 (ARM), you can choose the version that fits your system the best.
On top of that, OpenMandriva comes in several editions:
- Rock: powerful and stable, Rock is built on a solid foundation that receives security patches only. It receives upgrades about once a year.
- ROME: stands for Rolling OpenMandriva Edition. ROME receives updates approximately monthly, tracking with the latest updates. If you are a developer who needs the latest software on a stable system, ROME is the edition for you.
- Cooker: our development edition. Run Cooker only when you need the absolute bleeding edge or if you’re working on OpenMandriva itself. You can run Cooker on your main system, but you must keep track of development on our Matrix chat to know when it’s safe to update, or you can break your system.
Downloading OpenMandriva, then, requires only that you 1) Know your architecture, and 2) Know which edition you want.
Choose Your Architecture
You have to know what kind of computer you have before you install OpenMandriva on it. A quick rule for PCs is
- If you have an Intel CPU, pick the x86_64 architecture.
- If you have an AMD CPU and your computer was bought after 2017, use the znver1 architecture. Otherwise, use the x86_64 architecture.
You can usually tell if you have Intel or AMD by the sticker on your machine. Otherwise, if you’re on Windows, you can go to Settings → About This System and see your processor architecture there.
If you’re installing on a Raspberry Pi or other ARM-based system, use the aarch64 version.
Choose Your Edition
Once you know your architecture, choose whether you want the stable Rock version, the up-to-date ROME version, or more rarely for special cases, the Cooker version.
Most users should choose the ROME version, so they have the best-of-both-worlds of stability and being up to date.
Great! Now that you’re ready, head over to the release picking page and download your OpenMandriva ISO file!