How do I use the WebFAI USB stick? - TUXEDO Computers

  ATTENTION: To use our store you have to activate JavaScript and deactivate script blockers!  
Thank you for your understanding!

How do I use the WebFAI USB stick?

WebFAI is an automatic installation method for various operating systems on TUXEDO devices. WebFAI is built on the Debian project FAI by Thomas Lange, where “FAI” stands for “Fully Automatic Installation”.

With your order you have received a bootable USB stick with the imprint “WebFAI”, which is intended exactly for this purpose. After an installation with the WebFAI, you will have exactly the system as we set it up in our production before your device is shipped to you.

Before we explain how to perform an installation with WebFAI, one more important note:

Note: Remove all disks from your device that are not to be included in the installation and unplug all external disks from your device to prevent data loss. There is a possibility that connected disks, hard drives, SSDs, NVMEs, USB sticks, USB hard drives, USB memory, memory cards, and the like will be erased. The WebFAI runs completely automatically from the point where you select the distribution to install. So you have no means to influence the installation by partitioning. All data on the hard disk that is being installed to will be deleted. We do not assume any liability for data loss or damage!

What do you need for installation

Besides the WebFAI stick itself you need a network cable, as the installation via WebFAI does not work via WiFi. If your notebook does not have a LAN port, you will also need a USB-to-LAN adapter. Besides that, WebFAI only works with UEFI, not with a conventional BIOS. If you had changed your device in this respect, now set the option back to UEFI. If you have activated Secure Boot, you have to switch this off while WebFAI is running.

If your WebFAI stick is lost or damaged, we will show you below how to create one yourself without much effort.

The installation

After you have backed up your data and removed all storage media that are not involved in the installation, insert your WebFAI stick into a free USB port on your notebook and connect your device to the mains and your switch or router with a network cable. Now start your notebook and press F2, (possibly ESC, F7, F10 or F12 on older devices) repeatedly immediately after switching on until the boot menu opens, where you now select your USB stick as the first device to be booted using the arrow keys and confirm with the Enter key.

The WebFAI stick is then updated to the latest version so that you always receive the version of the desired operating system currently supported by TUXEDO. Now select the desired Linux distribution, confirm the selection with Enter and the automatic installation and system setup begins.

Select the desired distribution
Note: If the screen turns off during installation to save power, you can reactivate it simply by pressing the “Alt” key. The installation will continue regardless.

When the installation is complete, the message “Press to reboot” appears at the bottom of the screen. Press any key to reboot your TUXEDO. After rebooting, please follow the setup wizard to personalize your installation.

Please note: If the download from the WebFAI image does not take place in the first instance, please check in the BIOS whether the system time is set correctly. For example, a CMOS reset can cause the system time and date to become misaligned.

Create a WebFAI stick yourself

If your WebFAI stick is lost or no longer works, you can create a new one in a few minutes. For this purpose, we provide you with the software TUXEDO WebFAI Creator. The application is pre-installed on your device. If it is not, download the package from our repository and install it via the software management app Discover.

The TUXEDO WebFAI Creator creates a bootable WebFAI stick in a few moments

Thereafter, start the application and initiate the process by clicking Flash on the right. When the process has finished, you can use your new WebFAI stick as described above. You can also watch the process in a short video. The TUXEDO WebFAI Creator creates a bootable WebFAI stick in a few moments.

Advantages and disadvantages of WebFAI installation

With WebFAI you get TUXEDO OS or one of the other offered distributions, bit-by-bit as we install it in production. So if you want to install the operating system as it was at delivery, WebFAI is the right tool for you. Except the choice of the operating system, you don’t have to make any decisions, but on the other hand, you have to live with the fact that your hard disk is used completely. Which distributions are currently supported by WebFAI, you can read in this article.

If you are a little more experienced and want to install into, say, a specific partition without affecting other partitions, we offer an ISO image of TUXEDO OS that you can download from our website and install and customize to your needs just like any other distribution. Alternatively, you can choose an ISO image of the distributions we support from the net or choose an entirely different distribution. Which form of support you can expect from TUXEDO in each case, you can read in our article about our support policies.

Service & Support

Welcome to TUXEDO Support - how can we help you?

Linux at TUXEDO

Are you wondering if Linux is right for you? Our team will be happy to answer your questions and explain details about the free operating system at TUXEDO.
Let the advantages and services convince you!

Hardware

Notebook, PC, both - and which model? Our technical service team also provides advice on selection, equipment and puts together suitable offers for your technical requirements.

Questions and Answers

In addition to consulting on Linux on TUXEDO devices, our technical service team is of course also available for all other questions about Linux at TUXEDO.


Find out more

Instructions and Tips

Most situations can be solved quickly and easily by yourself. This saves you time and you can use your device directly again. We provide you with instructions, first steps and short tips for all TUXEDO models.


Find out more

System Recovery

Even in the case of a case, you don't have to rely on us: Your device can be reset to the factory settings - completely automatically! Everything is included with your order and you can get started right away.


Find out more

Technical Service

Our competent technicians are also happy to help with service requests. You have different possibilities to contact us. We are personally there for you Monday to Friday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm. But also outside these times you can contact our team with your request by e-mail.
An extra function is available in your customer account for repair requests (RMA).

 

Contact

We are personally there for you Monday to Friday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm (German time). But also outside these times you can contact our team with your request by e-mail. Please include your customer number, the model name of your laptop or PC and as detailed a description of your request as possible. The more details you give us, the faster we can process your request!

We might not be able to answer questions about third party hardware or software. For questions about popular open source software (Thunderbird, Filezilla...) please contact a forum e.g. ubuntuforums.org. The research effort for application specific setup is immense and not manageable at the current time. Basic compatibility questions e.g. are of course still welcome!

An extra function is available in your customer account for repair requests (RMA).

 

Shipping costs & delivery times

We're delivering your order in almost every country, inside Europe, even free of charge! All shipping fees as well as the threshold amount for free shipping are listed below.

 


Free shipping in Germany

Starting from 100 € value of goods, shipping is free inside Germany.

 

7.99 € shipping cost at max!

No matter how many small articles you order, such as USB stick card reader, LAN adapters or fan articles, with us, you pay a maximum of 7.99 € shipping costs.

  • 7.99 € shipping fee for all orders below 100 € of goods
  • Free shipping from 100 € total value of goods

You can check all occurring shipping costs or if we even deliver for free right before sending your order!

 


International delivery

Here are the shipping costs as well as the amount threshold for your order. The threshold is referring to the total amount of your order, which enables free shipping.

⚠️ Countries to which we unfortunately cannot ship, and information on how you can still order from us, can be found here!

 

Country Shipping Fee Free Shipping From
Albania 99,00 EUR -
Andorra 59,00 EUR -
Belarus Temporarily no delivery possible 59,00 EUR -
Belgium 8,49 EUR 100 EUR
Bulgaria 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Denmark 8,49 EUR 100 EUR
Estonia 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Faeroe Islands 129,00 EUR -
Finland 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
France 9,99 EUR 120 EUR
Greece 22,90 EUR -
United Kingdom 9,99 EUR 120 EUR
Hong Kong 199,00 EUR -
India 199,00 EUR -
Ireland 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
Island 129,00 EUR -
Italy 9,99 EUR 120 EUR
Japan 99,00 EUR -
Canada 99,00 EUR -
Croatia 34,90 EUR 500 EUR
Latvia 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Lithuania 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Luxembourg 8,49 EUR 100 EUR
Macau 199,00 EUR -
Malta 34,90 EUR 500 EUR
Macedonia 59,00 EUR -
Montenegro 99,00 EUR -
Netherlands 8,49 EUR 100 EUR
Norway 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
Austria 8,49 EUR 100 EUR
Poland 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Portugal 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
Romania 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
San Marino 9,99 EUR 120 EUR
Sweden 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
Switzerland 13,99 EUR 150 EUR
Serbia 34,90 EUR 500 EUR
Singapore 199,00 EUR -
Slovakia 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Slovenia 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Spain (without Canary Islands) 14,99 EUR 150 EUR
Czech Republic 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
Ukraine Temporarily no delivery possible 129,00 EUR -
Hungary 15,99 EUR 160 EUR
USA including Hawaii 99,00 EUR -
United Arabic Emirates 199,00 EUR -
Cyprus 34,90 EUR 500 EUR
Qatar 199,00 EUR -

For orders outside the EU there might be additional duties, taxes or charges needed to be paid by the customer. These don't have to be paid to the supplier, but to local authorities. Please check for any details with your local customs or tax authorities before ordering! But as a benefit you don't have to pay German taxes, this means you save up to 19%!
Due to the Brexit and the associated changes, there may be delays of several days in customs clearance on site for deliveries to the UK. This is not within our sphere of influence, so we ask for your understanding.

 


Time of delivery

If not stated differently in the article's description, we deliver goods in:

  • 7 - 10 working days inside Germany
  • 10 - 12 working days outside Germany

For orders paid in advance, the delivery time starts with receipt of the payment. Please keep in mind that there is no delivery on Sundays or on holidays.
For goods delivered as download, there will be no shipping fees due.
Access data for downloads are sent out via e-mail 1 - 3 working days after contract formation. For orders with advanced payment, we will deliver after receiving the payment. You can download the item by using the link sent to you via e-mail.

Self-pick-up of orders is not possible, unfortunately.