---
title: Set up your wild cloud
date: 2025-08-05
series:
  - Wild Cloud Setup
series_order: 6
---

This section of the guide will walk you through setting up your wild cloud cluster. When you are done, you will have a complete wild cloud, all set up, ready for your apps!

## Prepare your USB key(s)

### Download the correct Talos ISO

You will be using a USB key to boot each of your cluster machines. Let's create the bootable USB key now.

From your wild cloud home, run:

```bash
wild-cluster-node-boot-assets-download
```

This will download a Talos ISO you can use to create a USB drive.

The custom ISO includes system extensions needed for a wild cloud cluster and is saved to `.wildcloud/node-boot-assets/<schematicId>/iso/talos-v<VERSION>-metal-amd64.iso`.


### Copy ISO to a USB drive

```bash
# Find your USB device (be careful to select the right device!)
lsblk
sudo dmesg | tail  # Check for recently connected USB devices

# Create bootable USB (replace /dev/sdX with your USB device and set the version you donwloaded.
sudo dd if=.wildcloud/iso/talos-v<VERSION>-metal-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress sync

# Verify the write completed
sync
```

**⚠️ Warning**: Double-check the device path (`/dev/sdX`). Writing to the wrong device will destroy data!

{{< go-deeper >}}
Note: Balena Etcher can also be used to create a bootable USB drive from the ISO.
{{< /go-deeper >}}

## How to install Talos OS on a machine

To add a machine to your Wild Cloud, you will need to install Talos OS on it. The first time the machine boots, it will be in "maintenance mode" which makes it available to be configured as part of your wild cloud.

To install Talos OS:

Prepare the machine:

- The machine should have a ~100GB drive that the Talos OS will be installed to. Talos will never use more space than this, so any larger of a drive will be wasted space.
- If the machine is going to be a worker node, any number of additional drives can be inserted.
- Connect the machine to your wild cloud network switch.

1. Insert your Talos USB key and boot the machine.
2. Enter EUFI settings (usually F2, F12, DEL, or ESC during startup) and configure the machine to boot from whatever you are selecting as your boot drive.
3. For this time only, choose to boot from the USB key.

That's all you need to do. The machine should boot into maintenance mode and you will see an IP address you will use during setup.

## Setup!

Ok, with the Talos USB key and knowing how to boot a machine with it, we're ready to set up our cluster. In your Wild Cloud Home, start the setup process by running...

```bash
wild-setup
```

The setup script will walk you through the process of installing your cluster nodes (part 1), and your cluster services (part 2).

### Part 1: Setup your cluster nodes

_To add a node, it is expected to be in "maintenance mode"--as described above_

Your cluster will be "brought up" after your first control node is added. Each additional control node will be added to the cluster until you have all three nodes running.

After your three control nodes are setup, you will have the opportunity to add as many worker nodes as you'd like (three minimum).

If you ever want to set up more cluster nodes, you don't need to run the full setup. To get back into this part of the setup, you can just run:

```bash
wild-setup-cluster
```

### Part 2: Install your cluster services

After your control and worker nodes are installed, `wild-setup` will automatically install all of your wild cloud's cluster services.

The first time through this part of the setup, you will be asked for your preferences as needed and they will be captured in your `config.yaml`. Once your preferences are recorded, the services will be automatically deployed to your cluster.

If you ever need to change your cluster services, you don't have to re-run the full setup. You can just run:

```bash
wild-setup-services
```

## Check your installation

When the setup is finished, you can test your installation with:

```bash
wild-health
```

## Next Steps

Now that you have your Wild Cloud set up, you can start using it! Follow the instructions in the [Using Wild Cloud](../using-wild-cloud/) guide to get started with deploying applications and managing your cloud environment.
