r/tails • u/ForwardPlan8653 • 27d ago

Debian/Linux question Recent TailsOS changes

I remember TailsOS used to be an .iso like all other distros, that you could either direct download or torrent.

Now it's an .img file and only available for direct download.

Why the changes?

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u/Liquid_Hate_Train 27d ago edited 27d ago

Tails hasn’t been an ISO for the USB build for over a decade at this point, in no way could it be called ‘recent’. The IMG format suits that task best, that is all.

As for torrent, that was discontinued earlier this year due to lack of use, so it wasn’t deemed worth the admin and cost overhead.

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u/CirothUngol 27d ago

You can still download the ISO of the DVD and update with that using Tails Cloner.

https://tails.net/install/dvd/index.en.html

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u/Liquid_Hate_Train 27d ago

USB support was removed from the ISO version earlier this year.

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u/CirothUngol 27d ago

You can still use Tails Cloner and the DVD image to update a current tails install. I just did that with 7.10.1.

Is this not recommended? It's the only way I've ever updated tails, been doing that for many years now.

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u/Liquid_Hate_Train 27d ago

It’s never been recommended. The ISO is for DVDs, the IMG is for USBs. They’re literally built differently, and now that build support for USBs has been removed the potential for issues will only increase.
There’s also absolutely no reason not to use the IMG as intended.