Initial Setup#

This topic describes the setup process when the DGX system is powered on for the first time after delivery or after the system is reimaged.

To start the process, you need to accept the End User License Agreements (EULA) and set up your username and password. To preview the EULA, refer to the Enterprise Software Agreements page and click NVIDIA Software License Agreement under NVIDIA AI, DGX and NVIDIA AI Enterprise.

Connecting to the DGX System#

During the installation and initial configuration steps, you need to connect to the console of the DGX system. To connect to the DGX system, use one of the following methods:

  • Through a virtual keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) in the BMC.

  • Through a direct connection with a local monitor and keyboard.

Refer to the appropriate DGX product user guide for a list of supported connection methods and specific product instructions:

First Boot Process for DGX Servers#

Complete the first boot process for DGX servers using the steps in this section.

Note

The first boot dialogs are presented over a display. This can be a physical display or the virtual one provided by the remote BMC. These dialogs are not visible when you use a serial console.

  1. If the DGX OS was installed with an encrypted root filesystem, you will be prompted to unlock the drive. For more information, refer to Advanced Installation Options (Encrypted Root). When you select this menu item, you can encrypt the root filesystem of the DGX system.

    Enter nvidia3d at the crypt prompt.

  2. Accept the EULA to proceed with the DGX system setup.

  3. Complete the following steps:

    1. Select your language and locale preferences.

    2. Select the country for your keyboard.

    3. Select your time zone.

    4. Confirm the UTC clock setting.

    5. Create an administrative user account with your name, username, and password.

      • This username is also used as the BMC and GRUB username.

      • The BMC software does not accept sysadmin for a username, and you cannot log in to the BMC with that username.

        Note

        During this step in the procedure, the default BMC administrator user will be disabled, and a new BMC administrator user will be created.

      • The username must be composed of lower-case letters.

      • The username will be used for administrative activities instead of the root account.

      • Ensure you enter a strong password.

      If the password that you entered is weak, a warning message appears.

    6. Create a BMC administrator password of 13–20 characters.

      After you create your login credentials, the default credentials will no longer work.

    7. Create a GRUB password.

      The GRUB password prevents unauthorized users from editing boot parameters, accessing the command line, or bypassing system authentication to gain root access.

      • Your GRUB password must have at least 8 characters. If it has fewer than 8 characters, you cannot click Continue.

      • If you continue without entering a password, the GRUB protection will be disabled. For added security, NVIDIA recommends that you set the GRUB password.

    8. Create a root filesystem passphrase. This dialog only appears if root filesystem encryption was selected at the time of the DGX OS installation. For more information, refer to Advanced Installation Options (Encrypted Root). When you select this menu item, you can encrypt the root filesystem of the DGX system.

    9. Select a primary network interface for the DGX system. This should typically be the interface that you will use for subsequent system configuration or in-band management. For example:

      • DGX A100: enp226s0

      • DGX H100/H200: eno3

      • DGX B200: eno3

      • DGX B300: eno1

      Do not select enp37s0f3u1u3c2, bmc_redfish0, or similar names because this interface is intended only for out-of-band management or future support of in-band tools that will access the Redfish APIs.

      After you select the primary network interface, the system attempts to configure the interface for DHCP and prompts you to enter the name server addresses.

      • If no DHCP is available, click OK in the Network autoconfiguration failed dialog box and manually configure the network.

      • To configure a static address, click Cancel in the dialog box after the DHCP configuration completes to restart the network configuration steps.

      • To select a different network interface, after the DHCP configuration completes, click Cancel in the dialog box to restart the network configuration steps.

    10. If prompted, enter the requested networking information, such as the name server or the domain name.

    11. Select a host name for the DGX system.

After you complete the first boot process, the DGX system configures the operating system, starts the system services, and displays a login prompt on the console. If the IP address of the configured network interface is known, you can log in using the console or secure shell (SSH).

Caution

Before you reboot the system, ensure that the NVIDIA RAID configuration service has completed by running sudo systemctl status nvidia-raid-config until the Finished NVIDIA RAID Configuration message appears. The configuration service typically takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Post-First Boot Process Tasks#

After doing the First Boot Process on the DGX system, you can proceed with the following tasks.

Performing Package Updates for DGX Servers#

After the First Boot Process on the DGX server (A100, A800, H100, H200, H800, B200, or B300) has been completed, the packages in the DGX OS ISO 8.0.0 image used on the system must be updated immediately.

Note

To perform DGX OS updates on systems without an internet connection, refer to Air-Gapped Installations.

Follow these steps to update the DGX system:

  1. DOCA Driver Update.

  2. Update Remaining Drivers and Packages.

  3. Verify the DGX OS Update.

DOCA Driver Update#

Before performing the upgrade in the next step, run the following commands to update the configured DOCA repository location.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y doca-repo
sudo apt update

Update Remaining Drivers and Packages#

After the doca-repo installation, install the updates needed for other packages in DGX OS as follows:

  1. Upgrade all software packages with the latest versions.

    $ sudo apt full-upgrade -y

  2. Reboot the system.

    $ sudo reboot

Verify the DGX OS Update#

After the update, verify that the update completed by reviewing the /etc/dgx-release file.

The file should indicate the DGX OS 8 version that was initially installed, with two OTA lines appended at the end containing the new DGX OS 8 version and installation date. For example,

$ cat /etc/dgx-release
DGX_NAME="DGX Server"
DGX_PRETTY_NAME="NVIDIA DGX Server"
DGX_SWBUILD_DATE="2026-07-08-08-15-41"
DGX_SWBUILD_VERSION="8.0.0"
DGX_COMMIT_ID="e810d83"
DGX_PLATFORM="DGX Server for DGX H200"
DGX_SERIAL_NUMBER="1234567890123"

DGX_OTA_VERSION="8.0.0"
DGX_OTA_DATE="Wed Jul 29 09:16:58 AM PST 2026"

Enabling Multiple Users to Remotely Access the DGX System#

To enable multiple users to remotely access the DGX system, an SSH server is installed and enabled on the DGX system.

Add other Ubuntu OS users to the DGX system to allow them to remotely log in to the DGX system through SSH. Refer to Add a new user account for more information.

For information about logging in remotely through SSH, refer to Connecting to an OpenSSH Server on the Ubuntu Community Help Wiki.

Important

The DGX system does not provide any additional isolation guarantees between users beyond the guarantees that the Ubuntu OS offers. For guidelines about secure access to the DGX system over SSH, refer to Configuring an OpenSSH Server on the Ubuntu Community Help Wiki.