One USB. Installs Ubuntu, then a menu opens on login so you pick your GPU rental platform โ Vast.ai, Clore.ai and more. Drivers, Docker and the host agent, all handled for you.
NVIDIA GPUs ONLYUbuntu 22.04 LTSAuto-Install USBMulti-Platform MenuMenu Opens On Login
โ ๏ธ
Use a separate HOST account on each platform!
Don’t use a client/renter account for hosting. Create a dedicated host account, accept the hosting agreement, and have your key or token ready before you start. The menu tells you exactly what each platform needs.
๐งญ
How it works now โ no command to type.
Flash the USB, boot your rig, let Ubuntu install, then log in. The Rabid menu opens by itself. Pick a platform, follow the on-screen prompts, and you’re live. That’s it.
Pick Your Platform
The installer supports multiple GPU rental marketplaces from one menu. Run several rigs on different platforms, or switch a rig over any time โ just reflash and pick again. (Menu numbers below match what you’ll see on screen.)
โ LIVE
2
Vast.ai
The largest GPU rental marketplace. Auto-installs the driver, Docker and the Vast host daemon, prompts for your rig name, port range and install key.
Crypto-native GPU hosting. Fully hands-free โ paste your server token early, and after the reboot the rig registers itself and goes online on its own.
Any NVIDIA card GTX 1000+ works. AMD GPUs are not supported by these platforms.
๐
Stable Internet
Wired connection strongly recommended. You need router access to forward ports.
๐
A Platform Account
A host account on whichever platform you pick โ Vast.ai or Clore.ai โ with the agreement accepted.
Download โ Rabid All-In-One Auto-Install USB
๐ฟ THE EASIEST GPU HOST SETUP AVAILABLE
Rabid All-In-One AI Installer ISO
Flash to USB, boot your rig, walk away while Ubuntu installs. On reboot, log in and the menu opens by itself. Pick Vast.ai, Clore.ai or more โ the installer handles the NVIDIA driver, Docker and the host agent automatically. You can leave the USB plugged in โ the installed disk boots ahead of it.
No guessing โ the credentials show above the login prompt before you even sign in
SHOWN ON THE CONSOLE, ABOVE THE LOGIN PROMPT:
Rabid’s All-In-One AI Installer โ Ubuntu 22.04 (aihost tty1)
————————————————————
Log in with: user: rabid password: ai
(You will be asked to change the password during setup.)
After login the setup menu opens automatically.
You can also SSH in: ssh rabid@<this-machine-ip>
————————————————————
Login: user rabid / password ai โ kept short so first login is quick. You’ll be prompted to set your own password during setup (do it โ each rig should have its own).
โธ
The Menu Opens Automatically โ Just Pick A Number
No command to type. Log in and this is waiting for you.
1) Check my rig only (hardware + internet, installs nothing)
2) Install Vast.ai
3) Install Clore.ai
4) Install Akash (coming soon)
5) Install Nosana (coming soon)
6) Install OctaSpace
7) Compare my rig against all platforms
0) Exit
Enter a number: _
Option 1 scans your rig and installs nothing โ a safe way to check your GPU, network and disk before committing. When you pick a platform, you get a prep screen telling you exactly what to have ready first.
What The Installer Does For You
โ Rig scan Checks GPU, driver, Secure Boot, network speed and disk before anything installs
โ NVIDIA driver Blacklists nouveau, installs the driver, reboots and resumes on its own
โ Docker + toolkit Installs Docker and the NVIDIA container runtime, configured for GPU workloads
โ Host agent Installs and connects the platform’s host agent with your key or token
โ Name & secure Prompts you to name the rig and change the password so each rig is unique
โฑ While the driver/host install runs (it can take 10โ20 minutes pulling images and building the driver) โ that’s the perfect time to forward your ports on the router.
Connect To Your Rig Via SSH (Optional)
๐ฅ
SSH In From Windows, Mac or Linux
Run it headless โ no monitor needed. The menu opens over SSH too.
Default login after the USB installs: username is rabid, password is ai โ you’ll be prompted to change it during setup.
โธ FIND YOUR RIG’S IP
Log into your router at 192.168.1.1 โ Connected Devices โ find aihost โ copy the IP.
Or plug a monitor in โ the login screen shows the IP and the SSH command.
โธ OPEN A TERMINAL
๐ช WINDOWS
Press Win+R, type cmd, hit Enter. Or search PowerShell.
๐ MAC
Press Cmd+Space, type Terminal, hit Enter.
โธ SSH IN
YOUR PC
ssh rabid@192.168.1.XXX
Replace 192.168.1.XXX with your rig’s actual IP. Password is ai. The menu opens as soon as you’re in.
SSH key conflict after a reinstall? Run: ssh-keygen -R 192.168.1.72 (use your rig’s IP) then SSH again.
Platform Setup โ Pick Yours
Click your platform below to see just its setup steps. Each installs from the same menu on the rig โ you only need to follow the one you’re using.
Vast.ai
Menu option 2 ยท install key
Clore.ai
Menu option 3 ยท hands-free
OctaSpace
Menu option 6 ยท token after
โ ๏ธ TWO DIFFERENT KEYS โ DON’T MIX THEM UP!
โ WRONG
Account โ API Keys โ this is for the CLI tool, not the installer. Using it gives a 403 error.
โ RIGHT
Host โ Setup โ Install Manager โ copy the whole install command (or the long hex key) shown there. Expires after 1 hour!
Click Setup โ accept the hosting agreement โ open Install Manager
Copy the install command (the whole line) โ the installer pulls the key out for you
Pick 2) Install Vast.ai in the menu โ it prompts for a rig name, a port range, then your key
Forward your chosen port range on your router while the installer runs
Paste the whole command โ you don’t have to isolate the key. Vast now shows a few install commands on the page; any of them work, the installer grabs the key automatically. Port range: default is 40000-40100. Second rig 40101-40200, third 40201-40300, and so on. Match what you forward on the router.
โ Clore is fully hands-free. You paste your server token early in the install; after the reboot the rig registers itself and comes online on its own โ no second command needed.
Log in โ My Servers โ + Add Server โ give it a name
Click the new server and copy its token / key
Pick 3) Install Clore.ai in the menu โ paste the token when asked (early on)
Let it finish and reboot โ the rig registers itself and shows green under My Servers
The name renters see is set on the Clore website when you Add Server โ the rig-name prompt in the installer only sets the local Linux name. Open ports 22, 8080, 3000-4000 on your router for rentals.
OctaSpace works in reverse: there’s no token to paste in first. The installer creates your node token at the end, then you register it on the OctaSpace website and set a reward address so the node can earn.
Pick 6) Install OctaSpace in the menu โ it installs the driver, node software and Docker
When it finishes, it prints a node token โ copy it before you reboot
On the site: Hosting โ Nodes โ Add Node, and paste your token
In profile settings, set your Reward Address (an OCTA wallet address) โ without it the node won’t earn
A static IP is only needed for the optional VPN service. For plain compute/rendering you can skip it โ traffic routes through OctaSpace’s proxies. Node dashboard runs locally on port 18888. Earning also requires your node to pass OctaSpace’s verification (clock, ports, driver, uptime).
Port Forwarding
๐ก
Forward Your Ports On Your Router
Required for renters to connect โ do this while the installer runs
๐ก Port Forwarding Instructions
Find your rig’s local IP (router โ Connected Devices โ aihost)
Open a browser โ go to 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1
Log in (check the sticker on your router for credentials)
Find Port Forwarding (under “Advanced” or “NAT”)
Add a rule: your port range โ your rig’s IP (TCP + UDP)
Save and apply
๐ Need help for your specific router? Visit portforward.com for step-by-step guides by brand and model. Confirm the ports are open with portchecker.co.
After You’re Online
๐ฐ
Set Your PricingOn Vast.ai or Clore.ai, list your GPU and check similar cards to stay competitive.
โ
Let Verification FinishPlatforms run automated tests after you register โ this can take 10โ30 minutes. Higher verification means more rentals. Don’t reboot during it.
๐
Change Your PasswordThe installer prompts you to change the default ai password โ do it. Each rig should have its own.
๐ฅ๏ธ
Run More RigsReflash the same USB on each machine. Give each a unique rig name and port range so they don’t clash.
Troubleshooting
Pick a category. “General” covers boot, driver and network issues that apply to every platform; the others are platform-specific.
General
Boot ยท driver ยท network
Vast.ai
Key ยท dashboard
Clore.ai
Token ยท registration
OctaSpace
Node ยท reward
โ The menu didn’t open when I logged in?
Start it manually with rabid-menu. If a platform install is still in progress it may defer to that first โ let it finish.
โ nvidia-smi fails after the driver reboot?
A full power-cycle (shut down, cut power for 30s, boot) fixes most cases โ it re-seats the GPU on the PCIe bus. If it persists, the card may be dropping off the bus; check seating, power cables, and turn EXPO/XMP off in BIOS (a common cause of random reboots on AM5 boards).
โ Stuck at grub rescue after the USB install?
Usually caused by a reboot during install (leaves the bootloader half-written) โ reboot the rig and it typically continues, or reflash for a clean install. The installer also sets the internal disk ahead of the USB in the boot order, so you can normally leave the USB plugged in.
โ No network / ethernet not working after install?
Interface name mismatch in netplan. Check your interface with ip link show (e.g. enp4s0), then check /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml โ if the name doesn’t match, edit it and run sudo netplan apply. Easiest fix if you’re stuck: reflash the USB for a clean install.
โ Want to start completely fresh?
Boot the USB again and pick the install entry โ a clean reinstall takes about 15 minutes and always leaves you in a known-good state.
Wrong key or hosting agreement not accepted. Go to cloud.vast.ai/host/setup, accept the agreement, refresh, and copy a fresh install command (they expire after 1 hour).
โ Machine not showing on the dashboard?
Wait 5โ10 minutes and refresh. Confirm ports are forwarded with portchecker.co. Check the agent: sudo systemctl status vastai โ should say active (running).
โ Used the wrong key?
The install key comes from Host โ Setup โ Install Manager, not Account โ API Keys. If you used an API key, grab a fresh install command and re-run option 2.
โ Server still shows “not set up” after reboot?
Give it a few minutes to register itself. If it stays offline, re-apply the token once the GPU is readable: sudo /opt/clore-hosting/clore.sh --init-token <your-token>
โ Machine not showing under My Servers?
Wait 5โ10 minutes and refresh. Check the agent: sudo systemctl status clore-hosting โ should say active (running). Confirm ports 22, 8080, 3000-4000 are forwarded.
โ Wrong name showing to renters?
The renter-facing name is set on the Clore website when you Add Server โ the installer’s rig-name prompt only changes the local Linux hostname.
โ I missed the node token โ where is it?
Scroll up in the terminal to find it in the install output, or check the node service logs. If you can’t recover it, re-run option 6 to reinstall and generate a fresh token.
โ Node installed but not earning?
Two common causes: you haven’t set a Reward Address in your profile (required to appear on the marketplace), or the node hasn’t passed verification yet (clock sync, open ports, driver, uptime). Check your node status at cube.octa.computer.
โ Is the node service running?
Check with sudo systemctl status osn โ should say active (running). The local dashboard is at http://<rig-ip>:18888.