The StartOS Personal Server from Start9 (formerly the Embassy Server) is one of the best ways to keep control of your personal data and not give it to the big tech companies to do whatever they want with it.
I've been running the StartOS Server for about a year now and I absolutely love it.
In this guide, I'll tell you why it's so important to use something like this, what the Start9 StartOS Personal Server can do, and everything you need to set one up for yourself.
I'll also share with you my personal experience with it and some things I learned that were not on the Start9 website.
Alright, let's get into it…
Why You Should Get an StartOS Server
The Start9 StartOS Server is truly breakthrough technology.
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In a past life, I used to do server administration. You know, those big servers on racks.
It was really complex and quite frankly, way more complicated than it should have been, especially with Windows Servers.
What Start9 has done is made server setup and administration super simple.
I can do things with just a few clicks on StartOS, that used to take me an hour (or more) on a traditional server.
More importantly however, StartOS gives you the ability to take control of your personal data.
Big tech companies literally have thousands of employees that can have access to your data. On top of that, their corporate policies can give your information to third parties, without your knowledge.
It's time to take control of who sees our data.
Here are some of the big tech solutions that you can replace with an StartOS server:
- File sync and hosting: Dropbox, etc.
- Password hosting and management: 1Password/LastPass etc.
- Private messaging: Signal, Whatsapp, etc.
- Website hosting: GoDaddy, etc.
- Calendar hosting: Google Calendar, iCloud, etc.
- Contacts hosting: Google Contacts, etc.
- Online payments: Stripe, PayPal, etc.
- Social media content: Twitter, etc.
- Git service: Github
- Photo organizer: Google Photos, etc.
- And more!
When you use an StartOS Server, all of the information that was previously stored in big tech servers is now stored on a tiny secure computer that sits in a corner of your room.
To access your StartOS Server, simply open a browser on the computer you're currently using.
All of your information is encrypted and you control who has access to your data.
Using an StartOS Server can also save you money because you won't be paying the monthly fee to use equivalent big tech services.
StartOS Server Options
There are 2 options if you want to get a server.
First, you can buy a prebuilt server directly from Start9.
The benefit of this is that you get a computer that works out of the box, without going through the assembly and setup process. Purchasing from Start9 also supports the project so they can do more good work.
The only downside is that it's going to cost you more than if you built a server yourself.
Quite a bit more.
But if you want a one and done solution, this is it.
Second, you could build a server with your own computer.
If you have experience with computers, then it's pretty easy and it comes out cheaper. There is also the benefit of understanding how all of the components work and how to fix it in the future.
If you want to build a server yourself, then the next 3 sections are for you.
Choose the option that makes the most sense to you.
StartOS Server Raspberry Pi Parts List
The first option is to buy a Raspberry Pi micro computer and use that as your StartOS Server. This is what I did in the beginning.
I've compiled my personal parts list here.
What I used was a little different from what Start9 recommends, and I did quite a bit of experimenting.
So be sure to read my notes because they will save you a lot of time when going the Pi DIY route.
Once I used it for awhile, I ran into issues with running Nextcloud, so I switched to the next solution. It also ran a little slow.
If you're just going to run a few simple services, then the Raspberry Pi is a great way to get started.
But if you want to run more intensive services like Nextcloud, then the following solution is a better option.
StartOS x86_64 Server
Using a Raspberry Pi for your StartOS Server is a cheap, low electricity way to start.
However, an better way to go is to install StartOS on a standard laptop or desktop computer.
x86 refers to the processor chip type and 64 means that it's a 64-bit processor. This type of chip is in most desktop and laptop computers.
In comparison to a Raspberry Pi, you'll get a more powerful computer and you don't have to assemble any parts. They are also pretty cheap, you can get a solid used x86_64 computer on eBay for around $100.
The only real downside is that there could be hacked hardware or firmware components in these mainstream consumer computers. Using a Raspberry Pi is a little safer in that respect because there are fewer components.
You can see other computers that are known to work well with StartOS here.
Another great option is the Purism Librem Mini. It's pricer than the average used computer, but it's much more secure because the hardware and firmware are built with privacy in mind.
I switched from a Raspberry Pi to a Dell Optiplex 7050. This is a micro computer that will fit into any space and doesn't use much electricity.
If you want to go this route, here are some great eBay deals on micro computers. I highly recommend buying Dell computers.
They are the most reliable used computers I've ever owned.
How to Install StartOS
Once you have a PC, there are 2 ways that you can install StartOS.
First, you can install StartOS directly on the computer. In my opinion, this is kind of a waste because you can only run StartOS on your computer. It's also a little harder to manage.
The second option is to install StartOS in a Virtual Machine on the base operating system. With this option, you first install Windows or Linux on the computer, then install Virtual Machine (VM) software that will run Linux operating systems like StartOS.
This way, you can still use the PC for other things and the VM is easier to backup.
I would suggest running Linux Mint as the base operating system and using QEMU as the VM. Both are free and work well.
Regardless of which option you choose, the next step will allow you to install StartOS on your computer or VM.
Installing StartOS is pretty simple.
You can get the complete instructions here.
But the instructions were written by techies, so they can still be a little confusing.
If you can't quite get it by reading the instructions, the following might help.
The first thing that you have to do is install StartOS on the main hard drive of your soon-to-be StartOS Server.
This is done by plugging your microSD card or internal SSD into a computer that's not your StartOS Server. There are instructions on how to do this online.
You may need an adapter to plug the micro SD or SDD into one of the USB cables on your computer. If your computer already has a microSD card slot, then use that.
Once your drive is plugged in, download the StartOS file (.ISO) and a free program called balenaEtcher.
blaenaEtcher is used to convert the .ISO file format into a format that the computer can read from the disk.
If you have trouble using balenaEtcher, try using the Raspberry Pi Imager. It does the same thing, but I find it more reliable.
Follow the blaenaEtcher instructions on the screen to create the drive.
Once OS has been installed on the SD card or SSD drive, put it into your StartOS computer. Turn the computer on and connect it to your network via the Ethernet cable.
Access the startup page via any browser on your primary computer. Make sure that your StartOS Server and your primary computer are on the same network.
Follow the instructions on the screen to get started. If you're using a microSD card as your main hard drive and you want to use an extra external SSD drive for storage, the setup process will ask you to plug it in.
That's it!
Once everything is installed, you can start installing the apps you want to use. Every app can be installed with just a couple of clicks.
It's super simple, but you can get more detailed instructions here.
How to Backup StartOS
Backing up the system is easy.
The backup is password encrypted, so you can be sure that it's safe, even if someone stumbles onto your backup file.
StartOS allows you to backup your system to any computer or backup drive on your home network.
I have a NAS drive attached to my router, so it's easy to backup my StartOS Server with just 1 click.
Get the complete backup instructions here.
My Favorite StartOS Apps
Now what do I use StartOS for?
I'm constantly finding new uses for my server, but here are my favorite services at the moment:
- Vaultwarden: Private, encrypted password storage and access
- Ghost: Easy to use blogging software
- Syncthing: Sync files between server and my laptop
- Nostr: Privately hosted Twitter replacement
- Synapse: Private messaging
It's amazing what this little computer can do.
They are adding new apps all the time, so I'll be experimenting with new apps that look useful.
Final Thoughts
So that's how you get started with a Start9 StartOS server.
It's empowering to know that I'm in control of my data and not some giant company.
If that interests you, then get started right now. It's probably a lot easier to setup than you think.
I learned about this tech from Jack Spirko of the Survival Podcast.
So shout out to him for sharing this amazing project.
