Roon Optimized Core Kit (ROCK) comes with a "factory reset" disk image that you flash onto a USB flash drive. When you boot your NUC from that drive, it partitions, formats, and initializes your M.2 SSD, then installs RoonOS.

This guide walks you through preparing your NUC's hardware and BIOS, creating the USB installer, installing ROCK, and connecting to it from Roon.

To run RoonOS 3.0, please install ROCK in UEFI mode. RoonOS 3.0 brings the redesigned Web Administration Interface and Tailscale support. ROCK installed in legacy BIOS mode keeps the original Web Administration Interface and doesn't support Tailscale.

1. Prepare Your NUC's Hardware

Before you install the software, please check that you have every component you need and assemble your NUC.

1.1. What You'll Need

• A compatible Intel NUC: ROCK officially supports specific NUC models only. Please check your model against the list of compatible NUCs.
• RAM: most NUC models use DDR4 or DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, depending on the model. 8GB is the minimum, but we recommend 16GB or more, especially for large music libraries. Please check your NUC's specifications for the maximum supported amount and speed.
• M.2 SSD (required): RoonOS and your Roon database are installed on this drive. Its speed has a big effect on how responsive Roon feels. The minimum size is 64GB, but we recommend 128GB or 256GB.
• USB keyboard and monitor: you only need these during installation. ROCK runs "headless" afterward, so you can disconnect them once setup is complete.
• USB flash drive: a standard flash drive of at least 1GB. You'll write the ROCK installer to it.
• Ethernet cable: ROCK does support Wi-Fi. However, we recommend a wired Ethernet connection to your router for stable playback and reliable access to your music library.
• Additional drive for music (optional): if you'd like to store music on the NUC itself, you'll need a second drive. A 2.5" SSD is faster and quieter, and a 2.5" HDD offers more capacity for the price. This drive is used only for your music library.

To check which RAM and M.2 SSD types your NUC supports, please search for it on ASUS's Website and open its product specifications page. For NUC 12 and older, please visit Intel's website.

1.2. Assembling Your NUC

1. Prepare your workspace: please use a clean, well-lit surface. Touch a metal object before you begin, to avoid damaging components with static electricity.
2. Open the NUC case: unscrew the four corner screws on the bottom of the chassis and lift off the cover.

   

3. Install the RAM:

   

   1. Align the notch on the bottom edge of the memory module with the key on the socket.
   2. Insert the bottom edge of the module into the socket at a 45 degree angle (A).
   3. Push down on the outer edges of the module until the retaining clips snap into place (B).
   4. Check that the clips are firmly in place (C).
4. Install the M.2 SSD:

   

   1. Remove the small silver screw from the 80mm or 42mm metal standoff on the board (A).
   2. If an SSD or Intel Optane Memory module is already installed, remove it from the connector.
   3. Align the notch at the bottom of the new M.2 SSD with the key on the connector.
   4. Insert the bottom edge of the M.2 SSD into the connector (B).
   5. Secure the SSD to the standoff with the small silver screw (C).
5. Install the 2.5" drive (optional): if you're adding a music drive, it goes in the drive bay, usually on the NUC's cover.

   

   1. Unscrew the four screws holding the drive bay bracket.
   2. If a drive is already installed, remove it from the drive bay.
   3. Slide the new 2.5" drive into the drive bay. Make sure its connectors are fully seated in the SATA daughter card (A).
   4. Secure the drive with the four screws from step a, then set the drive bay bracket down inside the chassis (C).

   

6. Close the case: replace the bottom cover and tighten the screws.

   

Assembly can vary slightly between NUC models. If you're unsure about a step, please check the manufacturer's manual for your model.

1.3. Final Connections for Installation

Before you turn on your NUC for the first time, please connect everything you'll need for installation:

1. Connect a USB keyboard to one of the USB ports.
2. Connect a monitor using HDMI or DisplayPort.
3. Connect an Ethernet cable from the NUC to your router.
4. Connect the power adapter, but don't turn the NUC on yet.

Please don't connect the USB installer drive yet. You'll do that later in this guide. Your hardware is now ready for the BIOS setup.

2. Prepare Your NUC's BIOS

Before you change any settings, please update your NUC to the latest BIOS version. This fixes bugs, improves stability, and helps with hardware compatibility. ASUS has taken over the NUC product line from Intel, so where you find the BIOS depends on your model.

1. Identify your NUC's model: the exact model number is printed on a sticker on the bottom of your NUC.
   • NUC 13 and newer: supported by ASUS.
   • NUC 12 and older: supported by Intel.
2. Download the BIOS: search for your NUC model and download the latest BIOS Update (.BIO file).
   • ASUS NUCs: ASUS's Website
   • Intel NUCs: Intel Download Center
3. Prepare a USB drive: copy the .BIO file to a USB flash drive formatted as FAT32.

Video guides for formatting a USB drive as FAT32: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

4. Update using the F7 Flash Tool:
   1. Plug the USB drive with the .BIO file into your NUC.
   2. Power on (or restart) the NUC and press F7 when prompted during boot. The BIOS flash tool opens.
   3. In the file browser, select the USB drive, then select the .BIO file.
   4. Confirm the update. The update begins.

Please don't turn off your NUC during the BIOS update. Turning it off can leave the NUC unable to start. It restarts automatically when the update is finished.

2.1. What You'll Configure in the BIOS

• Boot mode set to UEFI: UEFI is required for RoonOS 3.0, including the redesigned Web Administration Interface and Tailscale for Roon ARC. Please disable legacy boot.
• Secure Boot disabled: ROCK won't boot with Secure Boot turned on.
• Boot order: your M.2 SSD should be the first boot device. USB boot should stay enabled, so you can start the installer from the boot menu.
• Drive settings: make sure your M.2 SSD and any other drives are enabled. On some older NUCs, you need to enable the M.2 slot.
• Power on after power loss: this setting is important for a server. It turns your NUC back on automatically when power returns after an outage.

2.2. How to Configure the BIOS

Power on your NUC and immediately press F2 to enter BIOS setup. Then, please follow Configure your NUC's BIOS. You'll also find a video of the BIOS setup at the start of 5. Installing.

Menus vary by NUC generation, so the layout may not match the guide exactly. If it doesn't, please look for settings with similar names. Once your BIOS is configured, please continue to the next section.

3. Download the ROCK Installer

Please download the ROCK installer on another computer, not your NUC.

• Download the ROCK installer

The file is named roonbox-linuxx64-nuc4-usb-factoryreset.img.gz.

4. Write the Installer to a USB Flash Drive

Please do this on the same computer you used to download the installer, not your NUC.

4.1. Creating the Bootable USB Drive with Etcher

You can't simply copy the installer to a USB drive. It needs to be "flashed" with a tool that makes the drive bootable. We recommend balenaEtcher, because it's free, reliable, and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

1. Download and install Etcher from the balenaEtcher website.
2. Open Etcher.
3. Click Flash from file and select the roonbox-linuxx64-nuc4-usb-factoryreset.img.gz file you downloaded.
4. Click Select target and choose your USB flash drive.

Flashing completely erases the selected drive. Please double-check that you've selected your USB flash drive.

5. Click Flash! and wait for the process to finish.

4.2. Troubleshooting Common Etcher Issues

Windows says "You need to format the disk"

This is expected behavior: the flash worked. The installer uses a Linux file system that Windows can't read. Please don't format the drive. Close any pop-up windows and safely eject the drive. It's ready to use in your NUC.

Etcher shows "Flash Failed!"

• Run Etcher as an administrator: on Windows, right-click Etcher and select Run as administrator. On macOS or Linux, launch it from the terminal with sudo. This often fixes permission issues.
• Try a different USB port: please avoid USB hubs and front-panel ports. Use a port directly on your computer instead.
• Try a different USB drive: an old, slow, or faulty flash drive is a very common cause of failure.

Etcher doesn't detect the USB drive

• Re-plug the drive: unplug the USB drive and plug it back in.
• Check your computer sees it: look for the drive in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (macOS). If it isn't there, the drive or the USB port is likely the problem.

Etcher fails at the "Validating" step

After writing, Etcher reads the drive back to check it's a perfect copy. A validation failure means the drive's contents don't match the installer file, which almost always points to a faulty USB drive. Please try a different, more reliable drive. You can turn off validation in Etcher's settings, but we don't recommend it, because you could end up with a corrupt installation.

4.3. Alternative Method: Using the Command Line (Linux and macOS)

If you're comfortable with the terminal, you can use command-line tools instead of Etcher.

The dd command does exactly what you tell it to. If you enter the wrong device, it can permanently erase your computer's main drive. Please double-check every command before you run it.

1. Decompress the installer: open a terminal, go to your Downloads folder, and decompress the file. This replaces the .img.gz file with an .img file.

   cd ~/Downloads
   gunzip roonbox-linuxx64-nuc4-usb-factoryreset.img.gz

2. Identify your USB drive: please identify the correct device by its size and name.
   • macOS: run diskutil list. Your USB drive will look like /dev/disk2 or /dev/disk3.
   • Linux: run lsblk or sudo fdisk -l. Your USB drive will look like /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc.

If you're unsure which device is your USB drive, run the command before you plug the drive in, then again after. The new entry is your USB drive.

3. Unmount the drive (macOS only):

   # Replace N with your disk number from step 2
   diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskN

4. Write the installer with dd:

   On macOS (using /dev/rdiskN instead of /dev/diskN is faster):

   # Replace N with your disk number from step 2
   sudo dd if=roonbox-linuxx64-nuc4-usb-factoryreset.img of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m

   On Linux:

   # Replace sdX with your USB drive's device name from step 2
   sudo dd if=roonbox-linuxx64-nuc4-usb-factoryreset.img of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

   On macOS, dd doesn't show progress until it's finished. It can take several minutes, so please be patient.

5. Eject the drive: once the command finishes, you can safely remove the USB drive.

5. Installing

With your USB installer ready, you can install ROCK on your NUC.

Installing erases everything on the M.2 SSD, including any existing Roon database. If you're reinstalling an existing ROCK, please make a Roon backup to another drive first.

1. With your NUC powered off, plug the USB installer into one of its USB ports.
2. Boot your NUC from the USB drive, using either method:
   • Boot menu (recommended): turn on the NUC and immediately start pressing F10. Keep pressing it until a menu asks which device to boot from. Use the arrow keys to select your USB flash drive, then press Enter. This boots from USB once, without changing your boot order.
   • Boot order in the BIOS: turn on the NUC and immediately press F2. In the Boot menu, move your USB drive to the first position, then save and exit. The NUC restarts and boots from the USB drive. After installation, please set your M.2 SSD back to the first position.
3. The text-based installer shows a list of options. Press 1, then Enter, to select the install option.
4. When asked for the target drive, select your M.2 SSD.
5. Type yes and press Enter to confirm. The installer erases the M.2 SSD and installs RoonOS right away.
6. Installation takes a minute or two. A success message appears when it's finished.
7. Remove the USB flash drive and press Enter to reboot your NUC.

ROCK is now installed. After your NUC restarts, it's ready in a minute or two.

6. Installing Codecs and Setting Up for First Run

Install codecs

ROCK needs codecs installed for some file formats, such as MP3 and AAC. Please follow Roon OS Missing Codecs to add them.

You'll copy the codecs file to ROCK's Data network share. On RoonOS 3.0, please sign in to the share with guest as both the username and password. For details, please see Reconnecting the Data Folder.

Make sure ROCK is up to date

Please make sure ROCK is running the latest version of RoonOS. You can check and update it from the RoonOS Web Administration Interface:

• RoonOS 3.0 (UEFI mode): on the Overview tab, the Operating System row shows Up to date when you're on the latest build. If an update is available, click Update. You can also click Reinstall to reinstall the latest version.
• Legacy BIOS mode: click Reinstall under Operating System.

Reinstalling doesn't affect your settings or your Roon database. For more details, please see Updating RoonOS Firmware on ROCK.

7. Connecting to ROCK from Roon

1. Open Roon on your computer, phone, or tablet.
2. On the Connect to your Roon Server screen, find Roon Optimized Core Kit.
3. Click Connect.

If you already use Roon with a different Roon Server, select the new Roon Optimized Core Kit from the list and click Switch.

If you've used Roon with another Roon Server, you can bring your library, playlists, and settings over to ROCK. Please see Migrating To ROCK.

Troubleshooting

Roon can't find your ROCK

• Check the Web Administration Interface: please open the RoonOS Web Administration Interface and check whether it reports missing codecs.
• Check your network: make sure the Ethernet cable is plugged into your NUC and your router assigns addresses with DHCP. Roon also needs to run on the same network as your ROCK.
• Test the connection (RoonOS 3.0): on the Network & Access tab, click Test connection under Network Diagnostics. It checks every layer of your ROCK's network connection.

To see what other ROCK owners are saying, please visit the ROCK category on our Community Site.

If you still can't install or connect to ROCK after these steps, please get in touch with our Technical Support team here. Please include your NUC model and a photo of any error on its screen. If our team asks for diagnostic data, you'll find the tools on the Support tab of the RoonOS 3.0 Web Administration Interface.