diff --git a/build-iso.sh b/build-iso.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 88d709e..cf0019b
--- a/build-iso.sh
+++ b/build-iso.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 UBUNTU_ISO="${UBUNTU_ISO:-}"
-UBUNTU_VERSION="24.04"
+UBUNTU_VERSION="24.04.4"
 UBUNTU_ISO_URL="https://releases.ubuntu.com/${UBUNTU_VERSION}/ubuntu-${UBUNTU_VERSION}-live-server-amd64.iso"
 WORK_DIR="$(mktemp -d /tmp/autoinstall-build.XXXXXX)"
 OUTPUT_ISO="autoinstall-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M).iso"
@@ -81,19 +81,27 @@ if grep -qE '\$\{[A-Z_]+\}' "$RENDERED_FILE"; then
 fi
 info "Template rendered."
 
-# ── Get Ubuntu ISO ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-if [[ -z "$UBUNTU_ISO" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "$UBUNTU_ISO" ]]; then
+  # User provided a path — validate it exists
+  [[ -f "$UBUNTU_ISO" ]] || error "ISO not found: $UBUNTU_ISO"
+  info "Using provided ISO: $UBUNTU_ISO"
+else
+  # Auto mode — use default name, download if missing
+  # UBUNTU_ISO="ubuntu-${UBUNTU_VERSION}-desktop-amd64.iso"
   UBUNTU_ISO="ubuntu-${UBUNTU_VERSION}-live-server-amd64.iso"
   if [[ ! -f "$UBUNTU_ISO" ]]; then
     info "Downloading Ubuntu ${UBUNTU_VERSION} server ISO..."
-    curl -L --progress-bar -o "$UBUNTU_ISO" "$UBUNTU_ISO_URL"
+    curl -L --fail --progress-bar -o "$UBUNTU_ISO" "$UBUNTU_ISO_URL" ||
+      {
+        rm -f "$UBUNTU_ISO"
+        error "Download failed (check URL or network): $UBUNTU_ISO_URL"
+      }
   else
     info "Found cached ISO: $UBUNTU_ISO"
   fi
 fi
-[[ -f "$UBUNTU_ISO" ]] || error "ISO not found: $UBUNTU_ISO"
 
-# ── Extract ISO ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# ── Extract ISO + MBR template ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 info "Extracting ISO..."
 xorriso -osirrox on -indev "$UBUNTU_ISO" -extract / "$WORK_DIR/iso" 2>/dev/null
 chmod -R u+w "$WORK_DIR/iso"
@@ -106,15 +114,6 @@ cp "$RENDERED_FILE" "$NOCLOUD_DIR/user-data"
 cp "$POST_INSTALL_SCRIPT" "$NOCLOUD_DIR/post-install.sh"
 touch "$NOCLOUD_DIR/meta-data"
 
-# The installer runs in a live env where the ISO is mounted at /cdrom.
-# post-install.sh lands at /cdrom/nocloud/post-install.sh but curtin in-target
-# runs inside the installed system chroot, so we copy it to /target first.
-# We add a prep command to late-commands via a second write — easier to just
-# add a copy step before the main script call in user-data. We handle it here
-# by prepending a cp command as an additional late-command note:
-# (already handled in user-data.tmpl with: curtin in-target -- bash /post-install.sh
-#  which works because the file is written to /target by the nocloud datasource)
-
 # ── Patch GRUB ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 GRUB_CFG="$WORK_DIR/iso/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
 if [[ -f "$GRUB_CFG" ]]; then
@@ -125,18 +124,6 @@ fi
 
 # ── Repack ISO ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 info "Repacking ISO → $OUTPUT_ISO ..."
-xorriso -as mkisofs \
-  -r -V "Ubuntu-AutoInstall" -o "$OUTPUT_ISO" \
-  -J -joliet-long \
-  -b boot/grub/i386-pc/eltorito.img -c boot.catalog \
-  -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table \
-  --grub2-boot-info \
-  --grub2-mbr "$WORK_DIR/iso/boot/grub/i386-pc/boot_hybrid.img" \
-  -eltorito-alt-boot \
-  -e --interval:appended_partition_2:all:: -no-emul-boot \
-  -append_partition 2 28732ac11ff8d211ba4b00a0c93ec93b "$WORK_DIR/iso/boot/grub/efi.img" \
-  -iso_mbr_part_type a2a0d0ebe5b9334487c068b6b72699c7 \
-  "$WORK_DIR/iso" 2>/dev/null
 
 info "Done! ✓"
 echo ""
diff --git a/run.sh b/run.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c68ed72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run.sh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+./build-iso.sh --ubuntu-iso $(pwd)/ubuntu-*.iso
diff --git a/scripts/post-install.sh b/scripts/post-install.sh
index 1ab460c..2fb1276 100755
--- a/scripts/post-install.sh
+++ b/scripts/post-install.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@ error() {
   exit 1
 }
 
+# ─── DESKTOP ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+info "Installing GNOME desktop (minimal)..."
+DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y \
+  ubuntu-desktop-minimal \
+  gnome-tweaks \
+  gnome-terminal \
+  firefox \
+  nautilus
+systemctl set-default graphical.target
+info "Desktop installed."
+
 # ─── DOCKER ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 info "Installing Docker..."
 install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings