Linux KVM/Virsh Notes

This is just a dumping ground for some Linux KVM notes and scripts for later reference.

Creating guest instances

Debian 9

To create a Debian 9 instance connected to virtual bridge.

virt-install \
    --name debian9 \
    --ram 1024 \
    --disk path=./debian8.qcow2,size=9 \
    --vcpus 1 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant debian8 \
    --network bridge=virbr10 \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 --noautoconsole \
    --location 'http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/stretch/main/installer-amd64/' \
    --extra-args 'console=ttyS0,115200n8 serial'

Debian 10

virt-install \
    --name debian10 \
    --ram 4096 \
    --disk path=./debian10.qcow2,size=20 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant debiantesting \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 --noautoconsole \
    --location 'http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/buster/main/installer-amd64/' \
    --extra-args 'console=ttyS0,115200n8 serial'

Installing Docker on Debian/Ubuntu:

apt-get install -y \
    apt-transport-https \
    ca-certificates \
    curl \
    gnupg2 \
    software-properties-common; \
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg | apt-key add -; \
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | apt-key add -; \
add-apt-repository \
   "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian \
   $(lsb_release -cs) \
   stable"; \
add-apt-repository \
   "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
   $(lsb_release -cs) \
   stable"; \
apt-get update; \
apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io;

Ubuntu 18.04

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with 4 vcpu and 8GB of mem

virt-install \
    --name ubuntu18.04 \
    --ram 8192 \
    --disk path=./ubuntu18.04.qcow2,size=40 \
    --vcpus 4 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant ubuntu18.04 \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 --noautoconsole \
    --location 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/bionic/main/installer-amd64/' \
    --extra-args 'console=ttyS0,115200n8 serial'

Alpine Linux

ISO install

wget http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.10/releases/x86_64/alpine-virt-3.10.1-x86_64.iso

virt-install \
    --name alpine \
    --ram 512 \
    --disk path=./alpine.qcow2,size=2 \
    --vcpus 1 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant alpinelinux3.8 \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 --noautoconsole \
    --cdrom alpine-virt-3.10.1-x86_64.iso

netboot method (not fully working)

wget http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.10/releases/x86_64/alpine-netboot-3.10.1-x86_64.tar.gz
mkdir -p alpine
tar xfv alpine-netboot-3.10.1-x86_64.tar.gz -C alpine

TODO - add the modloop line modloop=url

virt-install \
    --name alpine \
    --ram 512 \
    --disk path=./alpine.qcow2,size=2 \
    --vcpus 1 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant alpinelinux3.8 \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 --noautoconsole \
    --boot kernel=alpine/boot/vmlinuz-vanilla,initrd=alpine/boot/initramfs-vanilla,kernel_args="console=ttyS0 ip=dhcp alpine_repo=http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.10/main/ modules=loop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage"

CentOS 7

This boot tends to hang for a few moments before launching installer. I believe this is due to low entropy

virt-install \
    --name centos7 \
    --ram 4096 \
    --disk path=./centos7.qcow2,size=40 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant centos7.0 \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics none \
    --location 'https://mirrors.mit.edu/centos/7/os/x86_64/' \
    --extra-args 'console=ttyS0,115200n8 serial'

CentOS 7 Import (IPA Example)

virt-install \
    --name ipa \
    --ram 4096 \
    --disk path=./packer/kvm/output/ipa/ipa.urandom.io,format=qcow2 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --os-type linux \
    --os-variant centos7.0 \
    --network default \
    --console pty,target_type=serial \
    --graphics none \
    --import

MacOS 9.22 (QEMU)

Download the MacOS 9.22 ISO file:

wget -c 'https://cloudflare-ipfs.com/ipfs/QmdJhQp3u2PFJqNX626hKu44gr4JrskuqMZNiCZBaMWpX4/Apple%20Mac%20OS%209.2.2.7z'
7z e Apple\ Mac\ OS\ 9.2.2.7z
mv Apple\ MacOS\ 9.2.2.iso MacOS-9.22.iso
rm -rf Apple\ Mac\ OS\ 9.2.2*

Run the initial Installation:

When the system boots, be sure to go into utilities and launch the Drive Utility to initialize the disk, then exit the application. If you leave Drive utility running, the installer will complain and stop. After installation shut down the machine.

qemu-img create -f qcow2 MacOS-9.22.qcow2 512M
qemu-system-ppc -M mac99 -m 512M -hda MacOS-9.22.qcow2 -cdrom MacOS-9.22.iso -boot d

Launch MacOS 9.22:

qemu-system-ppc -M mac99 -m 512M -hda MacOS-9.22.qcow2

Windows 10

install virtio-win (yay -S virtio-win) after install be sure to install / update drivers from virtio and install spice client from website.

virt-install \
    --name=windows10 \
    --ram=8192 \
    --cpu=host \
    --vcpus=2 \
    --os-type=windows \
    --os-variant=win8.1 \
    --network=default \
    --graphics spice,listen=0.0.0.0 \
    --disk windows10.qcow2,size=60 \
    --disk /usr/share/virtio/virtio-win.iso,device=cdrom \
    --cdrom windows10.iso

You can remove the network argument to use the default built in NAT.

Be sure to get a terminal after install and run the following if you want to continue using tty console. This does not cover grub support

chroot /target/
systemctl enable serial-getty@ttyS0.service

Adding vnc to an existing domain (guest)

virsh edit --domain debian9

<graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' listen='0.0.0.0'/>

Create snaphosts with virsh

virsh snapshot-create-as --domain {VM-NAME} --name "{SNAPSHOT-NAME}"

dnsmasq

Running dnsmasq in the foreground

sudo dnsmasq --conf-file=/var/lib/dnsmasq/virbr10/dnsmasq.conf -d

Resetting virsh default network

To reset the virsh default network run the following

sudo virsh net-destroy default
sudo virsh net-undefine default
sudo virsh net-define --file virsh-default-network.xml
sudo virsh net-start default
sudo virsh net-autostart default

virsh net-destroy default
virsh net-undefine default
virsh net-define --file virsh-default-network.xml
virsh net-start default
virsh net-autostart default

References

• libvirt networking handbook
• virt-install one liners