advanced_qemu

use virtio to mount rootfs reportedly

qemu-system-arm -M versatilepb -cpu arm1136-r2 -nographic -no-reboot -kernel zImage -append "root=root rw rootflags=rw,trans=virtio,version=9p2000.L rootfstype=9p console=ttyAMA0" -fsdev local,id=root,path=.,security_model=none -device virtio-9p-pci,fsdev=root,mount_tag=root 

works for arm (using the kernel from aboriginal).

for amd64, it should be something like

qemu-system-x86_64 -no-reboot -kernel $R/boot/vmlinuz -append "root=root rw rootflags=rw,trans=virtio,version=9p2000.L rootfstype=9p panic=0" -fsdev local,id=root,path=$R,security_model=none -device virtio-9p-pci,fsdev=root,mount_tag=root 

however i currently get 9pnet_virtio: no channels available

this site here is for kvm, but demonstrates the basic concepts and possible options: http://www.linux-support.com/cms/vincent-bernat-network-lab-with-kvm/