Simple Qemu VM Manager

[Neo_78]

I installed the following packages today to test Qemu in FatDog:

- Qemu-vm-manager
- Qemu-armx86_64 - 6.0.0-x86_64-1

Unfortunately the help link in the menu of the "Simple Qemu VM Manager" does not work to read more about the different options.

Is it possible to create a VM from an already remastered FatDog DVD or does Qemu always require the .iso file of an image that needs to be downloaded?

I tried to specify the mounted DVD drive but it would not recognize a bootable device when starting the machine.

Thanks for your guidance!

[jamesbond]

Unfortunately the help link in the menu of the "Simple Qemu VM Manager" does not work to read more about the different options.

Yes, unfortunately.
In fact it didn't even have that brief help text before, it was only added recently thanks to @smokey01.
What is it do you need to know (other than your questions below)?

Is it possible to create a VM from an already remastered FatDog DVD or does Qemu always require the .iso file of an image that needs to be downloaded?
I tried to specify the mounted DVD drive but it would not recognize a bootable device when starting the machine.

Yes, if you download the latest VM Manager (version 1.4, I uploaded it just now).
In the CD-ROM file selector, instead of choosing an .ISO file, choose /dev/sr0 (or /dev/dvd) instead.
It won't work on earlier versions.

Note this allows you to boot from the DVD - but not write back.
You won't be able to write the session back; to do that, a much more complex configuration is needed (virtio-scsi passthrough), which is beyond what the "simple" manager can support.

If you're really really insist on using the simplistic vm manager to do it, on the third tab of the bottom of the screen, is the "extra parameters" tab. This is the place where you can actually pass __any__ parameters you want, as simple or as complex as you need to, to qemu itself.

[Neo_78]

I upgraded to version 1.4, created a new VM, selected CD-ROM as the boot device as suggested and when I start the VM it shows the initial boot screen but then freezes on loading initrd...

Is there an error log available to check why it won't boot?

What's the minimum amount of RAM that should be assigned to the VM in Qemu?

Compared to LXC, is Qemu more resource intensive?

If I would get the firewall configuration working, LXC might be the better option...

[Clarity]

Sounds like an issue with the boot manager that is used at FATDOG Menu time.

Curious: Is it the GRUB2 Menu or the Syslinux Menu that the CD /DVD launches?

To compare, instead of inserting /dev/sr0, replace with the FATDOG ISO filename (for example '/root/BOOTISOS/fatdog.iso' if you saved the ISO file there) in that CDROM entry and launch. Is the Boot Manager Menu the same?

If so, this allow the developers to zero-in on the problem you are experiencing.

Please report the result.

[jamesbond]

I upgraded to version 1.4, created a new VM, selected CD-ROM as the boot device as suggested and when I start the VM it shows the initial boot screen but then freezes on loading initrd...

Is there an error log available to check why it won't boot?

Try booting with the "For slow BIOS ..." option.

What's the minimum amount of RAM that should be assigned to the VM in Qemu?

For standard Fatdog you will need at least 1024M. I usually run it ith 1536M.

Compared to LXC, is Qemu more resource intensive?

Yes, definitely.

If I would get the firewall configuration working, LXC might be the better option...

Hope that somebody comes to your rescue soon
Sorry I can't help you on that department.

[Neo_78]

This is a remastered DVD which does not show the default FatDog boot menu with the different options. It just shows the remastered logo. So there are no options to choose from.

I tried to add the boot parameter waitdev=20 but it freezes in the same way. The original remastered iso file does not seem to be present on the DVD. Is there a way to include that iso file on the final DVD?

[Clarity]

@Neo_78 yes, but, I am not sure if its presence on the DVD as a file would be helpful. I'd be interested if it does.

Anyway, use Pburn to add the ISO file to the existing disc. This assumes that you also used Pburn to originally burn the DVD as a 'multisession' disc. The ISO file will emerge present along with all of the current files on the disc.

Hope this answer your question.

P.S. If you have the ISO file, why did you not just add the ISO file's path on your system's drive in the CDROM field of the GUI utility? Are you suggesting you did and it did not boot?

Edit: Maybe something in the bootloader setup is wrong or different when a FD is remastered. Hmmm???

[Neo_78]

I don't have the iso file any longer that is created during the FatDog remastering process and stored in the tmp folder, which is then used to create the final remastered DVD with pBurn. Once you reboot the original DVD, that iso file is gone. So what's the best way to include that iso file on the remastered DVD if possible?

[Clarity]

I'm a little confused by your current post.

What ISO file are you referring you want to add? Who erased the Remastered ISO? Are you asking how to add additional entries to the DVD disc or something else?

Maybe someone else can interpret for me.

[Clarity]

OK, correct me if this is inaccurate: You say
1. Ran the Remaster and created an ISO file on /tmp/...
2. Used the ISO file to create a DVD disc (CD is not supported in FATDOG) via Pburn
3. Tried booting the DVD via QEMU
4. Rebooted the PC to the prior FATDOG
5. The prior files that were in the /tmp folder are gone

Is that what you are saying?

If true, could you
1. rerun you steps in the running FATDOG session
2. remaster when finished
3. Run ISOmaster on the newly created ISO file
4. Add a copy of the ISO file to the contents that ISOmaster shows
5. Save, where ISOmaster will force you to create a new ISO file with a new name
6. You then will have 2 ISO files from this step which, each separately, can be used to create a DVD disc; namely the remastered ISO file and the one that you used ISOmaster to create containing all prior files and a copy of the ISO file intact.

Is this helpful?

[jamesbond]

This is a remastered DVD which does not show the default FatDog boot menu with the different options. It just shows the remastered logo. So there are no options to choose from.

Yes, I forgot that.

I tried to add the boot parameter waitdev=20 but it freezes in the same way.

You need at least double the amount RAM, than the size of your remastered initrd.
Standard Fatdog ISO's initrd is about 430MB, so usually 1024MB (=1GB) is enough to boot Fatdog, but certain hardware has RAM holes used for graphics cards etc that makes it actual RAM size less than 1GB and it can fail to boot Fatdog. That's why I suggested 1536MB to be on the safe side.

I have no idea how big is your remastered initrd size.
If for example the remastered initrd is 800MB, then you will need at least 1.6GB to boot Fatdog, or more.

When you remastered, which initrd option did you choose? Standard/Medium/Small or Nano?

The original remastered iso file does not seem to be present on the DVD.

No, but the files are

Is there a way to include that iso file on the final DVD?

Yes, you can, but you really don't want that. See above for the reason.

@Clarity, thanks for clarifying and helping.