installing-vmm.md 2.1 KB
Installing Virtual Machine Manager
This documentation is deprecated. Please use GNOME Boxes if possible.
Virtual Machine Manger, or virt-manager, is a popular GUI front-end to libvirt (and KVM/QEMU) on Linux machines. Installing virt-manager is traditionally done on the base system, but this is not advised in Xenia due to potential conflicts (the rule of thumb is to not use the /usr overlay if necessary).
Luckily, it is possible to install virt-manager on a distrobox, and export it to the host to use virtual machines on Xenia.
Creating the container
First, create a rootful distrobox with a container that supports init systems - the example given is registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/tumbleweed:latest:
The container can be named anything, here it is named libvirt.
:language: bash
:prompts: xenia ~ \$
distrobox create --root --init --image registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/tumbleweed:latest --name libvirt
Next, enter the container
:language: bash
:prompts: xenia ~ \$
distrobox enter --root libvirt
Installing virt-manager
Install the kvm tools and server:
:language: bash
:prompts: "xenia@libvirt:~>"
sudo zypper install -t pattern kvm_server kvm_tools
Install virt-manager:
:language: bash
:prompts: "xenia@libvirt:~>"
sudo zypper install virt-manager
Starting required services & exporting
Start libvirtd:
:language: bash
:prompts: "xenia@libvirt:~>"
sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd
Export virt-manager:
:language: bash
:prompts: "xenia@libvirt:~>"
distrobox-export --app virt-manager
Virtual Machine Manager is now installed, and it is able to be opened through GNOME like usual - but we still need to setup the QEMU/KVM session.
Setup the session
Open Virtual Machine Manager through the activites overview on GNOME.
If the container is not started when you open VMM, the startup might take a while. Be patient!
Go to File > Add Connection.... From here, change the Hypervisor to QEMU/KVM user session, and click Connect.
Done! Now VMM is installed and ready to be used.