= Running Linux in a VM =

= Hardware Requirements =

You need a system with virtualization (VT-d), at least 4GB of RAM, and 40GB of free hard drive space in order to run Linux in a VM. If you want to download and compile the kernel, you may need additional space of up to 20GB.

= Download Debian =

[[https://www.debian.org/distrib/|Download link to]] Get a recent version of Debian.

= Install Libvirt/Virtual-Manager Virtualizer =

Instructions for Debian OS:

[[https://wiki.debian.org/KVM|Debian setup link]] Debian Setup and Help Page.

Install the needed packages:
{{{
sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm libvirt-clients libvirt-daemon-system virt-manager ebtables}}}

Add your user to libvirt group:

{{{
sudo adduser user libvirt}}}

Configure libvirt:

{{{
virsh --connect=qemu:///system net-start default
virsh --connect=qemu:///system net-autostart default}}}

Start virt-manager from Application Menu.

Instructions for Archlinux:

Install needed packages:

{{{
sudo pacman -S  virt-manager libvirt ebtables dnsmasq qemu}}}

Add your user to kvm group:

{{{
sudo adduser user kvm}}}

[[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/libvirt| Archlinux setup page]] See this link for further setup further instructions.

= Setup Virt Machine Manager =

== Start Virtual Machine Manager from Application Menu ==

{{attachment:00-Main-Start-Screen.png|Virtual Machine Manager|align="middle"}}

== 1) Click on "Create a new virtual machine" button for new VM creation ==

{{attachment:01-Create-New-VM.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

=== Choose install media (ISO image or CDROM) for installation from your downloaded favourite Linux Distro ISO image. ===

== 2) Browse and choose the Linux Distro ISO image ==

{{attachment:02-Choose-ISO-image.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

== 3) Set Your required Memory and CPU settings for the VM (Guest OS) ==
{{attachment:03-Set-Memory-CPU.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

== 4) Enable and Create a storage space for the VM (Guest OS) ==
{{attachment:04-Create-Storage-Space.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

== 5) Ready to begin the installation ==
{{attachment:05-Ready-VM-Install.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

Shows the settings you chose.
Put a Name for the VM as you like (App suggests one by default)

Press Finish Button. It creates the VM and boots into it and starts the
Linux Distro OS installation.

== 6) Example Linux Distro OS Install Start Screen ==
{{attachment:06-Example-Guest-OS-Install_Start.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

== 7) Example Installed Guest OS Boot Screen ==
{{attachment:07-Example-Guest-Grub-Boot-Menu.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

== 8) You can know the assigned IP Address for the Guest OS ==
{{attachment:08-Find-IP-Address-Guest.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

Find your Guest's ip address in "Show virtual hardware details" menu in NIC option. If IP address is not shown click refresh button and see. Mind that the guest OS is running and network is running in guest.

IP address may be needed for ssh access to your Guest OS from host.

9) Trouble Shoot CDROM issues
{{attachment:11-TroubleShoot-CDROM.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

You can check if CDROM ISO image is present and if not browse
and select it.

10) Trouble Shoot Boot issues
{{attachment:12-TroubleShoot-Boot.png|Create new virtual machine|align="middle"}}

You can set devices to be bootable and the order of boot.

= SSH Access =

Install ssh (rsync) in both Host and Guest OS

Debian/Ubuntu install instructions:

{{{
apt-get install ssh rsync}}}

Find your Guest's IP Address in "Show virtual hardware details" menu in NIC option. If IP address is not shown click refresh button and get it. Mind that the Guest OS is running and network is up and running in guest.

For SSH access to Guest OS run:

{{{
ssh -p 22 user@ip_address_of_guest}}}

You can access guests with their hostnames. [[https://wiki.debian.org/KVM|See this link]] for instructions for Debian.