virt-install Command Examples

Create virtual machines with libvirt and begin OS installation. More information: https://virt-manager.org/.

• Create a virtual machine with 1 GB RAM and 12 GB storage and start a Debian installation:

virt-install --name {{vm_name}} --memory {{1024}} --disk path={{path/to/image.qcow2}},size={{12}} --cdrom {{path/to/debian.iso}}

• Create a x86-64, KVM-accelerated, UEFI-based virtual machine with the Q35 chipset, 4 GiB RAM, 16 GiB RAW storage, and start a Fedora installation:

virt-install --name {{vm_name}} --arch {{x86_64}} --virt-type {{kvm}} --machine {{q35}} --boot {{uefi}} --memory {{4096}} --disk path={{path/to/image.raw}},size={{16}} --cdrom {{path/to/fedora.iso}}

• Create a diskless live virtual machine without an emulated sound device or a USB controller. Don't start an installation and don't autoconnect to console but attach a cdrom to it (might be useful for when using a live CD like tails):

virt-install --name {{vm_name}} --memory {{512}} --disk {{none}} --controller {{type=usb,model=none}} --sound {{none}} --autoconsole {{none}} --install {{no_install=yes}} --cdrom {{path/to/tails.iso}}

• Create a virtual machine with 16 GiB RAM, 250 GiB storage, 8 cores with hyperthreading, a specific CPU topology, and a CPU model that shares most features with the host CPU:

virt-install --name {{vm_name}} --cpu {{host-model}},topology.sockets={{1}},topology.cores={{4}},topology.threads={{2}} --memory {{16384}} --disk path={{path/to/image.qcow2}},size={{250}} --cdrom {{path/to/debian.iso}}

• Create a virtual machine and kickstart an automated deployment based on Fedora 35 using only remote resources (no ISO required):

virt-install --name {{vm_name}} --memory {{2048}} --disk path={{path/to/image.qcow2}},size={{20}} --location={{https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/35/Everything/x86_64/os/}} --extra-args={{"inst.ks=https://path/to/valid/kickstart.org"}}