---
title: Linux family
description: 
published: true
date: 2021-11-30T17:58:16.734Z
tags: 
editor: markdown
dateCreated: 2021-11-12T15:27:40.366Z
---

# Use virt-install to deploy RPM-based Linux distributions automatically

`virt-install` is a command-line utility that can be used to create virtual machines. It comes preinstalled with Phyllome OS. 

* For Fedora, you can install it using the following command as *root*:

```
dnf install virt-install
```

## Automated installation using an ISO file and a local kickstart file

> Under construction. Doesn't work
{.is-warning}


* Use the following `wget` command to fetch the official Fedora Server ISO file and to put it in the current working directory

```
wget https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/35/Server/x86_64/iso/Fedora-Server-dvd-x86_64-35-1.2.iso
```
> Please [verify your download](https://getfedora.org/en/security/) if you intent to use this virtual machine in production
{.is-info}

Move the file to `/var/lib/libvirt/iso`:
```
mv Fedora-Server-dvd-x86_64-35-1.2.iso /var/lib/libvirt/iso
``` 
* Use the following `wget` command to fetch a standalone kickstart file made to deploy a stripped down desktop based on GNOME Shell, and put it in the working directory

```
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PhyllomeOS/phyllomeos/main/leaves/virtual-phyllome-desktop.cfg
```

> Please verify the content of the script if you intent to use this virtual machine in production, for instance by using the following command `cat virtual-desktop.cfg`
{.is-info}

> If you use a custom kickstart script, make sure it does include the `cdrom` option.
{.is-warning}

* Deploy a UEFI-based machine with Fedora Server using the relative path of the local kickstart file

> **Warning**: doesn't work as intended. The kickstart file won't have to be modified to include the `cdrom` option and the ISO would have to include the necessary packages. 
{.is-danger}

```
virt-install \
    --connect qemu:///session \
    --os-variant detect=off \
    --virt-type kvm \
    --arch x86_64 \
    --machine q35 \
    --name virtual-desktop-cdrom \
    --boot uefi \
    --cpu host-model,topology.sockets=1,topology.cores=2,topology.threads=1 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --memory 4096 \
    --video virtio \
    --graphics spice,listen=none \
    --channel spicevmc \
    --channel unix,target.type=virtio,target.name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 \
    --autoconsole none \
    --console pty,target.type=virtio \
    --sound none \
    --network type=user,model=virtio \
    --controller type=virtio-serial \
    --controller type=usb,model=none \
    --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi \
    --input type=keyboard,bus=virtio \
    --input type=tablet,bus=virtio \
    --rng /dev/urandom,model=virtio \
    --disk path=~/.local/share/libvirt/images/virtual-phyllome-desktop-cdrom.img,format=raw,bus=virtio,cache=writeback,size=10 \
    --location=/tmp/Fedora-Everything-netinst-x86_64-35-1.2.iso \
    --initrd-inject virtual-desktop-cdrom.cfg --extra-args "inst.ks=file:/virtual-phyllome-desktop-cdrom.cfg"
```
## Automated installation using a local kickstart file 

* Use the following `wget` command to fetch a standalone kickstart file made to deploy a stripped down desktop based on GNOME Shell, and put it in the working directory

```
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PhyllomeOS/phyllomeos/main/leaves/phyllome-virtual-desktop.cfg
```

> Please verify the content of the script if you intent to use this virtual machine in production, for instance by using the following command `cat virtual-desktop.cfg`
{.is-info}

> If using a custom kickstart script, make sure it includes `repo` information
{.is-warning}

* Deploy a stripped down desktop based on GNOME Shell using a local kickstart file

```
virt-install \
    --connect qemu:///session \
    --os-variant detect=off \
    --virt-type kvm \
    --arch x86_64 \
    --machine q35 \
    --name virtual-desktop \
    --boot uefi \
    --cpu host-model,topology.sockets=1,topology.cores=2,topology.threads=1 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --memory 4096 \
    --video virtio \
    --graphics spice,listen=none \
    --channel spicevmc \
    --channel unix,target.type=virtio,target.name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 \
    --autoconsole none \
    --console pty,target.type=virtio \
    --sound none \
    --network type=user,model=virtio \
    --controller type=virtio-serial \
    --controller type=usb,model=none \
    --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi \
    --input type=keyboard,bus=virtio \
    --input type=tablet,bus=virtio \
    --rng /dev/urandom,model=virtio \
    --disk path=~/.local/share/libvirt/images/virtual-desktop.img,format=raw,bus=virtio,cache=writeback,size=10 \
    --location=https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/35/Everything/x86_64/os/ \
    --initrd-inject virtual-desktop.cfg --extra-args "inst.ks=file:/virtual-desktop.cfg"
```

## Automated installation using a remote kickstart file 

* Alternatively, you can do the same as above but with an Internet-accessible kickstart file. The last line has to be swapped with : 

``` 
virt-install \
    --connect qemu:///session \
    --os-variant detect=off \
    --virt-type kvm \
    --arch x86_64 \
    --machine q35 \
    --name virtual-desktop \
    --boot uefi \
    --cpu host-model,topology.sockets=1,topology.cores=2,topology.threads=1 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --memory 4096 \
    --video virtio \
    --graphics spice,listen=none \
    --channel spicevmc \
    --channel unix,target.type=virtio,target.name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 \
    --autoconsole none \
    --console pty,target.type=virtio \
    --sound none \
    --network type=user,model=virtio \
    --controller type=virtio-serial \
    --controller type=usb,model=none \
    --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi \
    --input type=keyboard,bus=virtio \
    --input type=tablet,bus=virtio \
    --rng /dev/urandom,model=virtio \
    --disk path=~/.local/share/libvirt/images/virtual-desktop.img,format=raw,bus=virtio,cache=writeback,size=10 \
    --location=https://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/35/Everything/x86_64/os/ \
    --extra-args="inst.ks=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PhyllomeOS/phyllomeos/main/leaves/virtual-desktop.cfg"
```

### Local deployment without installation

The idea here is to define a virtual machine and use the `netboot.xyz.iso` as a way to boot into an installer. 

```
virt-install \
    --connect qemu:///session \
    --os-variant detect=off \
    --virt-type kvm \
    --arch x86_64 \
    --machine q35 \
    --name virtual-desktop \
    --boot uefi \
    --cpu host-model,topology.sockets=1,topology.cores=2,topology.threads=1 \
    --vcpus 2 \
    --memory 4096 \
    --video virtio \
    --graphics spice,listen=none \
    --channel spicevmc \
    --channel unix,target.type=virtio,target.name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 \
    --autoconsole none \
    --console pty,target.type=virtio \
    --sound none \
    --network type=user,model=virtio \
    --controller type=virtio-serial \
    --controller type=usb,model=none \
    --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi \
    --input type=keyboard,bus=virtio \
    --input type=tablet,bus=virtio \
    --rng /dev/urandom,model=virtio \
    --disk none \
    --cdrom=/var/lib/libvirt/iso/netboot.xyz.iso \
    --install no_install=yes
```

---