1VIRT-IMAGE(1) Virtual Machine Install Tools VIRT-IMAGE(1)
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6 virt-image - create virtual machines from an image descriptor
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9 virt-image [OPTION]... IMAGE.XML
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12 virt-image is a command line tool for creating virtual machines from an
13 XML image descriptor "IMAGE.XML" (virt-image(5)). Most attributes of
14 the virtual machine are taken from the XML descriptor (e.g., where the
15 files to back the virtual machine's disks are and how to map them into
16 the guest), though certain information must be added on the command
17 line, such as the name of the guest.
18 The XML descriptor defines most attributes of the guest, making it
20 possible to bundle and distribute it together with the files backing
21 the guest's disks.
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24 Most options can be omitted, in which case virt-image will use defaults
25 from the XML descriptor. When defaults are taken from the XML
26 descriptor, they are indicated below as a path. --name is the only
27 required command line option.
28 -h, --help
30 Show the help message and exit
31 --connect=CONNECT
33 Connect to a non-default hypervisor. See virt-install(1) for
34 details
35 General Options
37 General configuration parameters that apply to all types of guest
38 installs.
39 -n NAME, --name=NAME
41 Name of the guest instance
42 -r MEMORY, --ram=MEMORY
44 Memory to allocate for guest instance in megabytes. Defaults to
45 "/image/devices/memory" in the XML descriptor.
46 -u UUID, --uuid=UUID
48 UUID for the guest; if none is given a random UUID will be generated.
49 If you specify UUID, you should use a 32-digit hexadecimal number.
50 --vcpus=VCPUS
52 Number of vcpus to configure for your guest. Defaults to
53 "/image/devices/vcpu" in the XML descriptor. This option can also be
54 used to set CPU topology, please see virt-install(1) for more info.
55 --cpuset
57 Set which physical cpus the guest can use. Please see virt-install(1)
58 for more info.
59 --cpu
61 Configure the CPU and CPU features exposed to the guest. Please see
62 virt-install(1) for more info.
63 --check-cpu
65 Check that vcpus do not exceed physical CPUs and warn if they do.
66 --os-type=OS_TYPE
68 Optimize the guest configuration for a type of operating system (ex.
69 'linux', 'windows'). This will attempt to pick the most suitable ACPI
70 & APIC settings, optimally supported mouse drivers, virtio, and
71 generally accommodate other operating system quirks. See
72 virt-install(1) for valid values.
73 --os-variant=OS_VARIANT
75 Further optimize the guest configuration for a specific operating
76 system variant (ex. 'fedora8', 'winxp'). This parameter is optional,
77 and does not require an "--os-type" to be specified. See
78 virt-install(1) for valid values.
79 Full Virtualization specific options
81 Parameters specific only to fully virtualized guest installs.
82 --noapic
84 Force disable APIC for the guest.
85 --noacpi
87 Force disable ACPI for the guest.
88 Networking Configuration
90 -w NETWORK, --network=NETWORK
91 Connect the guest to the host network. See virt-install(1) for
92 details
93 -m MAC, --mac=MAC
95 This is deprecated in favor of "--network ...,mac=MAC,..."
96 -b BRIDGE, --bridge=BRIDGE
98 This is deprecated in favor of "--network bridge=BRIDGE"
99 Graphics Configuration
101 If no graphics option is specified, "virt-image" will default to
102 '--graphics vnc' if the DISPLAY environment variable is set, otherwise
103 '--graphics none' is used.
104 --graphics TYPE,opt1=arg1,opt2=arg2,...
106 Specifies the graphical display configuration. This does not
107 configure any virtual hardware, just how the guest's graphical
108 display can be accessed. See virt-install(1) for details usage info.
109 --vnc
111 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics vnc,..."
112 --vncport=VNCPORT
114 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics vnc,port=PORT,..."
115 --vnclisten=VNCLISTEN
117 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics
118 vnc,listen=LISTEN,..."
119 -k KEYMAP, --keymap=KEYMAP
121 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics
122 vnc,keymap=KEYMAP,..."
123 --sdl
125 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics sdl,..."
126 --nographics
128 This option is deprecated in favor of "--graphics none"
129 Miscellaneous Options
131 -p, --print
132 Print the libvirt XML, but do not start the guest.
133 --boot=BOOT
135 The zero-based index of the boot record to use. The XML descriptor
136 can contain multiple "/image/domain/boot" elements for use on
137 different hypervisors. By default, the one that is most appropriate
138 for the current hypervisor is selected.
139 --replace
141 Shutdown and remove any existing guest with the passed "--name"
142 before installing from the image.
143 --noreboot
145 Prevent the domain automatatically booting after importing the image.
146 --skip-checksum
148 Do not check disk images against checksums (if they are listed in the
149 image xml).
150 -d, --debug
152 Print debugging information.
153
155 Create and start a guest called "example" with a VNC console from
156 "image.xml":
157 # virt-image --name example --vnc -i image.xml
159 Print the libvirt XML for a guest called "example" without graphics,
161 but do not create or start a virtual machine:
162 # virt-image --print --name example --nographics --image image.xml
164
166 Written by David Lutterkort. See the AUTHORS file in the source
167 distribution for the complete list of credits.
168
170 Please see http://virt-manager.org/page/BugReporting
171
173 Copyright (C) 2006-2007 Red Hat, Inc, and various contributors. This
174 is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of
175 the GNU General Public License "http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html".
176 There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
177
179 virt-image(5), virt-install(1), the project website
180 "http://virt-manager.org"
181 2017-03-22 VIRT-IMAGE(1)