Creating DisposableVM based off Windows10 TemplateVM

User Support
1

I used qvm-create-windows-qube to create a win10 templateVM called “win10-template”. I then followed the instructions on the Qubes-OS documentation here that is:

[user@dom0 ~]$ qvm-create --template win10-template --label red win10-disposable-template
[user@dom0 ~]$ qvm-prefs win10-disposable-template template_for_dispvms True
[user@dom0 ~]$ qvm-features win10-disposable-template appmenus-dispvm 1

However, I don’t see it listed as a disposable vm instead its Domain:win10-disposable-template

Can someone help me out and suggest any steps I may be missing?

2

You should read carefully

https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/glossary/#disposable

https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/glossary/#disposable-template

they said

A disposable can be based on any app qube.

Each disposable is based on a disposable template.

disposable template
Any app qube on which disposables are based.

  • Not to be confused with the concept of a regular template that is itself disposable, which does not exist in Qubes OS.
  • Disposable templates must be app qubes. They cannot be regular templates.
  • Every disposable is based on a disposable template, which is in turn based on a regular template.
  • Unlike disposables, disposable templates have the persistence properties of normal app qubes.

Domain:win10-disposable-template is the disposable template
you can create a DisposableVM from it

1 Like
3

It’s as @ppc says and it’s rather intuitive. Don’t feel discouraged by this. Learning Qubes is a process as more often than not the solution is reading the documentation carefully.

There is discussion about making it as you suggest @ewokky:

1 Like
4

Could also try creating a Windows HVM then following the
steps at Standalones and HVMs | Qubes OS

5

Well I must admit that the same confusion brought me here, too.
Because - when I look in Qube Manager, I see there fedora-34-dvm. Is it a dvm or dvm-template, I’m asking myself? Let’s look into column “Template”. There it says - “fedora-34”, and “fedora-34” in QM is seen as TemplateVM, so, I conclude, fedora-34-dvm is dvm-template. Checking in its settings - checkbox “Disposable Template” is indeed checked in.
So, from the applications menu, and Disposable:fedora-34-dvm submenu I’m choosing “Terminal” and and miraculously, disposable vm is apppearing, named as dispXXXX, and in coulmn “Template” indeed I see “fedora-34-dvm”

Great! So, I think, I’ll create dvm-template from my Win-template. I’m generating app qube, and follow the procedure from the “Disposable customization” page. Here’s my win-dvm-template. On the way, I’m thinking was it enough to create an app qube and check that “Disposable template” checkbox in its settings to get win-dvm-template, and if it was enough isn’t it faster that way?

All happy, now slowly becoming confused. No “Disposable: win-dvm-template” entry is generated in the application menu, nor win-dvm-template has the same icon as fedora-34-dvm in Qube Manager. Wait, let’s close it and open it. Yes, now it has (some F5 or CTRL+R would be great, if auto-refresh is missing in Qube Manager).

So, what am I doing wrong? And that’s how I got here too, only to realize that we have to create dvm, and that I will never automatically have Windvmxxxx, but one and only dvm. Pt am i wrong?
Or, “Disposable: win-dvm-template” in application menu can be generated, but I’m doing something wrong?

Now I hope it’s much clearer where our confusion comes from