Install Pop-OS in a standalone HVM

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This guide is for creating a Pop-OS standalone HVM.

Pop!_OS in an HVM

Pop!_OS comes with the Cosmic desktop environment.

Pop Os in a Qubes-OS HVM with the cosmic desktop
Pop Os in a Qubes-OS HVM with the cosmic desktop1920×1080 337 KB

Preliminary remarks

In Qubes-OS, installing an OS from an ISO in a standalone HVM is a basic operation (see the related Qubes-OS documentation : standalones and HVM). However this guide could help new Qubes-OS users to do their first standalone.

A standalone HVM is NOT an app qube nor a template, please read the Qubes-OS documentation.

Links:

ISO

Download the ISO from Pop!_OS download in a app qube or a disposable. Here the iso file is pop-os_22.04_amd64_intel_43.iso and the app qube is storager.

Create the standalone

In a dom0 terminal, create the hvm-pop-2204 HVM with the command :

qvm-create --class StandaloneVM  --label red --property kernel='' --property virt_mode=HVM --property memory=4000 --property maxmem=8000 hvm-pop-2204

Then in Qubes Manager, change the hvm-pop-2204 settings:

  • RAM, verify min:4GB, max: 8GB
  • private storage : 4GB
  • system storage : 20GB

Boot the HVM with the ISO

In a dom0 terminal, start the hvm-pop-2204 HVM with the downloaded ISO :

qvm-start hvm-pop-2204 --cdrom=storager:/home/user/store/pop-os_22.04_amd64_intel_43.iso

:information_source: Update the --cdrom path to your app qubes / disposable. Example: --cdrom=disp1234:/tmp/pop-os_22.04_amd64_intel_43.iso

The HVM boots and the Pop!_OS installer displayed.

Pop-OS install steps

For more details, see the official Pop!_OS install guide.

Pop!_OS choose language from the pop-os-hvm-qubes-os|690x388 official guide
Pop!_OS choose language from the pop-os-hvm-qubes-os|690x388 official guide981×757 110 KB

  • Select a Language : <your language>
  • Keyboard Layout : <your keyboard layout>
  • Install : clean install
  • Select a drive : Xen xvda (20GB)
  • Create User Account : <your username> / <your password>
  • Drive Encryption : Don’t Encrypt (Qubes-OS volume is already encrypted)
  • Continue Setting Up : Restart Device

In Qubes-OS context, Restart Device stops the HVM, without restarting it, so you should start hvm-pop-2204 (Qubes Manager / hvm-pop-2204 / start).

After First boot

Settings:

  • Network / IP setting
    • dom0 run: qvm-ls -n hvm-pop-2204 to get HVM IPv4 setting
    • Pop!_OS Settings / Network / Wired / setting icon
    • IPv4 tab / IPv4 Method : Manual / fill IP / mask 255.0.0.0 / gw
    • DNS : 10.139.1.1, 10.139.1.2
    • Apply

:information_source: DNS setting failed, in fact resolvectl status doesn’t show the DNS IPs, so in a Pop!_OS terminal, run resolvectl dns eth0 10.139.1.1 10.139.1.2

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