Hi everyone! I’m new on Qubes. I was wondering if (and how) it is possible to install a Linux VM within Qubes OS but of course without losing the security Qubes OS has. Is there a way to have a Linux VM within the Qubes OS or do I have to set up a separate VM outside of it?
EDIT: I’ve found out how to create a “Standalone Qube” in Qube Manager. I’ve tried the settings as described on the VM page (HVM etc), but it gives an error when starting up.
The qube’s settings are as follows:
“Basic”:
“Settings”
-Template: drop down menu is “empty” as in, it doesnt show anything.
-Net qube: drop down menu shows "default (sys-firewall)(current)
“include in backups by default” box is filled
“General”
-Type: Standalone VM
-Installed by RPM: No
“Disk storage”
-Private storage max size: 4.0 GB
-System storage max size: 20.0 GB
“Advanced”
“Window Options”
-Allow fullscreen: (use system default)(current)
-Allow UTF-8 window titles: (use system default)(current)
“Kernel”
-Kernel: (provided by qube)(current)
-Kernel opts: in this section there is no drop down menu or anything, its just empty
“Virtualization”
"PVH mode is recommended, if possible (Linux kernel 4,11 or newer, no PCI passthrough). For Windows qubes, always use HVM.
-Mode: "HVM (current)
(I guess I need to switch to PVH mode since I want linux?)
When I want to start it up it says an error message “Qube Qube’s name has failed to start: Cannot connect to grexec agent for 60 seconds”
Should I try to create a new qube VM from scratch?
You don’t need to switch to PVH mode but would need to boot the VM from an ISO file that has the linux OS you need , you will find an option on same page where you have set kernel to be provided by the VM , the option you are looking for will enable you to start from an ISO file located in a different VM.
It might be labeled as “Boot from CD-ROM”
Im looking advanced settings, at the "kernel (provided by qube)(current) page, left bottom of that, there is “other”. There seems to be a button of sorts? “Boot qube from CD_ROM” is that it?
Yes that should prompt you to choose the VM that has the ISO file you will choose to install linux, keep in mind this way the installed Linux VM will have HVM not PVH mode, If i recall PVH has better security or isolation but i have not managed to use PVH with a user installed linux yet, if there is a way perhaps someone can provide the required steps for better coverage if you need it too?
It creates a menu “Boot qube from device” 2 options: “1 from existing block device” or “2 from file in qube”. In first option there is only “sys-usb:sda” i can choose. In second option there is a whole drop down menu, starting with “anon-whonix” which is what the default option is. I cant find Iso anywhere. (I havent downloaded Linux mint Iso or have anything on a hardware device.) Will it pop up if I have downloaded it (and were should I download it from, which qube should I download to, and store safely (not on dom-0 I’ve heard, that can be dangerous).
I also got an error message, saying something like “file managers not installed” and not being able to show something something.
I’ve noticed a lot of things are different by default from the “how to install VM on qubes page”. Even if im trying to redo the installation of a new qube.
You can download linux mint ISO file from their official website (same as other distros) , download it in a normal App Qube/VM such as ‘personal’ or an App Qube that you create but make sure you add sufficient private storage to that qube , from qubes manager.
After that you could use the ‘boot from CD-ROM’ option to launch that qube and navigate to the downloaded file, typically would be found in downloads after downloading it.
And yes correct the changes you have made were necessary but different from default settings when creating a new qube and that’s okay!
I’ve downloaded the ISO image (linux mint) But I dont know how to verify it using sha256sum. On the Linux page it says I need to “generate” SHH256sum and compare it with the sum present in sha256sum.txt. using the shasum command.
As I’m a complete programmer noob, and dont want to destroy dom0 for anything, could anyone help me with how to do above mentioned action?
When starting up the qube, it says no bootable device
Today I was trying to create a Template, for easyos. Using GUI commands, I have not been successful. When I try next I will use the CLI commands. and I will try with one of the versions of Linux, then I could wait until the next group of documentation gets finished. If you are successful, then please come back and set some trail guides.
Ok so I’ve had it working for quite a while, screen was loading, saw linux booting up, logo and then black screen. Someone who I thought could help, messed it up, let the whole qubes OS crash, and now personal where I booted the iso from isnt working properly. When I try starting up the qube were Im trying to load linux in (boot from cd-rom) it starts the qube as usual (personal qube with the iso file is starting up too) but I see no more screen with linux starting uo anymore. I’ve deleted and created new qubes for linux and everything seems to connect to the personal qube but everytime still the same problem with seeing no screen pop up, I dont know what went wrong and how to fix this, I feel like I have to create everything from the ground up again. (Im really pissed at the person messing it up btw, I warned him not to do what he was doing, but did it anyway)
Have you run it in debug mode?
Have you told it to not use the GUI system?
Have you installed the GUI system in the qube?
Have you installed or uninstalled anything?
Are the drives in the guests full?
Have you run it in debug mode? [checkbox in the Qubes Manager GUI]
Have you told it to not use the GUI system? [Option in the qvm-prefs settings]
Have you installed the GUI system in the qube? [ have you performed the installation of the Qubes Tools in the guest?]
Have you installed or uninstalled anything? [ This would include both Domain-0 and the guest itself.]
Are the drives in the guests full? [ Check the Qubes storage partition as well as the drives in the guest. ]