Qubes not loading without manual selection in boot menu. Is it actually a problem? And few more questions of newbie

[DVM]

@Qubie

And also: how you guys change circuit in browser when you need it? If just to select new identity you will loose your account session. In regular browser you just could use change circuit button if for example the old circuit was too slow or had bad exit node. So how to do the same in Whonix case? Searched in their forum but didn’t find anything yet.

Tor Browser comes with a keyboard shortcut that also works on Whonix (CTRL + SHIFT + L). It’s also accessible from the Applications menu, next to the cleaning icon.

@Qubie

I know about this file and I watched exactly there and there was and still is nothing. This folder just contains “Extensions” folder and nothing else. But when I open bookmarks window in browser it contains that bookmark. Then I tried to open that folder from browser itself and found those files there. Somehow they are not displayed in Thunar File Manager, even though the display of hidden files is enabled. I need probably to try the other file explorer.

Well, that’s weird. I can see them all there when I start the browser.

[Qubie]

@DVM

Do you know exactly where it failed?
sys-usb can be rebuilt manually instead if the salt stack does not work for you.
sys-net can also be rebuilt manually if you want to make it persistent:

• Create a new AppVM sys-net2 based on fedora-38
• Check “start qube automatically”
• In “Advanced”, disable “Include in memory balancing”
• Check “Provides network”
• Switch from PVH to HVM
• In “Devices”, add your network controller(s) (check the other sys-net to be sure what to add)
• In “Services”, add “network-manager”
• Turn off sys-net, then start sys-net2 and see if you are able to access internet
• If it works, turn off sys-net2, transfer your qubes to sys-net2 and delete sys-net
• Rename sys-net2 to sys-net

It worked, mate! Except few moments:

1. You said to add “Network Manager” in Service but I compared with original sys-net and there was “sync clock” instead of Network Manager so I added this.
2. I transferred cubes based on sys-net before testing, not after.
3. Terminal method on what I gave the link didn’t work. It returned an error that says it can’t find some “sctl” or something like this.
   Maybe this way I can create sys-usb manually in GUI?

[Qubie]

@Qubie

Maybe this way I can create sys-usb manually in GUI?

Found this in official documents. So the only thing I need to do is to create with Cube Manager an offline AppCube with usb controller attached?

[DVM]

@Qubie

You said to add “Network Manager” in Service but I compared with original sys-net and there was “sync clock” instead of Network Manager so I added this.

I think there’s a check somewhere to start NetworkManager when a network pci device is attached. So you probably don’t need to add it.

@Qubie

Terminal method on what I gave the link didn’t work. It returned an error that says it can’t find some “sctl” or something like this.
Maybe this way I can create sys-usb manually in GUI?

Yes, it’s like sys-net, but this time you can select type “DisposableVM” instead of “AppVM” since you don’t need persistence with sys-usb.
All settings are the same, make sure you select your USB controller(s) in “Devices”.

In dom0, since you don’t use an external keyboard and mouse, make sure you have the following line in /etc/default/grub:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX rd.qubes.hide_all_usb"

If you don’t, append the line to the bottom of that file and run one of these:

# Qubes 4.2 or Qubes 4.1 Legacy boot
sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

# Qubes 4.1 with UEFI
sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/EFI/qubes/grub.cfg

[Qubie]

@DVM

In dom0, since you don’t use an external keyboard and mouse, make sure you have the following line in /etc/default/grub

Do I need check it before or after creating sys-usb?

[DVM]

It doesn’t matter in your case, just make sure it’s there before or after you create sys-usb (it’s just extra security to make sure dom0 doesn’t get any USB controllers). It will be applied after Qubes is restarted.

[Qubie]

Now there are only these lines:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“quiet”
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=“”

[Qubie]

@DVM

Yes, it’s like sys-net, but this time you can select type “DisposableVM” instead of “AppVM” since you don’t need persistence with sys-usb.
All settings are the same, make sure you select your USB controller(s) in “Devices”.

In dom0, since you don’t use an external keyboard and mouse, make sure you have the following line in /etc/default/grub:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX rd.qubes.hide_all_usb"

If you don’t, append the line to the bottom of that file and run one of these:

# Qubes 4.2 or Qubes 4.1 Legacy boot
sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

# Qubes 4.1 with UEFI
sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/EFI/qubes/grub.cfg

I should have to look it in Debian Template file system, right? Debian is my default Template.

[Qubie]

@DVM

In dom0, since you don’t use an external keyboard and mouse

But I would like to use mouse. Can I do this after adding those lines in Grub file?

[DVM]

@Qubie

Now there are only these lines:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“quiet”
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=“”

Are you sure you don’t have another “GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX” in the same file?

@Qubie

I should have to look it in Debian Template file system, right? Debian is my default Template.

Just make sure you have the following package installed inside the template: qubes-usb-proxy

@Qubie

But I would like to use mouse. Can I do this after adding those lines in Grub file?

Yes, it will work. If you want to use a mouse, then check that the file /etc/qubes-rpc/policy/qubes.InputMouse exists in dom0 and that it contains this:

sys-usb dom0 allow,user=root
$anyvm $anyvm deny

[Qubie]

@DVM

Are you sure you don’t have another “GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX” in the same file?

Yes. Checked one more time.

@DVM

Yes, it will work. If you want to use a mouse, then check that the file /etc/qubes-rpc/policy/qubes.InputMouse

There is no such folder like “policy”. File qubes.InputMouse also doesn’t exist. Maybe this is because I didn’t updated Debian template yet? I updated only Whonix templates and Dom0. Had to do too many things with Qubes these days so didn’t have time to do everything.

[Qubie]

Another one moment: how can I check if there is really new update released? With Tails, when they had new release I could just to go to their official site and see if they really released new update. On Reddit they also always posted post about new update. Now I checked Whonix forum and the last release there was at 1 September. Where to go to check?

[DVM]

Do you check inside the template? These actions must be done inside dom0.

[DVM]

Updates are managed by the Qubes Updater, it periodically checks if some packages need to be updated. For “major” updates, they are usually done between Qubes versions (e.g.: Qubes 4.1 uses Whonix 16 / Qubes 4.2 uses Whonix 17).

[Qubie]

So in Terminal? How I hate to use terminals, especially when I don’t know the right command… I just used file explorer to look for this file and directories. And just directly opened file… What command need to check these things you said?

[Qubie]

@DVM

These actions must be done inside dom0.

Dom0 terminal?

[DVM]

Yes.

Just to be sure, did you also run the sys-usb salt command inside a template instead of dom0?

[Qubie]

Just tried it and it says that it can’t find command qubesctl.
Also I can’t delete the old sys-net. It says:

“This qube cannot be removed. It is used as: Global property clockvm. If you want to remove this qube, you should remove or change settings of each qube or setting that uses it”.

I checked all cubes - they don’t use it. Also removed service clock sync from it. Nothing helped.

[DVM]

@Qubie

Just tried it and it says that it can’t find command qubesctl.

This is only available inside a dom0 terminal. If you do it inside a template, it won’t find it.

@Qubie

“This qube cannot be removed. It is used as: Global property clockvm. If you want to remove this qube, you should remove or change settings of each qube or setting that uses it”.

I checked all cubes - they don’t use it. Also removed service clock sync from it. Nothing helped.

Check inside the Global Settings menu, you have a line related to the ClockVM. Change it to something else and you will be able to delete it.

[Qubie]

@DVM

This is only available inside a dom0 terminal. If you do it inside a template, it won’t find it.

So under “inside a template instead of dom0” you meant another command to use in dom0 terminal? I don’t know those fcking terminal commands. The only commands that I remember are sudo apt update, sudo apt full-upgrade (in Qubes OS case), lsblk, dpkg, and maybe few other commands if I really try hard to remember. I’m not fcking geek. I really don’t know, how you, guys, living, all the time fcking with these terminal commands! I used Tails many years and still hate this fcking side of all Linuxes. OK, calm down… Calm down… Deeeep breaaaathe…
And! What another command I need to open that mysterious file and watch/edit those… lines?