Ubuntu HVM and Template install failing or unusable

[peterlustig]

I have tried the following methods but continue to fail to get a usable form of Ubuntu running with my Qubes (4.1.2 (R4.1)) system:

1. I followed the Qubes Docs Standalones and HVMs guide on “Creating an HVM” and “Installing an OS in an HVM” installing the latest Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS as an iso.

• This works and I get into a running Ubuntu instance, but the screen resolution inside of the HVM is set to 1024 x 768 (4:3) (I have a 16:10 2880x1800 Display), wherefore the HVM window stays too small to be usable
• There are other options for screen resolutions in the display settings in that Ubuntu HVM but if I choose them, half of the screen turns black and the interface is not responsive
• I then followed the “Tips for Linux HVMs” linked to below the aforementioned guide on screen resolution inside of the HVM as it didn’t specify whether I need to do those steps in Dom0 or in the new Ubuntu install (hope that was correct)
• This did not fix the screen resolution issue
• Therefore I decided to try something else and proceeded with the next step

2. I followed the “Using qvm-template” installation instructions for qubes templates

• First I grabbed a copy of the unman key and tried to validate it according to the linked instructions
• Sadly, the only place on the internet I could find the keys signature is on the very github I downloaded it from and in the aforementioned instructions
• There are no older posts, content in the mailing lists, etc. containing the key signature of the unman key
• So there was no way for me to confirm the validity of the unman key and I guess I should not have proceeded with the instructions at this point
• Desperate how I am I still did so however
• I continued to follow the section “Using qvm-template” in the aforementioned instructions
• After doing so and ignoring the warning about copying to dom0 from the qubes documentation with an unvalidated key and reading this post and therefore doing it all in sudo su I get the following error message:
• Failed to fetch template list: [Qrexec] Error: Failed to download metadata for repo '3isec-templates'. Cannot download repomd.xml: Cannot download repodata/repomd.xml: All mirrors were tried. ERROR: qrexec call 'qubes.TemplateSearch' failed.
• After doing some googling I couldn’t find a solution to this, so I proceeded to the next step

3. I now followed the “Manual” installation instructions for qubes templates from the guide linked to in 2., again doing everything in sudo su

• After downloading the Ubuntu 2024.4 minimal template and doing rpm -qi TEMPLATE_PACKAGE_NAME as per guide, the signatures do not match
• The unman key provided 4B1F 400D F256 51B5 3C41 41B3 8B3F 30F9 C8C0 C2EF while the received signature is “fdd1b8244731b36c”
• Anyways, I proceeded to use qvm-template --keyring /etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-unman install FULL_PATH_TO_DOWNLOADED_TEMPLATE to try and install the Ubuntu template as per the guide, finally receiving the following error:
• noble-minimal: qubes.PostInstall service failed
• I am left with a noble-minimal template qube, that I can only access the Qubes Settings of and nothing else

After having tried all of these things, I am now beyond advice on how to get a usable version of Ubuntu running and therefore posting here.

I appreciate any help!

[apparatus]

@peterlustig

my Qubes (4.1.2 (R4.1)) system

Qubes OS 4.1 is no longer supported:

Extended security support for Qubes OS 4.1 has ended

You should upgrade your system to Qubes OS 4.2 ASAP.

@peterlustig

• This works and I get into a running Ubuntu instance, but the screen resolution inside of the HVM is set to 1024 x 768 (4:3) (I have a 16:10 2880x1800 Display), wherefore the HVM window stays too small to be usable
• There are other options for screen resolutions in the display settings in that Ubuntu HVM but if I choose them, half of the screen turns black and the interface is not responsive

Try to increase VRAM for your HVM qube:

Debian HVM - small screen resolution

Ok, I was able to fix the issue with resolution by increasing the qube’s video ram in Xen config. You can test whatever this will fix it for you as well by running these commands in dom0: sudo mkdir -p /etc/qubes/templates/libvirt/xen/by-name/ cat << 'EOF' | sudo tee /etc/qubes/templates/libvirt/xen/by-name/YourQubeName.xml <!-- import default template--> {% extends 'libvirt/xen.xml' %} <!-- we wanna alter the devices block --> {% block devices %} <!-- import default device block --> {…

@peterlustig

I then followed the “Tips for Linux HVMs” linked to below the aforementioned guide on screen resolution inside of the HVM as it didn’t specify whether I need to do those steps in Dom0 or in the new Ubuntu install (hope that was correct)

If these steps are necessary then you should do it in a qube, not in dom0.

@peterlustig

2. I followed the “Using qvm-template” installation instructions for qubes templates

• First I grabbed a copy of the unman key and tried to validate it according to the linked instructions
• Sadly, the only place on the internet I could find the keys signature is on the very github I downloaded it from and in the aforementioned instructions
• There are no older posts, content in the mailing lists, etc. containing the key signature of the unman key
• So there was no way for me to confirm the validity of the unman key and I guess I should not have proceeded with the instructions at this point
• Desperate how I am I still did so however
• I continued to follow the section “Using qvm-template” in the aforementioned instructions
• After doing so and ignoring the warning about copying to dom0 from the qubes documentation with an unvalidated key and reading this post and therefore doing it all in sudo su I get the following error message:
• Failed to fetch template list: [Qrexec] Error: Failed to download metadata for repo '3isec-templates'. Cannot download repomd.xml: Cannot download repodata/repomd.xml: All mirrors were tried. ERROR: qrexec call 'qubes.TemplateSearch' failed.
• After doing some googling I couldn’t find a solution to this, so I proceeded to the next step

3. I now followed the “Manual” installation instructions for qubes templates from the guide linked to in 2., again doing everything in sudo su

• After downloading the Ubuntu 2024.4 minimal template and doing rpm -qi TEMPLATE_PACKAGE_NAME as per guide, the signatures do not match
• The unman key provided 4B1F 400D F256 51B5 3C41 41B3 8B3F 30F9 C8C0 C2EF while the received signature is “fdd1b8244731b36c”
• Anyways, I proceeded to use qvm-template --keyring /etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-unman install FULL_PATH_TO_DOWNLOADED_TEMPLATE to try and install the Ubuntu template as per the guide, finally receiving the following error:
• noble-minimal: qubes.PostInstall service failed
• I am left with a noble-minimal template qube, that I can only access the Qubes Settings of and nothing else

After having tried all of these things, I am now beyond advice on how to get a usable version of Ubuntu running and therefore posting here.

These instructions are for Qubes OS 4.2, I think there are no Ubuntu templates available for Qubes OS 4.1 anymore.

[peterlustig]

I wasn’t aware there was a 4.2 version already! Thank you, I will try those steps then!

[peterlustig]

@apparatus

If these steps are necessary then you should do it in a qube, not in dom0.

I am a bit confused by this statement however, as the instructions say it should be done in dom0?

Tia

[apparatus]

@peterlustig

I am a bit confused by this statement however, as the instructions say it should be done in dom0?

I’m referring to the steps from the “Tips for Linux HVMs” guide there:

@apparatus

@peterlustig

I then followed the “Tips for Linux HVMs” linked to below the aforementioned guide on screen resolution inside of the HVM as it didn’t specify whether I need to do those steps in Dom0 or in the new Ubuntu install (hope that was correct)

If these steps are necessary then you should do it in a qube, not in dom0.

[peterlustig]

I see, that makes sense, thank you!