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Setup KVM + QEMU + libvirt on Void Linux

·483 words·3 mins·
Linux Virtualization Void Linux Kvm Qemu Libvirt Virtualization Void Linux
Table of Contents

Setting up virtualization in Void Linux using KVM + QEMU + libvirt is totally doable and provides a solid lightweight hypervisor environment.

1. PrerDresden
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Check for hardware virtualization support
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egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
  • Output should be 1 or more. If 0, your CPU doesn’t support virtualization (or it’s disabled in BIOS).

Enable virtualization in BIOS/UEFI
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  • Look for settings like Intel VT-x or AMD-V and enable them.

2. Install Packages
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Void Linux uses xbps, so:

sudo xbps-install -S qemu libvirt virt-manager
sudo xbps-install -S  bridge-utils ebtables dnsmasq

You can also install optional UIs:

  • virt-manager — GUI for managing VMs
  • virt-viewer — lightweight viewer
  • qemu-ui-gtk or qemu-ui-sdl if you’re planning to use QEMU’s graphical window directly.

3. Enable and Start libvirtd
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Void uses runit, so enable the service:

sudo ln -s /etc/sv/libvirtd /var/service/

Check if it’s running:

sudo sv status libvirtd

4. Add Yourself to Groups
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To avoid needing sudo every time:

sudo usermod -aG libvirt,input,kvm $(whoami)

Then log out and back in (or newgrp libvirt).

5. Networking Setup
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Libvirt usually creates a NAT bridge called virbr0. Check:

ip a | grep virbr0

If not present, restart the service and check again:

sudo sv restart libvirtd

6. Create and Run a VM
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Option 1: Using virt-manager (GUI)
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virt-manager
  • Choose “New VM”, follow the wizard to select an ISO, allocate memory/disk, etc.

Option 2: Using virt-install (CLI)
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Example:

virt-install \
  --name test-vm \
  --memory 2048 \
  --vcpus 2 \
  --disk size=10 \
  --cdrom /path/to/iso \
  --os-type linux \
  --os-variant ubuntu20.04 \
  --network network=default \
  --graphics spice

7. Optional: Autostart VMs
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To make a VM auto-start on boot:

virsh autostart test-vm

Test KVM Acceleration
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You can verify KVM is used:

virsh capabilities | grep -i kvm

Or for QEMU:

qemu-system-x86_64 -accel help

Common Tips
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  • If you get errors about /dev/kvm permissions, check:

    ls -l /dev/kvm

    Ensure it’s accessible by kvm group.

  • To list VMs:

    virsh list --all

Example: qemu.sh
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#!/bin/bash

# Configuration
ISO_PATH="$1"                      # ISO passed as first argument
DISK_IMAGE="disk.qcow2"            # Disk image file
DISK_SIZE="10G"                    # Disk size if created
RAM="2048"                         # Memory in MB
CPUS="2"                           # Number of CPU cores
VM_NAME="qemu-vm"                  # VM name
UEFI_FIRMWARE="/usr/share/edk2/x64/OVMF_CODE.fd"  # Optional: for UEFI

# Check for ISO argument
if [ -z "$ISO_PATH" ]; then
    echo "Usage: $0 path_to_iso.iso"
    exit 1
fi

# Create disk if not exists
if [ ! -f "$DISK_IMAGE" ]; then
    echo "Creating disk image..."
    qemu-img create -f qcow2 "$DISK_IMAGE" "$DISK_SIZE"
fi

# Run VM
qemu-system-x86_64 \
    -enable-kvm \
    -m "$RAM" \
    -smp cpus="$CPUS" \
    -cpu host \
    -name "$VM_NAME" \
    -drive file="$DISK_IMAGE",format=qcow2 \
    -cdrom "$ISO_PATH" \
    -boot d \
    -vga virtio \
    -display gtk \
    -soundhw hda \
    -net nic -net user \
    -machine type=q35,accel=kvm \
    -rtc clock=host \
    -usb -device usb-tablet

Instructions
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  1. Save this script as qemu.sh
  2. Make it executable:
    chmod +x qemu.sh
  3. Run it with an ISO:
    ./qemu.sh ~/Downloads/debian.iso
Youcef
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Youcef
My name is youcef and i’m linux user who fool in love with linux , like free and open software .