[nmglug] PureOS GnomeBoxes virtual machine on MX 'writable LiveUSB'

Fri Aug 7 14:23:44 PDT 2020

This is some great information.  I only knew of virt-manager as a qemu GUI
tool.   Also, use the docker image of
https://hub.docker.com/r/unws/webvirtmgr/ for quick access from the web
after they are running.

This aqemu looks really simple to use.

On Fri, Aug 7, 2020 at 11:02 AM Brian O'Keefe <okeefe at cybermesa.com> wrote:

> Thanks Tom,
>
> I installed aqemu for a graphical interface to kvm and qemu. I played a
> bit with it and it looks like it would be simple enough if I had the
> concentration capabilities to follow the instructions here:
> http://bsdwiki.reedmedia.net/wiki/using_aqemu_for_virtualization.html
>
> I'd enjoy a face to face for help but that's not going to happen. I
> installed gnome-boxes and will check that out. I'd love Pure-os and and a
> Free VM manager.
>
> Brian
> On 8/7/20 8:33 AM, Tom Ashcraft wrote:
>
> PureOS GnomeBoxes virtual machine on MX 'writable LiveUSB'
>
> My notes with a bit of explication in case someone else might like to try
> this (looking at you, Brian) or maybe provide additional virtual
> machine/USB hints or comments.
>
> So far it all seems to work rather nicely--but it does make a ten-year-old
> plus AMD Turion II Toshiba Satellite L505 with 4MB RAM rather sluggish.
>
> I decided to try Qemu-KVM-VirtualMachineManager first rather than the
> recent edition proprietary VirtualBox available in MX for the sake of
> reinforcing general Debian transferable GNU FOSS skills.
>
> A couple of years ago I'd gotten fairly comfortable with setting up Ubuntu
> and Debian servers in Qemu-KVM-VirtualMachineManager virtual machines.
> Also, yesterday I had just done a passably successful installation of
> Windows 10 with spice guest additions that produced really nice choices of
> display resolutions, but was slow because I was unable to find any way to
> specify more than 16MB default for video, though it is supposed to be
> possible to do this through XML setting that never materialized in my
> instance of virt-manager).  Probably some missing dependency that was
> unmentioned in the YouTube video I was using as a guide.  At any rate, I
> couldn't make PureOS run under Qemu-KVM-VMM probably for similar reasons
> (i.e. I didn't know what I was doing.)
>
> Searching YouTube again I came accross Gnome Boxes which I had heard about
> from Jared at an abqlug meeting but forgotten.
>
> Like Qemu-KVM, gnome-boxes passes muster as Debian free software, shows
> and installs with apt.  Really easy to use and works like a dream.
>
> However, there are several packages/dependencies in common with qemu-kvm,
> and also a few additional packages in common with both that are required to
> get both to work properly, at least in the case of using PureOS as a
> virtual machine.  Also, there is one more that I think will be nice to
> have, and one more that is required to make it all go under MX.
>
> So here's all the stuff, probably pretty closely in order of best priority
> and sequence of installation.
>
> But first an aside about PureOS.  The first update to the latest version
> replaces Pure Browser with Firefox ESR.  Apparently most everything in
> PureOS is just Debian along with a special somewhat more highly
> curated/ranked software repository.  I added several of my favorite
> packages via apt and noticed they were listed with a slash followed with
> the word amber.  I assume this is as in green/amber/red categories of
> suspicion.  Just a guess.  I haven't yet looked into it.
>
> And just in case one happens to be preparing to create virtual machines on
> a computer not used for virtual machines before, remember to restart the
> computer, go into BIOS settings and make sure the virtualization setting is
> enabled...
>
> Now.  Every command that follows a dollar sign below should be done
> (except in one case where noted otherwise):
>
> For reference
> https://wiki.debian.org/KVM applicable command/packages summation:
>
> $ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm libvirt-clients libvirt-daemon-system
> virt-manager
>
> For reference
> (lifted from Chris Titus Tech who is coming from a place other than Debian
> but catches most of what seems to be missing in other references I've seen)
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdSxoSlxCNAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdSxoSlxCNAtps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdSxoSlxCNA
>
> Applicable commands:
>
> Installation:
>
> $ sudo apt install gnome-boxes qemu-kvm libvirt-bin
> *But* if you did the above from wiki.debian.org/KVM (as I think is likely
> best), all but gnome-boxes packages are consequently obsoleted and will
> cause defeat the entire command, so just do:
>
> $ sudo apt install gnome-boxes
>
> Add User to kvm:
>
> sudo usermod -a -G kvm $USER
>
> Allow users in kvm group to start VMs:
>
> sudo sed -i -e 's/\#group\ =\ "root"/group=kvm/g' /etc/libvirt/qemu.conf
>
> Wiki:
> https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Boxes
>
> For reference
> https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=54953
>
> Fix MX problem with gnome-boxes and have more network options:
>
> $ sudo apt install bridge-utils qemu-utils
>
> And that did it.  GnomeBoxes is pretty well entirely self-teaching and
> easy to figure out by clicking around a little.  A very nice program.
>
> PureOS install thereafter initiates loading of live/demo instance, then
> imap & smtp, email password and keyring password setup is required in order
> to proceed to first full use of desktop.
>
> Closed welcome page and hit Activities > Install.
>
> Uses the Calamares installer
>
> Other things about the automated aspects of my virtual installation that I
> noted to note:
>
> Auto set/detected 'ATA QEMU HARDDISK - 20.0 GiB (/dev/sda)'
>
> Selected 'Erase disk', 'no swap', 'encrypt system'.
>
> Auto set/detected 'Boot loader location:  Master Boot Record of ATA QEMU
> HARDDISK (/dev/sda)'
>
> Username, computer name, user password are set, then final commitment to
> overwrite the 20.0 GiB above is made and permanent installation proceeds.
>
> Takes at least a half-hour probably more on L505.
>
> Initial login and setup again first requires imap & smtp, email address
> info and setup in order to achieve first full access to desktop
> environment.
>
> Seems to me that from the security point of view, one's identity is
> probably now already compromised by association with an ip address and
> probably also some un-announced machine and browser identifications.
> However, if anonymity is not a necessary requirement for one's personal
> security, this set of arrangements likely represents a reasonable workable
> compromise on the part of the Librem developers  between necessary social
> accountability/responsibility and the user's legitimate needs for privacy
> against the prevailing ubiquitous conditions of rampant unwarranted
> commercial/criminal/government intrusion.
>
> Therefore, in my case, because of the "pure" orientation of PureOS, I
> opted FOR DoH in Firefox.  (The initial state was opt-in, not opt-out as
> Dr. Vixie has feared, and as I seem to remember it actually is in the
> non-ESR version of Firefox.) That is, it is perhaps reasonable that "they"
> should know who I am, but it is certainly none of their business what I do,
> unless it is illegal.  I don't lie on my driver's license; I lock the door
> of my house; I draw my shades together in the evening.
>
> Firefox hamburger menu > Preferences > General.  Scroll all the way to the
> bottom of the bottom, Network Settings > Settings.  Scroll to bottom of
> opened Connection Settings window. Check box 'Enable DNS over HTTPS'.  One
> does have to wonder exactly why this setting is so far out of sight.
>
> So.  An easy-to-use encrypted Debian-based privacy-oriented OS in an
> easy-to-use GNU virtual machine in an encrypted easy-to-use Debian OS on a
> portable USB stick that still works as a storage device and likely works
> on, as far as I presently know, just about any Linux or Windows machine.  A
> veritable Swiss army knife. Might work as a cat toy or bottle opener too
> (once).
>
> Tom
>
>
>
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