--- author: Martin Wimpress date: 'February 20, 2022' footer: quickget header: Quickget User Manual section: 1 title: QUICKGET --- NAME ==== quickget - download and prepare materials for building a quickemu VM SYNOPSIS ======== **quickget** \[*os*\] \[*release*\] \[*edition*\] \| \[*OPTION*\]\* DESCRIPTION =========== **quickget** will download the requisite materials and prepare a configuration for `quickemu` to use to build and run OPTIONS ======= **version \| -version \| --version** : show version (from Quickemu) **list \| list\_csv \| list\_json** : provide a csv list of all supported guest OSes, versions and variants. **\[OS\] \[Release\] \[Edition\]** : specify the OS and release (and optional edition) if insufficient input is provided a list of missing options will be reported and the script will exit. Editions may not apply and will be defaulted if not provided. NOTES ===== Ubuntu Guest ------------ `quickget` will automatically download an Ubuntu release and create the virtual machine configuration. ``` {.bash} quickget ubuntu 20.04 quickemu --vm ubuntu-20.04.conf ``` - Complete the installation as normal. - Post-install: - Install the SPICE agent (`spice-vdagent`) to enable copy/paste and USB redirection - `sudo apt install spice-vdagent` - Install the SPICE WebDAV agent (`spice-webdavd`) to enable file sharing. - `sudo apt install spice-webdavd` ### Ubuntu devel (daily-live) images `quickget` can also download/refresh devel images via `zsync` for Ubuntu developers and testers. ``` {.bash} quickget ubuntu devel quickemu --vm ubuntu-devel.conf ``` You can run `quickget ubuntu devel` to refresh your daily development image as often as you like, it will even automatically switch to a new series. ### Ubuntu Flavours All the official Ubuntu flavours are supported, just replace `ubuntu` with your preferred flavour. - `kubuntu` (Kubuntu) - `lubuntu` (Lubuntu) - `ubuntu-budgie` (Ubuntu Budgie) - `ubuntukylin` (Ubuntu Kylin) - `ubuntu-mate` (Ubuntu MATE) - `ubuntustudio` (Ubuntu Studio) - `ubuntu` (Ubuntu) - `xubuntu` (Xubuntu) Other Operating Systems ----------------------- `quickget` also supports: - `alma` (Alma Linux) - `alpine` (Alpine Linux) - `android` (Android x86) - `archlinux` (Arch Linux) - `arcolinux` (Arco Linux) - `cachyos` (CachyOS) - `debian` (Debian) - `devuan` (Devuan) - `dragonflybsd` (DragonFlyBSD) - `elementary` (elementary OS) - `fedora` (Fedora) - `freebsd` (FreeBSD) - `freedos` (FreeDOS) - `garuda` (Garuda Linux) - `gentoo` (Gentoo) - `ghostbsd` (GhostBSD) - `haiku` (Haiku) - `kali` (Kali) - `kdeneon` (KDE Neon) - `kolibrios` (KolibriOS) - `linuxmint` (Linux Mint) - `manjaro` (Manjaro) - `mxlinux` (MX Linux) - `netboot` (netboot.xyz) - `netbsd` (NetBSD) - `nixos` (NixOS) - `openbsd` (OpenBSD) - `opensuse` (openSUSE) - `oraclelinux` (Oracle Linux) - `popos` (Pop!\_OS) - `regolith` (Regolith Linux) - `rockylinux` (Rocky Linux) - `slackware` (Slackware) - `solus` (Solus) - `tails` (Tails) - `void` (Void Linux) - `zorin` (Zorin OS) Or you can download a Linux image and manually create a VM configuration. - Download a .iso image of a Linux distribution - Create a VM configuration file; for example `debian-bullseye.conf` ``` {.bash} guest_os="linux" disk_img="debian-bullseye/disk.qcow2" iso="debian-bullseye/firmware-11.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso" ``` - Use `quickemu` to start the virtual machine: ``` {.bash} quickemu --vm debian-bullseye.conf ``` - Complete the installation as normal. - Post-install: - Install the SPICE agent (`spice-vdagent`) to enable copy/paste and USB redirection. - Install the SPICE WebDAV agent (`spice-webdavd`) to enable file sharing. macOS Guest ----------- `quickget` automatically downloads a macOS recovery image and creates a virtual machine configuration. ``` {.bash} quickget macos catalina quickemu --vm macos-catalina.conf ``` macOS `high-sierra`, `mojave`, `catalina`, `big-sur` and `monterey` are supported. - Use cursor keys and enter key to select the **macOS Base System** - From **macOS Utilities** - Click **Disk Utility** and **Continue** - On macOS Catalina, Big Sur & Monterey - Select `Apple Inc. VirtIO Block Media` from the list and click **Erase**. - On macOS Mojave and High Sierra - Select `QEMU HARDDISK Media` (\~103.08GB) from the list and click **Erase**. - Enter a `Name:` for the disk and click **Erase**. - Click **Done**. - Close Disk Utility - From **macOS Utilities** - Click **Reinstall macOS** and **Continue** - Complete the installation as you normally would. - On the first reboot use cursor keys and enter key to select **macOS Installer** - On the subsequent reboots use cursor keys and enter key to select the disk you named The default macOS configuration looks like this: ``` {.bash} guest_os="macos" img="macos-catalina/RecoveryImage.img" disk_img="macos-catalina/disk.qcow2" macos_release="catalina" ``` - `guest_os="macos"` instructs Quickemu to optimise for macOS. - `macos_release="catalina"` instructs Quickemu to optimise for a particular macOS release. - For example VirtIO Network and Memory Ballooning are available in Big Sur and newer, but not previous releases. - And VirtIO Block Media (disks) are supported/stable in Catalina and newer. ### macOS compatibility There are some considerations when running macOS via Quickemu. - Supported macOS releases: - High Sierra - Mojave - Catalina **(Recommended)** - Big Sur - Monterey - `quickemu` will automatically download the required [OpenCore](https://github.com/acidanthera/OpenCorePkg) bootloader and OVMF firmware from [OSX-KVM](https://github.com/kholia/OSX-KVM). - Optimised by default, but no GPU acceleration is available. - Host CPU vendor is detected and guest CPU is optimised accordingly. - [VirtIO Block Media](https://www.kraxel.org/blog/2019/06/macos-qemu-guest/) is used for the system disk where supported. - [VirtIO `usb-tablet`](http://philjordan.eu/osx-virt/) is used for the mouse. - VirtIO Network (`virtio-net`) is supported and enabled on macOS Big Sur and newer but previous releases use `vmxnet3`. - VirtIO Memory Ballooning is supported and enabled on macOS Big Sur and newer but disabled for other support macOS releases. - USB host and SPICE pass-through is: - UHCI (USB 2.0) on macOS Catalina and earlier. - XHCI (USB 3.0) on macOS Big Sur and newer. - Display resolution can only be changed via macOS System Preferences. - Full Duplex audio works on macOS High Sierra, Mojave and Catalina. - **macOS Big Sur and Monterey have no audio at all**. - File sharing between guest and host is available via [virtio-9p](https://wiki.qemu.org/Documentation/9psetup) and [SPICE webdavd](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/phodav/-/merge_requests/24). - Copy/paste via SPICE agent is **not available on macOS**. Windows 8.1, 10 & 11 Guests --------------------------- `quickget` can automatically download Windows 8.1, [Windows 10](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10ISO) and [Windows 11](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows11) along with the [VirtIO drivers for Windows](https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/) and creates a virtual machine configuration. ``` {.bash} quickget windows 11 quickemu --vm windows-11.conf ``` - Complete the installation as you normally would. - All relevant drivers and services should be installed automatically. ### Regional versions By default `quickget` will download the *"English International"* release, but you can optionally specify one of the supported languages: For example: ``` {.bash} quickget windows 11 "Chinese (Traditional)" ``` The default Windows 11 configuration looks like this: ``` {.bash} guest_os="windows" disk_img="windows-11/disk.qcow2" iso="windows-11/Win11_EnglishInternational_x64.iso" fixed_iso="windows-11/virtio-win.iso" tpm="on" ``` - `guest_os="windows"` instructs `quickemu` to optimise for Windows. - `fixed_iso=` specifies the ISO image that provides VirtIO drivers. - `tpm="on"` instructs `quickemu` to create a software emulated TPM device using `swtpm`. AUTHORS ======= Written by Martin Wimpress. BUGS ==== Submit bug reports online at: SEE ALSO ======== Full sources at: quickemu(1), quickemu\_conf(1), quickgui(1)