<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:lucida console, sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121683"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121724">This discussion is getting rather tangled. Let me start at the beginning.<br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121746"><br><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121724"></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121775" dir="ltr"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121724">I bought a laptop because I occasionally need to run certain Windows applications. Some of them use unique USB dongle thingies. At the time, I expected I could set the machine to dual boot either Linux or Windows as I had done numerous times in the past.</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121688" class="qtdSeparateBR"><br><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121963">Then I discovered EFI. Part of a CABAL was spent figuring out the BIOS settings to be able to execute a live linux on a USB stick. <br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121967"><br></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121965">Then the discussion continued online at: <a class="" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121977" href="http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/conspire/2016-March/008356.html">http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/conspire/2016-March/008356.html</a><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121985">The thread touched on the relative merits of virtualization vs dual boot, grumblings about lack of install media, and a suggestion of how to convert my Windows 8.1 installation to run under VirtualBox.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122212"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122331" dir="ltr">I now have a .vmdk file generated from my 8.1 install. Next is to confirm that this file will really run under VB. I asked some question to the group and the discussion redirected to KVM. <br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122365" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122482" dir="ltr">What I think I will do next will be to install VB on a different machine that is running Debian. I will see what VB does with the .vmdk file and also test usage of the USB dongles. Then I will know if VB is a viable solution.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122579" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122696" dir="ltr">Plan B will be to install Linux on a USB drive and use it with the laptop. I mean actually install to the USB/SSD, not just copy a .iso file. Then I will have dual boot but with an extra dongle.<br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122531" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122532" dir="ltr">Can someone suggest why I should restart my project with KVM and searching for install media? Will KVM allow the guest to have access to USB devices?<br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122039"><br></div></div><div style="display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121692" class="yahoo_quoted"> <div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121691" style="font-family: lucida console, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> <div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121690" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> <div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121689" dir="ltr"> <font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121722" size="2" face="Arial"> <hr id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_122038" size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Michael Paoli <Michael.Paoli@cal.berkeley.edu><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> conspire@linuxmafia.com <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Saturday, September 24, 2016 9:49 AM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [conspire] "KVM" on Linux ...<br> </font> </div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121695" class="y_msg_container"><br>> Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2016 22:16:42 +0000 (UTC)<br>> From: Paul Zander <<a ymailto="mailto:paulz@ieee.org" href="mailto:paulz@ieee.org">paulz@ieee.org</a>><br>> Cc: "<a id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474653636319_121696" ymailto="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com" href="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com">conspire@linuxmafia.com</a>" <<a ymailto="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com" href="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com">conspire@linuxmafia.com</a>><br>> Subject: Re: [conspire] (forw) Re: (forw) Re: VirtualBox<br><br>> If there was such a thing as a live Linux ISO with KVM, I could skip VB.<br><br>Hmmmm, why exactly again the need/reason/desire to have KVM on a live <br>Linux ISO?<br>Anyway, if that doesn't already exist (it may?), rather easy to effectively<br>have that. Many "live" Linux ISOs allow one to install software, e.g. from<br>the distribution's repository(/ies). Some/many live Linux ISOs also have the<br>capability of using/attaching some non-volatile storage, and reusing that upon<br>subsequent reboots of the "live" image, so one then *also* has the updates one<br>did "on" the "live" image, e.g. installing additional software, updates, etc.<br>E.g. I think for some distributions live image(s), that can all be <br>done on, e.g.<br>a USB (e.g. flash) drive - or similar rw media (e.g. USB spinning rust - but<br>not CD/DVD/BD, as that's mostly a write the whole thing at once type <br>of media).<br><br>> Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2016 07:12:29 +0000 (UTC)<br>> From: Paul Zander <<a ymailto="mailto:paulz@ieee.org" href="mailto:paulz@ieee.org">paulz@ieee.org</a>><br>> To: Dana Goyette <<a ymailto="mailto:danagoyette@gmail.com" href="mailto:danagoyette@gmail.com">danagoyette@gmail.com</a>><br>> Cc: "<a ymailto="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com" href="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com">conspire@linuxmafia.com</a>" <<a ymailto="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com" href="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com">conspire@linuxmafia.com</a>><br>> Subject: Re: [conspire] (forw) Re: (forw) Re: VirtualBox<br>><br>> I can download the debian KVM packages, which I think is usually <br>> better than downloading from a 3rd party.<br><br>Yes, use the software from one's distribution and the official <br>repository(/ies)<br>of one's distribution. That's always best bet, at least for starting point.<br>Don't go outside of / beyond that with installations of software, <br>unless you have<br>darn good reason to, and well understand the risks and what you're <br>doing and why<br>you're choosing to do so. Most distributions have the relevant "KVM" <br>package(s),<br>Debian sure as heck does - I use it quite continuously ... matter of fact,<br>the entire [www.]sf-lug.org infrastructure (except for list, hosted by Rick<br>on linuxmafia.com) all runs on a virtual machine under qemu-kvm - <br>that's Debian's<br>name of the package ... the KVM project merged with the QEMU project <br>some years<br>back - so the "KVM" part is just an extension utilizing, where available in<br>hardware, (much) more efficient virtualization - where the hardware supports<br>such.<br><br>> Beyond that I don't have much info on KVM.<br><br>> Can KVM process a VMDK file??<br><br>Yes, I believe so. I think it's packaged with the QEMU stuff or related<br>utilities/packages. I did convert formats before ... fairly sure it was<br>VMDK ... took some image - mostly just to show it could be done - from<br>modern.ie - inspected it under VirtualBox - notably just to look at how<br>the image's virtual hardware was configured ... then converted format,<br>pulled out the raw disk image portion, built a VM under qemu-kvm setting<br>the virtual hardware configuration based upon what I'd seen, fired it up<br>under qemu-kvm, and worked perfectly fine, looked, of course Windows 8 was<br>ugly as hell abomination ... but it ran (at least long enough to see how<br>sh*tty it was), then I shut it down and got rid of it - having effectively<br>proved the exercise (and seen enough ugliness for a while). I think I even<br>demonstrated this at BALUG.org meeting presentation some years back, if I<br>recall correctly.<br><br>> Where can I find documentation on KVM?? <a href="http://www.linux-kvm.org/" target="_blank">http://www.linux-kvm.org/ </a>is <br>> not very helpful.<br><br>I don't recall exactly where, but there's certainly enough findable good<br>documentation out there. Pretty much all my KVM and qemu-kvm knowledge and<br>experience is self-taught. I didn't have any great difficulties finding<br>relevant information. Heck, even enough to go on and do presentation at<br>BALUG.org on virtual machines, with emphasis/demonstration on, or mostly<br>on qemu-kvm.<br>Let's see ...<br><a href="http://lists.balug.org/pipermail/balug-announce-balug.org/2013-July/000438.html" target="_blank">http://lists.balug.org/pipermail/balug-announce-balug.org/2013-July/000438.html</a><br><a href="https://www.archive.balug.org/2013/2013-07-16/Linux_and_Virtual_Machines,_etc.odp" target="_blank">https://www.archive.balug.org/2013/2013-07-16/Linux_and_Virtual_Machines,_etc.odp</a><br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>conspire mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com" href="mailto:conspire@linuxmafia.com">conspire@linuxmafia.com</a><br><a href="http://linuxmafia.com/mailman/listinfo/conspire" target="_blank">http://linuxmafia.com/mailman/listinfo/conspire</a><br><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></div></body></html>