Is it possible to add a bootable ISO to an existing Ubuntu VM?

 

I think I might have adjusted this VM's image size but I can't remember. I was hoping I could boot the VM from a GParted bootable ISO and see what the partition structure in the image looked like. Is this possible? Even a good idea?

Sure, just put the gparted iso into the "OS install ISO" slot, hit the update button at the bottom, then edit the xml to change the boot order.

 

  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/local/sbin/qemu</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/domains/Debian/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/Utilities/gparted-live-0.8.1-3.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='sata'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>

Change the vdisk to boot order 2, and the iso to boot order 1. Once you are done, edit the xml and change them back, or just edit the VM and remove the ISO.

 

Theoretically you can change the boot order with the GUI, but I've never been able to get that to work.

sorry to necro an ancient thread but you just saved me an hour of reinstalling ubuntu to solve this, thanks so much

54 minutes ago, dealbakerjones said:

sorry to necro an ancient thread but you just saved me an hour of reinstalling ubuntu to solve this, thanks so much

Good news is, GUI boot order is working, sort of, mostly, now. At least it's better than it was when I wrote that.