[Support] Virt-Manager


fanningert

Recommended Posts

Virt-Manager docker install worked fine for me---running well.

 

The main reason I wanted to run Virt-Manager is for ***snapshots***. I do a lot of development on my VM's that are sometimes risky and the only way to protect myself from my risky moves is frequent, manual snapshots---which I cannot do easily with the UNRAID supplied system. 

 

The snapshot feature works as I would like---except that the snapshots are all gone if I have to reboot the UNRAID host. I kinda-sorta understand why.....(probably unsuported VM data which lives in the ram file system) .....but I really don't understand how to prevent this from happening. 

 

Anyone figure out how to make Virt-Manager snapshots persist between UNRAID host reboots?  Thanks so much in advance for any help!!

 

........later....

 

Found this and got it to work--sorry I didn't find this earlier:

I am noticing though that the script creates a seemingly infinite nesting of /mnt/cache/domains/save/save/save/save/save -- and the same for the same for the "snapshot" folder. 

I'm not a scripting expert. Anyone see why this might be happening and how to stop it? The script does what it is supposed to do---my snapshots are persistent now. Hurray and thank you!

Edited by boyd.badten
found solution
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/11/2019 at 8:46 PM, boyd.badten said:

Virt-Manager docker install worked fine for me---running well.

 

The main reason I wanted to run Virt-Manager is for ***snapshots***. I do a lot of development on my VM's that are sometimes risky and the only way to protect myself from my risky moves is frequent, manual snapshots---which I cannot do easily with the UNRAID supplied system. 

 

The snapshot feature works as I would like---except that the snapshots are all gone if I have to reboot the UNRAID host. I kinda-sorta understand why.....(probably unsuported VM data which lives in the ram file system) .....but I really don't understand how to prevent this from happening. 

 

Anyone figure out how to make Virt-Manager snapshots persist between UNRAID host reboots?  Thanks so much in advance for any help!!

 

........later....

 

Found this and got it to work--sorry I didn't find this earlier:

I am noticing though that the script creates a seemingly infinite nesting of /mnt/cache/domains/save/save/save/save/save -- and the same for the same for the "snapshot" folder. 

I'm not a scripting expert. Anyone see why this might be happening and how to stop it? The script does what it is supposed to do---my snapshots are persistent now. Hurray and thank you!

I'll have to check my script at home. I've been running that for awhile. I suspect it just had a bug in it that I probably fixed at some point.

 

Edit: I updated the original post with my new script, I think it corrects the error or at least its different.

Edited by scorcho99
  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 2 months later...
9 hours ago, frakman1 said:

I've installed this docker container :djaydev/docker-virt-manager

I can open its WebUI and connect to my Unraid server and view my VM. 

I don't see anywhere to save a snapshot of my VM. Can you tell me where that feature is?

 

image.thumb.png.66f1ca45721f4c748f2b25220b746c81.png

Its not in front of me, but IIRC you have to open the virtual machine itself, not the host overview and its under one of the menu bar items.

Link to comment

Thank you for the link. Does this mean that I can change the "Storage format" field from raw to qcow2 and continue to use the VM ? That storage format option was not available within the Unraid VM settings page when I created it,

 

Actually, I just answered my own question when attempting to change it.

 

image.png.005e02bdfa3d919d7c06c91541b143cd.png

 

So it looks like I would need to have created the VM from within virt-manager to start with and use a qcow2 storage format in order to use the snapshot manager. Is that how you use it?

Edited by frakman1
Link to comment
5 minutes ago, frakman1 said:

Thank you for the link. Does this mean that I can change the "Storage format" field from raw to qcow2 and continue to use the VM ? That storage format option was not available within the Unraid VM settings page when I created it,

 

Actually, I just answered my own question when attempting to change it.

 

image.png.005e02bdfa3d919d7c06c91541b143cd.png

 

So it looks like I would need to have created the VM from within virt-manager to start with and use a qcow2 storage format in order to use the snapshot manager. Is that how you use it?

I personally usually create the VM in unraid webUI and then use the command line to convert the disk type. Then I modify the XML to change the type from raw to qcow2. But qcow2 support in the webUI wasn't always available. If you already have a disk it will need to be converted, if starting fresh you probably wouldn't need to do this conversion.

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, frakman1 said:

Thank you for the hints @scorcho99

Is this the command you would use to do the conversion?


qemu-img convert -f raw -O qcow2 /path/to/your/hdd/vm01.img /path/to/your/hdd/vm01.qcow2

and is this the XML line to change it from raw to qcow2?


<driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>

 

I don't have my notes that I use for this, but the command at least looks right at first glance to me. And that looks like the XML line.

Link to comment
  • 1 year later...
3 hours ago, TDA said:

How/where do I have to put my SSH Key? Because I can't connect.

 

You would need to put your public key in:
 

/root/.ssh/authorized_keys

 

However, in order to survive a reboot, you'll have to put it in the USB flash drive too. That location is:

 

/boot/config/ssh/authorized_keys

 

Note that if you do this, you won't be able to use Virt Manager because that requires a username/password to login with.

Link to comment
2 minutes ago, frakman1 said:

 

You would need to put your public key in:
 


/root/.ssh/authorized_keys

 

However, in order to survive a reboot, you'll have to put it in the USB flash drive too. That location is:

 


/boot/config/ssh/authorized_keys

 

Note that if you do this, you won't be able to use Virt Manager because that requires a username/password to login with.

My Unraid is already configured with SSH Key.

So VirtManager don't work when you have this setup. Ok good to know will then uninstall it.

Link to comment
  • 2 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.