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Diego Carrasco Gubernatis
Diego Carrasco Gubernatis

Posted on • Originally published at diegocarrasco.com on

How to Use Virt-Manager on Linux Mint/Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

#linuxmint #ubuntu #virtmanager #virtualmachine

TLDR

This article guides you through the installation and usage of Virt-Manager on Linux Mint or Ubuntu, providing an easy way to manage virtual machines (VMs).

Context

Virt-Manager is a graphical tool for managing virtual machines via libvirt. It's user-friendly and supports KVM/QEMU and Xen virtualization.

Why Virt-Manager?

  • Graphical Interface : Easy for beginners.
  • Wide Support : Works with KVM, QEMU, and Xen.
  • Linux Compatibility : Ideal for Linux Mint and Ubuntu users.

Steps

1. Installing Virt-Manager

  1. Open Terminal : You can press Ctrl + Alt + T or search for terminal in the start menu.
  2. Update Repositories : 
sudo apt update
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  1. Install Virt-Manager : 
sudo apt install virt-manager
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2. Adding Your User to Relevant Groups

  1. Add Your User to the libvirt Group : 
sudo usermod -aG libvirt $USER
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  1. Add Your User to the kvm Group : 
sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER
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  1. Reload Groups : 
newgrp libvirt 
newgrp kvm
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3. Using Virt-Manager

  1. Open Virt-Manager : You can search for virt-manager in the start menu or run the following command in the terminal: 
virt-manager
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  1. Create a New Virtual Machine : Click on the Create a new virtual machine button.
  2. Select Installation Method : Choose Local install media (ISO image or CDROM).
  3. Select ISO Image : Click on the Browse button and select the ISO image you want to use. You can downlaod Ubuntu server from here: Ubuntu Server.
  4. Follow the Wizard : Choose the installation method and configure your VM.

4. Managing Virtual Machines

  • Start/Stop VMs : Right-click on the VM and select Start or Shut Down.
  • Access VM Console : Double-click the VM.
  • Edit VM Settings : Right-click and choose Open.

Troubleshooting

1. Unable to Connect to libvirt qemu:///system Error on Linux Mint/Ubuntu

Steps to solve

1. Ensure libvirt Service is Active
  1. Check Status : 
sudo systemctl status libvirtd
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  1. Start Service : 
sudo systemctl start libvirtd
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  1. Verify user group permissions: 
# check groups for user
groups $(whoami)
# add required groups if missing
sudo usermod -aG libvirt $USER
sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER
# reload groups or log out and log in again
newgrp libvirt 
newgrp kvm
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2. Check libvirt Configuration
  1. Open libvirt Configuration File : 
sudo nano /etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf
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  1. Enable TCP Connections: Uncomment listen_tcp = 1.
  2. Restart libvirtd Service: 
sudo systemctl restart libvirtd
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Note: Sometimes just rebooting the service also works.

Reboot the System

Sometimes, even in linux, rebooting the system can solve the problem.

References

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