Testers needed nethserver-arm img

Here is a qcow image for qemu emulation/virtualization of armhfp on x86_64 with a large address space lpae kernel included.

On Fedora 28 (can not get it to work on Centos) it is possible to emulate armhfp. On my hardware it’s dead slow (boot takes about 70 sec…) but is seems to work. :grinning:

sudo dnf install qemu-system-arm virt-install libvirt libvirt-python libguestfs-tools
(above is deducted from bash_history ; not sure if I installed more in the past )

Download the image and unpack it on a convenient place
xz -vdk -T 0 Centos-Qemu-lpae-armhfp.qcow2.xz

Extract the kernel from the image:
virt-builder --get-kernel Centos-Qemu-lpae-armhfp.qcow2

Then create the emulated virtual machine:

virt-install  --name centos7_armhfp  --memory 2048 --vcpus 2 \
--boot kernel=vmlinuz-4.14.78-201.el7.armv7hl+lpae,\
initrd=initramfs-4.14.78-201.el7.armv7hl+lpae.img,\
kernel_args="console=ttyAMA0 rw root=LABEL=_/ rootwait" \
--disk Centos-Qemu-lpae-armhfp.qcow2 \
--import  --arch armv7l  --machine virt

It should boot :sunglasses: (as said it’s dead slow…)

login: root
passwd: centos

useful commands:

^] > leave the console of the VM (=“CNTRL + ]”, like telnet… )

virsh destroy centos7_armhfp > stop the VM
virsh edit centos7_armhfp > edit libvirt configuration of VM
virsh start centos7_armhfp > start the VM
virsh console centos7_armhfp > get a console for the started VM
virsh undefine centos7_armhfp > delete/remove the VM

Not sure if it has any useful purpose :question: