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NAME

       virt-image - create virtual machines from an image descriptor

SYNOPSIS

       virt-image [OPTION]... IMAGE.XML

DESCRIPTION

       virt-image is a command line tool for creating virtual machines from an
       XML image descriptor "IMAGE.XML" (virt-image(5)). Most attributes of
       the virtual machine are taken from the XML descriptor (e.g., where the
       files to back the virtual machine’s disks are and how to map them into
       the guest), though certain information must be added on the command
       line, such as the name of the guest.

       The XML descriptor defines most attributes of the guest, making it
       possible to bundle and distribute it together with the files backing
       the guest’s disks.

OPTIONS

       Most options can be omitted, in which case virt-image will use defaults
       from the XML descriptor. When defaults are taken from the XML
       descriptor, they are indicated below as a path. --name is the only
       required command line option.

       -h, --help
           Show the help message and exit

       --connect=CONNECT
           Connect to a non-default hypervisor. See virt-install(1) for
           details

       General Options

       General configuration parameters that apply to all types of guest
       installs.

       -n NAME, --name=NAME
         Name of the guest instance

       -r MEMORY, --ram=MEMORY
         Memory to allocate for guest instance in megabytes. Defaults to
         "/image/devices/memory" in the XML descriptor.

       -u UUID, --uuid=UUID
         UUID for the guest; if none is given a random UUID will be generated.
         If you specify UUID, you should use a 32-digit hexadecimal number.

       --vcpus=VCPUS
         Number of vcpus to configure for your guest. Defaults to
         "/image/devices/vcpu" in the XML descriptor.

       --check-cpu
         Check that vcpus do not exceed physical CPUs and warn if they do.

       --os-type=OS_TYPE
         Optimize the guest configuration for a type of operating system (ex.
         ’linux’, ’windows’). This will attempt to pick the most suitable ACPI
         & APIC settings, optimally supported mouse drivers, virtio, and
         generally accommodate other operating system quirks.  See
         virt-install(1) for valid values.

       --os-variant=OS_VARIANT
         Further optimize the guest configuration for a specific operating
         system variant (ex. ’fedora8’, ’winxp’). This parameter is optional,
         and does not require an "--os-type" to be specified. See
         virt-install(1) for valid values.

       Full Virtualization specific options

       Parameters specific only to fully virtualized guest installs.

       --noapic
         Disables APIC for fully virtualized guest (overrides value in XML
         descriptor)

       --noacpi
         Disables ACPI for fully virtualized guest (overrides value in XML
         descriptor)

       Networking Configuration

       -m MAC, --mac=MAC
         This is deprecated in favor of "--network ...,mac=MAC,..."

       -b BRIDGE, --bridge=BRIDGE
         This is deprecated in favor of "--network bridge=BRIDGE"

       -w NETWORK, --network=NETWORK
         Connect the guest to the host network. See virt-install(1) for
         details

       Graphics Configuration

       If no graphics option is specified, "virt-install" will default to
       --vnc if the DISPLAY environment variable is set, otherwise
       --nographics is used.

       --vnc
         Setup a virtual console in the guest and export it as a VNC server in
         the host. See virt-install(1) for details

       --vncport=VNCPORT
         Request a permanent, statically assigned port number for the guest
         VNC console. See virt-install(1) for details

       --vnclisten=VNCLISTEN
         Address to listen on for VNC connections. See virt-install(1) for
         details.

       -k KEYMAP, --keymap=KEYMAP
         Request that the virtual VNC console be configured to run with a non-
         English keyboard layout.

       --sdl
         Setup a virtual console in the guest and display an SDL window in the
         host to render the output. See virt-install(1) for details

       --nographics
         Do not attach a graphical device to the guest. See virt-install(1)
         for details

       Miscellaneous Options

       -p, --print
         Print the libvirt XML, but do not start the guest.

       --boot=BOOT
         The zero-based index of the boot record to use. The XML descriptor
         can contain multiple "/image/domain/boot" elements for use on
         different hypervisors. By default, the one that is most appropriate
         for the current hypervisor is selected.

       --replace
         Shutdown and remove any existing guest with the passed "--name"
         before installing from the image.

       --skip-checksum
         Do not check disk images against checksums (if they are listed in the
         image xml).

       -d, --debug
         Print debugging information

       --force
         Prevent interactive prompts. If the intended prompt was a yes/no
         prompt, always say yes. For any other prompts, the application will
         exit.

EXAMPLES

       Create and start a guest called "example" with a VNC console from
       "image.xml":

         # virt-image --name example --vnc -i image.xml

       Print the libvirt XML for a guest called "example" without graphics,
       but do not create or start a virtual machine:

         # virt-image --print --name example --nographics --image image.xml

AUTHOR

       Written by David Lutterkort. See the AUTHORS file in the source
       distribution for the complete list of credits.

BUGS

       Please see http://virt-manager.org/page/BugReporting

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2006-2007 Red Hat, Inc, and various contributors.  This
       is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of
       the GNU General Public License "http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html".
       There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO

       virt-image(5), virt-install(1), the project website
       "http://virt-manager.org"

                                  2009-12-10