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QEMU Virtual Machine

This chapter describes how to setup and run App Build Environments without using ctrlX WORKS.

Remember ctrlX WORKS provides all necessary actions required to deal with App Build Environments.

This is the recommended constellation:

  • Despite QEMU supports both Windows and Linux we are recommending to use a Windows host operating system .

  • Host and guest machine should use CPU architecture amd64. Snaps for a arm64 targets are build via cross build.

Installation on Windows 10 Host

QEMU on Windows

Download and install the newest version of QEMU for Windows from https://qemu.weilnetz.de/w64/.

Important

Add the installation path of your qemu software to the system environment variable %PATH%.

See How do I set or change the PATH system variable?

Install Windows Hypervisor Platform

We recommend to install Windows Hypervisor Platform:

  • Right click on the Windows button and select ‘Apps and Features’.
  • Select Programs and Features on the right under related settings.
  • Select Turn Windows Features on or off.
  • Select Windows Hypervisor Platform - NOT Hyper-V.
  • Close dialog with OK.

This feature can also be installed via command line:

  • Start cmd.exe as administrator (run as ...)

  • Enter

    dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:HypervisorPlatform /All

Hints:

  • After enabling Windows Hypervisor Platform a system restart may be required.
  • The feature Hyper-V is automatically disabled.

  • You can disable the feature with:

    dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:HypervisorPlatform

  • If you use Virtual Box also please enable the internal Hyper-V option for each virtual machine.

  • If Windows Hypervisor Platform cannot be installed for any reason, we recommend using the Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM). The installation is described here Installing HAXM

Install Px.exe as Local Proxy Server

See Use PX.exe as Local Proxy on a Windows Host.

Installation on Linux Host

You have to install both QEMU and KVM on your host system. Therefor you can run this script:

scripts/environment/install-qemu.sh

Running the QEMU Virtual Machine

Create an Instance of a QEMU Virtual Machine

Do following steps:

  • Create a new folder (on a disk with enough free disk space)
  • Copy the content of the SDK folder public/scripts/environment into your instance folder.

Hint: You can download the folder from here

ctrlx-automation-sdk/scripts/environment/

Start the QEMU Virtual Machine

To start the QEMU VM instance change to its installation folder and run one of these script files:

  • __launch-amd64-noproxy (.bat, .sh) : If the VM has direct internet access
  • __launch-amd64-proxy (.bat, .sh): If the VM has to use a proxy server on the host computer

The VM is started as console application, you can see the trace output.

We recommend to not use this console directly because a lot of shell functions are not supported.

During first boot a lot of software will be installed - so please be patient.

If this process is finished the VM will shutdown. Just run the launch script to restart the VM.

Network Connection to your QEMU Virtual Machine

From the point of view of your host computer, the VM does not have own network interface cards. Services running on the VM are available via port forwarding.

This port forwarding is configured in the launch... script with one or more hostfwd= settings e.g.:

-netdev user,id=eth0,hostfwd=tcp::10022-:22

Here port 10022 of the host is forwarded to port 22 (SSH) of the VM. If port 10022 is used on the host the VM will not start. In this case please enter a free host port number in the launch script e.g. 20022.

For forwarding further ports e.g. 502 (Modbus) just extend this line e.g.:

-netdev user,id=eth0,hostfwd=tcp::10022-:22,hostfwd=tcp::502-:502

Important

From your host computer a SSH connection can be established using 127.0.0.1:10022

During the first connection with Visual Studio Code enter: ssh -p 10022 boschrexroth@127.0.0.1 password is boschrexroth

Shutdown

It's very important to shutdown the QEMU VM properly. So initiate a shutdown e.g. with this command on your VM console:

sudo poweroff

QEMU Virtual Machine Networking

The QEMU software represents a virtual network between the host operating system and the virtual machine.

Important

This virtual network is only seen by the virtual machine NOT by the host operating system.

Furthermore QEMU provides a gateway, a DNS and an optional SMB server for its VM.

Per default this virtual network has the subnet 10.0.2.0/24 and from the perspective of the QEMU VM these IP addresses are assigned:

  • 10.0.2.15 IP address of the VM itself
  • 10.0.2.2 Gateway and host operating system
  • 10.0.2.3 DNS server
  • 10.0.2.4 SMB server

For deeper information visit QEMU Documentation/Networking

Troubleshooting, Tips

General

Read error messages carefully, search in the internet for these messages and hints for troubleshooting.

Performance

Deactivate all other virtual machines on your host to avoid performance disadvantages.

An emulated AARCH64 QEMU VM is slow - be patient.

http/https Access

Check the http/https access of your host to the internet - respectively to the Ubuntu sites e.g. with:

wget -p http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports

If failed check your DNS settings and server(s).

Snap Store Status

Check the Snap Store Status if snaps cannot be installed.

WinSCP and Putty

On your Windows host you can use WinSCP combined with PuTTy instead of the Windows ssh and scp.