Etch image for QEmu??

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thamarok · #1 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-16 18:33

Hello!

I would like to make a Debian Etch image for QEmu to run Etch on my Windows XP partition. I've been thinking of a good solution to have both Windows XP and Linux (mainly to play new games in Windows, but to make work and other software stuff in Linux)...

So, how would I go about this? There are already some guides out there, but I have not had much luck with them. So does anybody know how to do this in Etch the 'easy way'?

Thanks! All help is highly appreciated!

jjmac · #2 Post by **jjmac** » 2006-12-18 23:11

A full Etch on qemu ... Qemu is fine for testing installers as such ... but for a running system it would be asking a lot.

Xen would likely be more appropriete i would think.

jm

goweropolis · #3 Post by **goweropolis** » 2006-12-19 22:59

I have a Debian guest on a Windows XP host at work for my spare time. It was not too difficult to set up, but I do have a tough time getting the Debian guest to work with my work's proxy server sometimes.

I downloaded Qemu for Windows from http://www.h7.dion.ne.jp/~qemu-win/. I used qemu-img to create a hard drive file. I ran the installer (using the -no-acpi option, because I've read that it can interfere with the installation). And all is good now.

If you run into specific problems, post some details here and I'll try and help you out.

thamarok · #4 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-20 19:20

Good to see it is possible.. But I think I might try that Xen if I have time.. Thanks!

jjmac · #5 Post by **jjmac** » 2006-12-21 08:33

Howdy goweropolis,

Wondering on the performance you get and what your fonts are like.

Emulations i do on Linux with qemu run quite slow on my amd 64 S939 3000+, 1Gb dual Geil 2.5-3-3-3

I give it half my ram generally. I tended to see the performance as possibly relating to the type of cpu it emulates. Not to sure on that though.

The term window screen fonts get to me. Always to small to read unless i go to full screen. Plus it won't allow me to resize the window, were as an earlier version did. I would prefer just using a term window for the flexability.

I'm using v 0.8.2 compiled using qemu-0.8.2.tar.gz source, gcc-3.3.5 and libc6 2.3.2.ds1-22sarge3. Along with the kqemu.ko module built against a vanulla 2.6.17.11 kernel with the ck1 patch applied.

The '-kernel-kqemu' never works either, it will just freeze up (grin).

Other wise it has been a usefull program for testing an iso, but i figure i may be doimg something wrong there somewhere ...

jm

thamarok · #6 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-21 18:35

I guess I'll have to live with Linux

Didn't have good experience with the "Free version" of Xen... It lagged badly and I could swear the fps of the emulation was 40, which is not good!

Just what could be the best solution to have both Window$ XP and debian running the _same_ time?

Thanks!

goweropolis · #7 Post by **goweropolis** » 2006-12-21 18:41

I am running on a Pentium M 1.4 GHz, 512 MB of RAM host (usually allocating 192 MB to the guest OS). When working at the command line, it feels like native. It does run a bit slow when using the X server with desktops (either Gnome or KDE), although it seems like when I stay on the QEMU window consistently, performance is a bit better. Benchmarks would probably give you a better idea of performance than my vague impressions!

The kernel-kqemu option works for me. Here's my command line:

Code: Select all

qemu.exe -L . -m 192 -no-acpi -kernel-kqemu -hda hd-kde.img -cdrom debian-testing-i386-binary-1.iso -boot c

I do notice a significant speed difference when using the kernel-kqemu option.

I have never had any font problems at all. I run my host desktop at 1280x1024, and run any X server on the guest at 1024x768.

thamarok · #8 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-21 20:22

Please note that I try to emulate Linux from Window$, not vice-versa.
There is a difference and the fact that I love gaming is very true, and that's why I need Window$, but to do work and all other stuff (web browsing, music making etc.) I need Linux..

So actually I want a (Debian) Linux which can run Window$ applications natively as if they were run on Window$..

Oh no, don't come to me suggesting Wine, CrossOver or Cedega.. I tried all of them and none did get Megaman X8 to work which is very bad as I love that game over everything!

Right now I have 2 computers, the other one is my server which has Debian Etch/Sid and the other one has Window$ XP which I would like to use with Debian also...

Seems a little complicated, but aren't we complicated enough for this world

goweropolis · #9 Post by **goweropolis** » 2006-12-22 03:01

Thamarok. I'm not sure if you were referrng to my post, but I was describing emulating Linux (guest) from Windows (host).

Have you thought of a dual boot? If that doesn't strike your fancy, I believe that Qemu may be what you're looking for. Like I said, the speed isn't native, but with a fast system and lots of RAM, it would be close enough.

thamarok · #10 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-22 09:16

@goweropolis: Oh sorry, I was not referring to your post, but to jjmac's.

I have thought of a dual-boot, but it would take a lot of my PC's life, if I have to restart the system, because I'm more of the guy who plays a minute, works a minute and does the same thing for hours... Just imagine, 60 reboots just to have fun for one hour?

The PC with Window$ has 1Gb RAM and Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Allendale (2Mb L2 and clock speed ~1.86Ghz) Is that enough to emulate Debian through QEMU?

Thanks!

goweropolis · #11 Post by **goweropolis** » 2006-12-22 18:55

thamarok wrote:The PC with Window$ has 1Gb RAM and Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Allendale (2Mb L2 and clock speed ~1.86Ghz) Is that enough to emulate Debian through QEMU?

I think emulation would be a very good possibility to do what you want. You can test it out without affecting your Windows system at all, and if it doesn't work for you, just don't run it.

You'd probably have to do some real world experiments to see whether a running emulation adversely affects the games that you may be playing. In that case, it would be quite easy to just reboot the emulated system when you want to use it.

thamarok · #12 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-22 20:43

Do you mean to have QEmu open with Etch running the same time I play Megaman X8?

Once I have everything done (Etch image for QEmu) I'll try that. Thanks!

jjmac · #13 Post by **jjmac** » 2006-12-25 10:09

Thanks for the feed back thamarok. I note that your using windows as your host and will exp with that switch arrangement. I haven't tried using -no-acpi as yet.

My font issue in Linux is only when qemu is running in a 'term' window ... not when going to full screen. But i have been getting refief generally on that front since experimenting with various 'alias' mappings in Xs' font directory. So i may be able to fix that. Unless there built in to the program it self. Not always easy to trace, even if the source is there

Using qemu as a dedicated emulater for Etch still seems to be asking a lot from the program though. And i would suggest considering a dual boot. As it is fairly trivial to set up.

edit:
-------

Slight error ....

The switch was mentioned by goweropolis. Sorry about that, and thanks to both of course ...

jm

thamarok · #14 Post by **thamarok** » 2006-12-25 10:11

OK, I'll note that jjmac

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Etch image for QEmu??

Etch image for QEmu??

qemu -=- font sizes, performance.