Installing KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) on a Linux system requires a few steps. KVM is a virtualization module in the Linux kernel that allows the kernel to function as a hypervisor. Before starting, you need to ensure that your CPU supports hardware virtualization (either Intel VT-x or AMD-V).
The following instructions are for Ubuntu, which is one of the most common Linux distributions. The process might vary slightly for other distributions.
Step 1: Check Virtualization Support #
First, check if your CPU supports hardware virtualization. Run the following command:
egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
If the output is greater than 0, your CPU supports hardware virtualization. If it’s 0, you may need to enable hardware virtualization in your system’s BIOS settings.
Step 2: Install Required Packages #
Update your package lists:
sudo apt update
Install KVM along with necessary components like QEMU (an emulator), libvirt (a toolkit to manage virtual platforms), virt-manager (a graphical tool for managing virtual machines), and bridge-utils (for setting up network bridges):
sudo apt install qemu qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon libvirt-clients bridge-utils virt-manager
Step 3: Start and Enable the Libvirt Service #
Ensure the libvirt daemon is started:
sudo systemctl start libvirtd
Enable it to start on boot:
sudo systemctl enable libvirtd
Step 4: Add Your User to Relevant Groups #
Add your user to the libvirt and kvm groups to manage virtual machines without needing sudo:
sudo usermod -aG libvirt $(whoami)
sudo usermod -aG kvm $(whoami)
You may need to log out and log back in or reboot your system for these group changes to take effect.
Step 5: Verify the Installation #
Check that the libvirt service is running:
sudo systemctl status libvirtd
You can also check if KVM modules are loaded:
lsmod | grep kvm
Step 6: Using Virt-Manager (Optional) #
If you installed virt-manager (a GUI tool for managing virtual machines), you can start it from your applications menu or by running virt-manager in your terminal.
Step 7: Creating Virtual Machines #
Now you can create virtual machines using virt-manager or virsh commands in the terminal.
Notes: #
- These instructions are specific to Ubuntu and may vary slightly for other Linux distributions.
- Ensure that your system is up to date and has the latest security patches installed.
- For other Linux distributions, you can usually find KVM installation instructions in the distribution’s official documentation or community forums.