cloudhost/README.md

# cloudhost

Start the required operating system with its distribution-specific launcher:

```bash
./run-debian13.py
./run-almalinux10.py
./run-fedora44.py
./run-ubuntu2604.py
./run-windows11.py
```

All virtual machines use OVMF/UEFI firmware. Each launcher creates a private,
persistent `OVMF_VARS_4M.fd` variable store in the VM state directory.

Closing the QEMU window stops a foreground VM. To keep the launcher in the
background while still showing the graphical window:

```bash
./run-debian13.py --daemon
```

The launcher uses KVM when `/dev/kvm` is accessible, forwards host port `2222`
to guest port `22`, and creates `.vm/debian13/disk.qcow2` as a 20G writable overlay with the
original qcow2 image as its backing file. The base image therefore stays
unchanged. Run `./run-debian13.py --help` for the supported environment
variables.

The Debian VM hardware (8G memory, 8 CPUs, drives, network) is
defined in the QEMU config file `qemu/debian13.ini`; the machine type and
architecture-specific devices are in `qemu/debian13-<os>-<arch>.ini`
(os `linux` or `darwin`, arch `amd64` or `arm64`), together with the
accelerators. Edit these files to change the settings. The
launcher fills in the `${...}` file path placeholders of `qemu/debian13.ini`,
writes the result to `.vm/debian13/qemu.ini` and starts QEMU with
`-readconfig` for that file followed by the one for the host system and guest architecture.
QEMU arguments given after `--` override the config files, for example
`./run-debian13.py -- -m 4G -smp 4`.

The launchers accept `--state-dir DIR` to keep
the VM disk, seed ISO, UEFI variables, PID file and console log in `DIR`
instead of the default `.vm/<name>/`. The option takes precedence over the
corresponding `*_STATE_DIR` environment variable:

```bash
./run-debian13.py --state-dir /srv/vms/debian13-test --daemon
```

With `--download-only`, a launcher only downloads the media it would fetch
automatically and then exits without creating a VM disk or starting QEMU: the
base image for Debian, AlmaLinux, Fedora and Ubuntu, and the VirtIO tools ISO
for Windows 11 (whose installation ISO and base QCOW2 are supplied manually):

```bash
./run-fedora44.py --download-only
```

If `.vm/debian13/seed.iso` is missing, the launcher automatically builds it
from `seediso/debian13/user-data`, `seediso/debian13/meta-data`, and
`seediso/debian13/network-config` before starting the VM.

Image download URLs and implementation are maintained in the `vm-images`
submodule. Clone this repository with its submodules, or initialize it later:

```bash
git submodule update --init --recursive
```

The launchers prefer `vm-images/download-images.sh` when the submodule is
initialized. Otherwise, they fall back to `../vm-images/download-images.sh`
for compatibility with the previous sibling-repository layout. Set
`VM_IMAGE_HELPER` to use another helper path explicitly.

If the Debian base image is missing, the launcher calls the selected image
helper with `debian13`.

## AlmaLinux 10

Start an AlmaLinux 10 Generic Cloud VM with:

```bash
./run-almalinux10.py
```

When the shared AlmaLinux image is missing, the launcher calls the selected
image helper with `almalinux10`. It creates the writable
overlay `.vm/almalinux10/disk.qcow2` and uses the NoCloud configuration in
`seediso/almalinux10/`. SSH is forwarded to host port `2223` by default:

```bash
ssh -p 2223 guofang@localhost
```

AlmaLinux settings use the `ALMA_VM_` prefix. For example:

```bash
ALMA_VM_MEMORY=4G ALMA_VM_CPUS=4 ALMA_VM_SSH_PORT=2224 ./run-almalinux10.py
```

Run `./run-almalinux10.py --help` for all supported settings. The seed ISO is
stored alongside the VM disk at `.vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`. If it already
exists after editing its source files, rebuild it explicitly with
`./seediso/almalinux10/build-seed.sh .vm/almalinux10/seed.iso`.

## Fedora 44

Start a Fedora 44 Cloud Base VM with:

```bash
./run-fedora44.py
```

The launcher downloads the `fedora44` image through the shared helper when it
is missing, creates `.vm/fedora44/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed from
`seediso/fedora44/`. SSH is forwarded to host port `2224` by default:

```bash
ssh -p 2224 guofang@localhost
```

On the first boot, cloud-init updates package metadata and installs Fedora's
GNOME package group through its native package module, then reboots the guest.
Keep the VM running until this initial installation and reboot have completed.

Like the Debian VM, the Fedora VM hardware (8G memory, 8 CPUs, drives, SSH
port `2224`) is defined in `qemu/fedora44.ini`, with the accelerators, machine type and
platform-specific devices in `qemu/fedora44-<os>-<arch>.ini`. Other Fedora settings use the `FEDORA_VM_` prefix.
Run `./run-fedora44.py --help` for the complete list of overrides.

## Ubuntu 26.04

Start an Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) cloud image VM with:

```bash
./run-ubuntu2604.py
```

The launcher downloads the `ubuntu2604` image through the shared helper when
it is missing, creates `.vm/ubuntu2604/disk.qcow2`, and builds its NoCloud seed
from `seediso/ubuntu2604/`. Like the Debian seed, it injects the current user's
SSH public key and points APT at the USTC mirror (`ubuntu-ports` on arm64).
SSH is forwarded to host port `2225` by default:

```bash
ssh -p 2225 guofang@localhost
```

On the first boot, cloud-init installs `ubuntu-desktop-minimal` (GNOME) and
`ibus-table-wubi`, makes the graphical target the default and reboots the
guest. Keep the VM running until this initial installation and reboot have
completed.

The VM hardware (8G memory, 8 CPUs, drives, SSH port `2225`) is defined in
`qemu/ubuntu2604.ini`, with the accelerators, machine type and platform-specific
devices in `qemu/ubuntu2604-<os>-<arch>.ini`. Other Ubuntu
settings use the `UBUNTU_VM_` prefix. Run `./run-ubuntu2604.py --help` for the
complete list of overrides.

## Windows 11 23H2

On first boot, the Windows 11 launcher creates a writable system-disk overlay
from the shared Windows 11 QCOW2 base image:

```bash
./run-windows11.py
```

It creates a persistent 64G disk at `.vm/windows11/disk.qcow2`, automatically
partitions it, completes OOBE, creates the local administrator `guofang` with
the initial password `wang`, and enables Remote Desktop on
`localhost:3389`. During the first login it also silently installs the VirtIO
drivers (the guest tools installer on amd64, the Arm64 driver packages from the
VirtIO ISO with `pnputil` on arm64), without which the guest has no network on
arm64. The installer includes the VirtIO drivers, SPICE vdagent, and QEMU Guest
Agent. The launcher exposes the vdagent channel for host/guest clipboard
integration and the QEMU Guest Agent at `.vm/windows11/qemu-guest-agent.sock`.
Change the password after first login. The OpenSSH Server is installed during
the first logon from the Win32-OpenSSH zip for the host architecture, which the
seed ISO carries (downloaded by `vm-images/download-images.sh openssh-win`), so
Windows Update is not needed. Connect with `ssh guofang@localhost -p 2222`; the
seed ISO also carries the host's SSH public key (`$SSH_PUBLIC_KEY_FILE`, else the
first of `~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub`, `id_ecdsa.pub`, `id_rsa.pub`) for passwordless
administrator login.
The Windows VM hardware (8G memory, 8 CPUs, system disk, devices)
is defined in `qemu/windows11.ini`, with the accelerators and machine type in
`qemu/windows11-<os>-<arch>.ini`; the launcher renders the former to
`.vm/windows11/qemu.ini` and loads both with `-readconfig`. Only the network
and the installation media are still set by the launcher. QEMU arguments after
`--` override the config files, for example `./run-windows11.py -- -m 4G -smp 4`.
The generated answer-file ISO is stored beside the disk as
`.vm/windows11/seed.iso`.

To install from the Windows ISO instead, use `./run-windows11.py
--install-from-iso`. This choice only applies while creating a missing system
disk; subsequent starts always boot the existing system disk normally. During
ISO installation, the launcher resolves its tools ISO through the shared image
helper and downloads it when missing. Override the base QCOW2, source ISO,
tools ISO, RDP port, or SSH port with the `WIN11_VM_` environment
variables shown by `./run-windows11.py --help`. For example, when the VirtIO ISO
is elsewhere:

```bash
WIN11_VM_TOOLS_ISO=/custom/path/virtio-win.iso ./run-windows11.py --install-from-iso
```