Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: felix@×××××××.com
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: [gentoo-user] Creating KVM image using existing gentoo partition
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 22:35:33
Message-Id: 20120925223325.GA27146@crowfix.com
1 Got a new laptop at work,, running Linux instead of Mac, yay! Unfortunately, it comes with Ubuntu installed, boo! But I split the 500GB drive into two parts, began a gentoo install in the second half, and now I am stalled.
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3 The main purpose of the laptop is to run Centos 6.2 in a KVM image so it can simulate production as much as possible. As much as I dislike Ubuntu, I really only use it for terminals, Emacs, and Firefox. I ssh into the Centos image for all that stuff. I'd love to switch Ubuntu to gentoo and set up my usual fvwm etc instead of that awful Unity.
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5 Unfortunately, because I have to leave that Centos image running as much as possible, I can't take the time to reboot into the gentoo partition to finish the install, not even on weekends or evenings. It was ok getting the initial gentoo install started, but that was only an hour or two. I can't take the time for a real install, there's work to do.
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7 So it occurred to me it would be great to create a new KVM image using the gentoo partition as is for its file system, instead of creating one out of a file as it did for the Centos image. But I don't see any obvious options to do that. This is my first time with KVM, and someone else set up the Centos image using some GUI wizard.
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10 Here be my scurvy dog question(s):
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12 Is it possible to create a KVM image using an existing gentoo partition (/dev/sda3) for the filesystem, such that once I get the gentoo install finished, I can boot directly to the gentoo partition and not have to purify it or sanitize it after KVM has meddled with it? (and how do I do this? :-)
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14 If not, seems like the simplest workaround would be to create a KVM image from scratch and do a complete install there, then use cp, tar, cpio, or something similar to copy everything over to the real partition. But that sounds ugly for some reason.
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16 --
17 ... _._. ._ ._. . _._. ._. ___ .__ ._. . .__. ._ .. ._.
18 Felix Finch: scarecrow repairman & rocket surgeon / felix@×××××××.com
19 GPG = E987 4493 C860 246C 3B1E 6477 7838 76E9 182E 8151 ITAR license #4933
20 I've found a solution to Fermat's Last Theorem but I see I've run out of room o

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-user] Creating KVM image using existing gentoo partition Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@×××××.com>