KVM "Virgin" Files – Setting Up a Clean KVM Virtual Machine

Table of Contents: Introduction Download Clean ISO Create Clean Disk Image Create New VM Start the VM Remove Old VM Setup Summary

KVM virtualization creating clean virtual machines

If you're looking for "virgin" files for KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), this typically means you need:

A clean, untouched disk image (raw or QCOW2 format)
A fresh ISO file for operating system installation
Default KVM configuration files

This guide walks you through creating a completely fresh KVM virtual machine from scratch.

1. Download a Clean ISO for Installation

Start with a fresh, verified ISO from official sources. Here are direct links to popular operating systems:

Ubuntu: https://releases.ubuntu.com/ (Latest LTS recommended for servers)
Debian: https://www.debian.org/distrib/
CentOS Stream: https://www.centos.org/download/
Rocky Linux: https://rockylinux.org/download/
AlmaLinux: https://almalinux.org/
Windows ISO: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11 (or Windows 10/Server versions)

Save the ISO File

Once downloaded, move the ISO to KVM's standard image directory:

# Create directory if it doesn't exist
sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/libvirt/images/

# Move or download directly to the directory
sudo mv ~/Downloads/ubuntu-22.04.iso /var/lib/libvirt/images/

# Or download directly using wget
sudo wget -O /var/lib/libvirt/images/ubuntu-22.04.iso https://releases.ubuntu.com/22.04/ubuntu-22.04-live-server-amd64.iso

2. Create a Clean KVM Disk Image

Create a pristine disk image that will serve as the virtual machine's storage.

Create a RAW Format Disk (Better Performance)

sudo qemu-img create -f raw /var/lib/libvirt/images/clean_vm.img 20G

RAW format offers near-native performance but doesn't support advanced features like snapshots.

Create a QCOW2 Format Disk (Recommended for Most Use Cases)

sudo qemu-img create -f qcow2 /var/lib/libvirt/images/clean_vm.qcow2 20G

QCOW2 (QEMU Copy-On-Write) supports snapshots, compression, and encryption. It's the recommended format for most KVM deployments.

Format Comparison: Choose QCOW2 if you want snapshots and more features. Choose RAW for maximum performance (especially with SSDs) or compatibility with other tools.

Verify the Disk Image

# List files in the images directory
ls -lah /var/lib/libvirt/images/

# Check disk image info
sudo qemu-img info /var/lib/libvirt/images/clean_vm.qcow2

3. Create a New Virtual Machine Using "Virgin" Files

With your clean ISO and disk image ready, create a new VM using the virt-install command.

Basic VM Creation Command

sudo virt-install \
--name clean_vm \
--ram 2048 \
--vcpus 2 \
--disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/clean_vm.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
--cdrom /var/lib/libvirt/images/ubuntu-22.04.iso \
--os-type linux \
--network network=default \
--graphics vnc \
--boot menu=on

This creates a KVM VM with the following specifications:

Name: clean_vm
RAM: 2GB (2048 MB)
vCPUs: 2 virtual CPUs
Disk: 20GB QCOW2 image (clean_vm.qcow2)
Installation Media: Ubuntu 22.04 ISO
Network: Default NAT network
Graphics: VNC for remote access
Boot: Menu enabled for installation

Adjust for Your Needs: Modify RAM, vCPU count, disk size, and ISO path according to your requirements. For Windows VMs, change --os-type linux to --os-type windows.

4. Start and Access the Virtual Machine

Start the VM

# Start the VM (if not started automatically by virt-install)
sudo virsh start clean_vm

# Check VM status
sudo virsh list --all

Access Methods

Method 1: VNC Console (Graphical)

# Find the VNC display port
sudo virsh vncdisplay clean_vm

# Output will be like: :0 or :1
# Connect with a VNC client to localhost:5900 (for :0) or localhost:5901 (for :1)

Method 2: Serial Console (Text-based)

# Connect to the serial console
sudo virsh console clean_vm

# To exit the console, press: Ctrl + ]

Method 3: SSH (After OS Installation)

# Get the VM's IP address
sudo virsh domifaddr clean_vm

# SSH into the VM (after OS installation and network configuration)
ssh username@vm_ip_address

5. Remove an Existing VM & Files (Clean Start)

If you need to delete an old VM completely and start fresh with virgin files:

Irreversible Action: This will permanently delete the VM and its disk image. Ensure you have backups if needed.

Complete VM Removal

# 1. Shutdown the VM if it's running
sudo virsh destroy old_vm

# 2. Undefine the VM from libvirt
sudo virsh undefine old_vm

# 3. Delete the disk image file
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/libvirt/images/old_vm.qcow2

# 4. Optional: Delete any associated ISO files
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/libvirt/images/old_vm.iso

Now you can create a completely clean KVM setup with virgin files.

6. Summary of KVM "Virgin" Setup

Step	Command/Action
Download fresh ISO	Get from Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Windows official sites
Create clean KVM disk	`qemu-img create -f qcow2 /var/lib/libvirt/images/clean_vm.qcow2 20G`
Install new VM	Use `virt-install` with ISO, disk, RAM, and vCPU parameters
Start the VM	`virsh start clean_vm`
Access VM	VNC: `virsh vncdisplay clean_vm` or console: `virsh console clean_vm`
Delete old VM	`virsh destroy old_vm && virsh undefine old_vm && rm -rf /var/lib/libvirt/images/old_vm.qcow2`

Following these steps will give you a clean, untouched ("virgin") KVM virtual machine ready for your custom configuration!

KVM "Virgin" Files – Setting Up a Clean KVM Virtual Machine

1. Download a Clean ISO for Installation

Save the ISO File

2. Create a Clean KVM Disk Image

Verify the Disk Image

3. Create a New Virtual Machine Using "Virgin" Files

4. Start and Access the Virtual Machine

Start the VM

Access Methods

5. Remove an Existing VM & Files (Clean Start)

6. Summary of KVM "Virgin" Setup

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KVM "Virgin" Files – Setting Up a Clean KVM Virtual Machine

1. Download a Clean ISO for Installation

Save the ISO File

2. Create a Clean KVM Disk Image

Verify the Disk Image

3. Create a New Virtual Machine Using "Virgin" Files

4. Start and Access the Virtual Machine

Start the VM

Access Methods

5. Remove an Existing VM & Files (Clean Start)

6. Summary of KVM "Virgin" Setup

High-Availability Cloud VDS

Hosting

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VDS

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