Title: Install OpenBSD in Qubes OS | |
Author: Solène | |
Date: 03 June 2023 | |
Tags: qubesos openbsd | |
Description: In this article, you will learn how to install OpenBSD as | |
a VM in Qubes OS | |
# Introduction | |
Here is a short guide explaining how to install OpenBSD in Qubes OS, as | |
an HVM VM (fully virtualized, not integrated). | |
# Get OpenBSD | |
Download an ISO file to install OpenBSD, do it from an AppVM. You can | |
use the command `cksum -a sha256 install73.iso` in the AppVM to | |
generate a checksum to compare with the file `SHA256` to be found in | |
the OpenBSD mirror. | |
# Create a Qube | |
In the XFCE menu > Qubes Tools > Create Qubes VM GUI, choose a name, | |
use the type "StandaloneVM (fully persistent)", use "none" as a | |
template and check "Launch settings after creation". | |
# Configuration | |
In the "Basic" tab, configure the "system storage max size", that's the | |
storage size OpenBSD will see at installation time. OpenBSD storage | |
management is pretty limited, if you add more space later it will be | |
complicated to grow partitions, so pick something large enough for your | |
task. | |
Still in the "Basic" tab, you have all the network information, keep | |
them later (you can open the Qube settings after the VM booted) to | |
configure your OpenBSD. | |
In "Firewall rules" tab, you can set ... firewall rules that happens at | |
Qubes OS level (in the sys-firewall VM). | |
In the "Devices" tab, you can expose some internal devices to the VM | |
(this is useful for networking VMs). | |
In the "Advanced" tab, choose the memory to use and the number of CPU. | |
In the "Virtualization" square, choose the mode "HVM" (it should | |
already be selected). Finally, click on "Boot qube from CD-ROM" and | |
pick the downloaded file by choosing the AppVM where it is stored and | |
its path. The VM will directly boot when you validate. | |
# Installation | |
The installation process is straightforward, here is the list (in order | |
of appearance) of questions that require a specific answer: | |
* choose network device xnf0 to configure | |
* set the IPv4 address given in the Qube network information | |
* set the netmask to 255.0.0.0 | |
* there is no IPv6 (well, it's possible in Qube but I let you have fun) | |
* Default IPv4 route is given in the Qube network information | |
* DNS nameservers are the two addresses in the Qube network information | |
* Use the disk sd0 | |
* Format the disk using MBR (Xen doesn't support UEFI it seems) | |
* Sets are located in cd0 | |
Whether you reboot or halt the VM, it will be halted, so start it | |
again. | |
# Enjoy | |
You should get into your working OpenBSD VM with functional network. | |
Be careful, it doesn't have any specific integration with Qubes OS like | |
the clipboard, USB passthrough etc... However, it's a HVM system, so | |
you could give it an USB controller or a dedicated GPU. | |
# Conclusion | |
It's perfectly possible to run OpenBSD in Qube OS with very decent | |
performance, the setup is straightforward when you know where to look | |
for the network information (and that the netmask is /8 and not /32 | |
like on Linux). |