quickget - Man Page

quickget will automatically download an Ubuntu release and create the virtual machine configuration.

quickget ubuntu 22.04
quickemu --vm ubuntu-22.04.conf

• Complete the installation as normal.

• Post-install:

  • Install the SPICE agent (spice-vdagent) in the guest to enable copy/paste and USB redirection

    • sudo apt install spice-vdagent

  • Install the SPICE WebDAV agent (spice-webdavd) in the guest to enable file sharing.

    • sudo apt install spice-webdavd

quickget can also download/refresh daily-live images via zsync for Ubuntu developers and testers.

quickget ubuntu daily-live
quickemu --vm ubuntu-daily-live.conf

You can run quickget ubuntu daily-live to refresh your daily development image as often as you like, it will even automatically switch to a new series.

All the official Ubuntu flavours are supported, just replace ubuntu with your preferred flavour.

The project wiki\c  may have further information.

• edubuntu (Edubuntu)
• kubuntu (Kubuntu)
• lubuntu (Lubuntu)
• ubuntu-budgie (Ubuntu Budgie)
• ubuntucinnamon (Ubuntu Cinnamon)
• ubuntukylin (Ubuntu Kylin)
• ubuntu-mate (Ubuntu MATE)
• ubuntu-server (Ubuntu Server)
• ubuntustudio (Ubuntu Studio)
• ubuntu (Ubuntu)
• ubuntu-unity (Ubuntu Unity)
• xubuntu (Xubuntu)

You can also use quickget with advanced options :

  --download      <os> <release> [edition] : Download image; no VM configuration
  --create-config <os> [path/url] [flags]  : Create VM config for an OS image
  --open-homepage <os>                     : Open homepage for the OS
  --show          [os]                     : Show OS information
  --version                                : Show version
  --help                                   : Show this help message
  --disable-unattended                     : Force quickget not to set up an unattended installation
  --url           [os] [release] [edition] : Show image URL(s)
  --check         [os] [release] [edition] : Check image URL(s)
  --list                                   : List all supported systems
  --list-csv                               : List everything in csv format
  --list-json                              : List everything in json format

Here are some typical uses

    # show an OS ISO download URL for {os} {release} [edition]
    quickget --url fedora 38 Silverblue
    # test if an OS ISO is available for {os} {release} [edition]
    quickget --check nixos unstable plasma5
    # open an OS distribution homepage in a browser
    quickget --open-homepage  ubuntu-mate
    # Only download image file into current directory, without creating VM
    quickget --download elementary 7.1

The --url, --check, and --download options are fully functional for all operating systems, including Windows and macOS.

Further information is available from the project wiki\c

quickget also supports:

• alma (AlmaLinux)
• alpine (Alpine Linux)
• android (Android x86)
• antix (Antix)
• archcraft (Archcraft)
• archlinux (Arch Linux)
• arcolinux (Arco Linux)
• artixlinux (Artix Linux)
• athenaos (Athena OS)
• batocera (Batocera)
• bazzite (Bazzite)
• biglinux (BigLinux)
• blendos (BlendOS)
• bodhi (Bodhi)
• bunsenlabs (BunsenLabs)
• cachyos (CachyOS)
• centos-stream (CentOS Stream)
• chimeralinux (Chimera Linux)
• crunchbang++ (Crunchbangplusplus)
• debian (Debian)
• deepin (Deepin)
• devuan (Devuan)
• dragonflybsd (DragonFlyBSD)
• easyos (EasyOS)
• elementary (elementary OS)
• endeavouros (EndeavourOS)
• endless (Endless OS)
• fedora (Fedora)
• freebsd (FreeBSD)
• freedos (FreeDOS)
• garuda (Garuda Linux)
• gentoo (Gentoo)
• ghostbsd (GhostBSD)
• gnomeos (GNOME OS)
• guix (Guix)
• haiku (Haiku)
• holoiso (HoloISO)
• kali (Kali)
• kdeneon (KDE Neon)
• kolibrios (KolibriOS)
• linuxlite (Linux Lite)
• linuxmint (Linux Mint)
• lmde (Linux Mint Debian Edition)
• mageia (Mageia)
• manjaro (Manjaro)
• mxlinux (MX Linux)
• netboot (netboot.xyz)
• netbsd (NetBSD)
• nitrux (Nitrux)
• nixos (NixOS)
• nwg-shell (nwg-shell)
• openbsd (OpenBSD)
• openindiana (OpenIndiana)
• opensuse (openSUSE)
• oraclelinux (Oracle Linux)
• parrotsec (Parrot Security)
• peppermint (PeppermintOS)
• popos (Pop!_OS)
• porteus (Porteus)
• primtux (PrimTux)
• pureos (PureOS)
• reactos (ReactOS)
• rebornos (RebornOS)
• rockylinux (Rocky Linux)
• siduction (Siduction)
• slackware (Slackware)
• slax (Slax)
• slint (Slint)
• slitaz (SliTaz)
• solus (Solus)
• sparkylinux (SparkyLinux)
• spirallinux (SpiralLinux)
• tails (Tails)
• tinycore (Tiny Core Linux)
• trisquel (Trisquel-)
• truenas-core (TrueNAS Core)
• truenas-scale (TrueNAS Scale)
• tuxedo-os (Tuxedo OS)
• vanillaos (Vanilla OS)
• void (Void Linux)
• vxlinux (VX Linux)
• zorin (Zorin OS)Custom Linux guests\c Or you can download a Linux image and manually create a VM configuration.
• Download a .iso image of a Linux distribution

• Create a VM configuration file; for example debian-bullseye.conf

  guest_os="linux"
  disk_img="debian-bullseye/disk.qcow2"
  iso="debian-bullseye/firmware-11.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso"

• Use quickemu to start the virtual machine:

  quickemu --vm debian-bullseye.conf

• Complete the installation as normal.

• Post-install:

  • Install the SPICE agent (spice-vdagent) in the guest to enable copy/paste and USB redirection.
  • Install the SPICE WebDAV agent (spice-webdavd) in the guest to enable file sharing.

If you want to run an old Linux , from 2016 or earlier, change the guest_os to linux_old. This will enable the vmware-svga graphics driver which is better supported on older distros.Creating macOS Guests\c  🍏 Installing macOS in a VM can be a bit finicky, if you encounter problems, check the Discussions\c  for solutions or ask for help there 🛟

quickget automatically downloads a macOS recovery image and creates a virtual machine configuration.

quickget macos big-sur
quickemu --vm macos-big-sur.conf

macOS mojave, catalina, big-sur, monterey, ventura and sonoma are supported.

• Use cursor keys and enter key to select the macOS Base System

• From macOS Utilities

  • Click Disk Utility and Continue

    • Select QEMU HARDDISK Media (~103.08GB) from the list (on Big Sur and above use Apple Inc. VirtIO Block Device) and click Erase.
    • Enter a Name: for the disk
    • If you are installing macOS Mojave or later (Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura and Sonoma), choose any of the APFS options as the filesystem. MacOS Extended may not work.
  • Click Erase.
  • Click Done.
  • Close Disk Utility

• From macOS Utilities

  • Click Reinstall macOS and Continue

• Complete the installation as you normally would.

  • On the first reboot use cursor keys and enter key to select macOS Installer
  • On the subsequent reboots use cursor keys and enter key to select the disk you named
• Once you have finished installing macOS you will be presented with an the out-of-the-box first-start wizard to configure various options and set up your username and password

• OPTIONAL: After you have concluded the out-of-the-box wizard, you may want to enable the TRIM feature that the computer industry created for SSD disks. This feature in our macOS installation will allow QuickEmu to compact (shrink) your macOS disk image whenever you delete files inside the Virtual Machine. Without this step your macOS disk image will only ever get larger and will not shrink even when you delete lots of data inside macOS.

  • To enable TRIM, open the Terminal application and type the following command followed by pressing enter to tell macos to use the TRIM command on the hard disk when files are deleted:

  sudo trimforce enable

You will be prompted to enter your account's password to gain the privilege needed. Once you've entered your password and pressed enter the command will request confirmation in the form of two questions that require you to type y (for a "yes" response) followed by enter to confirm.

If you press enter without first typing y the system will consider that a negative response as though you said "no":

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This tool force-enables TRIM for all relevant attached devices, even though such devices may not have been validated for data integrity while using TRIM. Use of this tool to enable TRIM may result in unintended data loss or data corruption. It should not be used in a commercial operating environment or with important data. Before using this tool, you should back up all of your data and regularly back up data while TRIM is enabled. This tool is provided on an "as is" basis. APPLE MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS TOOL OR ITS USE ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH YOUR DEVICES, SYSTEMS, OR SERVICES. BY USING THIS TOOL TO ENABLE TRIM, YOU AGREE THAT, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, USE OF THE TOOL IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK AND THAT THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO SATISFACTORY QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, ACCURACY AND EFFORT IS WITH YOU.
Are you sure you with to proceed (y/N)?

And a second confirmation once you've confirmed the previous one:

Your system will immediately reboot when this is complete.
Is this OK (y/N)?

As the last message states, your system will automatically reboot as soon as the command completes.

The default macOS configuration looks like this:

guest_os="macos"
img="macos- big-sur/RecoveryImage.img"
disk_img="macos- big-sur/disk.qcow2"
macos_release=" big-sur"

• guest_os="macos" instructs Quickemu to optimise for macOS.

• macos_release=" big-sur" instructs Quickemu to optimise for a particular macOS release.

  • For example VirtIO Network and Memory Ballooning are available in Big Sur and newer, but not previous releases.
  • And VirtIO Block Media (disks) are supported/stable in Catalina and newer.