install gentoo to nvme via kvm

mjbjr · Guru Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 301

I built a new machine that has two 1TB nvme ssds. I have a very loose/generic genkernel install on nvme0 and a manjaro installed on nvme1.

I'm looking to replace the manjaro install with a new very tight gentoo install, which may take some time. The thing is, I hate not having access to the original gentoo install for the whole time I'm installing the new gentoo.

I have no experience with kvm, but I was thinking that it may be possible to install kvm to a usb flashdrive and boot that, and have access to the original gentoo install on nvme0 in one domain while doing the new install in another domain.

Possible?
Other ideas?

alamahant · Advocate Joined: 23 Mar 2019 Posts: 3879

Just boot into your "loose" --what does it mean? -- Gentoo and perform a normal Gentoo installation by creating partitions on nvme1. mounting them,chrooting into your new system etc etc.
If you dont want to start afresh you might wish to rsync your existing system into the new partitions and continue from there.
Plz let me know if rsync sounds interesting to you.
No need for KVM whatsoever.
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mjbjr · Guru Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 301

figueroa · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:21 am Post subject:

In case you change your mind, a good source for the rsync settings for copying an OS from one location to another is: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/rsync#Full_system_backup.

You can save a lot of electrons and time by starting with your current installation. Just work in the chroot until your ready for it to be your daily driver.
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Andy Figueroa
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axl · Veteran Joined: 11 Oct 2002 Posts: 1144 Location: Romania

lol. yes you can use kvm. though kvm means kernel virtual machine, and its only a kernel module for qemu. which is a console virtual machine software otherwise known as a hypervisor, and maybe virt-manager as a gui for the whole thing. it's a multi layer thing. yes.

though you dont need to use an usb stick. u can make a virtual image. a ram image. all sorts of block devices in linux to play with. try a zram device. in the _host_ system create a zram device, with equal number threads/cores. Prolly zstd. and then pass that to virt-manager/qemu/kvm as root device for your virtual machine. That's what I do, but I do have a lot of ram to play around