Windows HVM TemplateVM never leaves transient state

[qube...@gmail.com]

I'm a newbie trying to set up a Windows 10 HVM template (without Qubes windows tools) in Qubes 4.0.1rc1. The tempalate works fine but never leaves the transient state. Is this a known limitation without the windows tools or am I missing something?

My real issue is that an AppVM of this template never persist/commit the private snap image. I'm just guessing this might be due to the fact that the qube (AppVM and TemplateVM) never hits the Running state?

Normal PVHs AppVM's work fine with their states/private data.

I've tried looking for strange things in the logs but kind of fumbling in the dark. What should I look for?

System:
Qubes 4.0.1rc1
LVM thin

[Ivan Mitev]

On 11/19/18 12:48 PM, qube...@gmail.com wrote:
> I'm a newbie trying to set up a Windows 10 HVM template (without Qubes windows tools) in Qubes 4.0.1rc1. The tempalate works fine but never leaves the transient state. Is this a known limitation without the windows tools or am I missing something?

Without Qubes windows tools (QWT) you don't have qrexec [1], so no
communication is possible between the (H)VM and dom0 -> no way for dom0
to know that the vm has properly started. Hence the 'transient' state
instead of 'running'.

> My real issue is that an AppVM of this template never persist/commit the private snap image. I'm just guessing this might be due to the fact that the qube (AppVM and TemplateVM) never hits the Running state?

No, that's because in template mode the private volume is wiped so you
have to format it *each time* (+ migrate the user profile folders
there). You'll have to write a shell script that takes care of that or
alternatively, try to install QWT, which provides that feature. But if
you go that route clone/backup your vm first and be ready for some trial
and error (QWT 3.x is buggy on R4 [2], and I have no idea if the QWT 4.x
test versions works properly on Win10 as a template).

> Normal PVHs AppVM's work fine with their states/private data.

Yes - because their private volume is persistent.


Hope this helps,
Ivan


[1] https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/qrexec3/
[2] https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/3585