I'm running slackware 13.0 with no X server. Is it possible to run qemu (or any virtualization software, for that matter) without installing X? I'd mostly be running windows systems, so I wouldn't need X on the guest.

QEMU can run the guest OS's video output through VNC, which I don't believe requires X to be installed.

I am trying to guess the question you are really asking.

Are you saying that you will be on some windows computer and you want to run some linux cli based OS? If so then yes. qemu and almost all VM's can run almost any linux/bsd/qnx/menuetos/beos/macosx and the list goes on.

As to being on a cli based linux and trying to run a linux it could be run but the output can't be shown. It may be only slightly possible to use a web based disto to a text based browser. It would be possible to run vnc, remote desktops, nx, web based admin to some other gui enabled computer.

A windows running mobaterm or cygwin or such can support a x server. (x is backwards).

I think he wants to be able to run a qemu host without X server.
If so, I'd also be very interested in this.

I also run slackware, and my goal is to make a host with just enough packages to run qemu-kvm + libvirt.

X is only needed on the host for those that want to use the gui management tools, libvirt is only needed if you prefer gui tools over command line.

Cheers,

I think you're mistaking libvirt with virt-manager.


answer: X is not required to run a VM with kvm-qemu or virsh, all you need do is start the VM with a graphical console at a VNC or SPICE port, and remotely connect to that port from a client machine.
Optionally you can connect to the hypervisor running libvirt using virt-manager remotely

Thanks for clarifying. I was intending to get to not needing libvirt, but got lost [apparently] .

if you don't want libvirt, you can simply use the vnc/spice protocols - all you need do is specify the right ports and interface types in the VM startup line