Install a FreeBSD13 Virtual Machine (VM) via bhyve
Install a FreeBSD VM is relatively easier now in a FreeBSD host via the bhyve hypervisor. The following is my simple list of actions to create a new FreeBSD 13 VM. My FreeBSD host (running 13.2-RELEASE-p4) is called n1.
For installation of a Ubuntu22.04 VM via bhyve, please refer to my wiki Install a Ubuntu22.04 VM via bhyve.
necessary VM tools
cc@n1:/ % sudo pkg install vm-bhyve // simple vm(8) management cc@n1:/ % sudo zfs create zroot/bhyve // parent data pool for VMs cc@n1:/ % sudo zfs create zroot/bhyve/.templates // used to store VM configs
passthru device
Find the pci device (WiFi 6 wireless interface) on host to pass through the VM. The bus/slot/function is for this devices is 2/0/0.
cc@n1:~ % pciconf -lv | grep -B2 Wi-Fi
ppt0@pci0:2:0:0: class=0x028000 rev=0x1a hdr=0x00 vendor=0x8086 device=0x2723 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x0084
vendor = 'Intel Corporation'
device = 'Wi-Fi 6 AX200'
/boot/loader.conf
vmm_load="YES" nmdm_load="YES" if_bridge_load="YES" if_tap_load="YES" # the passthru pci device pptdevs="2/0/0" # default AMD-Vi passthrough support is disabled, enable it hw.vmm.amdvi.enable="1"
/etc/sysctl.conf
net.link.tap.up_on_open=1
/etc/rc.conf
# needed for virtualization support vm_enable="YES" vm_dir="zfs:zroot/bhyve"
reboot
my FreeBSD VM config file
This file is used as the config file for a new FreeBSD VM. cc@n1:~ % cat /zroot/bhyve/.templates/fbsd.conf loader="bhyveload" cpu=4 memory=4G # put up to 8 disks on a single ahci controller. This avoids the creation of # a new “controller” on a new “PCIe slot” for each drive added to the guest. ahci_device_limit="8" # e1000 works out-of-the-box, but virtio-net performs better. Virtio support # is built in on FreeBSD and Linux guests, but Windows guests will need # to have virtio drivers manually installed. #network0_type="e1000" network0_type="virtio-net" network0_switch="public" # bhyve/nvme storage is considerably faster than bhyve/virtio-blk storage. #disk0_type="virtio-blk" disk0_type="nvme" disk0_name="disk0" disk0_dev="sparse-zvol" # passing of host PCI devices to a virtual machine for its exclusive use of them passthru0="2/0/0"
setup the net bridge and create a new VM
cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm init cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % ifconfig | grep RUNNING re0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500 lo0: flags=8049<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 16384 cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm switch create public cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm switch add public re0 cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm create -t fbsd -s 100G n1_iwl_vm cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm install n1_iwl_vm ./FreeBSD-13.2-RELEASE-amd64-disc1.iso Starting n1_iwl_vm * found guest in /zroot/bhyve/n1_iwl_vm * booting...
Use the "vm console" command to access the VM and finish the installation process. cc@n1:~ % sudo vm console n1_iwl_vm ...
snapshot
cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm snapshot n1_iwl_vm@snapshot1 // create a snapshot of n1_iwl_vm cc@n1:/zroot/bhyve % sudo vm rollback n1_iwl_vm@snapshot1 // restore to the snapshot of n1_iwl_vm
references:
From 0 to Bhyve on FreeBSD 13.1
https://github.com/churchers/vm-bhyve