===== Sparky ARMHF Emulated in QEMU =====

Sparky ARM edition can be tested inside the QEMU emulator.

==== Linux host ====

=== Requirements ===

  sparky-armhf image
  kernel
  unzip
  git
  qemu
  qemu-system-arm
  sudo

== Sparky ARMHF image ==

Download zipped Sparky ARMHF image from our official page.

Unzip it:

  unzip sparkylinux-VER-armhf.zip

or (Lite version):

  unzip sparkylinux-VER-armhf-cli.zip

== Kernel ==

Download an ARM kernel to run the image in QEMU, using git:

  git clone https://github.com/dhruvvyas90/qemu-rpi-kernel.git

Place on of the kernels in the same directory where unzipped Sparky image is already placed.

== Run ==

  sudo qemu-system-arm \
  -kernel ./kernel-qemu-4.4.34-jessie \
  -append "root=/dev/sda2 panic=1 rootfstype=ext4 rw" \
  -hda sparkylinux-VER-armhf.img \
  -cpu arm1176 -m 256 \
  -M versatilepb \
  -no-reboot \
  -serial stdio \
  -net nic -net user \
  -net tap,ifname=vnet0,script=no,downscript=no

or the Lite version:

  sudo qemu-system-arm \
  -kernel ./kernel-qemu-4.4.34-jessie \
  -append "root=/dev/sda2 panic=1 rootfstype=ext4 rw" \
  -hda sparkylinux-VER-armhf-cli.img \
  -cpu arm1176 -m 256 \
  -M versatilepb \
  -no-reboot \
  -serial stdio \
  -net nic -net user \
  -net tap,ifname=vnet0,script=no,downscript=no

A more efficient option is to convert this to a qcow2 image first. Use the qemu-img command to do this (optional):

  qemu-img convert -f raw -O qcow2 sparkylinux-VER-armhf.img sparkylinux-VER-armhf.qcow

Now you can also easily expand the image (optional):

  qemu-img resize sparkylinux-VER-armhf.qcow +6G

{{:sparky4-armhf-uxterm.png?400|Sparky ARMHF in QEMU with Openbox and UXterm}}

<WRAP center box 100%>
|[[sparky_arm|<--- ARM Edition]]  |  [[start|^ WIKI Start Page ^]]  |  [[sparky_armhf_virtmanager|ARMHF Managed via Virt-Manager --->]]|
</WRAP>