IncusOS - New Instance - VM KVM support is missing (no /dev/kvm)

1

New IncusOS user using Incus UI trying to create an instance:

When trying to add a new instance, selected FreeBSD 15.1, hoping for a vm.

This error prevents creation: KVM support is missing (no /dev/kvm)

My suspicion is I haven’t done some required configuration.

Suggestions?

2

That error means the host running IncusOS is not exposing the KVM device needed for a VM. If IncusOS itself is running inside a VM, enable nested virtualization and pass through /dev/kvm; on bare metal, verify CPU virtualization is enabled in firmware and that the kernel KVM module is loaded. Once /dev/kvm exists with usable permissions, FreeBSD VM creation should be available.

3

Taylor,

Thanks for the notes and time.

My IncusOS lab is running bare metal on a small Lenovo Mini pc. After I get comfortable here I have some HP servers I hope to bring up with IncusOS.

Your comments..

“verify CPU virtualization is anabled in firmware”…you referring to the BIOS on the pc?

“and that the kernel KVM module is loaded. Once /dev/kvm exists with usable permissions”

Where exactly do I load “/dev/kvm”? Is this done in a configuration screen of Incus UI?

Much appreciated.

4

update…On my Lenovo M700 I checked in the pc bios and found:

[Advanced][CPU Setup] Intel Virtualization technology [Disabled].
I changed to [Enabled]

[Advanced][CPU Setup] VT -d [Disabled]
I changed to [Enabled]

5

So I attempted to create the instance after modifying the BIOS. The kvm error has gone away,
but now I have a new error:

The image used by this instance is incompatible with secureboot. Please set security.secureboot=false on the instance

-Corrective action-

What I did here is in the Instance configuration, located Security Policies, located
“Enable Secure Boot” and changed it to false.

I now have an instance running.

This is bad ass. Kudos to the project and how far along it is.

BS

6

Yes, BIOS is the right place. You don’t load /dev/kvm in the Incus UI; after enabling virtualization and rebooting, IncusOS should expose it automatically. The later secure-boot error shows KVM is now available.