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https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux
Make bootable Linux disk image (ab)using Docker
https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux
bootloader docker linux linux-kernel virtual-machine
Last synced: 9 days ago
JSON representation
Make bootable Linux disk image (ab)using Docker
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux
- Owner: iximiuz
- Created: 2019-06-02T22:23:57.000Z (over 5 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2023-01-02T19:18:57.000Z (almost 2 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-09-29T15:01:29.767Z (about 1 month ago)
- Topics: bootloader, docker, linux, linux-kernel, virtual-machine
- Language: Makefile
- Homepage: https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/from-docker-container-to-bootable-linux-disk-image/
- Size: 24.4 KB
- Stars: 662
- Watchers: 20
- Forks: 91
- Open Issues: 11
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# docker-to-linux - make bootable Linux disk image abusing Docker
```diff
! Support development of this project > patreon.com/iximiuz
```
There is no real goal behind this project. Just out of my curiosity what if:
- launch a base Linux container (debian, alpine, etc)
- pull in Linux kernel & init system (systemd, OpenRC, etc)
- dump container's filesystem to a disk image
- install bootloader (syslinux) to this image...
Then it should be probably possible to launch a ~~real~~ virtual machine with such an image!
Try it out:
```bash
# 1. Build the image.
# Depending on your setup, you may need to preceed `make` with `sudo`.
make debian # or ubuntu, or alpine
# 2. Run it! Use username `root` and password `root` to log in.
qemu-system-x86_64 -drive file=debian.img,index=0,media=disk,format=raw -m 4096
# 2. Alternate
qemu-system-x86_64 -hda debian.qcow2 -m 512
# 3. Clean up when you are done.
make clean
```
It works!
You can increase or decrease the size of the VM hard disk via the environment variable VM_DISK_SIZE_MB (1024 by default).
For example for a 3GB disk:
```
make debian VM_DISK_SIZE_MB=3072 # or ubuntu, or alpine
```
Check out `Makefile` for more details or read my article on iximiuz.com.
## Features
- Real quick build a bootable Linux image with a single command!
- 3 target distributives: Ubuntu 20.04, Debian Bullseye, Alpine 3.13.5
- Build from macOS (including M1 chips) or Linux hosts
## FAQ
- Q: I'm getting an error about "read-only filesystem". How can I make it writable?
A: It's Linux default behaviour to mount the / filesystem as read-only. You can always remount it with `mount -o remount,rw /`.
- Q: How can I access network from the VM / How can I SSH into the VM?
A: Networking is not configured at the moment. If you want to configure it yourself, search for TUN/TAP/bridge devices. Don't forget to open a PR if you come up with a working solution.
## Release notes
#### 2021-05-24
- Start using ext4 instead of ext3.
#### 2021-05-07
- Fix - Ubuntu 20.04 stopped working because of the changed path to vmlinuz and initrd files.
#### 2021-05-02
- Fix macOS support [#10](https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux/issues/10) (thanks to @xavigonzalvo for reporting and suggesting the fix)
- move `losetup` call from Makefile to the builder container
- explicitly select amd64 architecture in target distr Dockerfiles to support builds on ARM hosts (_aka_ M1)
- Upgrade target distr versions
- Ubuntu 18.04 -> 20.04
- Debian Stretch -> Bullseye
- Alpine 3.9.4 -> 3.13.5
#### 2020-02-29
- Improve Alpine support [#7](https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux/pull/7) (creds @monperrus)
#### 2019-08-02
- Fix loopback device lookup [#3](https://github.com/iximiuz/docker-to-linux/pull/3) (creds @christau)
#### 2019-06-03
- Initial release
## TODO
- add basic networking support
- support different image formats (e.g. VirtualBox VDI)
- support different target architectures (e.g. ARM)
## Similar projects
...or tangential projects relying on the similar technique:
- [firecracker-microvm/firecracker](https://github.com/firecracker-microvm/firecracker/blob/d2c52b882ced88be581eed4f4a804ffba5a1be86/docs/rootfs-and-kernel-setup.md) suggests a similar trick to build custom VM rootfs images.
- [weaveworks/ignite](https://github.com/weaveworks/ignite/blob/e3766643ffa88ad1d98d0cb40043cd1f94b4632a/images/Makefile) actually uses the same technique to build Firecracker VM images.
- [d2vm (Docker to Virtual Machine)](https://github.com/linka-cloud/d2vm) a CLI tool (written in Go) to build virtual machine images from Docker images (inspired by the docker-to-linux project).