This guide explains how to install 9front as a virtual machine inside OpenBSD's VMM https://wiki.ircnow.org/Vmm.Intro

https://wiki.ircnow.org/uploads/9/plan9-desktop.png

Download the ISO

This installation assumes you (or your admin) has configured VMM https://wiki.ircnow.org/Vmm.Intro properly.

Inside your home folder, download the 9front ISO:

$ ftp https://9front.org/iso/9front-10522.amd64.iso.gz $ sha256 9front-10522.amd64.iso.gz SHA256 (9front-10522.amd64.iso.gz) = 89f1e35bf735bfc9aeca38286a9a6607f3a40292befa4a30133157790f2edbcc 89f1e35bf735bfc9aeca38286a9a6607f3a40292befa4a30133157790f2edbcc 9front-10522.amd64.iso.gz $ gunzip 9front-10522.amd64.iso.gz $ ln -sf 9front-10522.amd64.iso $USER.iso

Inside /etc/vm.conf, make sure your virtual machine's cdrom is set to $USER.iso:

vm "$USER" { owner $USER memory 2048M cdrom "/home/$USER/$USER.iso" disk /home/$USER/$USER.qcow2 interface { locked lladdr aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff switch "switch0" } }

Stop your existing virtual machine:

$ vmctl stop $USER

You may need to delete any existing data, then create a new qcow2 image, then start the virtual machine:

$ rm $USER.qcow2 $ vmctl create -s 20G $USER.qcow2 $ vmctl start -c $USER Connected to /dev/ttyp9 (speed 115200) Boot failed: not a bootable disk

• e820=1 0x0000000000000000 0x000000000009f800 2 0x000000000009f800 0x00000000000a0000 2 0x00000000000f0000 0x0000000000100000 1 0x0000000000100000 0x000000007fffa000 2 0x000000007fffa000 0x0000000080000000 2 0x00000000f0000000 0x0000000100000000 cdboot=yes mouseport=ask monitor=ask vgasize=ask bootfile=/amd64/9pc64

At this point, you must immediately interrupt booting to type console=0:

>console=0 ccoonnssoollee==00

Then type boot:

>>bboooott

bboooott

Plan 9 125 holes free 0x0001d000 0x0009f000 532480 0x00100000 0x00110000 65536 0x005df000 0x3365f000 856162304 856760320 bytes free cpu0: 4600MHz GenuineIntel Xeon5000-series (AX 000206D7 CX

96982203 DX 079BA97F)

/dev/sd00: OpenBSD VMM CD-ROM 001 /dev/sd00/data 9660 /dev/sdF0: /dev/sdF0/data bootargs is (tcp, tls, il, local!device)local!/dev/sd00/data

Select the default by pressing enter.

userglenda:

init: starting /bin/rc cirno Jun 16 06:28:16 starting dns resolver on /net vgasize is (text, 640x480x8, 1024x768x16, ...) 1024x768x16 text bind: #i: no frame buffer rio: can't open display: initdisplay: /dev/draw/new: file does not exist: '/dev/draw' init: rc exit status: rc 216: rio 342: display open

init: starting /bin/rc term% inst/start Sun Jun 16 04:29:45 CET 2024 Installation process started

Task to do configfs:

cwfs64x the cached-worm file server hjfs the new 9front file server (experimental!)

File system (cwfs64x, hjfs)cwfs64x: hjfs

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: partdisk - edit partition tables (e.g., to create a plan 9 partition) mountfs - choose and mount file system partition confignet - configure the network tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do partdisk:

sd00 - OpenBSD VMM CD-ROM 001 empty 0 465 (465 cylinders, 1.81 GB)

• p1 465 466 (1 cylinders, 4.00 MB) ESP

sdF0 -

Disk to partition (sd00, sdF0)no default: sdF0 The disk you selected HAS NO master boot record on its first sector. (Perhaps it is a completely blank disk.) Shall we create a blank EFI partition table (GPT) or install traditional DOS partition table (MBR)?

Install mbr or gpt (mbr, gpt)no default: mbr

This is disk/fdisk; use it to create a Plan 9 partition. If there is enough room, a Plan 9 partition will be suggested; you can probably just type 'w' and then 'q'.

cylinder = 8225280 bytes '* p1 0 2610 (2610 cylinders, 19.99 GB) PLAN9 >>> w >>> q

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: prepdisk - subdivide plan 9 disk partition mountfs - choose and mount file system partition confignet - configure the network tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do prepdisk:

/dev/sdF0/plan9 empty 0 41929587 (41929587 sectors, 19.99 GB)

Plan 9 partition to subdivide (/dev/sdF0/plan9)/dev/sdF0/plan9: This is disk/prep; use it to subdivide the Plan 9 partition. If it is not yet subdivided, a sensible layout will be suggested; you can probably just type 'w' and then 'q'.

no plan9 partition table found 9fat 204800 nvram 1 fs 41724786 ' 9fat 0 204800 (204800 sectors, 100.00 MB) ' nvram 204800 204801 (1 sectors, 512 B ) ' fs 204801 41929587 (41724786 sectors, 19.89 GB) >>> w >>> q

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: mountfs - choose and mount file system partition confignet - configure the network tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do mountfs:

--rw-r----- S 0 glenda glenda 21363090432 Apr 28 03:34 /dev/sdF0/fs

Hjfs partition (/dev/sdF0/fs)/dev/sdF0/fs: Size of RAM filesystem cache (MB)? 296: Ream the filesystem? (yes, no)yes: Starting hjfs file server for /dev/sdF0/fs hjfs: reaming /dev/sdF0/fs hjfs: ream successful hjfs: fs is /dev/sdF0/fs Configuring hjfs file server for /dev/sdF0/fs hjfs: >create /dist sys sys 775 d hjfs: >create /usr sys sys 775 d hjfs: >newuser glenda hjfs: >newuser adm +glenda hjfs: >newuser sys +glenda hjfs: >newuser upas +glenda hjfs: >echo off Mounting hjfs file server for /dev/sdF0/fs % mount -c /srv/hjfs.newfs /n/newfs

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: confignet - configure the network mountdist - locate and mount the distribution tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do confignet:

Please choose a method for configuring your ethernet connection.

manual - specify IP address, network mask, gateway IP address automatic - use DHCP and SLAAC to automatically configure

Configuration method (manual, automatic)automatic: manual ip address no default: 104.167.242.231 network mask no default: 255.255.255.128 gateway address no default: 104.167.242.129 dns server 104.167.242.129: starting ethernet manual config

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: mountdist - locate and mount the distribution tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do mountdist:

The following storage media were detected. Choose the one containing the distribution.

/dev/sd00/data (iso9660 cdrom)

Distribution disk (/dev/sd00/data, /dev/sdF0/fs, /)/: % mount /srv/boot /n/distmedia

Which directory contains the distribution?

Location of archives /:

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: copydist - copy the distribution into the file system tzsetup - choose time zone

Task to do copydist:

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: ndbsetup - setup network configuration tzsetup - choose time zone bootsetup - configure hard disk to boot plan 9

Task to do ndbsetup:

sysname cirno: jrmu.host.nastycode.com

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: tzsetup - choose time zone bootsetup - configure hard disk to boot plan 9

Task to do tzsetup:

Time Zone (Argentina, Asia_Bahrain, Asia_India, Australia_ACT, Australia_Broken-Hill, Australia_LHI, Australia_NSW, Australia_North, Australia_Queensland, Australia_South, Australia_Sturt, Australia_Tasmania, Australia_Victoria, Australia_West, Australia_Yancowinna, Brazil_Acre, Brazil_DeNoronha, Brazil_East, Brazil_West, CET, Canada_Atlantic, Canada_Central, Canada_East-Saskatchewan, Canada_Eastern, Canada_Mountain, Canada_Newfoundland, Canada_Pacific, Canada_Yukon, Chile_Continental, Chile_EasterIsland, Cuba, EET, Egypt, GB-Eire, GMT, HST, Hongkong, Iceland, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Libya, Mexico_BajaNorte, Mexico_BajaSur, Mexico_General, NZ, NZ_CHAT, Navajo, PRC, Poland, ROC, ROK, Singapore, Turkey, US_Alaska, US_Arizona, US_Central, US_East-Indiana, US_Eastern, US_Hawaii, US_Michigan, US_Mountain, US_Pacific, US_Yukon, Uruguay, W-SU, WET)US_Eastern:

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: bootsetup - configure hard disk to boot plan 9

Task to do bootsetup:

Plan 9 FAT partition (/dev/sdF0/9fat)/dev/sdF0/9fat: dossrv: serving /srv/dos % dd -bs 512 -count 1 -if /dev/sdF0/9fat -of /tmp/pbs.bak 1+0 records in 1+0 records out Initializing Plan 9 FAT partition. % disk/format -r 2 -d -b /386/pbs -l PLAN9 /dev/sdF0/9fat Initializing FAT file system type hard, 12 tracks, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 512 bytes/sec used 4096 bytes % mount -c /srv/dos /n/9fat /dev/sdF0/9fat % rm -f /n/9fat/9bootfat % cp /386/9bootfat /n/9fat/9bootfat % chmod +al /n/9fat/9bootfat % rm -f /n/9fat/plan9.ini % cp /tmp/plan9.ini /n/9fat/plan9.ini % rm -f /n/9fat/9pc64 % cp /amd64/9pc64 /n/9fat/9pc64 % mkdir -p /n/9fat/efi/boot % cp /386/bootia32.efi /n/9fat/efi/boot/ % mkdir -p /n/9fat/efi/boot % cp /386/bootx64.efi /n/9fat/efi/boot/ % cp /tmp/pbs.bak /n/9fat % unmount /n/9fat

If you use the Windows NT/2000/XP master boot record or a master boot record from a Unix clone (e.g., LILO or FreeBSD bootmgr), it is probably safe to continue using that boot record rather than install the Plan 9 boot record.

Install the Plan 9 master boot record (yes, no)no default: yes Mark the Plan 9 partition active (yes, no)no default: yes

The Plan 9 partition is now marked as active.

The following unfinished tasks are ready to be done: finish - finish the installation and reboot

Task to do finish:

halting...hjfs: ending/srv/hjfs.newfs.cmd...

done halting echo: write error: device or object already in use rebooting... cpu0: exiting Takes a licking and keeps on ticking... can't reset

At this point, plan9 is unable to reboot on its own. We escape the serial console, then stop and restart the machine. First, type ~~. then:

$ doas vmctl stop $USER $ doas vmctl start -c $USER

host# vmctl start -c jrmu Connected to /dev/ttyp6 (speed 115200) MBR...pbs.................ok

• e820=1 0x0000000000000000 0x000000000009f800 2 0x000000000009f800 0x00000000000a0000 2 0x00000000000f0000 0x0000000000100000 1 0x0000000000100000 0x000000007fffa000 2 0x000000007fffa000 0x0000000080000000 2 0x00000000f0000000 0x0000000100000000 bootfile=9pc64 bootargs=local!/dev/sdF0/fs -m 296 mouseport=ask monitor=ask vgasize=text ccoonnssoollee==00

bboooott

Plan 9 125 holes free 0x0001d000 0x0009f000 532480 0x00100000 0x00110000 65536 0x005df000 0x3365f000 856162304 856760320 bytes free cpu0: 4600MHz GenuineIntel Xeon5000-series (AX 000206D7 CX

96982203 DX 079BA97F)

/dev/sd00: OpenBSD VMM CD-ROM 001 /dev/sd00/data 9660 /dev/sdF0: /dev/sdF0/9fat dos /dev/sdF0/data /dev/sdF0/fs hjfs /dev/sdF0/nvram /dev/sdF0/plan9 bootargs is (tcp, tls, il, local!device)local!/dev/sdF0/fs -m 296 userglenda: hjfs: fs is /dev/sdF0/fs

init: starting /bin/rc bind: #i: no frame buffer rio: can't open display: initdisplay: /dev/draw/new: file does not exist: '/dev/draw' init: rc exit status: rc 261: rio 391: display open

init: starting /bin/rc term% auth/wrkey bad nvram des key bad authentication id bad authentication domain authid: glenda authdom: example.com secstore key: password: confirm password: enable legacy p9sk1no: term% 9fs 9fat term% cd /n/9fat/ term% cat plan9.ini bootfile=9pc64 bootargs=local!/dev/sdF0/fs -m 296 mouseport=ask monitor=ask vgasize=text console=0 term% echo 'service=cpu' >> /n/9fat/plan9.ini term% echo '@{while() {sleep 5; ip/ping 104.167.242.129}} > /dev/null &' >> /cfg/$sysname/cpustart term% fshalt -r

halting...hjfs: ending /srv/hjfs.cmd... done halting echo: write error: device or object already in use rebooting... cpu0: exiting Takes a licking and keeps on ticking... can't reset

`~~.` to escape serial console, then:

host# vmctl stop username-plan9 stopping vm username-plan9: requested to shutdown vm 6 host# vmctl start -c username-plan9

To start VNC (optional):

# vncs -A /bin/rio -s

See also http://cloud9p.org/doc/vmm.html.

Last modified Thu Feb 19 16:22:09 PST 2026

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