Basic Management
6 minute read.
Last Modified 2021-04-02 11:24 EDTThis feature is only supported by the TrueNAS CORE community.
A Virtual Machine (VM) is an environment on a host computer that can be used as if it were a separate physical computer. VMs can be used to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single computer. Operating systems running inside a VM see emulated virtual hardware rather than the actual hardware of the host computer. This provides more isolation than Jails, but a VM will consume more system resources.
Before creating the virtual machine, you will need an installer
To create a new VM, go to Virtual Machines and click Add. Configure each category of the VM according to your specifications, starting with the Operating System.
After the VM is created, add and remove virtual devices by expanding the VM entry in Virtual Machines and clicking device_hub.
Device notes:
- The virtual machine attempts to boot from devices according to the Device Order, starting with 1000, then ascending.
- CD-ROM devices allowing booting a VM from a CD-ROM image like an installation CD. The CD image must be available in the system storage.
After creating the VM and configuring any devices for it, manage the VM by expanding its entry in Virtual Machines.
Options for settings_ethernet or keyboard_arrow_right connections are available after activating the VM. If the VNC connection screen appears garbled, try adjusting the VNC device resolution.
Using the State toggle or clicking stop follows a standard shut down procedure to cleanly shut down the running VM. Clicking power_settings_new immediately halts and deactivates the VM, similar to unplugging a computer.
If the VM you created has no Guest OS installed, The VM State toggle and stop button might not function as expected. These buttons try to send an ACPI power down command to the VM operating system, but since no OS is installed, the commands time out. Use the POWER OFF button instead.