How to create a UBOS development VM for Parallels Desktop on Apple Silicon computers

/docs/linux/developer/create-developer-vm/apple-silicon-parallels/

Install Parallels Desktop for Apple Silicon computers

This is a paid product that can be obtained from https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/.

Obtain an Arch Linux ARM image

Download an ISO with the string “latest” in it from https://release.archboot.com/aarch64/latest/iso/.

Run the Arch Linux ARM image as the virtual machine to create the development VM with

Run Parallels Desktop. If it asks you to install add-on’s, decline. If it asks you to Install Windows, select “Option Options” instead.
In Parallels Desktop, create a new virtual machine:
- From the menu, select “File / New”.
- Select “Install Windows, Linux or macOS from an image file”, and “Continue”.
- Click “select a file” and choose the downloaded ISO.
- Ignore “Unable to detect operating system” and “Continue”.
- Select “Other Linux” and “OK”.
- Enter name: “ubosdev_aarch64-parallels-YYYYMMDD-I” where YYYYMMDD is the date, and I is a number starting with 1.
- Check “Customize settings before installation”, accept the other defaults, and “Create”.
- In the “Hardware” tab, enter 8192 MB for “Memory”. (4096 produces a very strange error message later in the boot.) Leave all other defaults.
- Close the popup and click “Continue”.
The VM automatically starts. Accept all defaults until you get to “Hit ENTER for login routine or CTRL-C for bash prompt”; that will take a 5-10 minutes. Then hit ^C to get the bash shell. (If you find yourself in the Archboot Arch Linux Installation with its blue background: cancel, and select “Exit Program”.)

Install Arch on the empty disk and configure it

Wait for the shell to appear.

Update the bootstrap VM and install some packages we need:

# pacman -Sy
# pacman -S archlinux-keyring
# pacman -Su
# pacman -S btrfs-progs gptfdisk parted dosfstools arch-install-scripts vi

Zero out the first bytes on the disk for extra robustness:

# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=1M count=8 conv=notrunc

Clear the partition table:
```
# sgdisk --clear /dev/sda
```

Create the partitions (UEFI, /boot and /) and change them to the right types.

# sgdisk --new=1::+1M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=2::+512M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=3:: /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=1:EF02 /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=2:EF00 /dev/sda

Make sure changes are in effect:
```
# sync
# partprobe /dev/sda
```
Create filesystems for partitions other than the UEFI partition:
```
# mkfs.vfat  /dev/sda2
# mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda3
```

Mount the partitions so we can install:

# mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
# mkdir /mnt/boot
# mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/boot

Perform the actual install of the base packages:
```
# pacstrap /mnt base
```

Generate the right fstab:

# genfstab -U -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Chroot into your future root disk and finish the installation:

# arch-chroot /mnt

Add the Arch Linux ARM keyring:
```
# pacman -S archlinuxarm-keyring
```

Add the UBOS keyring so we can install our own packages:

# curl -O https://depot.ubosfiles.net/yellow/$(uname -m)/os/ubos-keyring-0.9-2-any.pkg.tar.xz
# pacman -U ubos-keyring-0.9-2-any.pkg.tar.xz
# rm ubos-keyring-0.9-2-any.pkg.tar.xz

Add the UBOS tools repo:

# echo '' >> /etc/pacman.conf
# echo '[ubos-tools-arch]' >> /etc/pacman.conf
# echo 'Server = https://depot.ubosfiles.net/yellow/$arch/ubos-tools-arch' >> /etc/pacman.conf

Install more packages:

# pacman -Sy
# pacman -S linux-aarch64 mkinitcpio amd-ucode sudo vim btrfs-progs \
  gdm gnome-console gnome-control-center gnome-session gnome-settings-daemon \
  gnome-shell gnome-keyring nautilus \
  ubos-tools-arch

If asked which alternatives to install, choose the defaults.

Create a ramdisk:
```
# mkinitcpio -p linux-aarch64
```
Configure the boot loader:
```
# bootctl --path /boot install
```

Install a locale:

# perl -pi -e 's!#en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8!en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8!' /etc/locale.gen
# locale-gen

Set up networking:

# echo '[Match]' > /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'Name=en*' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo '' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo '[Network]' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'DHCP=ipv4' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'IPForwarding=1' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network

# systemctl enable systemd-networkd systemd-resolved systemd-timesyncd

Create a user with the right permissions and no password:

# useradd -m ubosdev
# chmod 755 ~ubosdev
# passwd -d ubosdev
# echo ubosdev ALL = NOPASSWD: ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/ubosdev
# chmod 600 /etc/sudoers.d/ubosdev

No root password:
```
# passwd -d root
```
Exit from the arch-chroot shell with ^D.

Remainder of networking setup:

# rm /mnt/etc/resolv.conf
# ln -s /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf

Configure UEFI:

Loader configuration:

# echo timeout 4 > /mnt/boot/loader/loader.conf
# echo default arch >> /mnt/boot/loader/loader.conf

Boot entry configuration:

# echo title Arch > /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo linux /Image >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo initrd /amd-ucode.img >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo initrd /initramfs-linux.img >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo options root=PARTUUID=$(lsblk -o PARTUUID /dev/sda3 | tail -1 ) rootfstype=btrfs rw cgroup_disable=memory add_efi_memmap >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

Power off the virtual machine:
```
# systemctl poweroff
```
Remove the ISO file from the VM:
- In the Parallels Control Center, select the “ubosdev_aarch64-parallels-YYYYMMDD-I” VM, right-click, and select “Configure…”.
- In the “Hardware” tab, select CD/DVD.
- In the “Source” drop-down, select Disconnect.
- Close the Configuration window.

Remaining configuration

Start the VM again.
At the console, log in as ubosdev. There is no password.

Fix the locale (command won’t run earlier)

% sudo localectl set-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Enable Gnome:
```
% sudo systemctl enable gdm
```
Power off the virtual machine:
```
% sudo systemctl poweroff
```

Now your virtual machine is in the same state as the pre-configured development VM described in ../setup/.

Create a virtual appliance for distribution

In the Parallels Control Center, right-click on the “ubosdev_aarch64-utm-YYYYMMDD-I” VM and select “Prepare for transfer”.
Click “Continue” and wait for the “Packing” process to finish. The VM now has subtitle “Package” and the gears icon has disappeared.
Right-click on the VM again, and select “Show in Finder”.
Copy the file with a name that also contains the processor architecture, the current date and an index: ubosdev_aarch64-parallels-YYYYMMDD-I.pvmp, e.g. ubosdev_aarch64-parallels-20240405-1.pvmp. (Don’t add a UBOS channel to the name, as this is Arch.)