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diff --git a/qemu-img.texi b/qemu-img.texi new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..3afd320851 --- /dev/null +++ b/qemu-img.texi @@ -0,0 +1,127 @@ +@example +@c man begin SYNOPSIS +usage: qemu-img command [command options] +@c man end +@end example + +@c man begin OPTIONS + +The following commands are supported: +@table @option +@item create [-e] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}] +@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} +@item convert [-c] [-e] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [-O @var{output_fmt}] @var{output_filename} +@item info [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} +@end table + +Command parameters: +@table @var +@item filename + is a disk image filename +@item base_image +is the read-only disk image which is used as base for a copy on + write image; the copy on write image only stores the modified data + +@item fmt +is the disk image format. It is guessed automatically in most cases. The following formats are supported: + +@table @code +@item raw + +Raw disk image format (default). This format has the advantage of +being simple and easily exportable to all other emulators. If your file +system supports @emph{holes} (for example in ext2 or ext3 on Linux), +then only the written sectors will reserve space. Use @code{qemu-img +info} to know the real size used by the image or @code{ls -ls} on +Unix/Linux. + +@item qcow +QEMU image format, the most versatile format. Use it to have smaller +images (useful if your filesystem does not supports holes, for example +on Windows), optional AES encryption and zlib based compression. +@item cow +User Mode Linux Copy On Write image format. Used to be the only growable +image format in QEMU. It is supported only for compatibility with +previous versions. It does not work on win32. +@item vmdk +VMware 3 and 4 compatible image format. Currently only supported as +read-only. +@item cloop +Linux Compressed Loop image, useful only to reuse directly compressed +CD-ROM images present for example in the Knoppix CD-ROMs. +@end table + +@item size +is the disk image size in kilobytes. Optional suffixes @code{M} +(megabyte) and @code{G} (gigabyte) are supported + +@item output_filename +is the destination disk image filename + +@item output_fmt + is the destination format + +@item -c +indicates that target image must be compressed (qcow format only) +@item -e +indicates that the target image must be encrypted (qcow format only) +@end table + +Command description: + +@table @option +@item create [-e] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}] + +Create the new disk image @var{filename} of size @var{size} and format +@var{fmt}. + +If @var{base_image} is specified, then the image will record only the +differences from @var{base_image}. No size needs to be specified in +this case. @var{base_image} will never be modified unless you use the +@code{commit} monitor command. + +@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} + +Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image. + +@item convert [-c] [-e] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [-O @var{output_fmt}] @var{output_filename} + +Convert the disk image @var{filename} to disk image @var{output_filename} +using format @var{output_fmt}. It can be optionnaly encrypted +(@code{-e} option) or compressed (@code{-c} option). + +Only the format @code{qcow} supports encryption or compression. The +compression is read-only. It means that if a compressed sector is +rewritten, then it is rewritten as uncompressed data. + +Encryption uses the AES format which is very secure (128 bit keys). Use +a long password (16 characters) to get maximum protection. + +Image conversion is also useful to get smaller image when using a +growable format such as @code{qcow} or @code{cow}: the empty sectors +are detected and suppressed from the destination image. + +@item info [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} + +Give information about the disk image @var{filename}. Use it in +particular to know the size reserved on disk which can be different +from the displayed size. +@end table + +@c man end + +@ignore + +@setfilename qemu-img +@settitle QEMU disk image utility + +@c man begin SEEALSO +The HTML documentation of QEMU for more precise information and Linux +user mode emulator invocation. +@c man end + +@c man begin AUTHOR +Fabrice Bellard +@c man end + +@end ignore |