QEMU/x86

This page lists arguments that QEMU can use.

CPUs

 * -cpu host
 * Device: Host CPU
 * Maximum Windows OS: Various
 * Description: If you have KVM enabled, this will use your host CPU. This is the recommended option if you have hardware virtualization and root access.


 * -cpu 486
 * Device: Intel 80486
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 2000
 * Description: Intel 80486. Unrecommended for use unless you are running a DOS VM.


 * -cpu Broadwell
 * Device: Intel Codename Broadwell
 * Maximum Windows OS:Windows 7
 * Description: Intel Broadwell Microprocessor


 * -cpu Broadwell-noTSX
 * Device: Intel Codename Broadwell
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 7
 * Description: Intel Broadwell Microprocessor


 * -cpu Conroe
 * Device: Intel Celeron 4x0 (Conroe/Merom Class Core 2)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 7
 * Description: Intel Celeron


 * -cpu Haswell
 * Device: Intel Codename Haswell
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Haswell Microprocessor


 * -cpu Haswell-noTSX
 * Device: Intel Codename Haswell
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Haswell Microprocessor


 * -cpu IvyBridge
 * Device: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Xeon E3-1200 (codename Ivy Bridge)


 * -cpu Nehalem
 * Device: Intel Core i7 950 (Nehalem Class Core i7)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Core i7 950


 * -cpu Opteron_G1
 * Device: AMD Opteron 240 (Gen 1 Class Opteron)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: AMD Opteron 240


 * -cpu Opteron_G2
 * Device: AMD Opteron 22xx (Gen 2 Class Opteron)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: AMD Opteron Generation 2


 * -cpu Opteron_G3
 * Device: AMD Opteron 23xx (Gen 3 Class Opteron)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: AMD Opteron Generation 3


 * -cpu Opteron_G4
 * Device: AMD Opteron 62xx (Gen 4 Class Opteron)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: AMD Opteron Generation 4


 * -cpu Opteron_G5
 * Device: AMD Opteron 63xx (Gen 5 Class Opteron)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: AMD Opteron Generation 5


 * -cpu Penryn
 * Device: Intel Core 2 Duo P9xxx Penryn Class Core 2)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Core 2 Duo P9xxx


 * -cpu SandyBridge
 * Device: Intel Xeon E312xx (Sandy Bridge)
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Xeon (codename Sandy Bridge)


 * -cpu Skylake-Client
 * Device: Intel Skylake
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Skylake


 * -cpu Westmere
 * Device: Intel Westmere E56xx/L56xx/X56xx
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Westmere


 * -cpu core2duo
 * Device: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7700 @ 2.40 GHz
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7700, 2.40 GHz.


 * -cpu coreduo
 * Device: Intel Core Duo CPU T2600 @ 2.16 GHz
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 7
 * Description: Intel Core Duo CPU T2600, 2.16 GHz.


 * -cpu kvm32
 * Device: Generic 32-bit KVM processor
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: A generic, emulated 32-bit KVM processor.


 * -cpu kvm64
 * Device: Generic KVM processor
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: A generic, emulated KVM processor.


 * -cpu n270
 * Device: Intel Atom CPU N270 @ 1.60 GHz
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Intel Atom CPU N270 at 1.60 GHz. NOTE: This can run Windows Vista/7/8/10, but it is not recommended to run anything above XP on this CPU.


 * -cpu pentium
 * Device: Intel Pentium(R) Pro
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows XP
 * Description: Emulated Pentium Pro. Recommended for Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, and Windows Me VMs. NOTE: If you are running a Windows NT 3.x VM, this CPU is essential to get past the setup.


 * -cpu pentium2
 * Device: Intel Pentium II
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 7
 * Description: Emulated Pentium II. This can run Windows 7 but is not recommended for anything above 2000.


 * -cpu pentium3
 * Device: Intel Pentium III
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 7
 * Description: Emulated Pentium III. This can run Windows 7 but is not recommended for anything above XP.


 * -cpu qemu32
 * Device: Generic 32-bit QEMU CPU
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Generic 32-bit QEMU CPU.


 * -cpu qemu64
 * Device: Generic QEMU CPU
 * Maximum Windows OS: Windows 10
 * Description: Generic QEMU CPU.

Network cards
Add -net user at the end to make sure the network works.


 * -net nic,model=rtl8139
 * Device: Realtek 8139C+ Fast Ethernet 
 * Description: Realtek 8139 card, 10/100Mb/s. This card is built into Windows XP+ and almost every modern Linux and BSD distribution. There is a packet driver for MS-DOS and drivers for Windows 95 and above.


 * -net nic,model=e1000
 * Device: Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapter 
 * Description: Intel 1Gb/s card, recommended for use in modern Windows and Linux hosts. This driver is built into Vista and up, and is also downloadable for Windows XP.


 * -net nic,model=pcnet
 * Device: AMD PCNet-Fast III Ethernet Adapter 
 * Description: AMD PCnet card. Recommended for Windows 9x, NT 4 and Windows 2000. There is also a driver available for Windows 3.1.


 * -net nic,model=ne2k_pci
 * Device: Novell NE2000 
 * Description: PCI NE2000 network card. Useful for older hosts, like Windows 3.x and MS-DOS.


 * -net nic,model=ne2k_isa
 * Device: Novell NE2000 
 * Description: ISA NE2000 network card.


 * -net nic,model=virtio
 * Device: Red Hat Virtio Network Card 
 * Description: The Virtio network card is the fastest network card available for QEMU, performing better than 1Gb/s. Modern Linux has a built in driver but Windows requires installation of a special driver (but regardless, is still usable).


 * -net nic,model=i82551
 * Device: Intel i82551 ethernet 
 * Description: Intel i82551 ethernet card.


 * -net nic,model=i82557b
 * Device: Intel i82557b ethernet 
 * Description: Intel i82557b ethernet card.


 * -net nic,model=i82559er
 * Device: Intel i82559er ethernet 
 * Description: Intel i82559er ethernet card.

Machines

 * -M pc
 * Machine: Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996)
 * Description: This is the default machine in QEMU. This machine emulates a PC from circa 1996, although this doesn't hinder its ability to run newer operating systems or emulate newer CPUs. If you want more stability, it is recommended to use this, although if you want faster boot times and better performance on Windows 7 or modern Linux, choose q35.


 * -M q35
 * Machine: Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009)
 * Description: This is another machine in QEMU which emulates a PC from circa 2009. This machine is faster and more efficient, and takes up less resources but at a slight cost of stability (occasionally Windows 7 or Linux will crash at startup, but it will usually boot back up). This is recommended for Windows 10 as it makes it much faster. Note: Windows XP and below cannot be ran or installed on q35 (BSODing immediately on startup or the setup).

VGA cards

 * -vga cirrus
 * Device: Cirrus CLGD 5446 PCI
 * Description: Cirrus Logic card, from the mid 1990s. This is recommended for use in Windows 9x, NT 4.0, and Windows 2000.


 * -vga std
 * Device: Standard Graphics Card
 * Description: This card is recommended for Windows XP and above and Linux, BSD, etc. This supports high resolutions.


 * -vga vmware
 * Device: VMWare SVGA-II
 * Description: This card is unrecommended due to its semi-buggy nature, but it is recommended for DOS VMs as it can be used in Windows 3.1. This works in nearly all editions of Windows and most distributions of Linux.


 * -vga qxl
 * Device: QXL Paravirtual Graphics Adapter
 * Description: This does not have a built in driver in Windows, but does in Linux and BSD. This allows very high resolutions to be used, although it is unrecommended since CollabVM nor Guacamole is not designed for very high resolutions. Recommended to use in Linux VMs if you don't want to use standard (Cirrus works in most distributions but is buggy).


 * -vga none
 * Device: None
 * Description: This disables the VGA card, but it should not be used as CollabVM does not support text mode VMs at this time.

Mouse

 * -usbdevice tablet
 * Device: QEMU HID Tablet
 * Description: This simulates a "tablet" mouse, and it is synced with the host mouse as it is absolute. This is highly recommended to use and it is supported in nearly all modern Windows, Linux, BSD, and other hosts. Driver is included by default in Windows 2000 and is also possible to use on NT 4.0, 98, 98 SE, and Me.


 * -serial msmouse
 * Device: Microsoft Serial Mouse
 * Description: This emulates a Microsoft Serial Mouse from the 1990s. Although this type of serial mouse is still supported in modern Windows, it is unrecommended and only recommended for Windows 3.x VMs.