QEMU/x86

This page lists arguments that QEMU can use.

Devices

CPUs

CPU types

Type	OS	Description
host	Various	The Host CPU. If KVM is enabled, this will clone your host's CPU ID and flags to the VM.
max	Various	The Host CPU. If KVM is enabled, this will clone your host's CPU ID and flags, and also enable every KVM subfeature.
kvm32	Windows 10	Generic KVM 32-bit CPU.
kvm64	Windows 10	Generic KVM 64-bit CPU.
qemu32	Windows 10	Generic KVM 32-bit CPU.
qemu64	Windows 10	Generic KVM 64-bit CPU.
486	Windows 2000	Intel 80486. Not recommended for use unless you are running a DOS VM.
pentium	Windows XP	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.
pentium2	Windows 7	Pentium II. This can run Windows 7 but is not recommended for anything above 2000.
pentium3	Windows 7	Pentium III. This can run Windows 7 but is not recommended for anything above 2000.
Broadwell	Windows 7	Intel Broadwell Microprocessor
Broadwell-noTSX	Windows 7	Intel Broadwell Microprocessor (without Intel TSX)
Conroe	Windows 7	Intel Celeron 4x0 (Conroe/Merom Class Core 2) CPU
Haswell	Windows 10	Intel Haswell CPU
Haswell-noTSX	Windows 10	Intel Haswell CPU (without Intel TSX)
IvyBridge	Windows 10	Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2 (codename Ivy Bridge)
Nehalem	Windows 10	Intel Core i7 950
Opteron_G1	Windows 10	AMD Opteron 240
Opteron_G2	Windows 10	AMD Opteron 22xx
Opteron_G3	Windows 10	AMD Opteron 23xx
Opteron_G4	Windows 10	AMD Opteron 62xx
Opteron_G5	Windows 10	AMD Opteron 63xx
Penryn	Windows 10	Intel Core 2 Duo P9xxx (Penryn)
SandyBridge	Windows 10	Intel Xeon E312xx
Skylake-Client	Windows 10	Skylake generation CPU
Westmere	Windows 10	Intel Westmere E56xx/L56xx/X56xx
core2duo	Windows 10	Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T7700, 2.40 GHz
coreduo	Windows 10	Intel Core Duo CPU T2600, 2.16 GHz
n270	Windows 10	Intel Atom CPU N270 at 1.60 GHz. Note: This CPU can run Windows Vista/7/8/10, but it is not recommended to run anything above XP due to how paltry the CPU is.

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.