To run the Debian 13 (Trixie) ARM64 cloud image (debian-13-nocloud-arm64.qcow2) on a Debian 13 GNOME x86-64 host using Virtual Machine Manager (virt-manager), you need to use QEMU/KVM with full emulation because your host is x86-64 and the guest image is ARM64. Native KVM acceleration won’t work for cross-architecture emulation, so you’ll rely on QEMU’s TCG (Tiny Code Generator) mode.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

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1. Install Required Packages

Ensure QEMU, libvirt, and virt-manager are installed:

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install qemu-system-arm qemu-utils libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients bridge-utils virt-manager

Add your user to the libvirt and kvm groups:

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sudo usermod -aG libvirt,kvm $USER
newgrp libvirt

Restart your session or log out/in for group changes to take effect.

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2. Download the Debian 13 ARM64 Cloud Image

Download the image to a directory of your choice (e.g., ~/vm-images/):

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mkdir -p ~/vm-images
cd ~/vm-images
wget https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/trixie/latest/debian-13-nocloud-arm64.qcow2

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3. Create a Virtual Machine for ARM64 Emulation

Option A: Using virt-manager GUI

1. Open Virtual Machine Manager (virt-manager).
2. Click Create a new virtual machine.
3. Select Import existing disk image and browse to the downloaded debian-13-nocloud-arm64.qcow2 file.
4. Choose Generic ARM64 machine (aarch64) as the OS type.
5. Allocate at least 2 GiB RAM and 2 vCPUs (adjust as needed).
6. Before finishing, go to Customize configuration before install and check:
   • CPU: Set to host or cortex-a57 (or another ARM64 CPU model).
   • Firmware: Ensure it’s set to UEFI (if available for ARM64).
   • Boot options: Enable Customize boot arguments and add:

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     root=/dev/vda console=ttyAMA0

   • Virtualization: Disable KVM (since you’re emulating, not using hardware acceleration).
7. Finish and start the VM.

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Option B: Using virt-install (CLI)

Run the following command to create the VM:

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virt-install \
  --name debian13-arm64 \
  --ram 2048 \
  --vcpus 2 \
  --disk path=~/vm-images/debian-13-nocloud-arm64.qcow2,format=qcow2,bus=virtio \
  --os-type linux \
  --os-variant generic-aarch64 \
  --machine virt,accel=tcg \
  --cpu cortex-a57 \
  --boot uefi \
  --import \
  --noautoconsole \
  --network bridge=virbr0

Note:

• --accel=tcg forces QEMU to use emulation (no KVM).
• --cpu cortex-a57 specifies an ARM64 CPU model.
• --boot uefi uses UEFI for ARM64 (required for most modern ARM64 images).

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4. Configure the VM for Cloud-Init (Optional)

The nocloud image expects cloud-init metadata. To enable SSH access or set a password:

1. Create a user-data file (e.g., ~/vm-images/user-data) with:

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   #cloud-config
   user: debian
   password: yourpassword
   chpasswd: { expire: False }
   ssh_pwauth: True

2. Create a meta-data file (e.g., ~/vm-images/meta-data) with:

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   instance-id: debian13-arm64
   local-hostname: debian13-arm64

3. Create a seed ISO:

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   genisoimage -output ~/vm-images/seed.iso -volid cidata -joliet -rock user-data meta-data

4. Attach the seed ISO as a second drive in virt-manager or via virt-install:

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   virt-install \
     ... \
     --disk path=~/vm-images/debian-13-nocloud-arm64.qcow2,format=qcow2,bus=virtio \
     --disk path=~/vm-images/seed.iso,device=cdrom,bus=sata \
     ...

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5. Start the VM

• In virt-manager, double-click the VM and start it.
• If using virt-install, the VM will start automatically. Connect to the console with:

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  virt-viewer debian13-arm64

  or use virsh console debian13-arm64.

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6. Log In

• If you configured cloud-init, log in with the user and password from user-data.
• If not, the default user for Debian cloud images is usually debian with no password (or use the serial console).

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7. Performance Considerations

• Emulation is slow: ARM64 on x86-64 via TCG will be much slower than native or KVM-accelerated VMs.
• Allocate resources: Use at least 2 vCPUs and 2 GiB RAM for a usable experience.
• Networking: Use virtio for network and disk for better performance.

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8. Troubleshooting

• VM fails to start: Ensure qemu-system-aarch64 is installed and the CPU is set to an ARM64 model.
• No console output: Try adding -nographic to the QEMU command or use the serial console.
• Cloud-init not working: Double-check the seed ISO and metadata files.

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Summary

• Use QEMU TCG emulation for ARM64 on x86-64.
• Configure the VM with ARM64 CPU, UEFI, and cloud-init (if needed).
• Expect slower performance due to emulation.