uhci: stop using portio lists

[mirror_qemu.git] / qemu-img.texi

diff --git a/qemu-img.texi b/qemu-img.texi
index 526474c112f0761b7e8eef2ad6ba2bbf3fcdb470..00fca8da865d6adb701fecc4d52831aca0385620 100644 (file)
--- a/qemu-img.texi
+++ b/qemu-img.texi
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ usage: qemu-img command [command options]
 @c man end
 @end example
 
 @c man end
 @end example
 

+@c man begin DESCRIPTION
+qemu-img allows you to create, convert and modify images offline. It can handle
+all image formats supported by QEMU.
+
+@b{Warning:} Never use qemu-img to modify images in use by a running virtual
+machine or any other process; this may destroy the image. Also, be aware that
+querying an image that is being modified by another process may encounter
+inconsistent state.
+@c man end
+

 @c man begin OPTIONS
 
 The following commands are supported:
 @c man begin OPTIONS
 
 The following commands are supported:


@@ -18,6 +28,10 @@ Command parameters:
 is the disk image format. It is guessed automatically in most cases. See below
 for a description of the supported disk formats.
 
 is the disk image format. It is guessed automatically in most cases. See below
 for a description of the supported disk formats.
 

+@item --backing-chain
+will enumerate information about backing files in a disk image chain. Refer
+below for further description.
+

 @item size
 is the disk image size in bytes. Optional suffixes @code{k} or @code{K}
 (kilobyte, 1024) @code{M} (megabyte, 1024k) and @code{G} (gigabyte, 1024M)
 @item size
 is the disk image size in bytes. Optional suffixes @code{k} or @code{K}
 (kilobyte, 1024) @code{M} (megabyte, 1024k) and @code{G} (gigabyte, 1024M)


@@ -38,6 +52,17 @@ by the used format or see the format descriptions below for details.
 indicates that target image must be compressed (qcow format only)
 @item -h
 with or without a command shows help and lists the supported formats
 indicates that target image must be compressed (qcow format only)
 @item -h
 with or without a command shows help and lists the supported formats

+@item -p
+display progress bar (convert and rebase commands only)
+@item -S @var{size}
+indicates the consecutive number of bytes that must contain only zeros
+for qemu-img to create a sparse image during conversion. This value is rounded
+down to the nearest 512 bytes. You may use the common size suffixes like
+@code{k} for kilobytes.
+@item -t @var{cache}
+specifies the cache mode that should be used with the (destination) file. See
+the documentation of the emulator's @code{-drive cache=...} option for allowed
+values.

 @end table
 
 Parameters to snapshot subcommand:
 @end table
 
 Parameters to snapshot subcommand:


@@ -59,10 +84,15 @@ lists all snapshots in the given image
 Command description:
 
 @table @option
 Command description:
 
 @table @option

-@item check [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename}
+@item check [-f @var{fmt}] [-r [leaks | all]] @var{filename}

 
 Perform a consistency check on the disk image @var{filename}.
 
 
 Perform a consistency check on the disk image @var{filename}.
 

+If @code{-r} is specified, qemu-img tries to repair any inconsistencies found
+during the check. @code{-r leaks} repairs only cluster leaks, whereas
+@code{-r all} fixes all kinds of errors, with a higher risk of choosing the
+wrong fix or hiding corruption that has already occurred.
+

 Only the formats @code{qcow2}, @code{qed} and @code{vdi} support
 consistency checks.
 
 Only the formats @code{qcow2}, @code{qed} and @code{vdi} support
 consistency checks.
 


@@ -80,11 +110,11 @@ this case. @var{backing_file} will never be modified unless you use the
 The size can also be specified using the @var{size} option with @code{-o},
 it doesn't need to be specified separately in this case.
 
 The size can also be specified using the @var{size} option with @code{-o},
 it doesn't need to be specified separately in this case.
 

-@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename}
+@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] @var{filename}

 
 Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image.
 
 
 Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image.
 

-@item convert [-c] [-f @var{fmt}] [-O @var{output_fmt}] [-o @var{options}] [-s @var{snapshot_name}] @var{filename} [@var{filename2} [...]] @var{output_filename}
+@item convert [-c] [-p] [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] [-O @var{output_fmt}] [-o @var{options}] [-s @var{snapshot_name}] [-S @var{sparse_size}] @var{filename} [@var{filename2} [...]] @var{output_filename}

 
 Convert the disk image @var{filename} or a snapshot @var{snapshot_name} to disk image @var{output_filename}
 using format @var{output_fmt}. It can be optionally compressed (@code{-c}
 
 Convert the disk image @var{filename} or a snapshot @var{snapshot_name} to disk image @var{output_filename}
 using format @var{output_fmt}. It can be optionally compressed (@code{-c}


@@ -103,25 +133,43 @@ created as a copy on write image of the specified base image; the
 @var{backing_file} should have the same content as the input's base image,
 however the path, image format, etc may differ.
 
 @var{backing_file} should have the same content as the input's base image,
 however the path, image format, etc may differ.
 

-@item info [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename}
+@item info [-f @var{fmt}] [--output=@var{ofmt}] [--backing-chain] @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. If VM snapshots are stored in the disk image,
 
 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. If VM snapshots are stored in the disk image,

-they are displayed too.
+they are displayed too. The command can output in the format @var{ofmt}
+which is either @code{human} or @code{json}.
+
+If a disk image has a backing file chain, information about each disk image in
+the chain can be recursively enumerated by using the option @code{--backing-chain}.
+
+For instance, if you have an image chain like:
+
+@example
+base.qcow2 <- snap1.qcow2 <- snap2.qcow2
+@end example
+
+To enumerate information about each disk image in the above chain, starting from top to base, do:
+
+@example
+qemu-img info --backing-chain snap2.qcow2
+@end example

 
 @item snapshot [-l | -a @var{snapshot} | -c @var{snapshot} | -d @var{snapshot} ] @var{filename}
 
 List, apply, create or delete snapshots in image @var{filename}.
 
 
 @item snapshot [-l | -a @var{snapshot} | -c @var{snapshot} | -d @var{snapshot} ] @var{filename}
 
 List, apply, create or delete snapshots in image @var{filename}.
 

-@item rebase [-f @var{fmt}] [-u] -b @var{backing_file} [-F @var{backing_fmt}] @var{filename}
+@item rebase [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] [-p] [-u] -b @var{backing_file} [-F @var{backing_fmt}] @var{filename}

 
 Changes the backing file of an image. Only the formats @code{qcow2} and
 @code{qed} support changing the backing file.
 
 The backing file is changed to @var{backing_file} and (if the image format of
 @var{filename} supports this) the backing file format is changed to
 
 Changes the backing file of an image. Only the formats @code{qcow2} and
 @code{qed} support changing the backing file.
 
 The backing file is changed to @var{backing_file} and (if the image format of
 @var{filename} supports this) the backing file format is changed to

-@var{backing_fmt}.
+@var{backing_fmt}. If @var{backing_file} is specified as ``'' (the empty
+string), then the image is rebased onto no backing file (i.e. it will exist
+independently of any backing file).

 
 There are two different modes in which @code{rebase} can operate:
 @table @option
 
 There are two different modes in which @code{rebase} can operate:
 @table @option


@@ -148,6 +196,24 @@ It can be used without an accessible old backing file, i.e. you can use it to
 fix an image whose backing file has already been moved/renamed.
 @end table
 
 fix an image whose backing file has already been moved/renamed.
 @end table
 

+You can use @code{rebase} to perform a ``diff'' operation on two
+disk images.  This can be useful when you have copied or cloned
+a guest, and you want to get back to a thin image on top of a
+template or base image.
+
+Say that @code{base.img} has been cloned as @code{modified.img} by
+copying it, and that the @code{modified.img} guest has run so there
+are now some changes compared to @code{base.img}.  To construct a thin
+image called @code{diff.qcow2} that contains just the differences, do:
+
+@example
+qemu-img create -f qcow2 -b modified.img diff.qcow2
+qemu-img rebase -b base.img diff.qcow2
+@end example
+
+At this point, @code{modified.img} can be discarded, since
+@code{base.img + diff.qcow2} contains the same information.
+

 @item resize @var{filename} [+ | -]@var{size}
 
 Change the disk image as if it had been created with @var{size}.
 @item resize @var{filename} [+ | -]@var{size}
 
 Change the disk image as if it had been created with @var{size}.


@@ -160,7 +226,10 @@ After using this command to grow a disk image, you must use file system and
 partitioning tools inside the VM to actually begin using the new space on the
 device.
 @end table
 partitioning tools inside the VM to actually begin using the new space on the
 device.
 @end table

+@c man end

 
 

+@ignore
+@c man begin NOTES

 Supported image file formats:
 
 @table @option
 Supported image file formats:
 
 @table @option


@@ -181,6 +250,13 @@ support of multiple VM snapshots.
 
 Supported options:
 @table @code
 
 Supported options:
 @table @code

+@item compat
+Determines the qcow2 version to use. @code{compat=0.10} uses the traditional
+image format that can be read by any QEMU since 0.10 (this is the default).
+@code{compat=1.1} enables image format extensions that only QEMU 1.1 and
+newer understand. Amongst others, this includes zero clusters, which allow
+efficient copy-on-read for sparse images.
+

 @item backing_file
 File name of a base image (see @option{create} subcommand)
 @item backing_fmt
 @item backing_file
 File name of a base image (see @option{create} subcommand)
 @item backing_fmt


@@ -201,50 +277,33 @@ Preallocation mode (allowed values: off, metadata). An image with preallocated
 metadata is initially larger but can improve performance when the image needs
 to grow.
 
 metadata is initially larger but can improve performance when the image needs
 to grow.
 

-@end table
+@item lazy_refcounts
+If this option is set to @code{on}, reference count updates are postponed with
+the goal of avoiding metadata I/O and improving performance. This is
+particularly interesting with @option{cache=writethrough} which doesn't batch
+metadata updates. The tradeoff is that after a host crash, the reference count
+tables must be rebuilt, i.e. on the next open an (automatic) @code{qemu-img
+check -r all} is required, which may take some time.

 
 

+This option can only be enabled if @code{compat=1.1} is specified.

 
 

-@item qcow
-Old QEMU image format. Left for compatibility.
-
-Supported options:
-@table @code
-@item backing_file
-File name of a base image (see @option{create} subcommand)
-@item encryption
-If this option is set to @code{on}, the image is encrypted.

 @end table
 
 @end table
 

-@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 vdi
-VirtualBox 1.1 compatible image format.
-@item vmdk
-VMware 3 and 4 compatible image format.
+@item Other
+QEMU also supports various other image file formats for compatibility with
+older QEMU versions or other hypervisors, including VMDK, VDI, VHD (vpc), qcow1
+and QED. For a full list of supported formats see @code{qemu-img --help}.
+For a more detailed description of these formats, see the QEMU Emulation User
+Documentation.

 
 

-Supported options:
-@table @code
-@item backing_fmt
-Image format of the base image
-@item compat6
-Create a VMDK version 6 image (instead of version 4)
-@end table
-
-@item vpc
-VirtualPC compatible image format (VHD).
-
-@item cloop
-Linux Compressed Loop image, useful only to reuse directly compressed
-CD-ROM images present for example in the Knoppix CD-ROMs.
+The main purpose of the block drivers for these formats is image conversion.
+For running VMs, it is recommended to convert the disk images to either raw or
+qcow2 in order to achieve good performance.

 @end table
 
 
 @c man end
 
 @end table
 
 
 @c man end
 

-@ignore
-

 @setfilename qemu-img
 @settitle QEMU disk image utility
 
 @setfilename qemu-img
 @settitle QEMU disk image utility