---
name: "mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mmdebstrap"
version: "1.5.7-1+deb13u1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu"
---

# mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu(1)

autopkgtest-build-qemu without vmdb2 but mmdebstrap and EFI boot

## NAME

mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu - autopkgtest-build-qemu without vmdb2 but mmdebstrap and EFI boot

## SYNOPSIS

**mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu** \[*OPTIONS*\] **--boot**=**efi** *RELEASE* *IMAGE*

## DESCRIPTION

**mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu** is a mostly compatible drop-in replacement for [**autopkgtest-build-qemu**(1)](/autopkgtest-build-qemu/1.md) with two main differences: Firstly, it uses [**mmdebstrap**(1)](/mmdebstrap/1.md) instead of [**vmdb2**(1)](/vmdb2/1.md) and thus is able to create QEMU disk images without requiring superuser privileges and with bit-by-bit reproducible output. Secondly, it uses [**systemd-boot**(7)](/systemd-boot/7.md) and thus only supports booting via EFI. For architectures for which [**autopkgtest-virt-qemu**(1)](/autopkgtest-virt-qemu/1.md) does not default to EFI booting you must pass **--boot=efi** when invoking the autopkgtest virt backend.

## POSITIONAL PARAMETERS

- *RELEASE*

  The release to download from the *MIRROR*.  This parameter is required.

- *IMAGE*

  The file to write, in raw format. This parameter is required.

## OPTIONS

- **--mirror**=*MIRROR*

  Specify  which  distribution  to install.  It defaults to http://deb.debian.org/debian (i.e. Debian), but you can pass a mirror of any Debian derivative.

- **--architecture**=*ARCHITECTURE*

  Set the architecture for the virtual machine image, specified as a [**dpkg**(1)](/dpkg/1.md) architecture.  If  omitted, the host architecture is assumed.

  **--arch**=*ARCH* is an alias for this option.

- **--script**=*SCRIPT*

  Specifies a user script that will be called with the root filesystem of the image as its first parameter. This script can them make any necesssary modifications to the root filesystem.

  The script must be a POSIX shell script, and should not depend on bash-specific features. This  script will be executed inside a [**chroot**(1)](/chroot/1.md) call in the virtual machine root filesystem.

- **--size**=*SIZE*

  Specifies the image size for the virtual machine, defaulting to 25G.

- **--apt-proxy**=*PROXY*

  Specify  an  apt proxy to use in the virtual machine.  By default, if you have an apt proxy configured on the host, the virtual machine will automatically use this, otherwise there is no default.

- **--boot**=**efi**, **--efi**

  Select the way the generated image will expect to be booted. Unless you explicitly select --boot=efi, operation will fail.

- **--keyring**=*KEYRING*

  Passes an additional **--keyring** parameter to **mmdebstrap**.

- **--sshkey**=*sshkey*

  Install the given ssh public key file into the virtual machine image for the root user. This option also causes the ssh server to be installed. By default, no key or server is installed.

## EXAMPLES

Make sure, that */path/to/debian-unstable.img* is a path that the unshared user has access to. This can be done by ensuring world-execute permissions on all path components or by creating the image in a world-readable directory like /tmp before copying it into its final location.

```
    $ mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu --boot=efi --arch=amd64 unstable /path/to/debian-unstable.img
    [...]
    $ autopkgtest mypackage -- qemu --boot=efi --dpkg-architecture=amd64 /path/to/debian-unstable.img
```

Make sure to add **--boot=efi** to both the **mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu** as well as the **autopkgtest-virt-qemu** invocation.

Create bit-by-bit reproducible images from a given snapshot.d.o timestamp.

```
    SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1612543740 mmdebstrap-autopkgtest-build-qemu --boot=efi \
        --mirror=http://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian/20210205T164900Z/ \
        unstable /path/to/debian-unstable.img
```

## SEE ALSO

[**autopkgtest-build-qemu**(1)](/autopkgtest-build-qemu/1.md), [**autopkgtest-virt-qemu**(1)](/autopkgtest-virt-qemu/1.md), [**mmdebstrap**(1)](/mmdebstrap/1.md), [**autopkgtest**(1)](/autopkgtest/1.md)