{{Header}}
{{Title|
title=VM Live Mode: Alternative ro-mode-init Configuration
}}
{{#seo:
|description=VM Live Mode System
|image=Alternativeremode123123.jpg
}}
{{live}}
{{grub-live}}
[[image:Alternativeremode123123.jpg|thumb]]
{{intro|
The <code>ro-mode-init</code> automatically enables live-mode if it detects that the disk is set to read-only.

This is an alternative to the default [[grub-live]] based method documented on [[VM Live Mode|VM Live Mode]].
}}
= Introduction =
<code>ro-mode-init</code> is currently less tested than <code>grub-live</code> ([[Live Mode]]).

{{Testers-Only}}

{{mbox
| image   = [[File:Ambox_warning_pn.svg.png|40px]]
| text    = 
* Does not work on newer builds of {{project_name_short}} because these come with dracut by default.
* This is for systems with initramfs-tools only. 
}}

ro-mode-init has not been ported to dracut yet. Theoretically this probably possible but this has not happened yet.

= Preliminary Steps =
{{Box|text=
{{project_name_Live_Backup}}

'''2.''' Install <code>ro-mode-init</code>.
{{Box|text=
{{Install Package
|package=ro-mode-init
}}
}}

'''3.''' Update initial ramdisk. <ref>
Required for now but not forever.

* https://forums.whonix.org/t/whonix-live-mode-amnesia-amnesic-non-persistent-anti-forensics/3894/206
* https://github.com/{{project_name_short}}/derivative-maker/commit/69d0de6222afad9ace440054a0dad7c567d57e50
</ref>

{{CodeSelect|code=
sudo update-initramfs -u
}}

'''4.''' Set the VM disk to read-only.

The [[#Read-only_VM_Setting|read-only VM]] setting is necessary (see below), otherwise the VM disk will always boot into persistent mode.
}}

= Read-only VM Setting =

== VirtualBox ==

=== Read-only disk on VirtualBox ===

To boot into live mode, apply the following steps.

{{VirtualBox_Read_Only_Disk}}

=== Read-write disk on VirtualBox ===

To boot into read-write mode again, simply revert this change.

# Power off the machine.
# From the command line run.

Use the syntax below.

{{CodeSelect|code=
VBoxManage setextradata vmname "VBoxInternal/Devices/lsilogicsas/0/LUN#0/AttachedDriver/Config/ReadOnly"
}}

Replace <code>vmname</code> with the name of the actual VM name.

== KVM ==

=== Read-only disk on KVM ===

To boot into live mode, apply the following steps:

# Power off the machine.
# Set the hard disk to read-only in the virt-manager GUI.
# Power on the machine and select to boot into live mode.

=== Read-write disk on KVM ===

To boot into normal mode again, simply revert this change:

# Power off the machine.
# Set the hard disk to read-write in the virt-manager GUI.
# Power on the machine and boot into read-write mode.

= Live Mode Indicator Systray =
https://github.com/{{project_name_short}}/desktop-config-dist/blob/master/usr/share/livecheck/livecheck.sh

= Debugging =

An inconsistent filesystem will likely result in errors during booting in live mode. For instance, inconsistencies can arise when the VM is killed instead of performing a normal shutdown in persistent mode. Therefore to ensure it is consistent, run <code>fsck</code> in persistent mode. Debian automatically does this during boot. VMs running in live mode can be killed without problems.

In the case of non-<code>fsck</code> related errors using <code>ro-mode-init</code> (like dropping to an initramfs shell), add the following to the kernel command line/GRUB menu for easier debugging:

{{CodeSelect|code=
debug=1 break=init-premount
}}

= Footnotes =

{{reflist|close=1}}

[[Category:Documentation]]

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