Openai/693dbcdd-dc90-8001-af6a-dd1cd177c9e7

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gpt-5-2

User: How do you mount an ISO in virt-manager?

How do you mount an ISO in virt-manager?

Assistant: In virt-manager, mounting an ISO is just attaching it as a virtual CD/DVD device.

In virt-manager, mounting an ISO is just attaching it as a virtual CD/DVD device. There are two common cases.

Attach an ISO to an existing VM

1. Shut down the VM (hot-plug sometimes works, but shutdown is the reliable path).
2. Open virt-manager → select the VM.
3. Click “Open” → “Show virtual hardware details” (lightbulb / ⓘ icon).
4. Click “Add Hardware”.
5. Choose “Storage”.
6. Set: - Device type: CDROM device - Bus type: IDE or SATA (either is fine) - Storage: Select or create custom storage - Source path: browse to your .iso
7. Click Finish.
8. Start the VM.

The ISO will appear as a CD/DVD drive inside the guest.

Change / insert ISO while the VM is running

If the VM already has a CDROM device:

1. Open the VM window.
2. Click ⓘ Show virtual hardware details.
3. Select the CDROM device in the left pane.
4. Change Source path to the new ISO.
5. Click Apply.

This works live for most guests.

Boot from the ISO (installer / rescue)

If you want the VM to boot from the ISO:

1. With the VM powered off: - Open Boot Options.
2. Enable “Enable boot menu” or move CDROM above Disk in boot order.
3. Start the VM and choose the CD/DVD device.

Verify inside the guest

• Linux: ``bash lsblk mount | grep sr `` Usually appears as /dev/sr0.
• Windows: Shows up automatically as a DVD drive in Explorer.

CLI equivalent (useful for scripting)

virsh attach-disk vm-name /path/to/file.iso sdb \
  --type cdrom --mode readonly

Detach:

virsh detach-disk vm-name sdb

Common pitfalls

• ISO on a path libvirt can’t read (permissions / SELinux).
• Using Disk instead of CDROM device.
• Forgetting to adjust boot order for installers.

If you want, say what guest OS you’re using (Linux distro, Windows, installer vs data ISO) and whether this is a fresh install or an existing VM—I can be precise about bus type and boot settings.