# Virtual Machines

Monarch can currently be tested on virtual machines using **QEMU**, which is the only officially supported option. Other virtualization platforms such as **VirtualBox** and **VMware Workstation** may also be used, but require additional configuration.

## Virtualbox

Instructions for running the system in VirtualBox are available in a [discussion](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/discussions/176) on the Omarchy GitHub repository. The same procedure applies to Monarch.

### VM Creation

1. Download the ISO from Monarch website [here](https://iso.monarchlinux.com/monarch-nightly.iso).
2. Create a new VM on virtualbox as usual
3. Select the appropriate hardware (e.g. 8192 MB RAM, 4 vCPU)
   1. Do **not** enable EFI
4. Create a virtual hard disk (at least 40 GB)
5. After finishing creation, go to the machine and select settings => Video
6. Select Graphics Controller: VBoxVGA, and leave 3D Acceleration unchecked

### Install Monarch

1. Follow the [installation steps](/getting-started/installation.md) to install Monarch upon first boot
2. Shut down VM, remove ISO and boot into Monarch

### Set screen resolution

In case your scaling is broken due to the default config being set to 2x scaling instead of 1x (**when your VM is not setup yet for guest resized window**), you need to manually change the config for **Hyprland**. **(This was tested on Windows 11 VirtualBox)**

1. Press `Win+Alt+Space` to open Menu -> Setup -> Monitor
2. Comment the 2x Retina Scaling lines, uncomment the 1x Scaling lines. Save.
3. Press `Win+Enter` to start a Terminal
4. Install [virtualbox-guest-utils-nox and enable the service](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/VirtualBox/Install_Arch_Linux_as_a_guest#Install_the_Guest_Additions):\
   a. `sudo yay -S virtualbox-guest-utils-nox`\
   b. `systemctl enable vboxservice`
5. Edit /boot/limine.conf\
   a. In the line `kernel_cmdline` append `video=1920x1080`
6. Reboot the VM
7. Then set the entry in \~/.config/hypr/monitors.conf could be added such that everything runs with the correct resolution. See [monitors configurations](https://manuals.omamix.org/2/the-omarchy-manual/86/monitors) for more information.

## VMWare Workstation

A similar [discussion](https://github.com/basecamp/omarchy/discussions/572) on the Omarchy GitHub repository describes how to run the system on VMware Workstation. These steps are also applicable to Monarch.

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