How to import whonix in VirtualBox with terminal?

Hi,
I know whonix is not created as server edition but I am just learning and trying, so, no damage for me,

I have small vps with debian 7 and I installed virtualbox. of course, server is without X or GUI, I saw that installation created folder /var/lib/libvirt and I believe new iso/image should be in that folder.
I think if I choose fedora inside of Virtualbox, I should place it in this folder (for example when people use CD with debian, they should use: dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/var/lib/libvirt/images/debian-6.0.0-amd64-netinst.iso).

I think I should include whonix workstation and gateway in this folder /var/lib/libvirt, I can upload whonix with webmin, but what after that? I should use terminal to start virtual box and activate whonix…

but my main question is: how to import whonix in VirtualBox with terminal? I suppose it should be imported in mentioned libvirt folder… am I wrong?
so, instead of webmin, I could use wget and then when it is downloaded in libvirt folder, I need to start virtualbox and activate whonix?

are there anywhere instruction how to activate whonix from terminal?

and now it sounds to me little strange that whonix contain KDE and I don’t have GUI at server… it would be logical to make whonix without kde for server edition. if I understand well, server edition is usually without GUI, so, whonix server edition would be “bones without meat and skin”, I don’t see why it is so hard to make it? developer could make it without problem, just make bones instead of the whole body, that should be easier to make than with GUI.

to summarize:
how to import whonix in VirtualBox with terminal?
are there anywhere instruction how to activate whonix from terminal?

Note, depending on server type, they may not grant all features. For example if your server is internally technically provided by using OpenVZ, you won’t due to OpenVZ limitations not be able to use VirtualBox inside. vServers may suffer from such limitations as well. However, on fully functional servers (root servers) which function like a local computer, will of course not have any problems with what you want to accomplish.

Supporting servers is one of my mail goals, as per wiki Main_Page.

I have small vps with debian 7 and I installed virtualbox. of course, server is without X or GUI, I saw that installation created folder /var/lib/libvirt and I believe new iso/image should be in that folder.
VirtualBox by default does not use the /var/lib/libvirt folder. If anything, it could be a feature of libvirt.

/var/lib/libvirt would be more suited for our experimental KVM images (Whonix for KVM).

I guess for your goal however you’re better off using vboxmanage rather than libvirt.

[u]are there anywhere instruction how to activate whonix from terminal?[/u]
Where you download the .ova images doesn't matter. I guess downloading VirtualBox .ova's to either /homer /tmp should be fine. After the download you have to import them into VirtualBox. This can be done using the vboxmanage command line tool. We don't have Whonix specific instructions on how to do this yet. But little to no Whonix specific instructions are most likely required.

Just use the “VBoxManage import” command and look up VBoxManage man page and eventually additional docs / tutorials. I advice to reframe your question as “How to import a .ova into VirtualBox using command line?” - Then you get access to a much bigger, the whole VirtualBox community. Leaving Whonix out of your question.

(After import you are free to delete the .ova’s.)

(VirtualBox’s standard folders are “~/.VirtualBox” (settings) and “~/VirtualBox VMs” (images) - but you usually do not use them directly!)

and now it sounds to me little strange that whonix contain KDE and I don't have GUI at server... it would be logical to make whonix without kde for server edition. if I understand well, server edition is usually without GUI, so, whonix server edition would be "bones without meat and skin", I don't see why it is so hard to make it? developer could make it without problem, just make bones instead of the whole body, that should be easier to make than with GUI.
It's indeed not very hard to build a terminal-only version from source code (https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Dev/Build_Documentation). What costs too much time is building it, testing it, signing it, uploading it, announcing it (=maintenance). Hence, I am waiting for someone to join the project who maintains the terminal-only version, since I unfortunately feel like I don't have enough time to maintain two different flavors (kde and terminal-only).

As another alternative, it is simple to not start the GUI part:

Another question will be, how to control a VM from command line? You might have to customize your .ova’s first, install (reverse-) ssh and/or (reverse-?) vnc, so you can access them. (Customize as in import the .ova on your local system, install some stuff, test, export them again.)

For your tests, I advice to test stuff locally (have the same system as on your server installed on your hdd or in a VM).

If you’re not scared aways yet, I have some more ideas on how to control the VM once running. When you get to the bottom of this, would you be interested on creating a documentation page on this subject?

Hi, I will check mentioned links. thank you.

yes, correct question should be:
How to import a .ova into VirtualBox using command line?

I will visit virtualbox forum.

I have free vps next 2 days and then I should get it again after 10 days (I changed email and they connect vps with email). but in any case I am not expert to write documentation, even my English is not soooo good. I learned it by myself, not in the school.

when I get vps again, I can try to do it and document steps, if I succeed to do it.

[quote=“jagger, post:3, topic:279”]yes, correct question should be:
How to import a .ova into VirtualBox using command line?[/quote]
Yes.