====== Proxmox - Guests (VMs and Containers) - Qemu-guest-agent - Install Qemu-guest-agent ======

===== Install the guest-agent in each VM =====

==== Debian/Ubuntu ====

<code bash>
sudo apt install qemu-guest-agent
</code>

----

==== Redhat ====

<code bash>
sudo yum install qemu-guest-agent
</code>

----

==== Windows ====

Download the virtio-win driver iso (see Windows VirtIO Drivers). 

  * Install the virtio-serial driver:
    * Attach the ISO to your windows VM (virtio-*.iso)
    * Go to the Windows **Device Manager**.
    * Look for **PCI Simple Communications Controller**
    * Right Click -> **Update Driver** and select on the mounted iso in DRIVE:\vioserial\<OSVERSION>\ where <OSVERSION> is your Windows Version (e.g. 2k12R2 for Windows 2012 R2).

After that, you have to install the qemu-guest-agent:

  * Go to the mounted ISO in explorer.
  * The guest agent installer is in the directory guest-agent.
  * Execute the installer with double click (either qemu-ga-x86_64.msi (64-bit) or qemu-ga-i386.msi (32-bit).

After that the qemu-guest-agent should be up and running.

  * Validate this in the list of Window Services, or in a PowerShell with:

<code powershell>
PS C:\Users\Administrator> Get-Service QEMU-GA
</code>

returns:

<code>
Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  QEMU-GA            QEMU Guest Agent
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  If it is not running, use the **Services** control panel to start it and make sure that it will start automatically on the next boot.
</WRAP>


----

===== Start the Agent =====

Depending on the distribution, the guest agent might not start automatically after the installation.

Start it either directly with

<code bash>
sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent
</code>


Then enable the service to autostart (permanently) if not auto started, with

<code bash>
sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
</code>

----

===== Enable the guest-agent =====

==== In the Shell ====

<code bash>
qm set VMID --agent 1
</code>

----

==== In the Proxmox GUI ====

  * Navigate to Options.
  * Enable to Guest Agent.

----

===== Test that the communication with the guest agent is working =====

The communication with the guest agent takes place over a unix socket located in /var/run/qemu-server/<my_vmid>.qga.

Test the communication qm agent:

<code bash>
qm agent <vmid> ping
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  If the qemu-guest-agent is correctly runnning in the VM, it will return without an error message.
</WRAP>

----

===== References =====

https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Qemu-guest-agent