Qcow2 [repack] — Convert Cisco Bin To
Fix EVE-NG file permissions, or the node will stuck in a boot loop: /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions Use code with caution. Open the GNS3 GUI. Go to Preferences > QEMU VMs > New .
Rename the file to the exact filename EVE-NG expects for that node type (usually virtioa.qcow2 or hda.qcow2 ):
: For IOS-XE, the .bin is the kernel. Append parameters like console=ttyS0 redirect serial console to QEMU.
This guide shows a straightforward, reproducible method to convert a Cisco IOS/IOS-XE image in BIN format (or OVA/VM images that contain BIN/IMG) to a QCOW2 disk image suitable for QEMU/KVM. Assumptions: you have a BIN or disk image file (e.g., iosxe.bin, csr1000v-universalk9.16.09.03.SPA.bin) or a Cisco virtual appliance packaged in OVA/VDI that contains a disk image. Commands shown use a Linux host (Debian/Ubuntu/CentOS) and require root or sudo.
The Cisco ASA is the most common use case for this workflow. Modern ASAv images are distributed as .qcow2 or .vmdk files directly from Cisco. However, if you are working with older hardware images ( .bin ), you must use a specialized unpacking or booting method. Step 1: Extract the Boot Files (If Applicable) convert cisco bin to qcow2
These are typically for older hardware (e.g., 3725, 7200). They are not virtual machine disks. You don't convert them to .qcow2 so much as you uncompress them for use in Dynamips.
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1 mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt extlinux --install /mnt # or GRUB: grub-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sdb
Cisco IOS .bin files are proprietary firmware images. They typically contain a compressed filesystem (often SquashFS or CramFS) and a Linux kernel. When a physical Cisco router boots, the bootloader extracts the kernel and mounts the filesystem.
Virtual lab servers can quickly run out of storage space when hosting dozens of node instances. You can compress your newly created QCOW2 file to minimize its disk footprint. Fix EVE-NG file permissions, or the node will
Classic IOS routers run in QEMU using a stripped raw .image file. If your goal is to get a classic Cisco IOS running, you do not need to convert to QCOW2 at all.
If you have a compatible virtual disk image (like a .vmdk or a "raw" disk) that you need to convert to .qcow2 , use the utility:
If you are working with a virtual Cisco image (like ASAv or IOSv) that came in a different format, use the qemu-img "Swiss Army Knife" tool. An .ova is just a tar archive. tar -xvf cisco-image.ova Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard This will extract a .vmdk file. 2. Convert VMDK to QCOW2
The Technical Reality: Why You Cannot Directly Convert .bin to .qcow2 Rename the file to the exact filename EVE-NG
If your file is not already in .vmdk or .raw format, try extracting it using tar or unzip , though many .bin files are actually raw disk images. Verify the file type: Use the file command: file iosv.bin Use code with caution.
#!/bin/bash BIN_FILE=$1 QCOW2_FILE=$2:-"cisco.qcow2" DISK_SIZE=$3:-"8G"
Use an SFTP client (like WinSCP or Cyberduck ) to connect to your EVE-NG or CML server.
mkdir cisco-extract && cd cisco-extract unzip ../csr1000v-universalk9.16.12.05.bin Use code with caution.
Check the console type settings in your simulation tool (VNC vs. Telnet).