When working with KVM virtualization in a headless environment, connecting to the guest console during installation requires specific configuration that many tutorials overlook. The key issue manifests when running commands like:

virt-install --name=FE --ram=756 --vcpus=1 \
--file=/var/lib/libvirt/images/FE.img --network bridge:br0 \
--nographics --os-type=linux \
--extra-args='console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8' -v \
--cdrom=/media/usb/Fedora-14-x86_64-Live-Desktop.iso

Several components must align for successful console access:

<serial type='pty'>
  <target port='0'/>
</serial>
<console type='pty'>
  <target type='serial' port='0'/>
</console>

If you're stuck with an unresponsive installation:

1. First verify the domain is running:

virsh list --all

2. Connect to the console with proper escape sequence:

virsh console FE --force

3. For persistent issues, modify the XML configuration:

virsh edit FE
# Add these kernel parameters to the <os> section:
<kernel>/boot/vmlinuz-version</kernel>
<cmdline>console=ttyS0,115200n8</cmdline>

When serial console fails, consider these approaches:

# Using VNC as fallback
virt-install --name=FE ... --graphics vnc,port=5901

# Or connect via SSH if networking works:
ssh -p 2222 root@localhost

- Verify kernel supports serial console:

grep CONFIG_SERIAL_8250 /boot/config-$(uname -r)

- Check for TTY device conflicts:

ls -l /dev/ttyS*

- Ensure proper SELinux context:

chcon -t virt_image_t /var/lib/libvirt/images/FE.img

When performing a headless KVM installation using virt-install, accessing the guest console requires proper configuration of both the host and guest. Here's why your console might not be showing installation output:

# Common mistake: Missing proper console arguments
--extra-args='console=ttyS0,115200n8'  # Should replace 'console=tty0'

The key elements needed for successful console access:

1. Serial console configuration in the guest XML:

   <serial type='pty'>
     <target port='0'/>
   </serial>
   <console type='pty'>
     <target type='serial' port='0'/>
   </console>
   

2. Boot parameters for the installer:

   --extra-args='console=ttyS0,115200n8 inst.text'
   

Here's the corrected virt-install command:

virt-install \
--name=FE --ram=756 --vcpus=1 \
--disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/FE.img,size=10 \
--network bridge=br0 \
--nographics \
--location /media/usb/Fedora-14-x86_64-Live-Desktop.iso \
--extra-args='console=ttyS0,115200n8 inst.text'

After launching the VM, connect using:

virsh console FE

If you get stuck at a blank screen, try these troubleshooting steps:

# Check if the guest actually booted
virsh domstate FE

# Force reset if needed
virsh destroy FE
virsh start FE --console

If serial console proves problematic, consider using VNC instead:

virt-install \
--name=FE --ram=756 --vcpus=1 \
--disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/FE.img,size=10 \
--network bridge=br0 \
--graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0 \
--noautoconsole \
--cdrom /media/usb/Fedora-14-x86_64-Live-Desktop.iso

Then connect using any VNC client to the host IP on port 5900.