 CHR using Apple Virtualization & 🐧 QEMU for Linux - Ready-to-use!

Amm0 · February 20, 2024, 3:25am

— NEW — `TL;DR` ... 2026 Updates!

Download site for ready-to-use CHR images!

So readers do not have splunk the 80+ post here, the TL;DR is much of thread is now captured in new webpage around the mikropkl/utm-chr/fat-chr projects discussed in thread....

Please check it out! I've tested both the interface, UTM linked, and most downloads. So pretty sure things generally works, but comment below if you have a problem. Tested both 7.22 and 7.23beta using new site with UTM, and the new qemu.sh on macOS/intel, Arch and Ubuntu. And added some automated tests that validate images using GitHub Action to start them using qemu-system-*, and make sure support basic RouterOS commands. The new GH automated tests were run against same 7.22 and 7.23beta2, and future release will be too.

All images are built by Microsoft's GitHub Actions, from source on public GitHub mikropkl. QEMU images are exact copies of MikroTik CHR images, while "Apple" images are enabled for EFI with repartitioned boot formatting (ext2 to fat) and also support qemu.sh too, just with EFI boot, not QEMU's SeaBIOS.

Tried to build a good "help system" on the tikoci.github.io/chr-images — so start there!

QEMU scripts for Linux and Mac without needing UTM for version 7.22+

Included in 7.22 and 7.23beta2 is new qemu.sh that will automatically launch a basic CHR in the terminal (or via --background beyond). QEMU has env vars (network) and the qemu.cfg (cpu, memory) that can tweak it. Running the script with no args, will bring CHR in user mode at a RouterOS terminal prompt. In this mode, there is no networking other than port 80 is forward and there is BSD socket for the console, that you can use socat (or screen) to connect. The qemu.sh script is quite smart, so it will figure out if accel=kvm|hvf|tsg based on OS and CHR image your using. The new website has the basics on use, and with links to "user manual" in QEMU.md with more complete details.

Notes on Networking with QEMU...

On Mac, the qemu.sh has a --shared and bridged en0 option that uses Apple's vmnet.framework to create a NAT-ed network, or bridge a real interface, which is same as UTM uses for both QEMU and Apple Virtualization.framework – you do need sudo qemu.sh to use --shared or --bridged <interface> on Mac.
Running on Linux... network is less-automatic with qemu.sh... it must be manually add to qemu.cfg or via QEMU_EXTRA= (or modify qemu.sh directly), see QEMU.md for more details.

More details, see the GitHub Project spawned from this thread...

For a while, I've published on GitHub some of the work here:

GitHub tikoci/fat-chr - The first project from this thread. This runs a GitHub Action for every new RouterOS release. The CI action repartitioning a RouterOS x86 CHR .raw image, so it will boot under a EFI boot loaded. MikroTik official images CHR use a ext2 "hybrid MBR" structure designed to use [1980s] BIOS (not EFI). Some EFI system will boot it, as RouterOS kernel is actually packages in EFI binary inside the ext2. But some virtualization, Apple which cause this thread, is one. But there are others since EFI specifications requires a FAT partition for a EFI boot loader. So the GitHub Action runs some shell and qemu-* commands to create a new img file with same files, but the boot partition converted from ext2 to fat - No file are harmed in the process, RouterOS itself remains unchanged.
GitHub tikoci/mikropkl - Grow out of fat-chr, with a brief stop Idea take the CHR images from fat-chr for Apple, along with "real" ones for QEMU+BIOS and package them as "clickable links" to install CHR into UTM from a webpage. Until recently, mikropkl only used GitHub release to show non-clicklable UTM URL like utm://downloadVM?url=.... Turns out GH doesn't allow non HTTP or HTTPS links any pages - why it's been cut-and-paste before new "CHR Images" website. So new "website" for download is really the completion of the original ~2 year. It gone under significant remodeling and expansion this year — now support using same .ZIP files for UTM for use withe qemu-system-* with qemu.sh (has smarts to launch qemu automatically in best mode for OS) and it companion qemu.cfg (controls CPU and memory settings), each 7.22 and newer build includes them in the chr..<apple|qemu>..zip downloadable.
tikoci.github.io/chr-images - above screenshot is the site, it just wraps the tikoci/mikropkl GitHub Releases used prior to 7.22 for macOS UTM use. With the shell script to launch QEMU on Linux and Mac without needing UTM available too, the chr-images page can filter help based on UTM or QEMU, and OS (Mac/windows/Linux). The help content could be improved but should be right or very close. Comment in this thread if corrections or improvements are needed!

Above was edited 2026-03-21 at post #84. Most of the post below were the "lab notebook" for the above projects. If you're goal is just using CHR in UTM, or trying new QEMU support — start by going to tikoci.github.io/chr-images, there are instructions on use and relevant links.

OLD "TOP" POST FROM TWO YEARS AGO...

See post #65 below for UTM CHR installation instructions for the
Most streamline way to install RouterOS CHR on Intel-based any macOS UTM

https://forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?t=204805#p1131200
https://forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?t=204805#p1125233

I didn't intend on this thread to have 60+ posts... Which now includes multiple GitHub projects...
CHR re-partitioning: GitHub - tikoci/fat-chr: Builder for CHR images with UEFI support (testing) · GitHub
UTM packaging to ZIP/URL - "mikropkl" GitHub - tikoci/mikropkl: `pkl` packaged UTM virtual machines, including RouterOS CHR · GitHub
Old Apple Virtualization Only UTM packaging to ZIP/URL GitHub - tikoci/chr-utm: RouterOS Cloud Hosted Router (CHR), packaged for UTM, for Intel macOS · GitHub

At this point the rest of the content in this post below is now historic:

I'd been experiment using Apple Virtualization Framework (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/virtualization) using the option in MacOS-version of UTM (https://mac.getutm.app).

I normally using VMWare Fusion/ESXi. But UTM (in Apple, NOT QEMU, mode) seems to work okay in my limited testing for a few Linux images. For a lark, I wanted to try CHR using UTM+AppleVMF. Issue is Apple's Virtualization Framework ONLY support UEFI, which CHR – for some unknown reason includes EFI boot files, but the diskpart stuff isn't right.

As it turns out, I somehow got it work. I use CHR on Mac for testing configscripts, so "working" is about all I need. I tried to write up what I did, but post if you try and doesn't work. I do know that CHR does not show the logon prompt on the emulated video display (although the serial port is mirrored as the screen shown below) but serial port and network work fine. /tool/speed-test in a UTM+Apple VM matched a similar bridged network using VMWare Fusion. Since UTM+Apple (e.g. no QEMU) uses less CPU and boot WAY quicker than VMWare Fusion, so far pretty good.

Even more historic information, potentially could be removed:
See #15 post below for more streamlined process to using CHR with Apple virtualization, on Intel-based Macs:
 CHR using Apple Virtualization & 🐧 QEMU for Linux - Ready-to-use! - Virtualization - MikroTik community forum

The following is the "manual" way now....

This post had the clue on UEFI issues with CHR: Router OS 7 on UEFI - #5 by mark99i
While I did NOT use the script...the post was 100% correct:
For some reason, Mikrotik does actually includes the right bits for UEFI support...but UEFI requires a FAT16 partition — NOT the ext2 that's the boot partition in the CHR .IMG file — so CHR does not work unless some Legacy BIOS is used (which Apple, and other VM platforms, do not offer).

The Mikrotik's help for CHR on Vultr has the big clue to how to avoid needing a script (which will not work on Mac) — boot to the SystemRescure image. See CHR Vultr installation - RouterOS - MikroTik Documentation

So the Vultr instruction ALMOST works for UTM + Apple Virtualization: e.g. booting UTM with Apple Virtualization enabled to the "SystemRescueCD"... But those need to be COMBINE with the @kriszos to convert the IMG file's partition from ext2 to fat16. Most of the write up below is the process involved in that...

Inside UTM, select:

hit "+" to add a new VM
select "Linux" as the type
check the "Use Apple Virtualization" box
pick the SystemRescueCD as the "Boot ISO" (after downloading the ISO: https://www.system-rescue.org)
pick cores/memory as desired
pick a disk size - RouterOS does not need a big disk... I used 1GB but can be smaller/bigger as desired
skip shared directory (hit continue)
now, pick a name for the VM, I used "AppleCHR" and IMPORTANTLY check "Open VM Settings"
dialog with VM setting will appear:
under Network, you may to change to use "Bridge" mode (or add more network interface... or less likely, use shared if you really like multiple NATs)
under Devices section, use "+ New..." to add a "Serial" port (below item network) – default is bring up serial port a new window which is what you want
reviews other setting, but serial above is about only CRITICAL thing to add
hit "Save"
in UTM main window hit Play icon to start the new VM

I'm guessing Vultr is more forgiving than Apple about UEFI. The solution to this is same as @kriszos post above allude: convert the ext2 partition to fat16. And this can be done after the "dd" in SystemRescueCD. The specific steps I used:
follow other steps from CHR Vultr installation - RouterOS - MikroTik Documentation
at same SystemRescueCD's terminal...
"mountall" after CHR has been extracted/copyed to the /dev/vda disk
"mkdir /tmp/vda1" to create folder to store RouterOS EFI files in ext2 boot partition
"cp -r /dev/vda1/* /tmp/vda1" to copy the EFI files
"umount /dev/vda1" and "umount /dev/vda2" to un-mount the boot and main partitions
"startx" - to launch X11 (probably some CLI to "parted" work too, but GUI is helpful with disks IMO)
Hit the icon for "gparted" in the task bar (or run "gparted" from a Terminal in X11 desktop)
Use the drop-down in upper left to select the /dev/vda disk. You should see two partitions: one ext2 and one ext4.
Right click on the first one, marked "boot" on right, and select format.
Pick "fat16" as the format type. This will "cue" the operation.
Next commit the, use menus or hit the green checkbox in toolbar. Assuming it says success in status window & still marked "boot"...closed gparted.
Bring up a terminal window from menu/taskbar, and again type "mountall"
At same terminal, use "cp -r /tmp/vda1 /dev/vda1" to copy the original files back to the re-formatted 1st partition.
Finally "poweroff"
CHR should be "installed" and bootable at this point, except you need to remove the SystemRescueCD from UTM – since it will boot to RouterOS at this point.

Note: I only tested on Intel Mac – but I believe UTM with Apple Virtualization framework will work on M1/M2/M3 (ARM) Mac via Rosetta. If someone tries, that LMK if it works.

optio · February 20, 2024, 3:34pm

Did you experienced any FS corruption running on UTM with Apple Virtualization Framework? Related to this still open issue for UTM → https://github.com/utmapp/UTM/issues/4840
I tried with Debian 12.5 (arm64, without Rosetta) which installation is using kernel 6.1 and FS gets corrupted eventually on M1 since some kernel patches for Silicon (M) chips support are made in 6.2, but not sure if these kernel patches are directly related to FS corruption and M chip support or is UTM bug with Apple Virtualization Framework in general (following github issue comments maybe it is only UTM bug).

Larsa · February 20, 2024, 3:54pm

@Ammo, thanks for very interesting info! Personally I love Parallels Desktop but for various reasons we are exploring alternative solutions. UTM/VMF might be an option when it becomes stable enough. Will definitely look into it further..

optio · February 20, 2024, 4:03pm

For me VFM and VirtioFS seems to be stable using with Docker on M1, have some databases running with it in containers (even some with x86_64 arch using Rosetta), so I guess UTM needs to improve stability and it will be great free VM alternative on Macs.

Amm0 · February 20, 2024, 7:18pm

Well, I’m surprised CHR even worked – why I shared. Not really not sure why there isn’t a pre-made CHR image that works with UEFI since X86 does. I’m sure there is probably a more optimized path to a working .IMG file than my write up since I just wrote down what I did than figure out the best way to do it.

When you use Apple Virtualization in UTM, I’m not sure UTM does very much other than call the needed Apple API. Since the framework is new, my bet is Apple. For example, the serial console works with Apple VMs, but not the display. I know CHR shows the login prompt on VMWare, but using UTM+Apple Virtualization is video display is blank, but winbox etc via network does so not an issue for me. BUT… without the serial port enabled… it look like it doesn’t work…

I just used Ubuntu using Apple Virtualization – that does seem to work, at least for a week. But I don’t really stress any of my VMs. I’m trying to ween myself off VMWare overall (Fusion is more useful for me since I use ESXi and the VMs work same on both).

The one problem UTM solve is VMWare Fusion’s boot speed ( http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/mikrotik-routeros-boot-speed-is-very-slow-vmware/166801/3 and others) – it seems to be a recurring problem. UTM+Apple, boots in few seconds.

My only complaint so far is Apple does not support USB passthrough, which is useful to get an LTE modem into CHR.

Amm0 · February 21, 2024, 8:39am

I tried this tonight WITHOUT using UTM, only Apple. I used some swift from an Apple sample project that used VZEFIBootLoader() & another sample with the serial console window. And changed the disk image to use same converted CHR disk image (e.g. 1st/boot just changed from EXT2 to FAT16 type, as described in first post) as disk. And CHR still works. Since everyone like icons on Mac included a “teaser”:

The real trick was @kriszos finding here about FAT16 being required by UEFI specs – which is NOT how Mikrotik package the CHR image (e.g. they use EXT2):
http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/router-os-7-on-uefi/156661/5

sirbryan · February 21, 2024, 10:45pm

To confirm,

This window is not the VGA graphics from the CHR VM, but a SwiftUI window connecting to the serial port of the CHR?

Amm0 · February 22, 2024, 3:50am

Correct, it’s a serial console in window using https://github.com/migueldeicaza/TermKit to deal with ANSI. Using Swift without UTM, the VGA display is blank – same as UTM.

It’s possible Apple is using the GPU variant of VirtIO display (QEMU’s virtio-gpu-pci) – which does not have VGA emulation & likely CHR wants VGA… Apple lets you set size not a specific driver (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/virtualization/vzvirtiographicsscanoutconfiguration).

stmx38 · February 22, 2024, 10:34pm

Did a try on mac arm and it doesn’t work for me.

SystemRescueCD can’t boot and I’ve used Kali Live (Apple silicon ARM64)
After performing all the steps VM can’t boot with the same error as SystemRescueCD - “EFI Boot Options returned. Exiting VM”
Something was already discussed on GitHub but it was about arm on arm - ARM64 Linux not booting with Apple Virtualization #5517.

Emulation works fine, but slightly slow.

Probably AMPERE (coming soon) may solve that?

Amm0 · February 22, 2024, 10:39pm

Yup. Apparently, the specific are Rosetta will help with any X86’s running inside Apple Virtualized machine – the actual Linux disto needs to also be same arm. So “Ampere” support is needed. Actually looked it up: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/virtualization/running_intel_binaries_in_linux_vms_with_rosetta
There was a footnote:

Rosetta doesn’t support the bootstrapping or installation of Intel Linux distributions on Mac computers with Apple silicon using the Virtualization framework. Intel Linux distributions can run using the Virtualization framework on Intel-based Mac computers without the need for this translation capability.

kriszos · February 28, 2024, 9:08am

I am glad that my work help you resolve your problem. Hopefully MikroTik will provide us with uefi image packaged by them without this ugly workarounds. More and more modern hypervisors stop providing BIOS options at all my own research come from need to run CHR on LXD that didn’t supported BIOS at the time.

Amm0 · February 28, 2024, 4:12pm

Totally @kriszos - it was worth a search for UEFI in the forum… but I would have never got to the partition scheme in the RAW image was the reason EFI didn’t work & given up before trying gdisk .

I filed a feature request for UEFI support as SUP-144667 after my post here. I’m not sure they got the issue is generically UEFI support in CHR:

We checked our suggestion list, and you are the only person who asked about Apple Hypervisor.
We noted it, but it is not a big chance that it will be implemented soon.

But tried.

sirbryan · February 28, 2024, 5:26pm

Should more of us file support/feature requests for generic UEFI support in CHR?

kriszos · February 28, 2024, 6:58pm

SUP-145276

Amm0 · February 29, 2024, 5:04pm

I took @kriszos’s “gdisk+bash” script, with small modification to fetch RouterOS in loop, and put it into a GitHub repo “fat-chr” to build FAT UEFI images automatically via GitHub’s Action CI.

Since 7.14 stable came out today, I tried out my GH Action script with @kriszos’s gdisk+bash script & have 7.14 stable IMG that work without SystemRestoreCD – I just trigger a build in GitHub and download the .IMG. And 7.14 CHR is running without UTM’s QEMU, just Apple’s.

IMG files built by GitHub and work with Apple (and likely other/newer hypervisors that require proper UEFI support) are here:
https://github.com/tikoci/fat-chr/releases
I would not use these for production - but to spin up a VM for testing, might be helpful.

This greatly simplify the process of adding a CHR to Intel-based UTM using it’s “Apple mode”.
In UTM, you need to check the “Use Apple” in wizard and still pick an ISO and create some disk… then in the setting BEFORE starting:

create new VM in UTM “+” > Virtualize > Linux
check the “Use Apple Virtualization” & pick some file for ISO boot image – going to remove later so doesn’t matter what (could be text file whatever)
click “next” to everything else in UTM setup wizard…and at end check “Open VM Setting”… then in those settings:
remove the disk the wizard added
remove the ISO image
remove the display
add a serial port
under disk, use “Import” and pick .RAW image from GitHub
give it a name if you want (default will be “Linux #”)
then… start it with Play icon… a console window will appear with RouterOS login [via serial —but you won’t know – a VGA CLI look the same, so serial saves some bits/complexity if you think about]

Note: The image only fix the disk part of UEFI support. Something else is needed for VGA display. I think Apple’s VirtIO driver does not have VGA mode, which is why Display will show nothing since CHR is liking setting VGA mode. Bash nor GitHub can fix that… something in CHR have to change to deal with the newer VirtIO VGA-less display drivers.

optio · February 29, 2024, 6:34pm

Great work @Amm0

Didn’t try yet over Rosetta on M, but it could be issues with FS corruption as I mentioned in my previous post (or is just native ARM issue). Too bad there is no USB passthrough support.

Amm0 · February 29, 2024, 6:54pm

Rosetta on ARM Mx only helps with X86 AFTER a ARM-based Linux is loaded. The boot process does not go through Rosetta, only user applications. So this won’t work for non-Intel Macs. . Apple docs say:

Rosetta doesn’t support the bootstrapping or installation of Intel Linux distributions on Mac computers with Apple silicon using the Virtualization framework. Intel Linux distributions can run using the Virtualization framework on Intel-based Mac computers without the need for this translation capability.

So still QEMU on M1/M2/… but “UEFI boot” for CHR should be selectable in other hypervisors using these images I think.

Amm0 · February 29, 2024, 7:11pm

But Mikrotik does have “AMPERE” on their download page (grayed out). To me, that’s Mikrotik messed-up marketing for ARM64 (“aarch64”) as ISO coming soon - but dunno. But gives hope for M1+ Macs.

I used VMWare Fusion for a long while (since it come out) but CPU use is ~half with UTM+Apple on my main Intel Mac for a CHR VM. And various problems with VMWare freezing when booting CHR also gone – it boots in few seconds.

optio · February 29, 2024, 8:03pm

Ah yes, I forgot about Rosetta is not supporting Linux bootstrapping. Well we will need to wait CHR ROS for aarch64 then…

sirbryan · March 5, 2024, 2:16am

I’m excited to see what people come up with now that the Ampere ISO is out. I tried messing around with it but I can’t get things to boot.