Re: [Qemu-devel] How to extract content of a raw image on host?

[JonY <10walls@gmail.com>]

Dirk Behme wrote:
> JonY wrote:
>> Dirk Behme wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> is there a way to extract the contents of a qemu raw image on (x86 
>>> Linux) host without starting QEMU itself? If so, any hint would be 
>>> quite nice.
>>>
>>> I'm looking for anything like the reverse what
>>>
>>> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2006-04/msg00448.html
>>>
>>> seems to do. Extract files/directories from an existing raw image.
>>>
>>> qemu-img reports me
>>>
>>>  > qemu-img info disk.img
>>> image: disk.img
>>> file format: raw
>>> virtual size: 4.3M (4515328 bytes)
>>> disk size: 4.3M
>>>
>>> but what is in it and how to access the content?
>>>
>>> Thanks, and sorry if this is a FAQ and I missed the correct search 
>>> string,
>>>
>>> Dirk
>>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> have you tried using a loop back mount?
> 
> # mount -o loop disk.img mnt/
> mount: You have to specify a file system type
> # mount -t raw -o loop disk.img mnt/
> mount: unknown file system type „raw“
> 
> Sorry if I miss the obvious ;)
> 
> Dirk
> 
> 
Hi,

"raw" is not really a file system, its just a way of saying the image 
has a "exact copy of every bit" of what a physical disk would have.

Try, "mount -o loop disk.img mnt/", mount might be able to determine the 
correct file system.

If it is a hard disk image with partition tables, try opening it with 
fdisk to confirm so. List down the partitions. Note the offsets

Try something like "mount -o loop,offset=32256 disk.img mnt/"

see here for more details:
http://howto.wikia.com/wiki/How_to_see_the_content_of_a_Qemu_image_on_a_linux-based_OS