semantic: 0.123
device: 0.097
graphic: 0.097
other: 0.096
boot: 0.093
PID: 0.087
files: 0.082
performance: 0.061
vnc: 0.060
permissions: 0.050
network: 0.044
KVM: 0.042
socket: 0.038
debug: 0.030
graphic: 0.265
debug: 0.127
PID: 0.119
boot: 0.118
files: 0.078
socket: 0.063
KVM: 0.049
other: 0.037
device: 0.032
semantic: 0.029
performance: 0.028
network: 0.024
vnc: 0.016
permissions: 0.016

kernel panic using hvf with CPU passthrough

Host Details
QEMU 5.1 (Homebrew)
macOS 10.15.6 Catalina
Late 2014 model
i5-4690 @ 3.5 GHz
8 GB RAM

Guest Details
Ubuntu Desktop 20.04.1 Installer ISO

Problem
Whenever I boot with "-accel hvf -cpu host", the Ubuntu desktop installer will immediately crash with a kernel panic after the initial splash screen.
See the attached picture of the kernel panic for more details.

Steps to recreate
From https://www.jwillikers.com/posts/virtualize_ubuntu_desktop_on_macos_with_qemu/

1. Install QEMU with Homebrew.
$ brew install qemu

2. Create a qcow2 disk image to which to install.
$ qemu-img create -f qcow2 ubuntu2004.qcow2 60G

3. Download the ISO.
$ curl -L -o ubuntu-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso https://releases.ubuntu.com/20.04/ubuntu-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso

4. Run the installer in QEMU.
$ qemu-system-x86_64 \
  -accel hvf \
  -cpu host \
  -smp 2 \
  -m 4G \
  -usb \
  -device usb-tablet \
  -vga virtio \
  -display default,show-cursor=on \
  -device virtio-net,netdev=vmnic -netdev user,id=vmnic \
  -audiodev coreaudio,id=snd0 \
  -device ich9-intel-hda -device hda-output,audiodev=snd0 \
  -cdrom ubuntu-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso \
  -drive file=ubuntu2004.qcow2,if=virtio

Workaround
Emulating the CPU with "-cpu qemu64" does not result in a kernel panic.



0f 01 f9 is RDTSCP; use -cpu host,-rdtscp to mask out the feature. KVM couldn't pass the feature through for a while, and HVF currently can't, though HVF should be modified to automatically hide the feature until it can emulate it.

Thanks for the response Jessica! The option you provided fixes the problem and everything works flawlessly now. Thank you!!

Fixed in commit 65baabca22366e5246955474228908d6a8354881