Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about QuantaBox -- platforms, encryption, performance, compatibility, and data.

General #

What is QuantaBox?

A desktop hypervisor for running virtual machines, with built-in post-quantum disk encryption, a curated ISO library, and both a desktop app and a CLI. See the Introduction.

Which platforms does it run on?

Windows 10/11, modern Linux distributions, and macOS 13+ (Intel and Apple Silicon). See Downloads.

Is it free / open source?

Yes. QuantaBox is dual-licensed under Apache License 2.0 and GNU GPL v2.0, and can be built from source.

Does QuantaBox send my data anywhere?

QuantaBox operates locally. Your VM disks, keys, and data stay on your machine. ISO downloads go directly to the official OS mirrors listed in the catalog.

Guests and Compatibility #

What guest operating systems can I run?

Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS guests, on x86_64. The built-in library offers 40+ images; see The ISO Library.

Why aren't Windows/macOS ISOs downloadable in the app?

Those images are not redistributable, so the library links to the official vendor download pages. Download them there, then attach the ISO to your VM.

Can I run macOS guests?

The presets exist, but macOS guests require Apple hardware and compliance with Apple's licensing. Treat it as advanced usage.

Performance #

My VMs are slow. Why?

Most likely hardware acceleration isn't active and QuantaBox is using TCG software emulation. Run quantabox status and check the Hypervisor line. Enable acceleration as described in Installation and Troubleshooting.

Which disk and network settings are fastest?

Use VirtIO for both disk bus and NIC model. Modern Linux supports VirtIO natively; Windows needs the virtio drivers during installation.

Encryption #

What does "post-quantum encryption" actually do?

Disk data is encrypted with AES-256-GCM, and the disk's key is wrapped with ML-KEM-768 (NIST FIPS 203), so the stored keys resist future quantum attacks. See Post-Quantum Encryption.

Can I encrypt an existing unencrypted VM?

Not in place. Create a new encrypted disk and migrate, or export and re-import the VM as an encrypted package. See Backup, Export & Import.

What happens if I lose my encryption keys?

Encrypted disks and packages become unrecoverable -- there is no backdoor by design. Always back up your key vault with your VMs. See Encryption - Keys and Recoverability.

Is QuantaBox's encryption certified (FIPS 140-3, etc.)?

QuantaBox makes no certification claim unless explicitly stated. It implements standards-based algorithms (AES-256-GCM, ML-KEM-768/FIPS 203) but certification of a particular build is a separate process. See Cryptography Internals.

Storage and Data #

Where are my VMs stored?

In the data directory:

You can change it in Settings.

I resized a disk but the guest didn't see more space.

Resizing only enlarges the disk container. You must grow the partition and filesystem inside the guest afterward. See Storage and Disks.

What's the difference between a snapshot, a backup, and an export?

See Backup, Export & Import for details.

The App and CLI #

Do the GUI and CLI share VMs?

Yes. They use the same core and data directory, so a VM created in one appears in the other.

A blank "can't reach this page" window appears instead of the app.

That happens with a GUI build that wasn't packaged correctly (the frontend wasn't embedded). Install an official release, or if building yourself, use cargo tauri build with the custom-protocol feature. See Building from Source.

Stray terminal windows flash while using the app on Windows.

Current releases suppress helper console windows. Update to the latest build. See Troubleshooting.

Getting Help #

How do I report a bug or security issue?

For bugs, open an issue with the output of quantabox status and the VM's logs. For security issues, use responsible disclosure -- see Contributing - Security. Do not file security vulnerabilities as public issues.