virt-manager refuses to connect "<class 'libvirt.libvirtError'> cannot recv data:"

[Theodotos Andreou]

I use a freshly installed kubuntu jaunty amd64.

user@user-desktop:~$ uname -a
Linux user-desktop 2.6.28-11-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 17 01:58:03 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I try to connect to an intrepid ubuntu server running kvm using the command:
virt-manager -c qemu+ssh://<email address hidden>/system

It refuses to connect with the message:
------
Unable to open a connection to the libvirt management daemon.

Libvirt URI is: qemu+ssh://<email address hidden>/system

Verify that:
 - The 'libvirt-bin' package is installed
 - The 'libvirtd' daemon has been started
 - That you have access to '/var/run/libvirt/libvirt-sock'
------

Under details I get:
------
Unable to open connection to hypervisor URI 'qemu+ssh://<email address hidden>/system':
<class 'libvirt.libvirtError'> cannot recv data: Connection reset by peer
None
------

I do not think the problem is on the server side as I used to connect correctly using the same command on Hardy but an older version of virt-manager.

[preben.olsen (preben-olsen)]

Here is a workaround for this. I have seen this problem in both virt-manager 0.6.1 (Jaunty) and self compiled 0.7:

Virt manager 0.6.1:
File -> Add Connection -> quemu+ssh

Can't connect, receive this error:

Unable to open connection to hypervisor URI 'qemu+ssh://<email address hidden>/system':
<class 'libvirt.libvirtError'> cannot recv data: Connection reset by peer
None

Virt manager 0.7.0:
File -> Add connection -> quemu+ssh

Can't connect, receive this error:

Unable to open connection to hypervisor URI 'qemu+ssh://<email address hidden>/system':
<class 'libvirt.libvirtError'> cannot recv data: Connection reset by peer
None

Maybe you need to install ssh-askpass in order to authenticate.

Workaround: Create and use key authentication instead of password:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -N ""
ssh-copy-id -i /home/myuser/.ssh/id_rsa.pub <email address hidden>

Adding and connecting with virt-manager then works.

[Theodotos Andreou (theodotos)]

I installed ssh-askpass and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip.

But ssh-askpass should be included as a dependency for virt-manager since password authentication will not work without it and you can not use key authentication on all scenarios.

[lx3r (lx3r)]

check if
  /root/.ssh/known_hosts
has the correct keys.
(if unsure, just delete everything...)

if the key is wrong, it doesnt return an error, it just wont work

[Motin (motin)]

This is not a dupe of #251036 ... That treats a case about mismatching keys. This is more generic about the lack of dependency on ssh-askpass

Now, for me, installation ssh-askpass hasn't yet neither, but that may be yet another bug...

[Motin (motin)]

Seems like I am dropping words...

"Now, for me, installation of ssh-askpass hasn't yet helped neither, after successful password entered the same error message appears, but that may be yet another bug..."

[123vier (flowrist)]

I don't think this is a duplicate.

On a new install of 16.04.1 installing virt-manager should add ssh-askpass/ssh-askpass-gnome as a dependency. It even suggests the wrong package "openssh-askpass".

[Natalia Litvinova (natalytvinova)]

It is not a duplicate. I got the same problem, virt-manager suggested to install ssh-askpass without specifying. It defenetely should install it as a dependency. My problem was solved by installing ssh-askpass-gnome.