virsh: VM console does not show any output

<serial type='pty'>
  <target port='0'/>
</serial>
<console type='pty'>
  <target type='serial' port='0'/>
</console>

This is what I normally add to the VMs definition, using virsh edit Then console=ttyS0 appended in the VM's kernel line in grub.conf

Never failed me so far

Working example of using Debian jessie as host and guest operating system.

1. create a VM using virt-install or virt-manager In any case you will get serial console statements added to VM.xml file

2. in guest VM run the following

   systemctl enable [email protected]
   systemctl start [email protected]
   

3. in guest VM in /etc/default/grub replace

   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
   #GRUB_TERMINAL=console
   

   by

   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="console=tty0 console=ttyS0"
   GRUB_TERMINAL="serial console"
   

4. in guest VM run the following

   guest# update-grub
   

5. the VM console for running VM can be get by

   host# virsh console VM
   

   or start the VM with console attached

   host# virsh start VM --console
   

Sources:

• 0pointer.de systemd for Administrators, Part XVI
• keypressure.com Testing libvirt over TLS