qubes-doc/releases/4.0/release-notes.md

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Qubes R4.0 release notes

New features since 3.2

• Core management scripts rewrite with better structure and extensibility, API documentation
• Admin API allowing strictly controlled managing from non-dom0
• All qvm-* command-line tools rewritten, some options have changed
• Renaming VM directly is prohibited, there is GUI to clone under new name and remove old VM
• Use HVM by default to lower attack surface on Xen
• Create USB VM by default
• Multiple Disposable VMs templates support
• New backup format using scrypt key-derivation function
• Non-encrypted backups no longer supported
• split VM packages, for better support minimal, specialized templates
• Qubes Manager decomposition - domains and devices widgets instead of full Qubes Manager; devices widget support also USB
• More flexible firewall interface for ease unikernel integration
• Template VMs do not have network interface by default, qrexec-based updates proxy is used instead
• More flexible IP addressing for VMs - custom IP, hidden from the IP
• More flexible Qubes RPC policy - related ticket, documentation
• New Qubes RPC confirmation window, including option to specify destination VM
• Dom0 update to Fedora 25 for better hardware support
• Kernel 4.9.x

You can get detailed description in completed github issues

Security Notes

• PV VMs migrated from 3.2 to 4.0-rc4 or later are automatically set to PVH mode in order to protect against Meltdown (see QSB #37). However, PV VMs migrated from any earlier 4.0 release candidate (RC1, RC2, or RC3) are not automatically set to PVH mode. These must be set manually.

Known issues

• On some laptops (for example Librem 15v2), touchpad do not work directly after installation. Reboot the system to fix the issue.

• List of USB devices may contain device identifiers instead of name

• For other known issues take a look at our tickets

It is advised to install updates just after system installation to apply bug fixes for (some of) the above problems.

Downloads

See Qubes Downloads.

Installation instructions

See Installation Guide.

Upgrading

There is no in-place upgrade path from earlier Qubes versions. The only supported option to upgrade to Qubes R4.0 is to install it from scratch and use qubes backup and restore tools for migrating of all of the user VMs. We also provide detailed instruction for this procedure.