It looks like this issue is fixed in 1.6.0 version ** Changed in: qemu Status: Confirmed => Fix Released
-- You received this bug notification because you are a member of qemu- devel-ml, which is subscribed to QEMU. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1024248 Title: qemu -M isapc displays blank screen Status in QEMU: Fix Released Status in “qemu” package in Debian: Confirmed Bug description: $ qemu-system-x86_64 -M isapc This displays blank SDL window. It has been this way since forever I guess, at least according to http://bugs.debian.org/605525 (a Debian bugreport about it). However, this: $ qemu-system-x86_64 -M isapc -enable-kvm works (at least in current 1.1), and it works fine in qemu-kvm. On the other hand, this: $ qemu-kvm -M isapc -no-kvm also shows blank window. Something is wrong with isapc & TCG, and has been for a long time... Thanks, /mjt To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/qemu/+bug/1024248/+subscriptions