From KVM

How to setup Windows guest VirtIO block driver on Windows Server 2003

Contents 1 Introduction 2 System disk installation procedure 2.1 QEMU command line options 2.2 Boot from the CD and press "F6" to install a third party driver 2.3 Press "S" to specify additional device 2.4 Select correct architecture and press "ENTER" 2.5 Press "Enter" to continue 2.6 All set. Press "Enter" and continue with the normal installation procedure 3 Non-System disk installation procedure 3.1 QEMU command line options 3.2 Upon the Windows guest restart the New Hardware Wizard dialog will appear 3.3 Select "Install from the list or specific ..." option and press "Next" 3.4 Select an appropriate location and press "OK" button 3.5 Press "Next" button 3.6 Press "Finish" upon installation completion 3.7 Verify installation 3.8 Go to "Start" -> "Administrative Tools" -> "Computer Management" and click "Disk Management". 3.9 Follow to the "Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard" prompt 3.10 Right-click on the new disk and start the "New Partition Wizard" 3.11 Create a primary partition 3.12 If it is necessary, adjust partition size, 3.13 a drive letter, 3.14 file system type, allocation unit size and volume label. 3.15 Check that everything is fine and press "Finish" button 3.16 The new partition will be marked as "Healthy" 3.17 and accessible under "My Computer" folder.

Introduction

VirtIO block driver can be used either as a system (boot) or non-system disk. However, the installation procedure for these two different scenarios is slightly different.

System disk installation procedure

QEMU command line options

First of all, a VM needs to be started with the VirtIO block device and boot options enabled:

-drive file=/image_path/image_name,if=virtio,boot=on

In addition, a virtual floppy disk with correct Windows drivers must be specified:

-fda /floppy_image_path/floppy_image_name

Boot from the CD and press "F6" to install a third party driver

Press "S" to specify additional device

Select correct architecture and press "ENTER"

Press "Enter" to continue

All set. Press "Enter" and continue with the normal installation procedure

Non-System disk installation procedure

QEMU command line options

Run VM with the new VirtIO block device by adding the following options:

-drive file=/image_path/image_name,if=virtio,boot=off and -fda /floppy_image_path/floppy_image_name

Upon the Windows guest restart the New Hardware Wizard dialog will appear

Select "Install from the list or specific ..." option and press "Next"

Select an appropriate location and press "OK" button

Press "Next" button

Press "Finish" upon installation completion

Verify installation

Go to "Device Manager" and check to see that "Red Hat VirtIO SCSI controller" appears under "SCSI and RAID controllers" category.

Go to "Start" -> "Administrative Tools" -> "Computer Management" 
and click "Disk Management".

Follow to the "Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard" prompt

Right-click on the new disk and start the "New Partition Wizard"

Create a primary partition

If it is necessary, adjust partition size,

a drive letter,

file system type, allocation unit size and volume label.

Check that everything is fine and press "Finish" button

The new partition will be marked as "Healthy"

and accessible under "My Computer" folder.