Windows 10 guest virtual machine on linux mint 21 host using KVM and QEMU

install-kvm-windows-linux.md

KVM + QEMU (Free and Open Source, better than VirtualBox)

Windows 10 guest virtual machine on linux mint 21 host using KVM and QEMU
Host OS: Linux mint 21 amd64
Guest OS: Windows 10 pro amd64 with "TPM 2.0" and "Secure Boot"

1. Enable virtualization (e.g. VT-x / AMD-V) in your BIOS / UEFI settings.
2. Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO
3. Download: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/stable-virtio/virtio-win.iso
4. Install KVM dependencies

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install qemu-kvm libvirt-clients libvirt-daemon-system bridge-utils virt-manager
sudo apt-get -y install qemu virt-viewer spice-vdagent
sudo apt-get -y install ovmf swtpm swtpm-tools

1. Restart
2. Open Virtual Machine Manager
   1. File > New virtual machine
   2. Local install media > Browse > Browse Local > Select downloaded windows ISO
   3. Pick RAM and CPU (can be changed later)
   4. Storage > Select or create custom storage > Manage > +
      1. Name: anything
      2. Format: raw
         1. For best performance choose the raw format. The qcow2 format offers some advanced features such as copy on write and live snapshots (Source: proxmox)
      3. Capacity: At least 32GB
      4. Allocate entire volume now > checked (for max performance)
      5. Finish
      6. Choose volume
   5. Forward
      1. Give some name to the machine
      2. Customize configuration before install > Check
      3. Finish
   6. Add Hardware > Storage > Select or create custom storage
      1. Manage > Select downloaded virtio ISO > Choose volume
      2. Device type: CDROM device
      3. Bus type: default (SATA)
      4. Finish
   7. Overview:
      1. Chipset: Q35
      2. Firmware: UEFI x86_64:/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE_4M.ms.fd (ms stands for emulated microsoft secure boot)
      3. Apply
   8. NIC
      1. Network source: NAT
      2. Device model: virtio
      3. Apply
   9. SATA Disk 1
      1. Disk bus: VirtIO
      2. Advanced options:
         1. Cache mode
            1. None: safety during power outage
            2. writeback: for max performance (details)
      3. Apply
   10. Boot Options
       1. Check both CDROMs
       2. Apply
   11. Add Hardware
       1. TPM
          1. Type: Emulated (or passthrough)
          2. Advanced options > version > 2.0
       2. Finish
   12. Begin Installation
3. Install windows
   1. Start it, it might show a weird UEFI screen, type exit
   2. Boot menu > pick boot from CD
   3. Install windows
   4. No HDD found?
      1. Load Driver > Browse > CD Drive (E:) > viostor > w10 > amd64 > Next
      2. Load Driver > Browse > CD Drive (E:) > NetKVM > w10 > amd64 > Next
      3. Load Driver > Browse > CD Drive (E:) > qxldod > w10 > amd64 > Next
      4. Next
4. In windows Guest OS
   1. Open the virtio drivers CD
   2. Run virtio-win-guest-tools.exe

Bonus: Add and run a virtual machine using a command (does not work)

sudo virt-install \
--name Windows_10 \
--ram 6144 \
--disk path=/home/th/kvm/images/Windows_10.img,size=50 \
--cpu host-passthrough \
--vcpus=4 \
--os-variant=win10 \
--network bridge=br0 \
--graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0,password=password \
--video virtio \
--cdrom /home/th/Downloads/Win10_22H2_EnglishInternational_x64.iso \
--features kvm_hidden=on,smm=on \
--tpm backend.type=emulator,backend.version=2.0,model=tpm-tis \
--boot loader=/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE.secboot.fd,loader_ro=yes,loader_type=pflash,nvram_template=/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_VARS.ms.fd 

Sources:

• https://raphtlw.medium.com/how-to-set-up-a-kvm-qemu-windows-10-vm-ca1789411760
• https://www.smoothnet.org/qemu-tpm/
• https://lowendplay.com/kvm-no-installation-candidate/
• https://askubuntu.com/questions/1089753/e-package-libvirt-bin-has-no-installation-candidate
• https://help.ubuntu.com/community/KVM/Installation
• https://www.server-world.info/en/note?os=Ubuntu_22.04&p=kvm&f=12
• https://getlabsdone.com/how-to-enable-tpm-and-secure-boot-on-kvm/
• https://ostechnix.com/solved-cannot-access-storage-file-permission-denied-error-in-kvm-libvirt/
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/QEMU/Guest_graphics_acceleration

this helped me to install windows 10 2h22 on kvm, cachyos 7.1.2
no errors. installed at first try.