Installing Windows 2012 on ClearVM
Before you start, please check the main Windows help page for prerequisites and other ways to get Windows up and running.
Requirements
Enable Virtualization – The Windows installer will crash in a blue screen of death if your host’s virtualization extensions are disabled – make sure virtualization is enabled on your host server.
Overview
- Install SCSI Drivers – Windows 2012 does not have drivers for ClearVM virtual hard drives – you have to install them to be able to complete the installation of Windows 2012. We describe below how you add those drivers during Windows installation.
- Install Network Drivers – Windows 2012 is missing Network Device Drivers for ClearVM/QEMU. For networking to work you have to install these drivers, We describe how you do that here.
Let’s get started – Launch the Windows 2012 Installer!
The fist step is to launch the Windows Installer in a virtual machine. Go to the Store and fire up the version of Windows you would like to install.
Look for the ISO-badge when you pick your template.
Once you’ve started the VM, connect to it using VNC (Remote Desktop will not be available until you’ve completed the installation steps) and follow the Wizard until you come to the step where the installer asks you where to install Windows.
There will be no device in the list since the device driver for your virtual storage device is missing, so we’ll add it manually in the following steps. Keep reading!
Adding SCSI Device Drivers during Windows Installation
Select Load Driver
Another dialog opens, click Browse
In the Folder Browser, select E:\windows\2008\disk and click OK
Next, select the Red Hat VirtIO SCSI controller driver and click Next
Wait for Windows to install the driver
Now the virtual hard drive will be available to Windows, select it and click Next.
From here, follow the regular Wizard steps to complete the installation of Windows. In the next step we’ll install the network drivers.
Install Network Device Drivers
Once you’re done installing Windows it’s time to install the driver for the network device. Log in to Windows ans follow these steps.
In Initial Configuration Tasks you can see that networking is not working properly
Open the Device Manager, identify the Ethernet Controller and right click it. In the context menu select Update Device Driver…
In the next window, click Browse my computer for driver software
Click Browse
In the Folder Browser, select E:\windows\2008\net and click OK
Click Next
Confirm by clicking Install
Click Close to complete the installation
Notice that the exclamation mark next to the Ethernet Controller has disappeared
Going back to Initial Configuration you can now see that networking is properly configured
Done! Please let us know if any questions, we’re here to help!