Windows Server "8" Beta Problems

[Bullfrog]

Hi,

I am trying to test the new Windows Server "8" Beta in my Proxmox VE 2 server. However, I run into a couple of problems that I have been unable to resolve. So far, web and forum searches have not produced any results that point me in the right direction. Here are my problems:

1. VirtIO hard disk is not recognized by the Windows Server "8" Beta installation. I used the most recent virtio drivers available from RedHat.
   • This really isn't a huge deal, as a standard IDE hard disk is recognized.
2. When using a VirtIO ethernet card, I am able to load the virtio driver and Windows does recognize the ethernet card, however it has a yellow exclamation point on it and I am unable to get a network connection. When I go to the Ethernet card properties, it tells me that[FONT=verdana, arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]"This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12). If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system." However, nothing I do gets the card working. Even using the Realtek card or the Intel e1000 card produces the exact same results.
3. Similar to the Ethernet Card, there is another device that is an Intel PCI to USB Host Controller. It has the same exact problem and when I go to the properties, it tells me "This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12). If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system."

Has anyone experienced these problems before? Any ideas to resolve it? Interestingly, a Windows Server 2008 R2 guest works fine. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[tom]

ad 1: virtio are never included in windows, nothing special for win 8 server
ad 2 and 3: I got similar issue on upgrades/migrations, but starting windows in safe mode helps always, try it.

I need to download the iso first before I can test it here but win 8 desktop works without issue (regarding Proxmox VE).

 

[Bullfrog]

Tom,

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, no joy using your suggestions. In safe mode, Windows Server "8" beta seems to see the ethernet card, but I simply cannot get it to get past the error stated in my opening post when booting normally.

I doubt the problem is specific to the ethernet card, the more I think about it. There must be some other underlying issue that is causing the problem to manifest itself on the ethernet card and the pci to usb host controller.

If you get a chance to test it out yourself, please let me know what you discover. Thank you for your effort.

 

[tom]

Just installed the Win 2008 beta (8250.0.WINMAIN_WIN8BETA.120217-1520_X64FRE_SERVER_EN-US-HB1_SSS_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO) and the latest virtio drivers from the fedora projects.

no issue, after 10 minutes I got the new windows server running. the windows server management tools are not that big step forward but this is another story and just my personal first impression.

here is the used config:

bootdisk: virtio0
cores: 2
cpu: host
ide0: store-nfs:iso/8250.0.WINMAIN_WIN8BETA.120217-1520_X64FRE_SERVER_EN-US-HB1_SSS_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO,media=cdrom
ide2: store-nfs:iso/virtio-win-0.1-22.iso,media=cdrom
memory: 2048
name: win8-server-1
net0: virtio=5A:8C:F4:48:5F:6B,bridge=vmbr0
ostype: win7
sockets: 1
virtio0: local:125/vm-125-disk-1.raw

just a small hint.
the installer does not find the harddisk as usual as the virtio drivers are missing. just point the wizard to the Win7/amd64 folder on the virio cd and you will see the storage and the network driver.
now, select the NETWORK driver. the installer load the network driver and obviously, there is still no disk (but you loaded the nic driver ). now load the storage driver and continue the windows wizard. after the reboot nic is already working.

 

[Bullfrog]

tom,

thanks for the information! your reply gave me just what i needed to get mine up and running. my problem was in the cpu that i was choosing for the vm. i was using the 'Defualt (qemu64)' option, but Windows Server "8" Beta was not playing nice with it. using your config as a guide, i tried the cpu 'host' option, but that prevented the vm from booting at all. however, my server has Intel E5645 Westmere cpu's. so, i tried again with the cpu 'Westmere' option and everything worked perfectly! in fact, it even solved another problem i was experiencing with the beta. i could never get the mouse to 'track' properly in the vnc viewer. but after choosing the cpu 'Westmere' the mouse tracking, the virtio hard disk, and the virtio ethernet card all worked as expected.

thanks again!