[SOLVED] Cannot install VirtIO SCSI Controller driver - Windows Server 2019

[Nick Adair]

Hello, all.

We're having trouble getting the VirtIO SCSI Controller driver installed on a Windows Server 2019 VM, and it looks like it's because the device is being detected with a different device instance path than what's listed in the driver .INF file:

"SCSI Controller" in Device Manager:
PCI\VEN_1000&DEV_0012&SUBSYS_10000000&REV_00

INF File
PCI\VEN_1AF4&DEV_1004&SUBSYS_00081AF4&REV_00

I tried updating the instance path in the INF file, and then Windows recognized that the driver was for the "SCSI Controller" device, but of course couldn't install it since the hashes in the catalog file don't match.

Here's the VM hardware configuration:

 

[_gabriel]

you need to switch scsi controller from Default LSI to Virtio SCSI single

 

[Nick Adair]

The SCSI controller is set to the Default (LSI 53C895A) to allow the VM to boot. If it's set to Virtio SCSI single, the VM won't boot since Windows refuses to load the correct driver, and hence can't see the disks.

We added a second CD/DVD Drive (scsi0) in order to force Windows to see that a new SCSI controller is attached - which it does, it just doesn't load the driver since the device instance paths are different, as noted above.

 

[_gabriel]

to allow post driver install, for the controller then for the disk :
switch only controller
keep Windows system disk as ide0
create a second disk as scsi0
once driver installed, shutdown VM
delete scsi0, switch ide0 to scsi0
if Windows doesn't boot straightforward, boot once in Safemode.

 

[bbgeek17]

One could also set the CD to IDE0, keep boot disk as VirtIO SCSI and load the drivers during the setup phase.

PS windows does not have drivers for LSI controller

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[Nick Adair]

_gabriel, it looks like that did the trick.

I went down the path I did based on some other forum posts, but it seems like even though Windows detected a new SCSI Controller device when I added a SCSI CD-ROM, the driver won't install unless the virtual controller device is changed.

Thanks for the assistance, all!