Epyc milan with win 11 VM virtio drivers will install except virtscsi [RESOLVED]

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SirOsis_OfTheLiver

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Nov 15, 2025
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# VirtIO SCSI Driver Issues with EPYC Milan and Windows 11 VM
## Problem Summary
I'm having trouble installing the VirtIO SCSI driver on a Windows 11 VM running on an EPYC Milan processor in Proxmox. All other VirtIO drivers (networking, etc.) install successfully, but the SCSI driver consistently fails.
## System Configuration
- **Host CPU**: EPYC Milan
- **Guest OS**: Windows 11
- **Proxmox Version**: 8.1.5 & 9.0.11
- **VirtIO Driver Versions Tested**: 0.1.240, 0.1.266, 0.1.285 (only stable versions)
## VM Configuration
```
agent: 1
balloon: 0
bios: ovmf
boot: order=scsi0;ide2;ide0
cores: 16
cpu: host
efidisk0: WD8TB4_16TB:vm-132-disk-0,efitype=4m,pre-enrolled-keys=1,size=1M
hostpci0: 0000:c1:00.0,x-vga=1,pcie=1
hostpci1: 0000:c1:00.1,pcie=1
ide0: raid_backup:iso/virtio-win-0.1.266.iso,media=cdrom,size=707456K
ide2: raid_backup:iso/virtio-win-0.1.266.iso,media=cdrom,size=707456K
machine: pc-q35-8.1
memory: 32768
meta: creation-qemu=8.1.5,ctime=1710716208
name: 11Pro
net0: virtio=BC:24:11:4B:A7:CE,bridge=vmbr0,firewall=1
numa: 1
ostype: win11
scsi0: WD8TB4_16TB:vm-132-disk-1,discard=on,iothread=1,size=640G
scsihw: virtio-scsi-single
smbios1: uuid=bba983a0-50f6-4480-b19a-9944c28e8fa5
sockets: 1
tpmstate0: WD8TB4_16TB:vm-132-disk-2,size=4M,version=v2.0
usb0: host=045e:00db
usb1: host=046d:c064
usb2: host=0781:55ae
usb3: host=0e8f:0020
usb4: host=12c9:2003
usb5: host=0781:55ae
usb6: host=1532:0527
usb7: host=2357:0604
usb8: host=6-2.4.3
usb9: host=3511:2ef2
vcpus: 16
vmgenid: 1da40416-a411-423c-af4a-b7d4cea99437
```
## Error Details
When attempting to install the VirtIO SCSI driver through Device Manager using the path `\vioscsi\w11\amd64`, I receive:
> "The folder you specified doesn't contain a compatible software driver for your device. If the folder contains a driver, make sure it is designed to work with Windows for x64-based systems."
## Investigation Findings
Examining the `.inf` file in the Win11 folder shows:
```ini
[Manufacturer]
%VENDOR% = VirtioScsi,NTamd64.10.0...16299
```
The build number `16299` corresponds to Windows 10, not Windows 11 (build 22000+). This may explain why Windows 11 refuses to install the driver.
## Troubleshooting Steps Attempted
1. ✅ Verified other VirtIO drivers install successfully (networking works)
2. ✅ Tested multiple VirtIO driver versions: 0.1.240, 0.1.266, 0.1.285
3. ✅ Confirmed VM configuration uses `virtio-scsi-single`
4. ❌ Manual driver installation through Device Manager fails
## Questions for the Community
1. **EPYC Milan Compatibility**: Are there known compatibility issues with VirtIO SCSI drivers on EPYC Milan processors?
2. **Windows 11 Support**: Is it safe to modify the `.inf` file to include Windows 11 build numbers (22000+)?
3. **Alternative Solutions**: Should I try:
- Latest unstable VirtIO drivers?

4. **Driver Recognition**: Could the VirtIO SCSI device ID not be recognized by the driver installer on this specific CPU architecture?
## Additional Context
I'm willing to test development/unstable VirtIO drivers if someone confirms they work with EPYC Milan. The issue seems specific to the SCSI driver, as all other VirtIO components function correctly.
Has anyone successfully run Windows 11 VMs with VirtIO SCSI on EPYC Milan processors?
 
[Manufacturer]
%VENDOR% = VirtioScsi,NTamd64.10.0...16299
Click to expand...
NTamd64.10.0...16299 - Platform and OS version targeting:
  • NTamd64 = 64-bit Windows (x64 architecture)
  • 10.0 = Windows 10/Server 2016 (NT kernel version 10.0)
  • ...16299 = Build 16299 and all later builds
  • Build 16299 = Windows 10 version 1709 (Fall Creators Update, released September 2017)
The ... notation means "this build and all subsequent builds," making the driver compatible with all Windows 10/11 versions from 1709 onwards.

Try an alternate way of installation by using the command line:
pnputil /add-driver <path_to_inf_file> /install
 
fba said:
NTamd64.10.0...16299 - Platform and OS version targeting:
  • NTamd64 = 64-bit Windows (x64 architecture)
  • 10.0 = Windows 10/Server 2016 (NT kernel version 10.0)
  • ...16299 = Build 16299 and all later builds
  • Build 16299 = Windows 10 version 1709 (Fall Creators Update, released September 2017)
The ... notation means "this build and all subsequent builds," making the driver compatible with all Windows 10/11 versions from 1709 onwards.

Try an alternate way of installation by using the command line:
pnputil /add-driver <path_to_inf_file> /install
Click to expand...
Thanks for the explanation. I tried that. the pnputil command says it worked and requires a reboot, but after a reboot the driver for both my drives says "QEMU QEMU HARDDISK SCSI Disk Device". Any idea why it reverts?
 
AI said the following (i have no idea whether it is correct)

1.​

  • .inf File Excerpt:
    text

    <span><span>[Manufacturer]<br></span></span><span>%VENDOR% = VirtioScsi,NTamd64.10.0...16299<br></span><span></span>
    • This line means the driver is only valid for Windows versions up to build 16299 (Windows 10). Windows 11 starts at build 22000, so it is excluded.
  • User Symptoms:
    • Device Manager and pnputil both allow installation, but Windows 11 reverts the driver after reboot or reports "no compatible driver found".
  • All tested VirtIO SCSI driver versions (0.1.240, 0.1.266, 0.1.285) have this limitation.
Key Finding:
The .inf file's lack of Windows 11 support is the direct cause of driver reversion.
Click to expand...

Is there anything i can do, or is my motherboard just hosed until someone writes the driver? could I pay to get it done, or is that just up to redhat or someone else?
 
Apparently I have been looking at the wrong device in device manager. I have had the red hat drivers installed on the storage controller for a long time.
I get very slow (10 - 20 MB/s) throughput on average, and 100 max. I am running 2 ssds striped but not mirrored in a zfs pool. Is it normal to get such crappy IO throughput in a VM? is the zfs pool the bottleneck? I never considered other options when I set up my system because the advantages of zfs sounded great.
 
So even though i have been working with computers most of my life, I pulled a DOH!

  • I assumed I knew where the virtscsi drivers needed to be loaded but its on the controller, not the actual virtual disks
  • I therefore assumed my low disk throughput was due to a lack of virtio drivers (appears to actually be normal for zfs pool storage and win 11)
  • The real solution is to either use BTRFS or ext4/XFS
Thanks to everyone to advised.
 
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