Paravirtualized driver for Windows: block and NIC

For initial installation you need virtual floppy image, probably contained in RedHat's RPM: virtio-win-1.0.0-2.31383.el5.noarch.rpm
(currently, it's not available on ftp.redhat.com)

Other option would be to clone the source:
git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/virt/kvm/kvm-guest-drivers-windows.git
and build it with VisualStudio 2008 and WinDDK, Any volunteers?
 
The ISO file is the ISO version of the virtual floppy disk. I do the conversion because proxmox does not support virtual floppy disk.

So actually you can install the driver at installation time using this ISO file.
 
Le Thanh Trung said:
The ISO file is the ISO version of the virtual floppy disk. I do the conversion because proxmox does not support virtual floppy disk.

So actually you can install the driver at installation time using this ISO file.
Click to expand...

I tried this but win2003 request a floppy in a: - did I miss anything? (on win2008 no problem)
 
I just did the following to move an existing win2003 from IDE to VIRTIO storage driver:


  • Poweroff the VM and add a new harddisk with virtio using the hardware tab on the web interface
  • Poweron and follow the new hardware wizard using the virtio storage drivers from the ISO - Now windows got the drivers and is ready for the switch
  • Poweroff again and remove the IDE boot harddrive and add the unused disk again but now using virtio
  • Go to the option tab and configure this virtio disk as the first boot device and start again, done.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I don't understand : My w2003 installation is Ok (but slow disk accesses), there's data and programs on ide disk : If I create a new one with virtio drivers it will be blank...
How can I keep the system, programs, datas and links (make a switch)?
If I delete the ide disk I don't delete his content ?
 
gondouin said:
Sorry, but I don't understand : My w2003 installation is Ok (but slow disk accesses), there's data and programs on ide disk : If I create a new one with virtio drivers it will be blank...
How can I keep the system, programs, datas and links (make a switch)?
If I delete the ide disk I don't delete his content ?
Click to expand...

when you delete a disk via the hardware tab its removed from the config and it is shown as "unused disk".

now, add this unused disk again with "add harddisk" - selecting IDE or VIRTIO.
 
I've tried just with command line and kvm (not proxmox) so in any case do a backup of your VM. What Tom's says, as far as I've understood and my experiment suggested me is basically:
- you have a single VM hard disk with IDE drivers
- power off that VM
- add a blank, new VM hard disk configure to use VirtIO access (no IDE), and the ISO with VirtIO drivers as cdrom
- power on that VM again. At this point it "sees" the new HD with VirtIO access and looks for related drivers... make it pick them from cdrom. Now Win has VirtIO drivers available in itself
- power down the VM, remove the cdrom with drivers and the second blank HD (not needed anymore). Change access to your main VM from IDE to VirtIO. In "pure" kvm is just a matter of parameters, in proxmox you have to follow Tom's suggestions of remove and then re-add (have a backup first!)
- boot VM again :)
Workd fine with Win7 (since XP is not supported, sigh), I've no idea about Win3K
 
Last edited:
All is good : I'd change 4 VM from IDE to Virtio and the performances are better (very)...
I didn't know the possibility of reuse an unused disk and the change of type...
Excellent !
Thanks and sorry for my (bad) english...
 
FYI for the next guy:

While using virtio for net & disk:

My Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 was suddenly without network approx. 3 minutes into boot.

At the same time the hardware wizard started to reinstall the virtio SCSI controller.

Running Proxmox 1.4- I don't know if it includes the kernel that supposedly resolves this.

I'm glad it at least failed while I was around to see it.
 
JustaGuy said:
FYI for the next guy:

While using virtio for net & disk:

My Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 was suddenly without network approx. 3 minutes into boot.

At the same time the hardware wizard started to reinstall the virtio SCSI controller.

Running Proxmox 1.4- I don't know if it includes the kernel that supposedly resolves this.

I'm glad it at least failed while I was around to see it.
Click to expand...

did you use signed virtio drivers?
 
tom said:
I just did the following to move an existing win2003 from IDE to VIRTIO storage driver:


  • Poweroff the VM and add a new harddisk with virtio using the hardware tab on the web interface
  • Poweron and follow the new hardware wizard using the virtio storage drivers from the ISO - Now windows got the drivers and is ready for the switch
  • Poweroff again and remove the IDE boot harddrive and add the unused disk again but now using virtio
  • Go to the option tab and configure this virtio disk as the first boot device and start again, done.
Click to expand...

"Go to the option tab and configure this virtio disk as the first boot device and start again, done." --> But data are still on virtio disk?

That drivers are for 64 bit,too?
 
Le Thanh Trung said:
Hi guys,

I have the driver available at http://aye.comp.nus.edu.sg/~trunglt/virtio-setup.iso. The steps you can follow to use the drivers are:

1. Create a virtual machine with hard disk and nic's drivers set to "virtio"
2. The virtual machine should have a CDROM that points to the file virtio-setup.iso
3. When you run the windows installation, you would not be able to see the hard disk. At this moment, you need to load the driver. You should browse to the specific folder in the CDROM drive (ie amd64...). Then you would see a list of drivers to load.
4. After you load the drivers probably, you can now see the hard disk.
5. Finish the installation

I hope someone can host the ISO somewhere else as I will remove the file in a few weeks.
Click to expand...

That drivers are signed for 64 bit?

Win2008 64bit request signed drivers.
 
OK, I am trying to use the virtio block drivers in my server 2003 web install, however the server isn't even seeing the drive at all, i installed on an ide drive and then restarted and added a virtio drive to install the drivers on however it never gets detected, what am i doing wrong?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About

The Proxmox community has been around for many years and offers help and support for Proxmox VE, Proxmox Backup Server, and Proxmox Mail Gateway.
We think our community is one of the best thanks to people like you!

Quick Navigation

Home Get Subscription Wiki Downloads Proxmox Customer Portal About

Get your subscription!

The Proxmox team works very hard to make sure you are running the best software and getting stable updates and security enhancements, as well as quick enterprise support. Tens of thousands of happy customers have a Proxmox subscription. Get yours easily in our online shop.

Buy now!
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2024 XenForo Ltd.
Top Bottom
Back