Windows doesn't boot

[becks]

Hello,

I'm evaluating Proxmox as a replacement for ESXi.
Creating a new VM with Windows Server works fine. But I have problems with VMs migrated from ESXi.
I tried to migrate several VMs. Most of them stuck at boot screen.



I tried all combinations of SCSI controller and disk type. I preinstalled virtio guest tools while running on ESXi (and removed VMware tools).
I can see the EFI partition and all files are present. Repairing with a Windows boot DVD didn't work.
So, does anybody has a hint for me?

agent: 1
bios: ovmf
boot: order=sata0
cores: 2
cpu: x86-64-v2-AES
description:
efidisk0: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-0,efitype=4m,pre-enrolled-keys=1,size=4M
ide2: none,media=cdrom
machine: pc-q35-9.0
memory: 4096
meta: creation-qemu=9.0.2,ctime=1733590213
name:
net0: vmxnet3=BC:24:11:C6:89:C4,bridge=vmbr0,link_down=1,tag=1209
numa: 0
onboot: 1
ostype: win10
sata0: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-1,size=100G
scsi1: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-3
scsi2: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-4
scsi3: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-5
smbios1: uuid=60214660-3367-4352-a023-ed4ef22a8987
sockets: 1
vmgenid: 7a608122-d905-4022-b080-a39cadf5ecb0

 

[_gabriel]

EDIT: read too fast,
is VM source use EFI ?

 

[becks]

try attach as sata type boot once in safemode.

Hmm, it seems to me that the EFI boot code isn't even executed. So, I cannot boot into safe mode (by pressing CTRL during startup). I tried it, but without success. But I will send a VM to WinRE before migrating. Maybe that way...

 

[becks]

EDIT: read too fast,
is VM source use EFI ?

yes, it does.

 

[becks]

The VM I just sent to WinRE before shutdown and migration booted successfully into WinRE. From there I activated safe mode for next boot. So far so good. Safe mode selection came up but after choosing "safe mode" I'm stuck again with the Proxmox logo. Nothing happens.

 

[_gabriel]

is "Fast startup" enabled in VM source ?
You can disable with "powercfg -h off" which disable hibernation which used by "Fast startup"
I use these boot settings, allowing Legacy F8 Boot Menu during 3 seconds :

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy legacy
bcdedit /set {current} displaybootmenu yes
bcdedit /set {current} timeout 3

 

[gfngfn256]

name:

Redacted the name or missing?

sata0: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-1,size=100G
scsi1: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-3
scsi2: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-4
scsi3: local-lvm:vm-401-disk-5

Why does disk-1 show size while the rest do not?

 

[becks]

Redacted the name or missing?


Why does disk-1 show size while the rest do not?

I removed the name. About the disks: good question, I don't know.

 

[gfngfn256]

net0: vmxnet3

Maybe try with VirtIO instead. I remember reading once about problems with vmxnet driver's.

 

[becks]

is "Fast startup" enabled in VM source ?
You can disable with "powercfg -h off" which disable hibernation.
I use these boot settings, allowing Legacy F8 Boot Menu during 3 seconds :

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy legacy
bcdedit /set {current} displaybootmenu yes
bcdedit /set {current} timeout 3

Fast startup was off.

bcdedit /set {current} displaybootmenu yes
bcdedit /set {current} timeout 3

had to be changed to

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes
bcdedit /set {bootmgr} timeout 3

 

[becks]

Maybe try with VirtIO instead. I remember reading once about problems with vmxnet driver's.

Network connection is not my problem. Server doesn't boot up at all. I even tried without all unnecessary devices - no luck.

 

[_gabriel]

try with cpu to host.

 

[becks]

CPU to host didn't do the trick. (BTW: boot menu shows up now. Thanks for the hint.)

 

[becks]

I tried boot logging but the ntbtlog.txt wasn't even created.

 

[_gabriel]

is hyperv enabled in VM source ?
do you show Windows folder from within WinRE or from within Windows Setup booted from iso ?

 

[becks]

Hmm, I don't think so as it is an ESXi VM. But I'll check...

 

[becks]

No Hyper-V isn't installed.

 

[becks]

do you show Windows folder from within WinRE or from within Windows Setup booted from iso ?

Yes, they are visible. (without extra loading a driver)

 

[_gabriel]

I tried to migrate several VMs. Most of them stuck at boot screen.

Which method ?

 

[becks]

I used the VM import function. That way it mostly worked. But not always.
When I do an in-place migration (parallel installation of ESXi and proxmox), mount the VMFS6 datastore with the vmfs6-tools and do a

qm import disk

. The import works fine but the VM mostly fails to boot.