Windows ROK and Dell hardware [How-to]

[cesco]

I found several discussions about this but they are a little outdated and it's not immediately clear how to solve this issue, so I decided to try and help anyone who might face the same issue I faced today.

Premises

• You are using a ROK (Reseller Option Kit) license for Microsoft Windows sold by Dell
• You are trying to install Windows on Proxmox Virtual Environment
• You are presented an issue related to a vbe script that checks if the hardware is indeed a Dell hardware

Reason why this happens
This happens because the script fail to read some data provided by PVE if you only use the Web GUI

How to solve this issue

1. Create a VM just like you would normally do.
2. Copy the UUID you see in the VM's Options > SMBIOS settings, you'll need it in a moment
3. Before starting the VM edit /etc/pve/qemu-server/<vmid>.conf and add the following

args: -smbios type=11,value=x -smbios type=1,uuid=[UUID],manufacturer=Dell\ Inc.

You can now install Windows.

 

[bobmc]

useful info, thanks

 

[roberto.schiano]

Perfetto...

 

[syd]

Very good, worked perfectly. Thanks a lot.

Does it works with OVMF (UEFI) BIOS??
In my case manufacturer is always as "UEFI Development kit II / OVMF", whatever I do.

root@dell-r650xs:~# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 7.2-1 (running kernel: 5.15.64-1-pve)
pve-manager: 7.2-11 (running version: 7.2-11/b76d3178)
pve-kernel-5.15: 7.2-13
pve-kernel-helper: 7.2-13
pve-kernel-5.15.64-1-pve: 5.15.64-1
pve-kernel-5.15.30-2-pve: 5.15.30-3
ceph-fuse: 15.2.16-pve1
corosync: 3.1.5-pve2
criu: 3.15-1+pve-1
glusterfs-client: 9.2-1
ifupdown2: 3.1.0-1+pmx3
ksm-control-daemon: 1.4-1
libjs-extjs: 7.0.0-1
libknet1: 1.24-pve1
libproxmox-acme-perl: 1.4.2
libproxmox-backup-qemu0: 1.3.1-1
libpve-access-control: 7.2-4
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.2-1
libpve-common-perl: 7.2-3
libpve-guest-common-perl: 4.1-4
libpve-http-server-perl: 4.1-4
libpve-storage-perl: 7.2-10
libspice-server1: 0.14.3-2.1
lvm2: 2.03.11-2.1
lxc-pve: 5.0.0-3
lxcfs: 4.0.12-pve1
novnc-pve: 1.3.0-3
proxmox-backup-client: 2.2.7-1
proxmox-backup-file-restore: 2.2.7-1
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.3-1
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 3.5.1
pve-cluster: 7.2-2
pve-container: 4.2-3
pve-docs: 7.2-2
pve-edk2-firmware: 3.20220526-1
pve-firewall: 4.2-6
pve-firmware: 3.5-6
pve-ha-manager: 3.4.0
pve-i18n: 2.7-2
pve-qemu-kvm: 7.0.0-4
pve-xtermjs: 4.16.0-1
qemu-server: 7.2-4
smartmontools: 7.2-pve3
spiceterm: 3.2-2
swtpm: 0.7.1~bpo11+1
vncterm: 1.7-1
zfsutils-linux: 2.1.6-pve1

 

[Stefano Giunchi]

args: -smbios type=11,value=x -smbios type=1,uuid=[UUID],manufacturer=Dell\ Inc.

In my last install (today) I just had to use this in the config file

args: -smbios type=11,value=x

and added this in UI > Options > SMBIOS settings > Manufacturer:

Dell Computer Corporation

 

[cesco]

Thanks for sharing this. I'll try this next time!

 

[cesco]

Does it works with OVMF (UEFI) BIOS??
In my case manufacturer is always as "UEFI Development kit II / OVMF", whatever I do.

root@dell-r650xs:~# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 7.2-1 (running kernel: 5.15.64-1-pve)
pve-manager: 7.2-11 (running version: 7.2-11/b76d3178)
pve-kernel-5.15: 7.2-13
pve-kernel-helper: 7.2-13
pve-kernel-5.15.64-1-pve: 5.15.64-1
pve-kernel-5.15.30-2-pve: 5.15.30-3
ceph-fuse: 15.2.16-pve1
corosync: 3.1.5-pve2
criu: 3.15-1+pve-1
glusterfs-client: 9.2-1
ifupdown2: 3.1.0-1+pmx3
ksm-control-daemon: 1.4-1
libjs-extjs: 7.0.0-1
libknet1: 1.24-pve1
libproxmox-acme-perl: 1.4.2
libproxmox-backup-qemu0: 1.3.1-1
libpve-access-control: 7.2-4
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.2-1
libpve-common-perl: 7.2-3
libpve-guest-common-perl: 4.1-4
libpve-http-server-perl: 4.1-4
libpve-storage-perl: 7.2-10
libspice-server1: 0.14.3-2.1
lvm2: 2.03.11-2.1
lxc-pve: 5.0.0-3
lxcfs: 4.0.12-pve1
novnc-pve: 1.3.0-3
proxmox-backup-client: 2.2.7-1
proxmox-backup-file-restore: 2.2.7-1
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.3-1
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 3.5.1
pve-cluster: 7.2-2
pve-container: 4.2-3
pve-docs: 7.2-2
pve-edk2-firmware: 3.20220526-1
pve-firewall: 4.2-6
pve-firmware: 3.5-6
pve-ha-manager: 3.4.0
pve-i18n: 2.7-2
pve-qemu-kvm: 7.0.0-4
pve-xtermjs: 4.16.0-1
qemu-server: 7.2-4
smartmontools: 7.2-pve3
spiceterm: 3.2-2
swtpm: 0.7.1~bpo11+1
vncterm: 1.7-1
zfsutils-linux: 2.1.6-pve1

Hey, have you tried the alternative above? Does it work?

 

[syd]

Hey, have you tried the alternative above? Does it work?

Checked again today with new Windows Server 2022 STD installation (PVE up to date, args: -smbios type=11,value=x). Still the same.

 

[cesco]

I tried it today. Win2022 on a T350 and the solution I suggested above works. (Sorry @Stefano Giunchi I totally forgot to try your alternative, I apologise)
@syd I double checked. Hardware > Bios says "OVMF (UEFI)".

 

[cesco]

In my last install (today) I just had to use this in the config file

Your solution is better than mine!
Thanks for the input.