Windows Server 2012 R2 on Proxmox VE without KVM hardware virtualization

P

Paddle

New Member
Apr 24, 2014
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0
1
Hello,

i know that this is not the best solution!

For a private test i need this setup:

Host (Windows 7 with VirtualBox)
--> Proxmox VE
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2

The stupid thing is the KVM hardware virtualization!

That's the pveversion -v:
Code: 
root@unknown:~# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 3.1-114 (running kernel: 3.10.29-x86_64-jb1)
pve-manager: 3.1-21 (running version: 3.1-21/93bf03d4)
pve-kernel-2.6.32-26-pve: 2.6.32-114
lvm2: 2.02.98-pve4
clvm: 2.02.98-pve4
corosync-pve: 1.4.5-1
openais-pve: 1.1.4-3
libqb0: 0.11.1-2
redhat-cluster-pve: 3.2.0-2
resource-agents-pve: 3.9.2-4
fence-agents-pve: 4.0.0-2
pve-cluster: 3.0-8
qemu-server: 3.1-8
pve-firmware: 1.0-23
libpve-common-perl: 3.0-8
libpve-access-control: 3.0-7
libpve-storage-perl: 3.0-17
pve-libspice-server1: 0.12.4-2
vncterm: 1.1-4
vzctl: 4.0-1pve4
vzprocps: 2.0.11-2
vzquota: 3.1-2
pve-qemu-kvm: 1.4-17
ksm-control-daemon: 1.1-1
glusterfs-client: 3.4.1-1

qm config 100:
Code: 
root@unknown:~# qm config 100
bootdisk: ide0
cores: 1
cpu: qemu64
ide0: local:100/vm-100-disk-1.qcow2,format=qcow2,cache=writeback,size=40G
ide2: local:iso/windows_server_2012_r2_x64.iso,media=cdrom
kvm: 0
memory: 8192
name: Node1
ostype: win8
sockets: 1

I installed the proxmox with the setup guide!
 
Am i understanding correctly that you are trying to create a Proxmox Cluster inside Virtual Box running on Windows 7? If it is, then the concept is called "Nested Virtualization". I order for the Virtual machines inside virtual machine needs to have nesting enabled. Just add the following to your vm id 100 config file:
args: -enable-nesting

So you config should look like:
bootdisk: ide0
cores: 1
cpu: qemu64
ide0: local:100/vm-100-disk-1.qcow2,format=qcow2,cache=writeback,size=40G
ide2: local:iso/windows_server_2012_r2_x64.iso,media=cdrom
kvm: 0
memory: 8192
name: Node1
ostype: win8
sockets: 1
args: -enable-nesting
 
symmcom said:
args: -enable-nesting
Click to expand...

Then i got

Code: 
kvm: -enable-nesting: invalid option
start failed: command '/usr/bin/kvm -id 100 -chardev 'socket,id=qmp,path=/var/run/qemu-server/100.qmp,server,nowait' -mon 'chardev=qmp,mode=control' -vnc unix:/var/run/qemu-server/100.vnc,x509,password -pidfile /var/run/qemu-server/100.pid -daemonize -name Windows2012R201 -smp 'sockets=1,cores=1' -nodefaults -boot 'menu=on' -vga std -no-hpet -cpu qemu64 -k en-us -m 5120 -enable-nesting -device 'piix3-usb-uhci,id=uhci,bus=pci.0,addr=0x1.0x2' -device 'usb-tablet,id=tablet,bus=uhci.0,port=1' -device 'virtio-balloon-pci,id=balloon0,bus=pci.0,addr=0x3' -drive 'file=/var/lib/vz/template/iso/de_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707952.iso,if=none,id=drive-ide2,media=cdrom,aio=native' -device 'ide-cd,bus=ide.1,unit=0,drive=drive-ide2,id=ide2,bootindex=200' -drive 'file=/var/lib/vz/images/100/vm-100-disk-1.qcow2,if=none,id=drive-ide0,format=qcow2,aio=native,cache=none' -device 'ide-hd,bus=ide.0,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0,id=ide0,bootindex=100' -rtc 'driftfix=slew,base=localtime' -machine 'accel=tcg' -global 'kvm-pit.lost_tick_policy=discard'' failed: exit code 1

Configuration

Code: 
root@unknown:~# qm config 100
args: -enable-nesting
balloon: 512
bootdisk: ide0
cores: 1
cpu: qemu64
ide0: local:100/vm-100-disk-1.qcow2,format=qcow2,size=32G
ide2: local:iso/de_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707952.iso,media=cdrom
kvm: 0
memory: 5120
name: Windows2012R201
ostype: win8
sockets: 1

I search a parameter like yours now. Thanks for that information!


//edit:
I found nothing about this nesting parameter.
But i tried this args instead...
http://forum.proxmox.com/threads/16206-Windows-Server-2012-R2-and-0x0000005D-Error
No one works! :(

Now i try different things.
 
Last edited:
I think i failed to mention that the you also have to add a configuration into the /etc/modules of the host Proxmox Node. Do the following on the actual physical node then reboot the host:
# nano /etc/modules
Add this argument: kvm-amd nested=1

Then save the modules file and reboot. If you have already added the args: -enable-nesting in the VM conf, then simply restart the VM. Should work.
 
Paddle said:
Its not possible without this?
:/
Click to expand...

I never tried without rebooting so not sure. Since you are making changed directly in the host, to gaurantee that it will work without issues in the future, i think it is best to reboot the physical node to activate the changes.
 
IMHO a reboot is required since the in-kernel virtualization layer needs to know whether to passthru hardware to nested virtualizers at initialization.
 
Thank you both!

The problem is that my experiment is to use a virtual server of a random hoster and install a windows server 2012 r2 on it.
I have no access to the physical machine, only to the virtual machine which i rented.

The next try is to use a ready vmdk hard disc and boot them.
I hope that works... And i hope only the windows setup is strange...


I could imagine that you tips works for other users which have access to the physical host... But not for me :S
Maybe you have another tips for my plans ^^ Or is my plan impossible?
 
Paddle said:
The problem is that my experiment is to use a virtual server of a random hoster and install a windows server 2012 r2 on it.
I have no access to the physical machine, only to the virtual machine which i rented.

The next try is to use a ready vmdk hard disc and boot them.
I hope that works... And i hope only the windows setup is strange...


I could imagine that you tips works for other users which have access to the physical host... But not for me :S
Maybe you have another tips for my plans ^^ Or is my plan impossible?
Click to expand...
Ok, i understand the issue now. May be you can ask your hoster if Nesting is enabled or possible to turn it on? I assume they will say no but worth asking.

I am not sure what you meant by ready vmdk hard disc to boot them.

I will try to explain little bit about Nested Virtualization, because i have a 3 Nested virtulized setups that serves me purely for testing purpose.
In order to create a Virtulization platform inside Proxmox virtualization, you do not necessarily need to enable Nesting in the physical Host itself. Your Nested virtualization platform will still perform without it, it just wont have good performance. One of the Nested virtulization i have out of 3, do not have "kvm-amd nested" option turned on but it works. Without this option you just can turn on KVM Hardware Virtualization inside the VM. Actually the nested proxmox cluster i have without kvm-amd turned on in module is where i tested Proxmox CEPH Server when it was released. before i converted my actual production cluster to Proxmox CEPH Server 3.2 You can install Windows Server 2012 inside a nested cluster, the only thing that wont work is the Hyper-V. Other than that everything works. You can even use Remote Desktop into the virtual machines inside virtual machines.
Hope all this makes sense. Iam not sure what your actual goal is but if all you want is to setup a virtual envrionment inside another virtual environment(hoster) then you can do it without changing physical node configuration.
 
Why don't you simply ask the provider of your virtual environment whether nested virtualization is enabled on the hypervisor?

One important observation though. Nested virtualization seems to only work on Intel cipsets and CPU. And from what I have been told and experienced myself you are lucky to find working nested virtualiazion on anything newer than Sandy Bridge. I have heard of working nested virtualization on Ivy Bridge but never on Haswell.
 
Hmm thanks for this explanation.

Maybe you have a solution for that:

For a presentation i need this setup:
Proxmox host (mustnt be physically)
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2

They should work as a cluster.

I would demonstrate a simple cluster with one machine which supports live migration.
Nothing else.

For that project i would use "jiffybox.de" because i could pay per minute/hour ...
I neednt a root server for this presentation ^^


Hmmm...
If my plan fails i must use my computer :rolleyes:
Or knows anybody a forum where i could ask for a proxmox hoster which could give me 4 machines for a few days for a price which is lower than a root server ~ 39 €??
 
mir said:
One important observation though. Nested virtualization seems to only work on Intel cipsets and CPU. And from what I have been told and experienced myself you are lucky to find working nested virtualiazion on anything newer than Sandy Bridge. I have heard of working nested virtualization on Ivy Bridge but never on Haswell.
Click to expand...

I can confirm that Nested Virtualization seem to work with Intel chips only. I never had any luck of working nested environment on AMD CPUs.

I didnt know the limitation of Haswell bridge. The 3 nested environment in my posting above are running on the following CPU platform.
1. Intel i7-4770
2. Intel i7-3770K
3. Intel i5-3570

Intel i7-4770 is Haswell platform and Nested seem to be working fine at least for me. This is nested environment i do most of my tests due to higher processing power.
 
Paddle said:
Hmm thanks for this explanation.

Maybe you have a solution for that:

For a presentation i need this setup:
Proxmox host (mustnt be physically)
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2
----> Windows Server 2012 R2

They should work as a cluster.

I would demonstrate a simple cluster with one machine which supports live migration.
Nothing else.

For that project i would use "jiffybox.de" because i could pay per minute/hour ...
I neednt a root server for this presentation ^^


Hmmm...
If my plan fails i must use my computer :rolleyes:
Or knows anybody a forum where i could ask for a proxmox hoster which could give me 4 machines for a few days for a price which is lower than a root server ~ 39 €??
Click to expand...

I will setup a test environment for you to try. I have Windows Server 2012 R2 ISO available. I will create some blank VMs and email you the login information. Dont worry about the cost. I will not charge anything. Just PM me your First Name, Last Name, email address and the country you will be login from.
 
symmcom said:
I will setup a test environment for you to try.
Click to expand...

I cant find a REAL PRIVATE message ... Because that I hope you send me an email to this disposable address: proxmox [at] spaml [dot] de

I'll send you an E-Mail back from my real address!
Sorry for posting that on your profile wall :(
 
I got your email on my profile. Thats what i meant by PM, Private Message. I have replied the message with my personal email address. Let me know if you got it.
 
Hello,

nested virtualization becomes probably useful in more and more cases (especially with more and more powerful processors). Without HW support (VT-x) it cannot be used for more than simple lab-experiments. Unfortunately VBox seems not to support it at all, see https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4032 and https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=55519

With PROXMOX as (bare metal) hypervisor (instead of VBOX) it should be possible when using kernel 3.x - I made a short test but some of my
VMs did not work at all with the 3.10 kernel (so a went back to 2.26). Maybe it will work fine with the next PROXMOX release ...?!

Kind regards

Mr.Holmes
 
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