Windows XP Install: Setup detects multiple identical or raw disks - will not proceed.

[Chipper]

Hi All,

I am relatively new to Proxmox, so forgive a newbie question.

I am attempting to install a Windows XP VM.
I am running the following version of proxmox:

lcvhconnect01:~# pveversion -v
pve-manager: 1.9-24 (pve-manager/1.9/6542)
running kernel: 2.6.32-6-pve
proxmox-ve-2.6.32: 1.9-47
pve-kernel-2.6.32-6-pve: 2.6.32-47
qemu-server: 1.1-32
pve-firmware: 1.0-14
libpve-storage-perl: 1.0-19
vncterm: 0.9-2
vzctl: 3.0.29-2pve1
vzdump: 1.2-16
vzprocps: 2.0.11-2
vzquota: 3.0.11-1
pve-qemu-kvm: 0.15.0-1
ksm-control-daemon: 1.0-6

lcvhconnect01:~# uname -a
Linux lcvhconnect01 2.6.32-6-pve #1 SMP Mon Sep 26 06:32:53 CEST 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I have my ISO images NFS mounted and they're coming through just fine.

I have succeeded installing a Centos 6.0 VM, with no problems. It works a treat and I found myself fast falling in love with Proxmox.

Then I tried to do Windows XP.

I have tried all combinations I can think of with IDE and qcow2, raw and vmdk format with the same results every single time.

The VM boots up, Windows setup begins with its initial hardware detection and then abruptly stops with the message that Windows Setup has detected multiple identical or raw disks. It has "corrected" the problems and needs to reboot. I reboot. And then the VM tries to boot from the hard disk that obviously has nothing on it. I don't get much further than that.

With VirtIO (and all forms of qcow2/raw/vmdk) Windows setup tells me there is no disk to install to (makes sense - no supported drivers).

The ISO image should be fine, I have used it with a libvirt VM install and a VirtualBox install (yes, I have been experimenting) with no issues.

So, am I making a daft rookie mistake, am I missing a step, or....?

Any pointers would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers,

Chipper.

 

[Chipper]

Re: Windows XP Install: Setup detects multiple identical or raw disks - will not proc

OK, update.
It DID work with SCSI and raw disks (well, I'm in the process of installing XP - that may fail, but who knows? ;-)

I avoided SCSI initially as many posts suggested that IDE was the way to go (makes sense - loads of support, trivial drivers, etc).

Very odd. Ah well, at least I am up and running. I *AM* curious as to why I hit the failures with IDE though, so any pointers there would be cool.

Cheers,

Chipper.

 

[udo]

Re: Windows XP Install: Setup detects multiple identical or raw disks - will not proc

Hi,
i never had trouble with ide and win$. Strange!
Scsi is not the best solution. Try to add an new second disk as virtio (power cycle VM) - mount the virtio-driver http://alt.fedoraproject.org/pub/alt/virtio-win/latest/images/ inside the VM (create an iso and mount this, or use network inside VM) and use this devicedriver.
After that, remove both disks and select the bootdisk as virtio - then should boot the VM with the previous loaded virtio-driver. The second disk is only an dummy and can removed after that.

Udo

 

[Chipper]

Re: Windows XP Install: Setup detects multiple identical or raw disks - will not proc

Hi Udo,

Thanks for getting back to me - much obliged.
Yes, I too found it strange. I've been using virtualization for a number of years with windows VMs (I run linux or mac hosts) and I have never seen this one before. At least I wasn't missing something obvious!
As for shifting the disk over to VirtIO - that was always my intent once I got the damn disk to turn up in the first place!
I'm now up and running and the VM seems stable. It's been running since my last post, merrily updating a rebooting with no issues at all. Go figure.
OK, we'll chalk this one up to experience - I'm running now and really liking what I see so far. Very nifty.

Cheers,

Chipper.