Windows 10: Mega Optimising Disk I/O for Windows Guests on KVM

Hi folks
Two ways -- pass the pci device of say the SSD or whatever to your Windows Guest - then use Native file system
If you can't pass the pci device then create a virtio disk - then before booting up change the xml for that disk to :

<disk type="file" device="disk">
<driver name="qemu" type="raw" cache="none" io="native"/> "This line only -- leave every thing else !!!!
<source file="/mnt/DV2/XPVIORAW"/>
<target dev="vdb" bus="virtio"/>
<address type="pci" domain="0x0000" bus="0x00" slot="0x0a" function="0x0"/>
</disk>

The RAW and native I/O file is the key -- then on ist boot of the VM use DISKPART windows command to format the disk and assign a letter and then use any live linux distro (can be 64 bit OS for this purpose) with dd command to clone existing disk to new one if you want to use that as your Windows OS disk. the disk will be /dev/vda /dev/vdb . You can also use Macrium stand alone bootable iso provided it has the virtio drivers in it - that's why probably better to use Linux live iso for cloning.

(If you use the GUI virtual machine manager just enable xml editing and open the XML section for the disk if you don't like virsh command line - probably better to use the GUI if you are relative beginners at this).





For Windows 10 using Macrium to clone to RAW (Native FS) HDD





BTW for people using XP VM's the easiest way to clone a disk is to boot any current linux iso (the bios will support 64 bit virtual OS) from WITHIN the GUEST, note you have to add the cd as a SATA cd rom on the VM -- boot it, clone your HDD,
shut down the VM , remove the sata CD rom and the sata controller and now boot from the relevant HDD --remove the original one.

here's the clone process of the XP virtual disks using a Fedora live iso image set as boot device from the XP VM -- doesn't matter that it's 64 bit OS. The HDD's show up as vda and vdb.





KVM has come such a long way these days and on modern kernels it runs rings around HYPER-V (on a Non server edition of a Windows Host), VBOX and VMWare too. You can also experiment by running any Linux as a VM on whatever Windows you like and then enabling KVM to try nested VM just to "have a go with it" .

It's 100% free as well - and really obsoleting things now like CITRIX and XEN.

Also you don't need poor I/O pergormance any more on Windows VM's - whether or not you pass thru a whole HDD or use "Raw Native " Virtual disks.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Windows 10 Home as KVM guest?

I currently run Windows 7 as a KVM guest on top of Linux. Will I be able to do the same for Windows 10 Home?

 

Linux Host HYPERVISOR to Windows 10 Guests passthru (KVM)

Hi folks
for those using Linux Hosts and want to try out a hypervisor (built in in typical Linux distros) where you can pass thru video / usb stuff to guests - Windows 10 runs fine -- just follow steps in this link

Running Windows 10 on Linux using KVM with VGA Passthrough s Blog

It certainly is a lot easier and more flexible than HYPER-V and it doesn't need Windows PRO to run - so any machine with a Linux distro -- go for it.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Guest

Hi Voytek,

To remove the guest account from your start screen, we suggest that you try the following steps:

• Right-click Start menu, then select Command Prompt (Admin).
• Enable guest account first by typing net user guest /active:yes, then press
  Enter.
• Disable guest account by typing net user guest /active:no, then press
  Enter.
• Perform a
  clean boot in Windows.

Let us know how it goes.

Thank you.