How to build a Windows QEMU KVM qcow2 image

For Linux users, start from the beginning. For Windows users, start from dependencies installation.

Enable Nested Virtualization

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/nested_virt

Download Windows 10 image

Unofficial, clean, non-activated Windows 10 Pro image built from https://www.microsoft.com/en/software-download/windows10ISO

docker pull docker.io/alekseychudov/windows-10-pro:1912

Create a guest disk image

It is further assumed that Docker uses the overlay2 storage driver.

$ docker info | grep 'Storage Driver'
 Storage Driver: overlay2

image="$(docker inspect --format {{.GraphDriver.Data.UpperDir}} docker.io/alekseychudov/windows-10-pro:1912)/images/Windows-10-Pro.qcow2.gz"

sudo pigz -c -d "${image}" | sudo dd of=/var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.qcow2 status=progress

sudo qemu-img resize /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.qcow2 100G

sudo qemu-img info /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.qcow2

Create a cloudbase-init ISO image to automate guest configuration

mkdir -pv cloudbase-init/openstack/latest

echo '{"admin_pass": "L1bv!rt", "hostname": "win10"}' > cloudbase-init/openstack/latest/meta_data.json

sudo genisoimage -input-charset utf-8 -joliet -rock -volid config-2 \
    -output /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.iso cloudbase-init

Provision a new virtual machine

sudo virt-install \
    --name win10.localhost \
    --memory 4096 \
    --vcpus 4 \
    --cpu host \
    --import \
    --disk /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.qcow2,device=disk,bus=virtio \
    --disk /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.iso,device=cdrom \
    --network default \
    --graphics spice \
    --channel unix,target_type=virtio,name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 \
    --virt-type kvm \
    --os-variant win10 \
    --noautoconsole

The very first start-up takes some time due to initial setup and restarts. Connect to the virtual machine using Virtual Machine Manager to find out what is going on.

Connect to virtual machine via Remote Desktop

If the Libvirt NSS module is installed, you can connect to the virtual machine directly by name. Otherwise, you can find out the address of the virtual machine using the below command.

sudo virsh domifaddr win10.localhost

Default username is "Administrator" and password is "L1bv!rt". Change it as soon as possible!

xfreerdp /v:win10.localhost /u:Administrator

The very first login takes some time due to initial setup.

On a Windows machine, install the dependencies

Insert the Windows installation disc into the first CDROM device

If using the libvirt virtual machine, type the following commands:

$ sudo virsh domblklist win10.localhost
Target     Source
------------------------------------------------
vda        /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.qcow2
sda        /var/lib/libvirt/images/win10.localhost.iso

$ sudo virsh change-media win10.localhost sda --eject
Successfully ejected media.

$ sudo virsh change-media win10.localhost sda /var/lib/libvirt/images/windows.iso --insert
Successfully inserted media.

Build a Windows image

Open PowerShell as Administrator and type the following commands.

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser

git clone https://github.com/cloudbase/windows-openstack-imaging-tools.git
cd windows-openstack-imaging-tools

git submodule add https://github.com/AlekseyChudov/windows-kvm-imaging-tools.git

windows-kvm-imaging-tools\create-windows-online-kvm-image.ps1

Upon successful completion you will have the following qcow2 image.

build\Windows-<version>.qcow2

Congrats! You can add Windows image building skills to your resume :)

Resources

https://github.com/cloudbase/windows-openstack-imaging-tools

kgersen / windows-kvm-imaging-tools