Windows VM deployment¶

Step 01: Install Cloud-base Init on Windows Server¶

Setup Windows Server on KVM host

virt-install \
  --name win11 \
  --ram 8192 \
  --vcpus 4 \
  --cpu host-passthrough \
  --machine q35 \
  --os-variant win11 \
  --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/windows11.qcow2,bus=virtio,cache=writeback \
  --cdrom /path/to/windows11.iso \
  --disk path=/path/to/virtio-win.iso,device=cdrom \
  --network bridge=virbr0,model=virtio \
  --graphics vnc \
  --boot uefi \
  --tpm backend.type=emulator,backend.version=2.0,model=tpm-crb \
  --features smm.state=on,hyperv_vapic=on,hyperv_relaxed=on,hyperv_spinlocks=on,kvm_hidden=on

Go through installation and Install cloud base init on windows

Modify cloudbase init conf to use configdrive¶

Open C:\Program Files\Cloudbase Solutions\Cloudbase-Init\conf\cloudbase-init.conf

Add the below line

metadata_services=cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.configdrive.ConfigDriveService
config_drive_label=cidata

:::info

If want to add multiple options¶

Add the line

metadata_services=cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.httpservice.HttpService,cloudbaseinit.metadata.services.configdrive.ConfigDriveService
config_drive_label=cidata

:::

Step 2: Prepare Template from the cloud base init vm¶

Run the command to check attached disks

virsh list --all
virsh domblklist <vm-name>

Copy the Cloud base init vm disk to template disk

cp /var/lib/libvirt/images/windows-server.qcow2 /var/lib/libvirt/images/windows-template.qcow2

Prepare template

virt-sysprep -a /var/lib/libvirt/images/windows-template.qcow2

Step 03: Create Cloud init config files¶

mkdir -p /tmp/configdrive/openstack/latest

vim /tmp/configdrive/openstack/latest/meta_data.json

{
  "hostname": "MyCustomHost",
  "uuid": "12345678-1234-5678-1234-567812345678"
}

vim /tmp/configdrive/openstack/latest/user_data

#ps1
net user User1 P@ssw0rd /add
net user User2 S3cur3P@ss /add
Rename-Computer -NewName "MyCustomHost"
Write-Output "Hello from Cloudbase-Init"

genisoimage -output /var/lib/libvirt/images/configdrive.iso -volid cidata -joliet -rock /tmp/configdrive

genisoimage -output /var/lib/libvirt/images/configdrive.iso -volid config-2 -joliet -rock /tmp/configdrive

Step 04: Create VM¶

virt-install \
  --name winvm1 \
  --memory 4096 \
  --vcpus 2 \
  --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/windows-template.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
  --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/configdrive.iso,device=cdrom \
  --os-variant win2k22 \
  --network network=default \
  --import