Windows Server 2012 R2 doesn't find virtio drivers when installing on KVM

Question

I'm trying to install Windows Server 2012 R2 on a Debian KVM host, but it does not seem to find the drivers.

The guest has two drives attached: an install disk and the latest Windows virtio drivers ISO (from here). I succesfully installed other operating systems (including Windows Server 2008 and Windows 8.1) using the same set-up.

The drive I'm trying to install to is a qcow2 thin provisioned file. When installing, Windows doesn't recognize this and presents the "Select drivers to install box". I select the AMD64 folder in the WIN8 directory and it shows me four installable drivers, of which two pertaining to storage: Red Hat VirtIO SCSI controller and Red Hat VirtIO pass-through controller.

But when I try to install either of these, it gives me a No new devices drivers were found and it won't let me continue. I tried using different disk buses (SCSI, IDE, SATA and even USB), but nothing works - No new devices drivers were found all the way.

What's going on?

Here's the domain XML:

virsh # dumpxml win2k12
<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>win2k12</name>
  <uuid>f33b0f87-567c-4494-ab5b-80856447ddba</uuid>
  <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>1048576</currentMemory>
  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-2.1'>hvm</type>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
    <pae/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='custom' match='exact'>
    <model fallback='allow'>Westmere</model>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='localtime'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <pm>
    <suspend-to-mem enabled='no'/>
    <suspend-to-disk enabled='no'/>
  </pm>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2'/>
      <source file='/home/thomas/kvm/storage_pool/windows2012-test-3.qcow2'/>
      <target dev='sda' bus='usb'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/home/thomas/tmp/en_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707946.iso'/>
      <target dev='hdb' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='3'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/home/thomas/tmp/virtio-win-0.1-100.iso'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='1' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <master startport='0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci2'>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
    <controller type='ide' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x06' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x08' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='1' model='virtio-scsi'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x0b' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='sata' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x09' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='network'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:06:5a:31'/>
      <source network='default'/>
      <model type='rtl8139'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target port='0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='spicevmc'>
      <target type='virtio' name='com.redhat.spice.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'/>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='spice' autoport='yes'/>
    <sound model='ich6'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </sound>
    <video>
      <model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' heads='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
    </redirdev>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
    </redirdev>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
    </redirdev>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
    </redirdev>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
</domain>

@MichaelHampton : I was able to install Windows Server 2008 without any issues, this question is about Windows Server 2012 — Display name, Mar 26 '15 at 15:45
@MichaelHampton: no, it's not, I can't even install to an IDE drive. That's why I posted this question. I tried every disk bus type (IDE/virtio/...) but every single one of them will say I have missing drivers, and none of the drivers on the `virtio-win` cd (which is in a secondary cd drive, and I can access it) will get the drive working. Just to be sure, I tried the steps in the question you linked, but to no avail. — Display name, Mar 26 '15 at 20:16
It works perfectly well for me and everyone else. It could have something to do with your host being Debian. I'd delete the VM and start over. — Michael Hampton, Mar 26 '15 at 20:24
Mmmh, I'm on my fourth VM. I also tried different different VM creation scripts, but I land in the same spot. I should note that this is a an ISO I got from DreamSpark, perhaps Microsoft packages student ISOs differently? I'll try with another image tomorrow. — Display name, Mar 26 '15 at 21:20

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 27 '15 at 04:09

<disk type='file' device='disk'>
  <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2'/>
  <source file='/home/thomas/kvm/storage_pool/windows2012-test-3.qcow2'/>
  <target dev='vda' bus='virtio'/>
</disk>

This is what it should look like. BTW, yout NIC is also RTL and not virtio, tsk tsk tsk.

Display name · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-27T12:49:50.823

1

The problem was using a disk image from DreamSpark/OnTheHub. I downloaded a new image, and it worked out of the box.

The old image name was en_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707946.iso.

I "ordered" a new free Windows Server 2012 of DreamSpark. I believe redownloading using Secure Download Manager will download the old image again, but I haven't tested this.

As for the settings, I suggest you use those provided in dyasny's answer below.

edited Mar 27 '15 at 12:49

answered Mar 27 '15 at 10:04

Display name

21
1
5

The filename is correct (except that it's been superseded by `en_windows_server_2012_r2_with_update_x64_dvd_4065220.iso`). It sounds like your original download was probably corrupted in some way. – Michael Hampton Mar 27 '15 at 17:04

Windows Server 2012 R2 doesn't find virtio drivers when installing on KVM

2 Answers2