How to change the disk interface type for my Windows 8.1 guest on KVM

1

I recently setup a Windows 8.1 VM with KVM and virt-manager. I initially set the disk interface to be IDE, but I'd like to change it to virtio. However, if I just change the interface in the configuration, I have to boot into Startup Repair, which is unable to resolve the driver issue. I have already installed the latest virtio drivers in Windows.

Does anyone know what else I have to do to change the interface type after I've already installed Windows?

zymhan

Posted 2015-03-01T15:14:15.543

Reputation: 749

Answers

2

Because you probably don’t have any device connected via the VirtIO storage controller, Windows didn’t install this specific driver. To work around this issue, create a small temporary disk image and connect it to your VM via VirtIO. Start it up and Windows will install the driver. After that, you should be able to switch the boot disk’s configuration to VirtIO, too.

Daniel B

Posted 2015-03-01T15:14:15.543

Reputation: 40 502

This did the trick. Since I already had the driver installed, all I had to do was attach the disk and boot the VM. Then I shut it down, and it booted fine after I switched the main disk to virtio. Thanks! – zymhan – 2015-03-01T16:16:21.257

1@WildVelociraptor Technically, there’s “installed” and “installed”. ;) One places the driver in a location where Windows will automatically find it. The other means there’s an instance of the driver actually running. The temporary drive trick make Windows do the latter. – Daniel B – 2015-03-01T16:41:17.870

Asked: 2015-03-01T15:14:15.543

Viewed: 548 times

Active: 2015-03-01T15:23:09.857