RHEL 6 Virtualization - 11.2.2. Installing drivers during the Windows installation

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11.2.2. Installing drivers during the Windows installation

This procedure covers installing the para-virtualized drivers during a Windows installation.

This method allows a Windows guest to use the para-virtualized (virtio) drivers for the default storage device.

Install the virtio-win package:
```
# yum install virtio-win
```
Creating guests

Create the guest, as normal, without starting the guest. Follow one of the procedures below.
Creating the guest with virsh

This method attaches the para-virtualized driver floppy disk to a Windows guest before the installation.

If the guest is created from an XML definition file with virsh use the virsh define command not the virsh create command.
1. Create, but do not start, the guest. Refer to Chapter 30, Managing guests with virsh for details on creating guests with the virsh command.
2. Add the driver disk as a virtualized floppy disk with the virsh command. This example can be copied and used if there are no other virtualized floppy devices attached to the virtualized guest.
```
# virsh attach-disk guest1 /usr/share/virtio-win/virtio-drivers.vfd fda --type floppy
```
Creating the guest with virt-manager
1. At the final step of the virt-manager guest creation wizard, check the Customize configuration before install checkbox.
  
  Press the Finish button to continue.
2. Add the new device
  
  Select Storage from the Hardware type list. Click Forward to continue.
3. Select the driver disk
  
  Select Select managed or existing storage.
  
  Set the location to /usr/share/virtio-win/virtio-drivers.vfd.
  
  Change Device type to Floppy disk.
  
  Press the Forward button to continue.
4. Confirm the new device
  
  Click the Finish button to confirm the device setup and add the device to the guest.
  
  Press the green tick button to add the new device.
Creating the guest with virt-install

Append the following parameter exactly as listed below to add the driver disk to the installation with the virt-install command :
```
--disk path=/usr/share/virtio-win/virtio-drivers.vfd,device=floppy
```
During the installation, additional steps are required to install drivers, depending on the type of Windows guest.
1. Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP
  
  Before the installation blue screen repeatedly press F6 for third party drivers.
  
  Press S to install additional
  
  Press Enter to continue the installation.
2. Windows Server 2008
  
  Install the guest as described by Section 9.1, “Using virt-install to create a guest”
  
  When the installer prompts you for the driver, click on Load Driver, point the installer to Drive A: and pick the driver that suits your guest operating system and architecture.

11.2.2. Installing drivers during the Windows installation

Creating guests