Guide: Windows 10/11 VM Config Machine, Bios, Etc upgrade procedure

The following procedure consistently allows for VM Config Updates for Windows Images on my configuration.

 

1 - Backup VMs first in case you need to reset

Stop all VMs and Dockers

Copy the VM Files.  The bottom of this post contains what I use in a User Script 

 

2 - Download the latest Virtio ISO from settings/VM Manager

Edit VM, then Save

___Change the virtio ISO to the latest ISO

 

3 - GPU Access Prep (using Nvidia 1060 as an example)

Edit VM, then Save

___Add VNC as 1st GPU,

___Move Nvidia 1060 to 2nd GPU. Ensure sound card from video card is also passed in

Start with VNC console

Ensure VNC access is OK

Update Nvidia Game Ready Driver (GRD)

Set Monitors to Mirror (VNC will be a little fuzzy at 1920x1080)

Ensure GPU passthrough is OK

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM

___Note that GPU may not initialize until Windows is at the login screen, however VNC will work immediately

 

3 - Bump up RedHat virtio drivers (assuming the Virtio Driver is mounted to D:/)

For each of the following go to the Device Manger, Right Click, Browse to D:/ drive (virtio), Scan

A - disk drivers:               CD virtio-win / viostor / w10 / amd64

B - network drivers:       CD virtio-win / NetKVM / w10 / amd64

C - Storage Controllers: CD virtio /

 

Install the latest Qemu Guest:       CD virtio-win / guest-agent / gemu-ga-z86_64.msi

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM 

 

4 – Now lets update the Machine.  Here assuming 1440fx-2.11 to i440fx-7.2

Can update i440fx to newer i440fx.  Can update Q# to latest Q#.  Cannot updated between i440fx to Q#.

Edit VM, then Save

___Change Machine from i440fx-2.11 to i440fx-7.2

Start with VNC console

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM

 

5 – Now let’s update the Bios.  Can updated OVMF to OVMF-TPM

Edit VM, then Save

___Change Bios from OVMF to OVMF-TPM

Start with VNC console

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM

 

6 – Now let’s update the VirtIO CDRom Bus.  Can updated from IDE to SATA

Edit VM, then Save

___Change VirtIO Drivers CDRom Bus from IDE to SATA

Start with VNC console

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM

 

7 - Now let’s update the Network Model.  Can updated virtio to virtio-net

Edit VM, then Save

___Change Network Model from virtio to virtio-net

Start with VNC console

Restart VM, Ensure OK, Shutdown VM

 

 

#!/bin/bash
backuplocation="/mnt/user/VM_BackupFolder/VM/"

datestamp="_"`date '+%d_%b_%Y'`
dir="$backuplocation"/vmsettings/"$datestamp"
if [ ! -d $dir ] ; then
          echo "making dated folder $datestamp"
          mkdir -vp $dir
     else
          echo "$dir already exists"
          fi

echo "vm xml files"
rsync -a --no-o /etc/libvirt/qemu/*xml $dir/xml/
echo "nvram"
rsync -a --no-o /etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/* $dir/nvram/
echo "iso"
rsync -a --no-o /mnt/user/docker/* $dir/docker/
chmod -R 777 $dir
sleep 5
exit

 

 

Edited July 6, 20241 yr by landS