JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I originally set up my Windows VM when XEN was our only option. I got it moved over to a KVM version back when that became available, and it still works fine today. I believe the latest version of unRAID has newer/better tools and options for managing/using our VM's, but I'm not sure how to get my current image to use said tools/setup. I remember seeing a post from jonp about what we should be doing for setting up a VM from scratch, which version of BIOS to use in the setup and some other things, but I can't find that information now. I also remember him stating that one cannot convert from one type to the other, but don't remember the details. So, can anyone help me get my current VM updated to take advantage of the latest and greatest? I don't want to start from scratch in setting up a new windows install, so I'm hoping I can just use my current image with the newer/better settings. I'm wanting to do this mainly because when I issue a stop command from the unRAID GUI, I can't get the VM to start properly again without rebooting unRAID. This used to work okay, but I suspect the changes made in the latest unRAID for VM has caused this. (just a guess) Quote Link to comment
johnodon Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I think all you need to do is take a screenshot of the current VM settings (like MAC address and such), delete the VM (BUT NOT THE VDISK!!!), recreate the VM and point it to the existing vdisk. However, I imagine Windows will yell that it needs to be activated again. I would wait for jonp to chime in a offer some advice. John Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 I thought/hoped it was that easy, but it didn't seem to work I'm attaching a screenshot of the working VM settings, and the new VM settings. Hmmm... After about 5 minutes, the screen came to life and it seems windows is now loading. Not sure why it's taken so long, but it seems I'm back into my old windows 8 VM image. However, it's grabbed a new/weird IP address. 192.168.122.12 My internal range is 192.168.20.100-199. My router is supposed to map this mac address to 192.168.20.145, but it seems to be not working. the VM does have access to my unRAID shares, so it's connecting to the network okay, it seems, but I don't know where this IP is coming from. ideas? Quote Link to comment
archedraft Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I thought/hoped it was that easy, but it didn't seem to work I'm attaching a screenshot of the working VM settings, and the new VM settings. Hmmm... After about 5 minutes, the screen came to life and it seems windows is now loading. Not sure why it's taken so long, but it seems I'm back into my old windows 8 VM image. However, it's grabbed a new/weird IP address. 192.168.122.12 My internal range is 192.168.20.100-199. My router is supposed to map this mac address to 192.168.20.145, but it seems to be not working. the VM does have access to my unRAID shares, so it's connecting to the network okay, it seems, but I don't know where this IP is coming from. ideas? I'm guessing your network bridge is "virbr0"? Under network settings do you have "Setup bridge:" Yes and "Bridge name:" br0? If not enable those two settings and then change your VM network bridge to br0 and then your router should give it an IP address from its DHCP range. Quote Link to comment
itimpi Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I thought/hoped it was that easy, but it didn't seem to work I'm attaching a screenshot of the working VM settings, and the new VM settings. Hmmm... After about 5 minutes, the screen came to life and it seems windows is now loading. Not sure why it's taken so long, but it seems I'm back into my old windows 8 VM image. However, it's grabbed a new/weird IP address. 192.168.122.12 My internal range is 192.168.20.100-199. My router is supposed to map this mac address to 192.168.20.145, but it seems to be not working. the VM does have access to my unRAID shares, so it's connecting to the network okay, it seems, but I don't know where this IP is coming from. What type of network is the VM set to use - it sounds as if it is set to virtbr0 which is a NAT style bridge? If you want it to be visible on the network then you need to set up a bridge under Settings->Network (probably using the default name of br0). You then set the VM to use br0 as the networking bridge. Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 okay, will do. yes, I left it at the default of virbr0, as I assumed that was "better" for some reason. Also, I shut down the VM from within the VM (start > shutdown), and the GUI reported it correctly as shut down. I then tried to start the VM again, but it never started up again. I've updated the virtio drivers to the newest (virtio-win-0.1.105.iso), but restarting has not worked since moving to this version. Is this a known issue? I'm going to try moving back to virtio-win-0.1-94.iso to see if those work better. Quote Link to comment
archedraft Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 is this a known issue? Not for me... I can shutdown and turn my Win 8 VM back up as many times as I like (as long as I don't force shutdown the VM). Also my Win 8 VM boots exteremly quickly. 5 minutes sounds verrrrrry slow... I know you don't want to but it really sounds like a fresh install is in order. Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 hmmm... something is jacked up, but I don't think it's the windows image. When I changed the bridge and reverted the virtio drivers, I was unable to start the VM again, so I rebooted unRAID, and after that finished, I was able to start the VM just fine, and it launched very quickly, like normal. Sadly, at some point in my testing I'd pointed to the windows8 image on my cache drive, not the one on me SSD mounted outside the array. So, when it started the VM from the SSD, it's unactivated again (since the other image was using my activation). As I was trying to get it activated (without a keyboard ), it crashed, but now it won't start up again. I'll reboot unRAID again, but something is definitely not right. the inability to reboot is happening on both images, so I still don't think it's an image problem, but instead it's a VM system/virtio problem. Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 I copied the working qcow2 image from the cache to the SSD (and renamed it), updated the VM settings to point to the working/updated VM image, then started the VM. started fine, seemed to work fine. I then stopped it from the unRAID GUI, and it seemed to stop fine. After about a minute, the GUI reflected the image had stopped. I then edited the VM to point to the updated virtio driver, then started the VM. not only did it not start unRAID is totally hung, and I cannot access unRAID GUI, shares, nor telnet in. it's totally locked up. I have to go upstairs and hard boot it now Quote Link to comment
archedraft Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 geez did you insult unRAID's mother or something? Maybe try saying nice things to your unRAID box?? Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 "good unRAID box, good box. 'want to play a game?'" Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Ouch!!! I hit sent, went to the GUI to see how the parity check was going, and saw this :( Quote Link to comment
archedraft Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I would stop parity check, shutdown your server, stick the USB drive in a windows computers and repair it. I'm guessing your signature is old but you're running the latest version of unRAID correct? Also, are you passing through your GPU to the Win 8 VM now? If you are, I would stop doing that for a bit and just use VNC to get the Windows 8 Machine up to date with all the driver (virtio / all windows up etc.) then once the Windows 8 VM seems to be solid then pass through the GPU. Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 I rebooted, and it seems the USB has 'repaired itself' after the reboot (has happened before). Parity check is running again. VM is running, and am playing a video on the TV to see how things go. Sadly, I have to do some real work now. Quote Link to comment
archedraft Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I rebooted, and it seems the USB has 'repaired itself' after the reboot (has happened before). I donno... I would check it on a Windows box just to be certain. Quote Link to comment
JustinChase Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 I would, but it's installed inside my server, which is in the attic, which requires a ladder and a bit of contortion to get do it. Last time if 'fixed itself' was about 6 months ago, with no more issues until today, so I'll just keep my fingers crossed it's fine until such time as unRAID builds the repair tool into the GUI (hopefully soon). Quote Link to comment
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