Windows VPS & RDP

Install a Windows Server VM on KVM with VirtIO drivers

Create a Windows Server or Windows 11 virtual machine on KVM with UEFI, TPM and VirtIO disk and network, load drivers during setup, install guest tools and enable RDP.

IntermediateKVM hosts2 min read

Windows runs well on KVM once it has the right drivers. This guide shows how to install a Windows VM on KVM with fast VirtIO storage and networking, UEFI and a virtual TPM, then prepare it for Remote Desktop.

Before you start

  • A KVM host with libvirt; see install KVM on Ubuntu.
  • A Windows Server or Windows 11 ISO and a valid licence.
  • The virtio-win ISO from the Fedora project.
  • Packages ovmf (UEFI firmware) and swtpm (virtual TPM) installed on the host.

Create the VM

virt-install --name win2022 --memory 8192 --vcpus 4 --cpu host-passthrough --machine q35 --boot uefi --tpm backend.type=emulator,backend.version=2.0,model=tpm-crb --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/win2022.qcow2,size=80,bus=virtio --cdrom /var/lib/libvirt/images/windows-server-2022.iso --disk /var/lib/libvirt/images/virtio-win.iso,device=cdrom --network bridge=br0,model=virtio --os-variant win2k22 --graphics vnc,listen=127.0.0.1 --video qxl --noautoconsole

Windows Server 2022 does not strictly need TPM; Windows 11 does. Connect to the VNC console through an SSH tunnel (see SSH port forwarding).

Load VirtIO drivers during setup

  1. Boot the installer (press a key when prompted) and choose your edition.
  2. At Where do you want to install Windows? no disk is listed. Click Load driver → Browse.
  3. Open the virtio-win CD, then viostor\2k22\amd64 (match your Windows version). Select the Red Hat VirtIO SCSI controller.
  4. The disk appears. Optionally load NetKVM now too, then continue the install.

Install guest tools

  1. After first login, open the virtio-win CD and run virtio-win-guest-tools.exe.
  2. This installs network, balloon, serial, display drivers and the QEMU guest agent.
  3. Check Device Manager for unknown devices.

Enable Remote Desktop

  1. Set a static IP in Network Connections if not using DHCP.
  2. Go to Settings → System → Remote Desktop (or Server Manager → Local Server) and enable it.
  3. Allow RDP only from your IPs; see Windows firewall rules with PowerShell.
  4. Install Windows updates and reboot.

Performance tips

  • Use host-passthrough CPU and add Hyper-V enlightenments (virt-install's win2k22 profile sets common ones).
  • Keep the disk on VirtIO with cache=none and enable discard for thin storage.
  • Disable unnecessary visual effects for RDP use.

Troubleshooting

  • No disks during setup: load the viostor or vioscsi driver.
  • "This PC can't run Windows 11": TPM 2.0, UEFI and Secure Boot are missing; use the --tpm and --boot uefi options with Secure Boot firmware.
  • No network after install: NetKVM driver not installed yet.
  • Mouse pointer offset in VNC: add a USB tablet device.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install Windows on my KVM VPS myself?

If your provider allows custom ISOs, yes; see mount an ISO in Virtualizor. You must still license Windows.

Which virtio-win version should I use?

The latest stable release normally supports current Windows versions.

How much RAM does Windows Server need?

Microsoft lists minimums, but 4–8 GB is a practical starting point for a server with a GUI.

Next steps

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