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Install Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine on Acropolis Hypervisor

October 30, 2015

“VMTurbo"
This post will guide you through a Windows Server 2012 R2 installation in a Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV) virtual machine (VM).

There are quite a few blog posts released already that covers VM migrations from different platforms to AHV and some that includes new VM installations as well. The main difference with this blog post is the following:

  • It includes the newly released Nutanix ISO based VirtIO driver that can be downloaded form the Nutanix Portal here. The VirtIO driver is required to make it possible to install a Windows operating system based VM using a SCSI disk.
  • PRISM UI based Image Configuration, formerly known as Image Service, usage to manage the VirtIO driver and the Windows Server installation media.

Follow the below steps to install a new Windows Server 2012 VM on AHV.

VirtIO Driver Management

  1. Log in and download the VirtIO driver from the Nutanix Portal. Select Tools & Firmware from the Downloads drop down box. The download the “Nutanix VirtIO 1.0.1 for Windows (iso)”
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 12.29.12
  2. Upload the Nutanix VirtIO 1.0.1 for Windows (iso) to the Nutanix Image Configuration.
    1. Select Image Configuration from the gear icon at the top right corner in PRISM.
      Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 12.42.44
    2. Select Upload Image
      Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 12.43.02
    3. Provide the following information
      1. NAME = Whatever you want
      2. ANNOTATION = Whatever you want
      3. IMAGE TYPE = ISO
      4. CONTAINER = Your Nutanix Container where you want to place the VirtIO ISOScreen Shot 2015-10-30 at 00.22.41
    4. Press save and you’re done with uploading the VirtIO driverScreen Shot 2015-10-30 at 00.23.00
  3. Repeat step 2 to upload the Windows Server installation media (ISO) file to the Image Configuration.Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 00.22.53

Windows Operating System Installation

  1. Create your Windows Operating System based VM including the following:
    1. Name
    2. CPU & RAM
      Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 12.57.36
    3. Disks
      You need a minimum of one SCSI disks and 2 CDROM units:Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.05.22

      1. First CDROM is already present so update that one and point to the Windows Server installation media.
        Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.04.13
      2. Add virtual had disk with following configuration (select whatever she you need)Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.04.31
      3. Add a second CDROM and point it to the uploaded VirtIO driver.
        Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.04.59
    4. Add one or more NICs
    5. Click Save to create the VM
  2. Power On the VM and when done, Launch the VM Console
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.05.51
  3.  The installation will start and depending on your media type you might have to specify license and accept the license agreement. When the installation process reaches “Which type of installation do you want” you select “Custom:Install Windows Only (advanced)”Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.23.25
  4. No disk will be present at the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen so you select “Load driver”
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.23.40
  5. Select Nutanix VirtIO 1.0.1 CDROM Drive and the appropriate Windows Server version. In my case Windows Server 2012 R2
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.22.33
  6. Install both the network and scsi drivers netkvm.inf and vioscsi.inf. Net driver will make sure you got a network card when the installation is finished and the scsi driver will make sure the installation finds the SCSI disk.
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 01.01.50
  7. When driver installation is finished you’ll see the SCSI disk and you can install Windows Server 2012 R2 according to your standards.
    Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 13.33.40

When the installation is finished you should unmount the Windows Server installation media CDROM and remove the VirtIO CDROM.

 

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