Virtualize Windows 10, convert to UEFI, and install virtio drivers on KVM/qemu

1. Let's assume /dev/sdb houses your bare metal installation:

   # qemu-img convert -O qcow2 /dev/sdb ~dude/kvm/disks/win10.qcow2
   # chown dude ~dude/kvm/disks/win10.qcow2
   

2. Just in case, create a snapshot:

   $ qemu-img snapshot -c b4_firstboot ~/kvm/disks/win10.qcow2
   

3. Create ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh and reassemble the actual hardware as close as possible, e.g.:

   #!/bin/sh
   
   VM_CPUS=2
   VM_MEM=8192
   VM_FILE_CACHE0="none"
   VM_FILE_FORMAT0="qcow2"
   VM_FILE_TYPE0="ide"
   VM_NET_TYPE0="e1000"
   VM_CPU="host,kvm=off"
   VM_SOUNDHW="hda"
   
   . "`dirname "$0"`/../lib/kvmlib.sh"
   

4. Start the VM:

   $ sh ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh start
   

5. If there is no BSOD, log into the console, and start cmd.exe as Administrator
6. Convert the disk to GPT and UEFI:

   C:\Windows\System32>mbr2gpt /allowfullOS /disk:0 /validate
   C:\Windows\System32>mbr2gpt /allowfullOS /disk:0 /convert
   

7. Shutdown the guest operating system
8. Add UEFI to ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh:

   #!/bin/sh
   
   VM_CPUS=2
   VM_MEM=8192
   VM_FILE_CACHE0="none"
   VM_FILE_FORMAT0="qcow2"
   VM_FILE_TYPE0="ide"
   VM_NET_TYPE0="e1000"
   VM_CPU="host,kvm=off"
   VM_SOUNDHW="hda"
   VM_EXTRA="-drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly,file=/usr/share/edk2-ovmf/OVMF_CODE.fd"
   
   . "`dirname "$0"`/../lib/kvmlib.sh"
   

9. Grab the latest virtio drivers from https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/latest-virtio/virtio-win.iso. See also https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/creating-windows-virtual-machines-using-virtio-drivers/
10. Start the VM with that ISO inserted:

    $ sh ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh start -cdrom ~/Downloads/virtio-win.iso
    

11. Install these drivers by right-clicking and selecting Install for each *.inf file in the respective w10\amd64 subdirectory:
    • vioscsi
    • viostor
    • NetKVM
    • vioserial
    • Balloon
12. Once again, start cmd.exe as Administrator, and instruct Windows to boot to safe mode:

    C:\Windows\System32>bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal
    C:\Windows\System32>shutdown /p
    

13. Create a small disk image with virtio:

    $ qemu-img create -f qcow2 ~/kvm/disks/tmp.qcow2 1G
    

14. Attach that disk in ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh:

    VM_FILE_CACHE1="none"
    VM_FILE_FORMAT1="qcow2"
    VM_FILE_NAME1="/home/dude/kvm/disks/tmp.qcow2"
    VM_FILE_TYPE1="virtio"
    

15. Start the VM again, having the virtio drivers being picked up
16. Launch cmd.exe as Administrator, and disable safe mode again:

    C:\Windows\System32>bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot
    C:\Windows\System32>shutdown /p
    

17. Remove tmp.qcow2 from ~/kvm/bin/win10.sh, and change both the real harddisk and the network card to virtio, which is the default of kvmlib.sh:

    #!/bin/sh
    
    VM_CPUS=2
    VM_MEM=8192
    VM_FILE_CACHE0="none"
    VM_FILE_FORMAT0="qcow2"
    VM_CPU="host,kvm=off"
    VM_SOUNDHW="hda"
    VM_EXTRA="-device virtio-scsi -drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly,file=/usr/share/edk2-ovmf/OVMF_CODE.fd"
    
    . "`dirname "$0"`/../lib/kvmlib.sh"
    

18. Finally, boot that VM again
19. If everything is ok, shut down the VM and remove the snapshot:

    $ qemu-img snapshot -d b4_firstboot ~/kvm/disks/win10.qcow2