Windows 7 HVM Install

[Sam Hentschel]

Hey all!

Decided to try out making a windows 7 install just in case I needed it
for school.

I downloaded a 64-bit windows 7 enterprise iso and proceeded with the
installation doing:

$ qvm-create win7 --hvm --label green #as in the qubes-docs
$ cp /var/lib/qubes/appvms/win7/win7.conf ~/ # to change xen to cirrus for graphics
$ qvm-start --cdrom:dispXX:/home/user/Downloads/win7_sp1_64.iso
--custom-config=win7.conf

The first install went fine, I got it to boot up the first time and
tried to load the windows tools:

$ sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-windows-tools
$ qvm-start --custom-config=win7.conf --install-windows-tools

However, something messed up and it wouldn't get passed the start up
screen after that (I don't think it actually installed the windows tools
as I didn't see the disk show up). I tried using all the combinations
of commands I had for qvm-start before I gave up. I deleted it using
qvm-remove and retried to make the windows 7 hvm.

I followed the same steps above; however, when I got to the first
qvm-start I get the following:

--> Loading the VM (type = HVM)...
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/qvm-start", line 136, in <module>
main()
File "/usr/bin/qvm-start", line 120, in main
xid = vm.start(verbose=options.verbose, preparing_dvm=options.preparing_dvm, start_guid=not options.noguid, notify_function=tray_notify_generic if options.tray else None)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/qubes/modules/01QubesHVm.py", line 335, in start
return super(QubesHVm, self).start(*args, **kwargs)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/qubes/modules/000QubesVm.py", line 1952, in start
self._update_libvirt_domain()
File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/qubes/modules/000QubesVm.py", line 764, in _update_libvirt_domain
raise e
libvirt.libvirtError: operation failed: domain 'win7' already exists with uuid 27a11689-a44e-4442-b11a-112b2728c511

If I run the command without the --custom-config option it starts, and
hangs at startup as usual; so I'm guessing its a problem with my config?

--
Respectfully,
Sam Hentschel
FD6A 2998 5301 B440 D26B
7040 69D1 CE58 6FA5 BB5A

[Jean-Philippe Ouellet]

I've seen this happen when qubes-manager / libvirt / xen get out of
sync. "Simplest" fix is to reboot.

Otherwise, I'd do in dom0:
$ killall qubes-manager # or right-click the tray icon -> Exit
$ xl list # check for win7 vm
$ ls /var/lib/qubes/appvms # check for win7 dir
$ grep win7 /var/lib/qubes/qubes.xml # should produce no results
$ sudo systemctl restart libvirtd # this is what really matters
and re-launch qubes-manager from the Q menu

It's a bug, but I haven't found time to look into it. If you know how
to reproduce reliably, definitely open an issue.

Cheers,
Jean-Philippe

[Sam Hentschel]

I tried your advice of restarting, and the alternative steps and I still
get the same error. I've been looking around for answers, and looking
through logs and have come up wiht nothing.

[Myron Weber]

Here's what worked for me...
When you hit the uuid error, delete your custom win7.conf and make a new copy of the system win7.conf, repeat the cirrus fix, and you may be good to go. Apparently a uuid gets written to the system conf file and if your custom one is out of sync then things don't work.

Not an expert - just reporting trial and error results.