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Since Windows Server 2008 falls into the Xen category of an unmodified operating system (in other words an operating system that has not been altered specifically to run on the Xen hypervisor) paravirtualization is not an option. The best way, therefore, to virtualize Windows Server 2008 using Xen is to configure it as a Hardware Virtual Machine (HVM) guest. For information about the differences between paravirtualization, hardware virtualization and full virtualization read the chapter entitled [[An Overview of Virtualization Techniques]].<htmlet>xen</htmlet>
Text replacement - "<htmlet>xen<htmlet>" to "<htmlet>xen</htmlet>"
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="20%">[[Installing and Running Windows XP or Vista as a Xen HVM domainU Guest|Previous]]<td align="center">[[Xen Virtualization Essentials|Table of Contents]]<td width="20%" align="right">[[Adding USB Devices to Installing and Running Windows 7 as a Xen HVM domainU Guest|Next]]</td>
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<td width="20%">Installing and Running Windows XP or Vista as a Xen HVM domainU Guest<td align="center"><td width="20%" align="right">Adding USB Devices to Installing and Running Windows 7 as a Xen HVM domainU Guest</td>
</table>
<hr>
This chapter of [[Xen Virtualization Essentials]] will cover in detail the steps necessary to install and run Windows Server 2008 as a virtualized Xen guest.
Since Windows Server 2008 falls into the Xen category of an unmodified operating system (in other words an operating system that has not been altered specifically to run on the Xen hypervisor) paravirtualization is not an option. The best way, therefore, to virtualize Windows Server 2008 using Xen is to configure it as a Hardware Virtual Machine (HVM) guest. For information about the differences between paravirtualization, hardware virtualization and full virtualization read the chapter entitled [[An Overview of Virtualization Techniques]].
== Requirements for Xen Windows Server 2008 Virtualization ==
This chapter assumes that the Xen host (domain0) system is running a Xen enabled kernel and that the standard Xen tools (specifically ''xm'') are also installed. In addition, hardware virtualization requires that the host system hardware include either Intel-VT or AMD-V virtualization support. In order to verify this run the following commands on the host system:
For Intel CPUs:
</pre>
If neither of the above command commands produce output then it is likely these features are unavailable and that your hardware is unable to run Xen HVM guests. It is also possible that the host CPU supports one of these features, but that the functionality is disabled by default in the system BIOS. To verify this, access the host system’s BIOS configuration menu during the boot process and look for an option related to virtualization support. If such an option exists and is disabled, enable it, boot the system and repeat the above commands.
== Windows Server 2008 Installation Media ==
== Preparing Storage Space for Windows Server 2008 ==
Obviously, the Windows Server 2008 guest system will need disk space into which it can install itself and subsequently execute. This space can take the form of either a physical disk drive connected to the host (domain0) system or a disk image file. If a physical disk drive is available for the guest make a note of the device name. This is typically a device beginning with /dev/sd or /dev/hd followed by a letter (for example /dev/sdc or /dev/hdb).
If a disk image is required one may be created using the ''dd'' command-line tool:
<pre>
dd if=/dev/zero of=xenwin2008.img bs=1024k seek=6144 10000 count=0
</pre>
acpi = 1
apic = 1
disk = [ 'file:/home/xen/xen2008xenwin2008.img,hda,w', 'file:/home/xen/windows2008.iso,hdc:cdrom,r' ]
device_model = '/usr/' + arch_libdir + '/xen/bin/qemu-dm'
</pre>
The above example assumes that Windows Server 2008 is going to be installed into a disk image and that the installation media is an ISO image file. If, on the other hand, a physical disk is to be used the disk directive might appear as follows (where ''/dev/sdb'' is replaced with the appropriate physcial physical device name):
<pre>
</pre>
Similarly, the ''disk = '' directive can be modified to perform the installation from a physical DVD drive as in the following example (where ''/dev/hdccdrom'' is modified to reflect the physical device on your host system):
<pre>disk = [ 'phy:/dev/sdb,hda,w', 'phy:/dev/cdrom,hdc:cdrom.r' ]</pre> The above line maps physical disk drive ''/dev/sdb'' on the host to ''/dev/hda'' on the guest and ''/dev/hdccdrom'' on the host as the CD/DVD device on the guest (note that the CD/DVD device name on your host may be different depending on your Linux distribution).
Alternatively, if a disk image file is to be used as the disk drive the line might instead read:
<pre>
disk = [ 'phyfile:/devhome/xen/sdbxenwin2008.img,hda,w', 'phy:/dev/hdbcdrom,hdc:cdrom,r' ]
</pre>
<pre>
xm create xenwin2008.cfg
Using config file "./hvmxenwin2008.cfg".
Started domain xenwin2008
</pre>
[[Image:xen_windows_2008_running.jpg|Windows Server 2008 running as a Xen HVM guest]]
<htmlet>xen</htmlet>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="20%">[[Installing and Running Windows XP or Vista as a Xen HVM domainU Guest|Previous]]<td align="center">[[Xen Virtualization Essentials|Table of Contents]]<td width="20%" align="right">[[Adding USB Devices to Installing and Running Windows 7 as a Xen HVM domainU Guest|Next]]</td>
<tr>
<td width="20%">Installing and Running Windows XP or Vista as a Xen HVM domainU Guest<td align="center"><td width="20%" align="right">Adding USB Devices to Installing and Running Windows 7 as a Xen HVM domainU Guest</td>
</table>
