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Manual Windows Server 2022 Installation

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing Windows Server 2022 on a Proxmox Virtual Machine (VM).

Resources

Get information for the QEMU here

Prerequisite

  1. Upload Windows Server 2022 ISO to Proxmox.
  2. [recommended] Upload virtio-win.iso to Proxmox (Reqired for Install QEMU Agent step)
Proxmox VM Setup

Setting up the VM on proxmox

1. General Configuration

Navigate to the General tab in the “Create: Virtual Machine” wizard and configure the following:

Parameter Value
Node mjoll
VM ID <vm-id> (e.g., 100)
Name <vm-name> (e.g, WS22-Test)
Resource Pool (leave blank or set if required)

2. Operating System (OS) Setup

On the OS tab:

  1. Select Use CD/DVD disc image file (iso)

    • Storage: local
    • ISO Image: SERVER_EVAL_x64F

  2. Guest OS

    • Type: Microsoft Windows
    • Version: Windows 11/2022/2025

  3. Tick ❌ Add additional drive for VirtIO drivers

3. System Configuration

On the System tab, set the following parameters:

Setting Value
Graphic card Default
Machine q35
BIOS OVMF (UEFI)
Add EFI Disk Tick ✅
EFI Storage Storage (or other if applicable)
Pre-Enroll Keys Tick ✅
SCSI Controller VirtIO SCSI single
QEMU Agent If you want QEMU Agent then Tick ✅, otherwise Tick ❌
Add TPM Tick ✅
TPM Storage Storage (or other if applicable)
TPM Version v2.0

4. Disk Configuration

On the Disks tab, apply the following settings:

Parameter Value
Bus/Device IDE 0
Storage Storage (or your datastore)
Disk Size 32 GiB (or more, not less)
Cache Default (No cache)
Discard Tick ❌
IO Thread Tick ❌

5. CPU Configuration

On the CPU tab:

Parameter Value
Sockets 1
Cores 2
Total Cores 2
CPU Type x86-64-v2-AES

6. Memory Configuration

On the Memory tab:

Parameter Value
Memory 4096 MiB

Tip

Adjust Memory size as needed for your system.

7. Network Configuration (Private)

On the Network tab:

Parameter Value
Bridge vmbr3 (for non-public testing)
Model Intel E1000
VLAN Tag No VLAN (or default)
MAC Address Auto
Firewall Tick ✅

Warning

This is a private network setup and can be changed later after securing the system.

8. Final Confirmation

On the Confirm tab:

  1. Verify all settings.
  2. Start after created Tick ❌
  3. Click Finish to create the VM.

Final Review Checklist

  • ✅ All tabs match the screenshots exactly.
  • ✅ The correct ISO is selected.
  • ✅ VirtIO SCSI single is used as the controller.
  • ✅ Discard and IO Thread are enabled on the disk.
  • ✅ QEMU Agent is enabled.
  • ✅ Network is configured as private (if desired).

Once all settings are verified, start the VM and proceed with the Windows Server 2022 installation inside the guest.

Operating System Setup

Setting up the WS22 VM

1. Enter VM

  1. Turn on the VM within Proxmox
  2. Select console to enter the VM within the browser

Warning

Sometimes you will be prompted to press a button to run on disk, if this is not done then you can't continue to the next steps.

If you miss it (it will be obvious), then you can simply stop and start the VM through proxmox and try again.

If you see the initial page for the WS22 setup, then you should be fine.

2. Microsoft Server OS Setup

2.1 Initial Page

Note

This is really just preference, this is what I prefer.

Fill in the fields and then press next and then install

Parameter Value
Language to Install English (United States)
Time and currency format Icelandic (Iceland)
Keyboard or input method US

2.2 Select operating system to install

Note

If you want a GUI version then make sure to select an OS that has (Desktop Experience) in its name.

  1. Select Windows Server 2022 Standard Evaluation (Desktop Experience)
  2. Select next
  3. Tick ✅ I accept for the agreement
  4. Select next

2.3 Which type of installation?

  1. Select Custom
  2. Select next

2.4 Where do you want to install the OS?

  1. Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space
  2. Select New
  3. Select Apply
  4. Select OK
  5. Select Drive 0 Partition 3
  6. Select Next and wait for the setup to finish and restart

2.5 After restart

  1. Type and retype your Administrator password
  2. Select finish
  3. Use the Ctrl and Alt buttons in the Proxmox console interface and then press del (fn + backspace on mac)
  4. Now deselect the Ctrl and Alt buttons
  5. Type your password and hit enter

3. Cleanup

3.1 Remove the ISO

Now you can simply remove the CD/DVD containing the ISO for your machine within the Proxmox interface. 1. Select your VM 2. Select hardware 3. Select CD/DVD that contains your ISO 4. Select Remove 5. Select Yes

Success

You should now have an active installation of WS22 on your Proxmox VM!

[recommended] Install QEMU Agent

Installing the QEMU Agent for your WS22

The virtio-win.iso needs to be available on your proxmox network in order for this to work

Reasons why you want QEMU Agent
  1. It allows Proxmox to gracefully shut down and restart the Windows Server VM instead of forcefully powering it off.
  2. It provides real-time VM information such as IP addresses, disk usage, memory, and process status.
  3. It ensures consistent backups and snapshots by quiescing the filesystem and notifying applications.
  4. It enables clipboard sharing and basic file transfers when SPICE drivers are installed.
  5. It keeps the VM clock synchronized with the Proxmox host to prevent time drift.
  6. It helps Windows detect disk size changes after resizing without requiring a reboot.

1. Upload virtio-win.iso to the Proxmox Server

  1. Select the Storage that stores your ISOs
    • This is usually under Datacenter -> <your-node-name> (probably Mjoll or Hrimnir) -> local.
  2. Select ISO Images
  3. Select upload
  4. Upload the virtio-win.iso file and select upload

2. Attach ISO to your WS22 VM

  1. Shutdown your VM
  2. Within your Proxmox interface, select your VM
  3. Select hardware
  4. Select Add -> CD/DVD
  5. Select the Storage you use to store the ISO images
  6. Select the ISO image virtio-win.iso
  7. Select Add

3. Enable QEMU Guest Agent

  1. Within your Proxmox interface, select your VM
  2. Select options

  3. If QEMU Guest Agent is not already Enabled, then double click it

    3.1 Tick ✅ - Use QEMU Guest Agent

    3.2 Tick ❌ - Run guest-trim after a disk move or VM migration

    3.3 Tick ✅ - Freeze/thaw guest filesystems on backup for consistency

  4. Select Ok

4. Update PCI Driver

  1. Turn on and log into your machine.
  2. Go to Device Manager

  3. Right click PCI Simple Communications Controller and select Update driver

    3.1 Select Browse my computer for drivers

    3.2 Select Browse and select your driver's disk drive and press Ok

5. Start the Agent

  1. Find the virtio-win iso in File Explorer
  2. Enter the directory guest-agent
  3. Run the qemu-ga-x86_64