Install Windows XP/Windows 7/CentOS/Ubuntu/Debian/Fedora as a Guest OS on KVM over RHEL 6. Below is the procedure to install.
In this article I’ll tell you how to install guest OS using KVM Virtualization. If you haven’t installed KVM yet then you must read this article how to install and configure KVM. Now that you have installed KVM Virtualization onto your base operating system, let’s look at how to create/install a guest OS in KVM Virtualization. In this example we will use virt-manager to install the guest operating system in KVM.
virt-manager is the graphical interface provided by the “Virtualization Client” group of packages in Red Hat Enterprise 6. It basically provides us an interactive graphical interface to install and manage different virtualization instances.
virt-manager follows a simple 5-step method to create a Guest Operating System. Let us have a look at it.
First of all start the VM Manager by clicking Application -> System Tools -> Virtual Machine Manager. The following window will appear
You need to click on the monitor icon just below the “File” menu to go to the first step of VM Creation. As of now we will take the example of Windows XP Guest OS. We will see how to install Windows XP on KVM using VM Manager. It is assumed that you have created the iso file from the Windows XP cd before proceeding to install. If you haven’t created the iso file yet then here is a quick description on how to do this.
Create iso image from Windows XP CD
Just insert the CD and type the following command at the RHEL/CentOS console
Be patient and it will create an iso image (named “Wxp_sp2.iso”) of the inserted CD/DVD in your current working directory.
Note: You can also create a Virtual Machine directly by the CDROM/DVD without creating the iso image. However in practice we usually make and keep iso’s of many operating systems for ready usage and to avoid physical access to server so often.
Step 1:
You will get a screen like below to choose the method of installation. You can clearly see that virt-manager supports both ISO and CDROM installation, moreover it also supports complex procedures like Network Install and even PXE boot.
Choose a name of the Virtual Machine of the Virtual Machine. In our case we have chosen “Win_Xp”.
Step 2:
Now browse to the location where you have created the ISO file and point to it as shown below.
Step 3:
Now you have to assign the amount of memory and CPU which will be available to the Virtual Machine. This is the maximum RAM that the Virtual Machine will be able to use for its own purpose. A typical 512 MB memory and 1 CPU will be okay. Make sure to keep good amount of memory for your base operating-system.
Step 4:
Now is the time for hard disk. I have allocated 8 GB for my Windows XP Machine. But as you can see in the image below it says “4.6 Gb available in the default location”. In this case the image cannot be kept in the default location.
So ultimately you have two option either you decrease the allocated size or select a different location in your existing disk by clicking on “Select managed or other existing storage”.
Step 5:
In the last step verify the parameters you have given and proceed to final installation by clicking on Finish button.
Having done all these steps you have now successfully created a Windows Machine. Remember that the above steps are similar for installing any other operating-systems like Ubuntu/Centos/Debian/Fedora etc.
You will be now presented with the traditional Windows Setup.
Congratulations!!! you have done.
Just follow the onscreen instructions and proceed to complete your windows Virtual OS installation.
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