You can convert QCOW2 to other formats using qemu-img :
Navigate to the viostor/w7/amd64 folder (for 64-bit) or viostor/w7/x86 (for 32-bit).
qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 4096 -cpu host \ -drive file=Windows7.qcow2,format=qcow2 \ -cdrom /path/to/Windows7.iso \ -boot d \ -vga virtio -display gtk
With the disk image prepared, you can now begin the installation. Using IDE emulation for the disk drive results in extremely slow performance, sometimes taking over 12 hours to complete a Windows 7 installation. Therefore, using the VirtIO block driver ( if=virtio ) is highly recommended from the outset. The full command is fairly extensive, but it ensures everything is set up correctly for a high-performance VM: Windows 7.qcow2
Create a generic VM in the Proxmox GUI (e.g., VM ID 101 ) without a hard drive.
qemu-system-x86_64 -m 4096 -smp 2 -cpu host \ -drive file=windows7.qcow2,if=virtio,format=qcow2 \ -cdrom /path/to/windows7_install.iso \ -drive file=virtio-win.iso,media=cdrom \ -boot d -net nic,model=virtio -net user -enable-kvm Use code with caution. Step 4: Load Drivers During Windows Setup
Using a pre-configured Windows 7.qcow2 file is significantly faster than performing a fresh Windows 7 installation. You can convert QCOW2 to other formats using
Better yet, switch to virtio-scsi instead of virtio-blk for better SCSI unmap support.
Without these, your Windows 7.qcow2 will suffer abysmal disk I/O and no networking.
Users often create them manually using commands like qemu-img create -f qcow2 Windows7.qcow2 50G or by converting existing VHD/VMDK files. Therefore, using the VirtIO block driver ( if=virtio
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: Running older software that is incompatible with Windows 10/11 in a secure, isolated sandbox.
Many enthusiasts upload pre-configured VM images here for "abandonware" and research purposes. Always scan these files thoroughly. Conclusion