Hello, I could not find any "templates" for Windows Server 2019, so decided to try setting up the same on Kimsufi via QEMU... Also, the fact that it is always good to do a fresh clean install so you can be sure it is as per your specifications. I will try to update this with screenshots when time permits. I have got this working from scouring the internet for multiple solutions and finally was able to complete it successfully.
Steps are for Kimsufi only, it may work for other providers too...
- Boot your server to the "rescue" mode and login with the new credentials received from Kimsufi
- Download QEMU in temp folder
wget -qO- /tmp https://abcvg.ovh/uploads/need/vkvm-latest.tar.gz | tar xvz -C /tmp
- Download official Windows Server 2019 ISO from Microsoft. This could take a long time depending on your connection
You will need to download and keep ready VNC Viewer as you will need to boot from this ISO.
Open VNC Viewer and keep connection to following :5901 ready
Run the QEMU with the newly downloaded ISO.
/tmp/qemu-system-x86_64 -net nic -net user,hostfwd=tcp::3389-:3389 -m 10000M -localtime -enable-kvm -cpu core2duo,+nx -smp 2 -usbdevice tablet -k en-us -cdrom /tmp/17763.379.190312-0539.rs5_release_svc_refresh_SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso -hda /dev/sda -vnc :1 -boot d
Press any key to boot from the CD/ DVD (as displayed on the screen.
If you miss the boot selection, you can go back to the rescue system and hit and run the above command again and try to get to the boot selection from DVD.
Select any option from the OS selection with "Desktop Experience".
Complete the installation. Warning: This will delete all your information on the server and install a fresh instance of Windows Server 2019 Standard.
It will probably restart on its own during the installation. This time, you need not select the boot from CD/DVD.
If all goes well, you will be prompted for setting the Administrator password. Choose one wisely and you will login
On the Server Manager (that opens up by default). Select "Local Server" from left menu (below Dashboard). Find the option "IE Enhanced Security Configuration" and turn it off temporarily. Else, you will get annoying popups when trying to open a web page
Go to the Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security --> Inbound rules --> Enable "File and Printer Sharing (Echo Request - ICMPv4-In)" rule. This will allow us to ping the server and see when it comes online
Open cmd prompt and disable driver signing and integrity checks
bcdedit /set LOADOPTIONS DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING ON
bcdedit /set NOINTEGRITYCHECKS ON
REBOOT ** your system **NOW
After reboot, Download/ install any browser you want. if you are bold, you will continue using the IE installed by default
Download/ install 7zip/ any other utility which you can use to unzip files. I prefer 7Zip
Download and install the network drivers. In my case, I needed Intel 82579V Gigabit Ethernet drivers. However, support for these was removed in recent versions (after 23.5) from Intel.
- So, we need to download an old, but official copy. Here is a direct link:
- Original page of the drivers: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28416/Ethernet-Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-Windows-Server-2016-
Select version 23.4 or earlier and download if the above link is moved
Go to the folder where you downloaded the driver package from Intel. Right click on that and extract it.
Go to \PRO1000\Winx64\NDIS65
Backup and create a copy of e1c65x64.inf file
Open the e1c65x64.inf file in notepad
Comment all lines by adding ";" under [ControlFlags]
- You need to copy last 4 lines from [Intel.NTamd64.10.0.1] section and paste them in the section [Intel.NTamd64.10.0] towards the end
Please refer to the link at the end to see more about this. I did not get a chance to add screens for this.
Save the file
Open cmd
Go to the folder where you kept this new modified driver file. Run the following:
pnputil -i -a e1c65x64.inf
This should put a new prompt to "Agree" to the warning about installation of unsigned drivers
If you do not see this popup, you have missed the earlier step to disable driveer signing / rebooting your server. I have tried this multiple times, and it just works if followed correctly
Go to Settings --> System --> Remote Desktop and check on "Enable Remote Desktop"
Reboot your server
Thats it. On your local, ping your kimsufi server.
It should take a couple of minutes before the drivers are installed and server is up and running.
- Consider restoring the driver signing options with bcdedit. I did not as I have COURAGE
I followed the blog at https://blog.dhampir.no/content/the-intel-82579v-on-hyper-v-server-2016
PS: This is my first tutorial, this has worked for me. Hopefully it works for you as well.