DaDesktop

Converting Legacy Boot to UEFI Windows 10 template

If you happen to have a DaDesktop machine here in New Zealand which you'd like to use a GPU or other pass-through on, you have to first convert it to UEFI boot.

We still recommend using win10-template-v53 or above, but if you think it's more beneficial to do the upgrade yourself, here are the following steps:

  1. Enable defrag service
  2. Create boot files on C drive
  3. Set C disk as Active
  4. Convert the system to UEFI
  5. Modify kvm config to support UEFI
  6. Fix the DaDesktop BIOS boot option
  7. Upgrade virtio-win drivers
  8. Disable defrag service
  9. Optional: Move a partition in front of the system partition to enable automatic disk resizing
     

1. Enable Defrag service

  1. Run cmd as Administrator
  2. Execute:
    sc config defragsvc start= demand

2. Make C: disk bootable

  1. In the command line as admin, run:

    bcdboot.exe c:\windows /s c:

3. Set C: disk as Active

  1. Run Disk Management
  2. Right-click the C: partition
  3. Set Active
     

4. Convert the system to UEFI

  1. In the command line as admin, run:
   mbr2gpt.exe /concver /allowFullOS

 

5. Modify kvm config to support UEFI

  1. Log in using SSH to the ddnode
  2. Make sure you execute the command as root

  3. Copy OVMF_VARS.fd and qemu.conf from a template that supports UEFI boot, e.g.:

    cp /var/lib/kvm/win10-template-v51/OVMF_VARS.fd /var/lib/kvm/yourimagename/
    cp /var/lib/kvm/win10-template-v51/qemu.conf /var/lib/kvm/yourimagename/

6. Fix the DaDesktop BIOS boot option

  1. Stop and start the machine using the dd4t.dadesktop.com GUI or API
  2. The system will boot into the UEFI Shell
  3. Type: "exit"
  4. Go to BootManagement TODO: FINISH IT
  5. Press F10 to save
  6. Exit BIOS
     

7. Upgrade Virt-io drivers

Some templates may have an outdated version of the VGA driver, which can cause problems such as being unable to change the resolution. To fix this issue:

  1. On your Desktop, download the new version of the drivers: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/archive-virtio/virtio-win-0.1.240-1/virtio-win-0.1.240.iso
  2. Install: TODO exact file name
  3. Reboot
     

8. Disable DEFRAG Service

  1. Run cmd as Administrator
  2. Execute:
    sc config defragsvc start= disabled

 

9. Optional: Move a partition in front of the system partition to enable automatic disk resizing

 

  1.  Boot the system in Rescue mode
  2.  Use gparted to move a partition in front of the system partition
  3.  Reboot

10. Install Idd drivers

  1. https://github.com/ge9/IddSampleDriver
  2. Download it from here: https://github.com/ge9/IddSampleDriver/releases
  3. Extract to C:\ (otherwise it will not work)
  4. Install the certificate (as root)
  5. Install the driver (right-click the .inf file and select Install)