Windows 2016 Server

[Matt Churchyard]

>On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 08:07:13AM +0000, Matt Churchyard wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 03:21:10PM -0700, Peter Grehan wrote:
> > >> [Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file 
> > >> [D:\autounattend.xml] for pass [windowsPE]. The answer file is 
> > >> invalid.]
> > >
> > > Something is wrong with your autounattend.xml file.
> > 
> >   Still working on the 2k16 unattend file. Unfortunately things have 
> > changed from TP5 in a non-obvious way :(
> > 
> >   A workaround is to do a GUI install.
> > 
> > later,
> > 
> > Peter.
> 
> > Please explain what you mean by a GUI install.
> 
> Not sure if anyone's replied directly to you -
> 
> 1) Make sure you are running at least 11-RELEASE
> 
> 2) Use an "off-the-shelf" Windows install CD
> 
> 3) Add the following to your bhyve command
> 
>         -s 29,fbuf,tcp=0.0.0.0:5900,w=800,h=600,wait
>         -s 30,xhci,tablet
> 
> 4) Run bhyve and then use a VNC client to connect and install using 
> the normal Windows GUI
>

>Well all right did follow https://wiki.freebsd.org/bhyve/UEFI


>My next question is after the initial install is done, how do I followup on the next step , i.e. to see if the VM is booting.

As long as you have the fbuf device specified you can connect to the IP address of the bhyve host using VNC to view the "physical" guest console and watch it boot. Usually with Windows you'd then use the VNC console to log in and set up permanent RDP access.

One other issue is that Windows doesn't support the virtio-net network device by default.  The easiest way to get this working is to boot the guest with the virtio driver ISO attached instead of the Windows install disk (once Windows is installed and working). You can then install the driver for the network interface from the CD using the VNC console.

Depending on what you are doing you may find it easier to use something like iohyve/chyves/vm-bhyve/vmrc that handles all the raw bhyve commands for you.

Matt