Windows Host in OmniOS bhyve Zone

Install a Windows host in an OmniOS bhyve-branded zone

Get your Windows iso and a virtio drivers iso and store them inside the global zone. The virtio drivers will be needed for Windows to recognize the disks during install.

The virtio drivers can be downloaded from https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/stable-virtio/

> ls /rpool/iso
windows_install.iso
virtio_win.iso

Create a new ZFS volume for the Windows guest:

> pfexec zfs create -V 150G vpool/windows0

Create a new root directory for the bhyve zone that will act as host:

> pfexec zfs create rpool/zone/windows0

(Optional) Create a new virtual network interface for the guest. If this step is skipped check man zonecfg for the appropiate setting for the ip-type property later.

> pfexec dladm create-vnic -l e1000g0 windows0

Configure the zone:

> pfexec zonecfg -z windows0
create -b
set brand=bhyve
set zonepath=/zone/windows0
set ip-type=exclusive
add net
    set physical=bhyve0
end
add device
    set match=/dev/zvol/rdsk/vpool/windows0
end
add attr
    set name=bootdisk
    set type=string
    set value=vpool/windows0
end
add fs
    set dir=/rpool/iso/windows_install.iso
    set special=/rpool/iso/windows_install.iso
    set type=lofs
    add options ro
    add options nodevices
end
add attr
    set name=cdrom0
    set type=string
    set value=/rpool/iso/windows_install.iso
end
add fs
    set dir=/rpool/iso/virtio_win.iso
    set special=/rpool/iso/virtio_win.iso
    set type=lofs
    add options ro
    add options nodevices
end
add attr
    set name=cdrom1
    set type=string
    set value=/rpool/iso/virtio_win.iso
end
add attr
    set name=acpi
    set type=string
    set value=off
end
add attr
    set name=bootrom
    set type=string
    set value=BHYVE_RELEASE
end
add attr
    set name=vnc
    set type=string
    set value="unix=/tmp/vm.vnc,password=windows0"
end
add attr
    set name=vcpus
    set type=string
    set value="sockets=1,cores=8"
end
add attr
    set name=ram
    set type=string
    set value=16G
end
add attr
    set name=type
    set type=string
    set value=windows
end
add attr
    set name=extra
    set type=string
    set value="-w"
end
verify
commit
exit

Check also the example from the OmniOS documentation, man zonecfg, man bhyve and man -s 7 bhyve. In my case I want DHCP configuration for the zone interface, so I leave the allowed-address property under net unset. I also use the built-in VNC client in MacOS which requires a password to connect so I set a dummy one. set value=on can be used otherwise.

Install the zone:

> pfexec zoneadm -z windows0 install

And boot it. To access the graphical installer using the VNC client we must attach the created UNIX socket to a TCP port. The Windows installer has the "Press any key to boot..." prompt, and if no key is pressed in a few seconds the machine will go on to attempt network boot and finally fall to an UEFI shell. Therefore it is recommended to forward & connect to the socket as soon as the machine is booted. To get out of the UEFI shell and reboot type reset.

> pfexec zoneadm -z windows0 boot && pfexec /usr/lib/brand/bhyve/socat /zone/windows0/root/tmp/vm.vnc 5905

Connect immediately to vnc://${your_omnios_host}:5905 and proceed with the install. You will have to load the drivers manually from the virtio ISO using the built-in dialog that will pop-up.

The zoneadm tools for powering down the machine such as zoneadm -z windows0 halt do not work for me in bhyve zones. If you need to reboot the machine you can do:

> ps -A | grep bhyve
10680 ?          31:09 bhyve
> pfexec kill -9 10680
> zonecfg -z windows0 boot

If you have several bhyve zones running you can use pwdx to check which one is running inside the Windows zone:

> ps -A | grep bhyve
10680 ?          31:09 bhyve
12342 ?          11:59 bhyve
> pfexec pwdx 10680
10680:  /zone/windows0/root

After the installation has completed log into the new system, install the remaining virtio drivers from the ISO using the available installer package and optionally enable RDP to access the machine remotely.

Then the ISOs can be removed from the zone configuration. I will leave the VNC configuration (just not exposed using socat) to be able to access the host if the RDP service fails.

> pfexec zonecfg -z windows0
remove attr name=cdrom0
remove attr name=cdrom1
remove fs
verify
commit
exit

To also remove the VNC configuration you can add this to the steps above:

select attr name=vnc
    set value=off
end

These settings work for me in OmniOS r151046 with Windows Server 2019 guests.

pilonsi/windows-host-omnios-bhyve-zone.md

Install a Windows host in an OmniOS bhyve-branded zone