Creating a Windows 10 VM in Unraid

Introduction

Running a Windows 10 VM in Unraid provides a full Windows environment for development, gaming, or server applications. This guide walks you through the process of setting up a Windows 10 VM using Unraid’s virtualization tools.

Steps

1. Enable Virtualization in Unraid

• Log in to Unraid Web UI (http://your-unraid-ip).
• Navigate to Settings > VM Manager.
• Set Enable VMs to Yes and click Apply.

2. Upload Windows 10 and VirtIO ISOs to Unraid

• Go to Shares > Open the isos share.
• Upload the Windows 10 ISO (Win10-XX.iso).
• Download the latest VirtIO drivers ISO from Fedora’s official website and upload it to the isos share.

3. Create a New Windows 10 VM

• Go to VMs > Click Add VM > Select Windows 10.
• Configure VM settings:
  • Autostart: Enable to start the VM automatically on boot.
  • Name: Windows10-VM
  • CPU Cores: At least 2 cores.
  • Memory: At least 4GB (4096MB).
  • BIOS Type: OVMF for UEFI or SeaBIOS for legacy boot.
  • Install ISO: Select the uploaded Windows 10 ISO.
  • Primary vDisk Size: At least 40GB.
  • vDisk Bus: VirtIO for best performance.
  • Graphics Card: VNC unless using GPU passthrough.
  • CD-ROM Device (VirtIO Drivers): Select the VirtIO drivers ISO from the isos share.
• Click Create.

4. Load VirtIO Drivers During Windows Installation

• When prompted for a disk during Windows installation, select Load Driver, navigate to the VirtIO drivers ISO, and install the necessary drivers.
• Storage Drivers: Go to viostor > w10 > amd64 and select the driver to allow Windows to detect the virtual disk.
• Network Drivers: Go to NetKVM > w10 > amd64 and install the driver to enable network connectivity.
• Balloon Drivers: Go to Balloon > w10 > amd64 and install to optimize memory management.

5. Complete Windows Installation and Enable RDP

• Continue with the Windows installation process.
• After installation is complete, ensure the VirtIO drivers ISO is still mounted.
• Open File Explorer inside the VM and verify all drivers were properly installed.
• Restart the VM to ensure all changes take effect.

• Enable Remote Desktop access:

  • Open Settings > System > Remote Desktop.
  • Toggle Enable Remote Desktop to On.
  • Allow connections from devices running any version of Remote Desktop.
  • Note the VM’s IP address for remote access.

• Continue with the Windows installation process.

• After installation is complete, ensure the VirtIO drivers ISO is still mounted.

• Open File Explorer inside the VM and verify all drivers were properly installed.

• Restart the VM to ensure all changes take effect.

6. Manage the VM

• Start/Stop: Use the VMs tab in Unraid.
• Adjust CPU/RAM: Edit VM settings as needed.
• Access via RDP:

  mstsc /v:vm-ip

Troubleshooting

• Windows doesn't detect the storage drive during installation: Ensure the VirtIO drivers ISO is mounted and manually load the storage driver.
• Network issues inside the VM: Install the VirtIO network drivers from the VirtIO drivers ISO.
• Performance issues: Enable VirtIO for disk and network, allocate sufficient RAM and CPU cores, and ensure ballooning is properly configured.
• GPU passthrough problems: Check if the GPU supports passthrough and ensure it's not bound to Unraid.

Conclusion

You have successfully created a Windows 10 VM in Unraid for testing, development, or gaming. 🚀

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Have questions? Drop a comment below!