✉️contact@dadesktop.co.uk
DaDesktop

Converting Legacy Boot to UEFI for Windows 10 Template

If you've got a DaDesktop machine you want to use with a GPU or other pass-through device, you'll need to convert it to UEFI boot first.

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

  1. Enable the defrag service
  2. Make the C: drive bootable
  3. Set C: drive as active
  4. Convert the system to UEFI
  5. Modify the KVM config to support UEFI
  6. Fix the DaDesktop BIOS boot option
  7. Upgrade VirtIO drivers
  8. Disable the defrag service
  9. Optional: move a partition in front of the system partition to support automatic disk resizing
     

1. Enable the Defrag Service

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator
  2. Execute:
    sc config defragsvc start= demand

2. Make the C: Drive Bootable

  1. In Command Prompt, run as administrator:

    bcdboot.exe c:\windows /s c:

3. Set the C: Drive as Active

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

4. Convert the System to UEFI

  1. In Command Prompt, run as administrator:
   mbr2gpt.exe /concver /allowFullOS

 

5. Modify the KVM Config to Support UEFI

  1. Log in via SSH to the ddnode
  2. Ensure you run the commands 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 then boot into the UEFI Shell
  3. Type "exit"
  4. Go to Boot Management (TODO: FINISH IT)
  5. F10 to save
  6. Exit BIOS
     

7. Upgrade VirtIO Drivers

Some templates may contain an outdated VGA driver, leading to issues like the inability to change screen resolution. To sort this out:

  1. On your desktop, download the latest version of the drivers from: 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 the Defrag Service

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator
  2. Execute:
    sc config defragsvc start= disabled

 

9. Optional: Move a Partition in Front of the System Partition to Support Automatic Disk Resizing

 

  1.  Boot the system into Rescue mode
  2.  Use GParted to move the 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 on c:\ (otherwise it will not work
  4. Install certificate (as root)
  5. Install the driver (right-click on the .inf file and Install)