Windows 10 Arm Qcow2 (90% VALIDATED)

A typical command for running the ARM64 guest on an x86 or ARM host: raspiduino/waq: Run Windows 10 for ARM64 on QEMU - GitHub

What and hardware are you running (e.g., Ubuntu ARM64 server, M-series Mac)?

Note: After resizing, boot back into Windows and use the built-in tool to extend the main system partition into the newly created unallocated space. windows 10 arm qcow2

During Windows setup, you may be prompted to connect to a network. The default QEMU MAC address might cause issues with some AutoPilot-enrolled devices, triggering unwanted domain login prompts. Use a random MAC address instead by generating one and adding it to your NIC configuration.

Since Windows 10 takes up significant space, qcow2’s thin provisioning ensures the file only grows as you install applications, rather than taking up the full 64GB+ immediately. A typical command for running the ARM64 guest

→ Convert Qcow2 to raw (temporary):

qemu-img create -f qcow2 win10-arm64.qcow2 64G The default QEMU MAC address might cause issues

During Windows installation, when the installer asks where to install Windows, you must click "Load Driver" and browse to the VirtIO ISO (typically drive D:). Select the appropriate ARM64 driver for your storage controller.

Unlike standard x86 Windows, Microsoft does not provide a direct retail ISO for Windows 10 on ARM.

For most users, qcow2 is the sweet spot. If you need absolute raw I/O speed (e.g., database server), use raw but accept the fixed disk size.