Configure Your Windows Server for the BYOI API in QCOW2 – Support Guides

Learn how to set up your Windows virtual machine for compatibility with the BYOI API in QCOW2.

BYOI stands for Bring Your Own Image this is a common method for customers to bring their own pre-configured cloud-init capable ISO provided in QCOW2 or raw format to the OVHcloud environment.

Requirements

virtual software capable of running a Windows server (Virtual Box, VMware Workstation, etc.)
qemu-img for Windows or Linux
a Bare Metal Server
Cloudbase-Init Installer

Instructions

Set up your virtual environment

Mount your Windows Server installation via your virtualization software and configure the virtual hardware to fit your needs.

Once configured and booted, you can install Windows updates, configure SSH, etc.

Create your image

Download Cloudbase-Init, open the setup wizard, and click Next.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI01*.png

Accept ☑ the License Agreement and click Next.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI02*.png

Select your installation preferences and click Next.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI03*.png

Choose a username, check the box ☑ to enable the Cloudbase-Init service to run as LocalSystem, and click Next.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI04*.png

Select Install on the next screen.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI05*.png

Check the boxes ☑ to Run Sysprep to create a generalized image and to Shutdown when Sysprep terminates, then click Finish.

DS_serverMgmt_windowsQcowAPI06*.png

Convert your image

Once your VM has shut down, you can use qemu-img - a powerful and simple tool - to convert your image to QCOW2 format.

Click each tab for your operating system.

Download qemu-img using this link.
Open PowerShell and navigate to the qemu-img.exe.
We recommend copying an extract of the qemu-img download contents to the directory of the source image.
```
qemu-img -h
```

Convert your source image to dest.qcow2 using the command below, where -O is the output format.
```
qemu-img.exe convert source.vmdk -O qcow2 dest.qcow2
```

Download qemu-img using the following command:
```
apt install qemu
```

We recommend copying an extract of the qemu-img download contents to the directory of the source image.
```
qemu-img --help
```

Convert your source image to dest.qcow2 using the command below, where -O is the output format.
```
qemu-img.exe convert source.vmdk -O qcow2 dest.qcow2
```

After converting your image, you are now ready to self-host and use BYOI to install via the link. More information can be found in this guide.

Go further

For more information and tutorials, please see our other Dedicated Servers support guides or explore the guides for other OVHcloud products and services.

Other resources: