> ⚠️ Please note This is a work in progress guide, created to crowdsource user experience about using Windows in Qubes, optionally with Qubes Windows Tools ("QWT"), following up on this github issue.

Contributing is easy: edit this wiki page (the edit/'pen' icon at the bottom of the post), copy the content of the "Template report" below between the [details=...] and [/details] tags (including those tags) and paste it in the relevant "Contributed user reports" Windows sections.

Detailed, specific notes about a given Windows/QWT combination (eg. very detailed installation instructions, workarounds, hints/tips, user workflow, ...) should be posted to a separate post with a "Guide" tag and linked to this wiki page: that way the post's author is free to use whatever layout and amount of information he/she sees fit; this also keeps relevant questions/answers threads contained in a post rather than in more "general" comments here.

The template below is meant to be improved ! It isn't exhaustive by any means and most of the fields aren't mandatory. It's OK to add a bit more "free text" when contributing a report to avoid having to create a dedicated post with only a few lines.

Please discuss non-trivial changes you'd like to make to the template before editing it.

Template report

[details="R4.x / Windows XXX / QWT XXX"]
@userxyz ; date: xx month year

Windows
- installed from scratch, or migrated from an older Qubes OS release ?
- build/iso [eg. '21H1', 'ameliorated 20H1', ...]
- disk space required by the installer [if known]
- ram used when installing [doesn't mean it is the required amount]
- ram usage after install [if known]
- disk space usage after install [if known]
- if display resolution was changed, does it work ?
- if audio was tested, does it work ?
- problems running the VM ?

QWT [optional]
- first installation or migration/re-installation over an older version ?
- installed just after windows' first boot, or after a full windows update ?

- features selected during installation if not the default choice (eg. Xen PV drivers).
- features removed during installation if not the default choice (eg. UAC).
- features that were tested to work (delete line that aren't relevant/not tested):

  - copy/paste between qubes
  - copy files between qubes
  - attaching devices to the qube
  - networking
  - time/clock synchronization
  - XEN PV disk driver
  - XEN PV network driver

  - user migration from `c:` to the qubes' private volume (to be able use the qubes as a TemplateVM).
- features that don't work (possibly with workarounds): ...

Summary / notes (if any):

Link to a specific post - if any: ... (free form post: it could have detailed instructions, known issues, workarounds, hints/tips, description of the author's workflow, productivity tips, ...)

[/details]

General resources

Obtaining Windows

Windows ISOs can be downloaded directly from Microsoft (eg. here for Win10).

Unofficial "debloated" ISOs from projects like reviOS or ameliorated can be found over the net, although obviously you should consider them even "unsafer" than MS provided ISOs. Alternatively, one could download an official ISO and run scripts/apply patches before installation. Some of the "tweaks" might end up being too much depending on the qube's planned usage though (eg. no appx functionality in ameliorated windows - so the installation of Windows Store apps is impossible, even with powershell).

Installing Windows

Simple Windows install (gui based): follow the steps under "Installation procedure" in this community guide (TODO: the guide should be updated, the "works"/"doesn't work" sections are outdated because QWT now works on R4.x).

Alternatively, on R4.0 you may use @elliotkillick's qvm-create-windows-qube scripts. R4.1 support is unknown (see this issue).

Don't forget to qvm-clone your qubes from times to times. Windows being Windows, it's easy to do something that renders your windows qube unusable (eg. BSOD, boot loop, ...).

Known issues: - Recent versions of Windows won't show the cdrom drive after starting the qube with qvm-start vm --cdrom ... (or using the gui). The solution is to disable hibernation in Windows with powercfg -H off (that command is included in QWT's setup but it's necessary to run it manually in order to be able to open QWT's setup iso/cdrom in Windows).

QWT

Getting and installing: QWT works on Qubes OS R4.x thanks to the great work of @jevank et al. There are no binaries yet (though this should change) so it has to be built; the process is straightforward and doesn't take much time - just copy/paste the instructions.

Note: when installing XEN PV drivers, XEN's drivers setup will ask to restart the system: choose "restart later" to allow QWT installer to complete the installation.

QWT main features: - copy/paste between qubes - copy files between qubes - attaching devices to the qube - automatically set up networking - automatically set up time/clock synchronization - XEN PV drivers (some of them optional) - optional user migration from c: to the qubes' private volume (to be able use the qubes as a TemplateVM).

QWT changelog/commits are here

Post-install best practices

Optimize resources for use in virtual machine as "vanilla" version of Windows are bloated; eg:

• set up Windows for best performance (this pc -> advanced settings -> ...)
• think about Windows' page file: is it needed ? should you set it with a fixed size ? maybe on the private volume ?
• investigate "debloat" scripts ; eg. this, this, this, etc.
• disable services you don't need
• disable networking stuff in the network adapter's setting (eg. link discovery, file and print server, ...)
• background: set a solid color
• ...

Try to also install QWT with the XEN PV disk and network drivers ticked (again, don't forget to clone your qube before).

Contributed user reports

Windows 7

(placeholder)

Windows 10

[details="R4.1 / Windows 21H2 / QWT master 2022-02-12"] @taradiddles; date: 20 Feb 2022

Windows: - installed from scratch - build/iso: 21H2, downloaded from Microsoft - ram used when installing: 4GB - ram usage after install: 1.1GB - disk space usage after install: 12GB

QWT: - first installation - installed just after windows' first boot - features selected during installation: Xen PV drivers

• features that were tested to work (delete line that aren't relevant/not tested):

• copy/paste between qubes

• copy files between qubes
• attaching devices to the qube
• networking
• time/clock synchronization
• XEN PV disk driver
• XEN PV network driver
• features that don't work:
• user migration from c: to the qubes' private volume
• attached block devices (USB or loopback devices) don't show up

Summary / notes: "vanilla" windows really feels sluggish, it then takes a lot of time and patience to remove bloatware and optimize the vm to make it usable.

[/details]

[details="R4.1 / Windows AME 21H1 / QWT master 2022-02-12)"] @taradiddles / 12 Feb 2022

Windows: - installed from scratch - build/iso: ameliorated 21H1 (downloaded ISO). - disk space required by the installer: min is 16GB, I've set it to 20GB - ram usage after install: <1GB - windows update status: disabled

QWT: - first installation - installed just after windows' first boot (windows AME has windows update disabled anyway). - features selected during installation: Xen PV drivers - features that were tested to work: - copy/paste between qubes - copy files between qubes - attaching devices to the qube (attached a USB device ; however there is no 'eject' functionality, maybe because of AME tweaks, so I have to make sure data is sync'ed before detaching). - networking - time/clock synchronization - XEN PV drivers

• features that don't work (possibly with workarounds): ...

• user migration: the profile on c: wasn't migrated (again, maybe because of AME tweaks).

Summary: windows AME is really snappy and works well so far but it lacks features like appx (windows store) that could make it a no-go for some. [/details]

Windows 11

(placeholder)