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mine_diver

Member

Registered: 2024-03-18

Posts: 52

edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

Hello.

Recently I upgraded my system and found out that the regular OVMF_CODE.fd files were removed in favor of 4m versions.

However, 4m versions appear to not work with Windows 7 installation ISO. The "Starting Windows" animation just goes on infinitely,
and I've just confirmed that it's indeed the edk2-ovmf update that breaks the virtual machine by downgrading to the previous version
and trying to install the same virtual machine again.

Am I missing something? Or is this a bug and I should report it? Thanks.

progandy

Member

Registered: 2012-05-17

Posts: 5,263

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

Windows 7 requires the legacy CSM support that was removed in the new version. It still uses the BIOS graphics fallback mode. You can try some hacks and workarounds, but they are not really simple.

https://forums.mydigitallife.net/thread … csm.79551/
https://www.prime-expert.com/articles/a … thout-csm/ (no idea if that is safe to use)
https://wiki.freebsd.org/bhyve/Windows

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mine_diver

Member

Registered: 2024-03-18

Posts: 52

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

Windows 7 requires the legacy CSM support that was removed in the new version. It still uses the BIOS graphics fallback mode. You can try some hacks and workarounds, but they are not really simple.

Not sure what you’re talking about. I could and still can (after downgrading edk2-ovmf) use the regular OVMF_CODE.fd firmware (not CSM) with Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise x64 ISO.

Edit: well, I should probably specify that it works only if I change the number of vCPUs to 1 and remove all HyperV enlightenments from the VM's XML. But after that it does start and install. I can set vCPUs to any number I need after that.

Last edited by mine_diver (2024-11-09 20:55:24)

progandy

Member

Registered: 2012-05-17

Posts: 5,263

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

THe vbe shim may not have been a part of CSM, but put directly in the video driver for qemu. Still, it has been removed: https://github.com/tianocore/edk2/commi … fd6e1507ce

Last edited by progandy (2024-11-10 00:24:23)

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mine_diver

Member

Registered: 2024-03-18

Posts: 52

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

The guest os which depends on vbeshim for video support is -- according
to the comments -- Windows 2008 R2.  Which went EOL in January 2020,
more than four years ago.

Time to retire VbeShim.  RIP.

That's extremely unfortunate. What's the point of removing it anyway? Was there an issue with it? Am I now supposed to simply keep using an outdated version of the package?

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 990

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

I dare to go a step further: either stop using win7 or use virtualbox - or you could go the crazy ivan route and install some slower paced distro like opensuse and nest a vm on an older version in it
or to turn it upside down: what are you use win7 for? don't say old games - there's likely an easier way to get them running with wine instead of dealing with a win7 vm

progandy

Member

Registered: 2012-05-17

Posts: 5,263

Re: edk2-ovmf update broke Windows 7 virtualization

Another option would be to compile your own ovmf firmware with the patch added back in.

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