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Open a terminal and run:
qemu-img create -f qcow2 win10-arm64.qcow2 64G
Explanation: Creates a 64GB thin-provisioned QCOW2 file. The -f qcow2 flag ensures the QCOW2 format.
Windows 10 on ARM is not Windows RT (the ill-fated version from 2012). It is a full, complete version of Windows 10 built to run on ARM64 processors. It includes an emulation layer (WOW64) that allows it to run traditional x86 (32-bit) applications and, in later updates, x64 (64-bit) apps.
Key features:
We will focus on the most common scenario: running Windows 10 ARM on a Mac with Apple Silicon using UTM (a user-friendly QEMU frontend).
qemu-system-aarch64 -nographic -serial mon:stdio -drive file=win10-arm64.qcow2,if=virtio ...
Add -vnc :1 for remote desktop.
Using qcow2 with Windows 10 ARM combines the flexibility of snapshots and space-efficient images with the realities of ARM-specific driver and emulation constraints. It’s ideal for experimentation, testing, and iterative development—just be prepared to tune images, drivers, and host acceleration for acceptable performance.
The flickering fluorescent lights of the server room hummed a low, mocking tune as Elias stared at the terminal. On his desk sat a rare, experimental ARM-based server—a sleek silver beast that promised the future but, for the last six hours, had delivered only frustration.
His mission was simple on paper: virtualize a legacy Windows 10 environment on this ARM architecture using a windows 10 arm qcow2
disk image. In practice, it was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole while the peg was actively trying to rewrite its own physics.
"Come on," Elias whispered, his thumb hovering over the Enter key. He had spent the afternoon tweaking the QEMU parameters, meticulously mapping the UEFI firmware and ensuring the virtio drivers were injected into the image. He executed the command:
Running Windows 10 on ARM using QEMU and qcow2
Windows 10 on ARM is a version of the operating system designed for devices with ARM-based processors, such as many modern smartphones and tablets. While it's not as widely used as the x86 version, it has its own set of advantages and use cases. One way to run Windows 10 on ARM is by using QEMU, an open-source emulator, and storing the image in qcow2 format.
What is qcow2?
qcow2 is a virtual disk image format used by QEMU. It's a versatile and efficient format that supports various features like compression, encryption, and snapshots. qcow2 is widely used in virtualization environments, including cloud computing and embedded systems.
Prerequisites
To run Windows 10 on ARM using QEMU and qcow2, you'll need: Open a terminal and run: qemu-img create -f
Step-by-Step Guide
qemu-img create -f qcow2 windows10_arm.qcow2 20G
This will create a 20GB qcow2 image.
3. Install Windows 10 on ARM: Install Windows 10 on ARM on the qcow2 image using the qemu-system-arm command:
qemu-system-arm -M virt -cpu cortex-a15 -m 2048 -vnc :0 -device virtio-blk-device,drive=hd0 -drive id=hd0,file=windows10_arm.qcow2,format=qcow2 -cdrom windows10_arm.iso
Replace windows10_arm.iso with the path to your Windows 10 on ARM installation ISO.
4. Boot Windows 10 on ARM: Once the installation is complete, you can boot Windows 10 on ARM using the following command:
qemu-system-arm -M virt -cpu cortex-a15 -m 2048 -vnc :0 -device virtio-blk-device,drive=hd0 -drive id=hd0,file=windows10_arm.qcow2,format=qcow2
This will start the virtual machine and display the Windows 10 on ARM desktop.
Tips and Variations
By following these steps, you can run Windows 10 on ARM using QEMU and qcow2. This can be useful for testing and development purposes, or for running Windows 10 on ARM on devices that don't natively support it.
To draft a feature for Windows 10 on ARM using a QCOW2 image
, you should focus on implementing a virtualization environment—typically through —that supports the ARM64 architecture. 1. Image Preparation Explanation: Creates a 64GB thin-provisioned QCOW2 file
The primary technical requirement is creating or obtaining a compatible virtual disk image: Create Disk: qemu-img create -f qcow2 win10_arm.qcow2 80G to initialize a 64-bit ARM-compatible disk. Source ISO:
You must use a specific ARM64 version of Windows 10 (Build 21390 or higher is recommended to avoid BSOD errors). 2. Virtual Hardware Requirements
To successfully boot Windows 10 on ARM, your feature must emulate a specific set of hardware components: CPU & Machine: Cortex A57 or higher using the machine type. QEMU_EFI.fd
(TianoCore EDKII) for UEFI support, as ARM Windows requires UEFI to boot. VirtIO drivers
to handle disk I/O and networking, as the standard Windows installer often lacks native ARM drivers for virtualized hardware. Setting up a Windows 10 VM with QEmu on Ubuntu 22.04
The "story" of Windows 10 on ARM and the QCOW2 format is a saga of enthusiasts and developers pushing hardware beyond its intended limits—specifically to run Windows on everything from Android phones to M1 Macs. 1. The Quest for Portability
For years, the dream was to run a "real" desktop OS on a pocket-sized device. When Microsoft released Windows 10 on ARM, it didn't just target laptops like the Surface Pro X; it inadvertently gave hobbyists the perfect tool to experiment on non-PC hardware. 2. The File Format Bridge: VHDX to QCOW2
The official distribution of Windows 10 ARM was often a VHDX (Virtual Hard Disk) file intended for Microsoft's Hyper-V. However, the open-source community relied on QEMU and the QCOW2 (QEMU Copy-On-Write) format to achieve its goals.
The Conversion: Users found they had to use tools like qemu-img to convert the "fabled" VHDX into a QCOW2 file.
Why QCOW2?: It supports snapshots and "Copy on Write", meaning modifications are stored in a separate layer, keeping the original image intact and saving space on mobile devices with limited storage. 3. Key Milestones in the "Story"