How to install Qemu-guest-agent on Proxmox Windows VM

Posted in Windows Servers on Mar 18, 2020

The Qemu-guest-agent is a helper daemon, which is installed in the guest. It is used to exchange information between the host and guest, and to execute command in the guest.

In Proxmox VE, the Qemu-guest-agent is used for mainly two things:

To properly shutdown the guest, instead of relying on ACPI commands or windows policies
To check the server IP on console section (Public and private both IPs)

Installation

In installation of Qemu-Guest-agent we need to install Host and guest installer

Install Host Installer

Host insatller can be install via GUI or CLI both method

Via GUI-

You have to enable the guest-agent per VM, either set it in the GUI to "Yes" under options (see screenshot):

host Guest agent.png

or via CLI:

Run below mention command on server terminal

qm set VMID --agent 1

Install Guest Installer

First of all Install the agent with virtio-serial driver (download from rdp.serversctrl.com/ guestagent.zip)

Then install the virtio-serial driver:

Go to the windows Device Manager
Look for "PCI Simple Communications Controller"

1. Right Click -> Update Driver and select on the mounted iso in DRIVE:\vioserial\\ where is your Windows Version (e.g. 2k16 for Windows 2016)

After that, you have to install the Qemu-guest-agent:

Go to the vioserial (which you download) in explorer
Execute the installer with double click (either qemu-ga-x64.msi (64-bit) or qemu-ga-x86.msi (32-bit)

After that the Qemu-guest-agent should be up and running. You can validate this in the list of Window Services, or in a PowerShell with:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> Get-Service QEMU-GA

Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Running  QEMU-GA            QEMU Guest Agent

------------------------------------------------------EOD-----------------------------------------------------