CompileNix's Blog - Switch the storage controller type of the Windows boot drive

This applies to QEMU/KVM, VMware, Hyper-V and physical systems; just replace the drivers with the appropiate drivers of your storage controller.

• Configure the VM with the "VirtIO SCSI" storage controller.
• Create a new small disk and connect it to the VM using SCSI.
• Switch the Windows boot disk connection to IDE.
• Start Windows and get you something to drink, because you have forgotten how slow IDE is 😉.
• Logon and install the VirtIO drivers, which you can download from fedorapeople.org.
• Run an elevated command prompt -> cmd.exe and enable safe mode.

  bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal

• Reboot
• When you arived in windows safe mode you try to find and initialize the previously created small disk.
  If you're unabe to find the disk try installing the "vioscsi" driver and retry.
• Run an elevated command prompt -> cmd.exe and disable safe mode.

  bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot

• Shutdown the VM and switch the Windows boot disk connection from IDE to SCSI (using the VirtIO SCSI Controller).
• Reboot
• Profit!