I’ve got Qubes OS up and running and I love it! But Qubes mostly comes with Linux distros and I wanted a Windows qube. The existing install instructions I found on forum.qubes-os.org were pretty good…but didn’t capture the whole experience, offer enough detail, and a few cases, had the steps slightly out of order that didn’t work for me. So, I’m creating this for anyone who wants to make a brand new Microsoft Windows 11 qube from the Windows install media, here’s what I did (your experience may vary):
You will need to get Windows 11 install media if you don’t have it already
I went to www.microsoft.com and downloaded the Windows install ISO media (it’s downloadable for free (Download Windows 11)) to my regular computer (or you can to another existing qube)
Note: Have your Windows activation key handy for the install. I had to purchase a 2nd Windows activation key for the Qubes VM even though I was installing it on the same Dell laptop that came with Windows. The Dell Windows 11 license doesn’t work in Qubes. You can purchase a Windows 11 license here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/windows-11-home for $139.
I plugged in an available USB key (needs to be 6GB or bigger)
You will need to format the USB key using ExFAT if you don’t have a USB key that will take a 5.0GB file (the FAT default can only hold 2GB/4GB files). I formatted it using Windows File Explorer.
Then I copied the Windows install media ISO to the newly formatted USB key
I inserted the Windows ISO USB key into Qubes computer USB slot
Followed these instructions to start with:How to install Windows qubes in Qubes OS | Qubes OS to create new Windows qube
I named my Windows qube Windowsvm during the creation
Follow these instructions to the point where you will boot on your USB ISO.
I could not get the Windows USB install media to boot in the new WindowsVM qube even though the USB ISO image booted just fine on my non-Qubes computers.
So I decided to copy the ISO file to an existing qube on my Qubes computer. I choose to use the Personal qube:
On Qubes, Using Qubes manager
I went into Settings on the Personal qube
I had to increase the Private storage max size from 2.0GB to 6.0 GB (you need more space for Windows ISO file).
Note: Although once you increase the size of a qube there can be issues shrinking it again after temporary use…so keep that in mind.
I started Personal qube in Qubes
I mounted the Windows ISO USB key to Personal qube
I used the File Manager app in the Personal qube to copy ISO to Personal /home/user
On the WindowsVM, I opened Settings and choose Advanced,“Boot qube from CDROM”, then choose “from file in qube” and point it to the ISO image on Personal qube and click on OK
Windows VM qubes will start automatically and Windows will begin to boot
At the first Windows install screen that asks you to select something, you have to modify the Windows registry to disable checks for the TPM chip (Qubes Xen doesn’t support TPM 2.0 yet), Secure Boot, and a RAM check. Follow these instructions before selecting any items or hitting ENTER to continue on the install screen. [The official Qubes-os.org instructions had this part too late in the install process. You need to do it as soon as you can.]
Hit Fn+Shift-F10 (or Shift-F10)…whatever works for you.
Type in regedt32.exe to start the registry editor.
Then move to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
Right-click Setup, choose New, Key, then create the key LabConfig
Right-click on LabConfig, choose New, DWORD (32-bit value), and type in BypassTPMCheck and set value = 1. Repeat twice more with BypassSecureBootCheck and BypassRAMCheck
Close the registry editor and console windows.
[Note: Microsoft can update their install procedures at anytime to invalidate these hack arounds]
When the install finishes, the WindowsVM qube will simply shutdown
Modify your WindowsVM qube settings to ensure you will have Internet connectivity to continue the install (if you don’t already).
Note: My Qube laptop’s wireless driver doesn’t work (yet), so I had to add my USB tethered Internet connection to my net-sys qube.
During the Windows install, Windows will shutdown the WindowsVM a handful of times. Each time Windows shutsdown the VM, just restart it.
This part of the install process can take a long time through many restarts.
But eventually the Windows install will start like regular, you will be prompted to type in various things and to click on many things. Choose whatever you want to finish the install.