How-To: Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard on FreeBSD via bhyve hypervisor

bhyve w2012 Thanks to this tutorial by user James Lodge, we can get Windows Server 2012 R2 running on a FreeBSD bhyve hypervisor. Follow the link below for the full instructions.

Before embarking its worth reviewing the requirements as running Windows on Bhyve does require a bit of work and not for the faint hearted. It also requires some pretty specific hardware requirements/features as Bhyve has been built form the ground up with modern hardware accelerated virtualisation features at the forefront leave all the legacy cruff in its wake.

Requirements:

FreeBSD Current 11 r288524 (minimum)

Kernel Modules

vmm.ko (Bhyve)

nmdm.ko (Null Modem)

if_tap.ko (tap network interface)

if_bridge.ko (bridge network interface)

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Installation ISO

An AutoUnattend.xml file

To automate the installation as there is no graphical console.

virtio Windows drivers

CPU Supporting EPT with Unrestricted Guest Feature

EPT was introduce by Intel in 2008 as part of the Nehalem family of processors but lacked the unrestricted guest feature until the release of Westmere in 2010. Without unrestricted guest you will not be able to boot via the UEFI ROM

7zip and cdrtools packages installed

Some spare time and patients