When configuring your VM disk settings in Proxmox or Virt-Manager, enable the Discard option. This allows Windows to pass TRIM commands down to the QCOW2 file, shrinking the file size on your host machine when files are deleted inside the VM.
Install the Guest Agent software from the VirtIO ISO. This service allows the host operating system to gracefully shut down, reboot, and properly freeze the file system of the Windows guest during backups. windows 10qcow2 download new
Since Microsoft does not officially provide qcow2 files, you must rely on community-maintained images or create your own. Here are the best sources for new/updated images in 2026: A. Community & Open Source Repositories (Recommended) When configuring your VM disk settings in Proxmox
Disclaimer: Ensure you have a valid Windows 10 license when running virtualized instances. If you'd like, I can: This service allows the host operating system to
qemu-img convert -f vhdx -O qcow2 Windows10.vhdx windows10.qcow2 Use code with caution.
Move your downloaded or converted windows10_new.qcow2 file onto your Proxmox host using an SFTP client like FileZilla.