The installation process then begins with a QEMU command line:
qemu-img create -b windows7-base.qcow2 -f qcow2 vm1.qcow2 qemu-img create -b windows7-base.qcow2 -f qcow2 vm2.qcow2 Windows 7 Qcow2
Running Windows 7 in a Qcow2 virtual machine provides the perfect balance of functionality, storage efficiency, and advanced features. Whether you're creating a fresh installation, converting an existing VM, or migrating a physical machine, the Qcow2 format offers snapshot capabilities, thin provisioning, and excellent performance when properly configured with VirtIO drivers. The installation process then begins with a QEMU
qemu-img convert -f vmdk source.vmdk -O qcow2 destination.qcow2 converting an existing VM
When creating the image, use a larger cluster size for sequential workloads:
Ultimate Guide to Windows 7 qcow2: Virtualization, Installation, and Management