Windows 8 Qcow2 High Quality -

-drive file=windows8.qcow2,if=virtio,format=qcow2,discard=unmap Use code with caution.

: You can create a complete copy of an existing VM with the virt-clone tool (e.g., virt-clone --original win8-original --name win8-clone --file /var/lib/libvirt/images/win8-clone.qcow2 ), which automatically generates new disk files, MAC address, and UUID for the clone.

: Since Windows 8.1 reached its end of support on January 10, 2023, it no longer receives security updates. This makes the QCOW2 format particularly useful because you can easily take snapshots before trying risky software or making system changes, allowing for an instant "undo" if something breaks. The "Windows 8 Experience" in a VM

Select the newly revealed unallocated space and proceed with the installation. Post-Installation Optimization for Windows 8 inside KVM

Confirm Spice Guest Tools or QEMU Guest Agent are installed within Windows 8 to handle memory ballooning and clean shutdowns. 3. Space Efficiency & Maintenance