Installation of Windows Server 2025 guest fails to progress

[jessicawren]

Problem/Bug: Cannot install the Windows Server 2025 insider preview as a guest VM.

After booting from the ISO, the VM prints "Loading files...", shows the blue Windows logo, then hangs at that blue logo forever. When using EFI, it doesn't even get to the blue Windows logo, it just hangs at "VirtualBox" forever. Even after waiting an hour, no further progress is made during the install, so the VM must be powered off.

I know that VB doesn't officially support beta/preview Windows Server, so this ticket is more of a heads-up as there will be more forum complaints, etc. in the next few months (and VMware Workstation apparently does not have this issue, though I haven't tried it myself).

Host Details: VirtualBox 7.0.12 r159484 (Qt5.15.8.0)

Debian Linux 12.1

6.5.0-0.deb12.1-amd64 kernel

AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU with Radeon 780M graphics

All other Windows and Linux guest VMs work fine, including Windows 11.

Guest VM Details: Using the latest insider preview of Windows Server 2025 (vNext) as of 12.Dec.2023, build number 26010. The previous build from a month ago failed to install in the same way too.

I have tried many variations on EFI, TPM, chosen OS, CPUs, Secure Boot, PAE/NX, Nested VT-x/AMD-V, Nested Paging, Paravirtualization Interface, etc., but no luck.

Log file attached.

In the forums, a kind person looked at the log file and did not see an obvious issue. The forum moderator suggested I file a ticket.

[jessicawren]

VirtualBox log during the failed guest OS installation attempt.

[jessicawren]

A very helpful person in the forum (fth0) suggested turning hpet on and it worked!

Specifically, I created a fresh VM, chose Windows 11 as the OS, and, before the first boot attempt, ran: VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> --hpet on

There were bad screen artifacts during the installation, but I guess-clicked my way through, rebooted, and now the VM is running fine without any screen artifacts. Yay! Thanks fth0!

[fth0]

You're welcome, and thanks for reporting back! :)

[jessicawren]

Good news, with the latest build of Server 2025 (build 26080) as of March 21, 2024, it is no longer necessary to set HPET, the OS installs just fine using VBox 7.0.14. The extension installed fine too. This was tested on a Debian 13/Trixie host.