# Windows Server 2025 Standard Evaluation

Validated private CloudStack KVM template remediated and promoted on 2026-08-12. This is an Evaluation image; no product key is included.

## Artifact

- File: `windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2`
- Format: standalone, uncompressed sparse QCOW2
- Architecture: x86_64
- Virtual disk: 50 GiB (53687091200 bytes)
- Exported file: 30193287168 bytes
- SHA-256: `222af56eba41ade187c2f24b659e46e2e747fd929f577d8523e80f6a4ce42115`
- Mirror URL: https://cloud-mirrors.noc.sh/windows-server-2025-evaluation/windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2
- Final CloudStack template UUID: `6d52a0ee-1452-4e9a-b967-1d9d48822ed5`
- Retained source ISO UUID: `3db010d4-7e6d-4c87-bb3f-68dd440849f2`

## CloudStack registration

Register privately with:

- Hypervisor: KVM
- Format: QCOW2
- OS type: Windows Server 2025
- HVM: Yes
- Password enabled: Yes
- SSH key enabled: No
- Public / Featured: No
- `keyboard=us`
- `kvm.guest.os.machine.type=pc-i440fx-8.0`
- `rootdisksize=50`
- `rootDiskController=sata`
- `guest.cpu.mode=host-model`

Do not add a UEFI detail. This validated image uses legacy BIOS. Host-model is mandatory: the effective CPU on the test host was `Skylake-Server-IBRS`; CloudStack's default `qemu64` lacks CPU features required by Windows Server 2025 and caused the earlier boot loop.

## Verification

```bash
sha256sum windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2
qemu-img check windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2
qemu-img info windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2
```

Expected SHA-256:

```text
222af56eba41ade187c2f24b659e46e2e747fd929f577d8523e80f6a4ce42115  windows-server-2025-evaluation.qcow2
```

Deploy a fresh Pro VM with an explicit password and do not interact with the console during first boot. Wait for OOBE and the delayed CloudStack password service. Validate Windows build 26100, QEMU Guest Agent, exact Administrator credential, RDP, WinRM disabled, reboot persistence, and absence of both Unattend files and `SetupComplete.cmd`.

The 2026-08-12 acceptance and canonical-import smoke tests passed. The remediation added only a self-deleting `SetupComplete.cmd` that removes `C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend.xml` and `C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\Unattend.xml` after OOBE; no Windows components were removed.