virtiofs-guide

Guide for using virtiofs to share a filesystem from a Linux host to a Windows guest.

No video guide

kyle is fat

This guide goes through setting up virtiofs to share files to a Windows guest. Also possible with Linux guests but this guide only covers Windows.

Contents:

1: Configure in Virtual Machine Manager

2: Install required guest software

3: Install virtio sotrage drivers

4: Manually enable and start Virtio-FS Service

5: Mounting an existing folder to your shared folder

6: Speed

Step 1: Configure in Virtual Machine Manager

Enable Shared Memory and Apply

Go to Add Hardware > Filesystem Open XML tab and paste in this (You might have to enable XML Editing)

        <filesystem type='mount' accessmode='passthrough'>
          <driver type='virtiofs' queue='1024'/>
          <source dir='/Path-to-Source'/>
          <target dir='share-name-in-guest'/>
        </filesystem>

Press Finish

Step 2: Install required guest software

Download and install virtio guest tools

latest download: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/latest-virtio/virtio-win-guest-tools.exe

You may need to reboot

Download and install WinFsp

latest download: https://github.com/billziss-gh/winfsp/releases/latest

Step 3: Install virtio storage drivers

!!!!ONLY IF You dont have virtio storage drivers already installed!!!!

If the drivers are already installed then skip to step 4

Download latest virtio-win ISO: https://fedorapeople.org/groups/virt/virtio-win/direct-downloads/stable-virtio/virtio-win.iso

Mount ISO in Windows:

Open Device Manager > Other Devices > Right click 'Mass Storage Controller' > Update Driver

Click 'Browse my computer for drivers' then 'Browse'

Pick your mounted ISO and click OK

Windows should install drivers, click Close

(You might want to install drivers for any other virtio devices)

Step 4: Manually enable and start Virtio-FS Service

Open 'Run' (Windows Key + R) and run 'Services.msc'

Scroll down to 'Virtio-FS Service' > Open properties

Set 'Startup type' to Automatic and press 'Start' then 'Apply'

Reboot

You should be able to open your Host Z: drive in Windows

If you can't then make sure VirtIO-FS Services is running

Step 5 (Extra): Mounting an existing folder to your shared folder

This is useful for adding other filesystems that aren't already in your shared folder

mkdir NAME

sudo mount -o bind /SOURCE /DEST

UNMOUNT using

sudo umount /DEST

6: SPEED:

Warning that using this method and virtiofs is SLOW, you will NOT get high speeds

Speed comparison of a Gen 3 NVMe SSD to it passed through with virtiofs:

Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/comments/wpw1bj/how_do_i_setup_file_sharing_between_my_hostarch/

https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg02246.html

with help from insomdx#6835