To set up a fresh Windows 7 virtual machine, you generally follow these three steps:

qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 2048 -hda windows7.qcow2 -cdrom path_to_iso.iso -boot d Use code with caution. Tip: Use the -enable-kvm flag for near-native performance.

Qcow2 (QEMU Copy-On-Write version 2) allows you to run a legacy Windows 7 environment on modern Linux-based hosts with features like , which means the file only takes up space on your physical drive as data is actually written to it. Key Benefits of the qcow2 Format

: qcow2 files support transparent decompression and AES encryption, making them easier to transport and more secure. How to Create a Windows 7 qcow2 File

Windows 7 does not natively support the high-performance VirtIO drivers used by KVM. Windows 7.qcow2 - Google Groups