Windows 11 KVM Guest hangs on install in Fedora 37

Question

I'm trying to install a Windows 11 guest in KVM in Fedora 37. I've installed KVM and its associated utilities with sudo dnf install --refresh @virtualization.

I've dowloaded the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's official site. I've also downloaded the virtio drivers.

I've created a VM using the following steps:

1. Launch the Virtual Machine Manager application
2. Click the "New VM" button in the top left
3. Select "Local Install Media" and input the path to the Windows 11 ISO downloaded from above
4. Select "Forward", use the default CPU and RAM settings (4 cores, 8192 MB RAM)
5. Select "Forward", use the default hard disk settings (128 GiB)
6. Select "Forward", check the "Customize configuration before install" option and hit "Finish"
7. Under "Overview", set the firmware to UEFI x86_64: /usr/share/edk2/ovmf/OVMF_CODE.secboot.fd
8. Hit "Add Hardware"
   • Select "Storage"
   • Set device type to CDROM
   • Add the path to the virtio ISO downloaded above
   • Hit "Finish"
9. Under "Boot options"
   • Check the checkbox by SATA CDROM 1 to enable it
   • Move SATA CDROM 1 to the top of the boot order
10. Under TPM
    • Expand "Advanced options"
    • Set "Version" to "2.0"
11. Hit "Begin installation" in the top left

Then what happens is that the window for the guest opens, and displays "Press any key to boot from the CD/DVD". However, after I hit a key, it hangs on this screen

I don't really see any errors in dmesg or journalctl. journalctl logs follow:

Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora systemd-machined[904]: New machine qemu-15-win11.
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora systemd[1]: Started machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope - Virtual Machine qemu-15-win11.
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora systemd[1]: Starting NetworkManager-dispatcher.service - Network Manager Script Dispatcher Service...
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora systemd[1]: Started NetworkManager-dispatcher.service - Network Manager Script Dispatcher Service.
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora NetworkManager[996]: <info>  [1679853810.5014] device (vnet14): state change: ip-check -> secondaries (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'external')
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora NetworkManager[996]: <info>  [1679853810.5018] device (vnet14): state change: secondaries -> activated (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'external')
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora NetworkManager[996]: <info>  [1679853810.5026] device (vnet14): Activation: successful, device activated.
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=125 op=LOAD
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=deny vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=all exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/null" rdev=01:03 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/full" rdev=01:07 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/zero" rdev=01:05 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/random" rdev=01:08 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/urandom" rdev=01:09 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/ptmx" rdev=05:02 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=path path="/dev/kvm" rdev=0A:E8 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=cgroup reason=allow vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 cgroup="/sys/fs/cgroup/machine.slice/machine-qemu\x2d15\x2dwin11.scope/" class=major category=pty maj=88 acl=rw exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:30 fedora systemd[1]: iscsi.service: Unit cannot be reloaded because it is inactive.
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=disk reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-disk="?" new-disk="/var/lib/libvirt/images/win11-1.qcow2" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=disk reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-disk="?" new-disk="/home/quanticle/Downloads/Win11_22H2_English_x64v1.iso" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=disk reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-disk="?" new-disk="/home/quanticle/Downloads/virtio-win-0.1.229.iso" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=net reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-net="?" new-net="52:54:00:96:29:9d" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=dev reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 bus=usb device=555342207265646972646576 exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=dev reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 bus=usb device=555342207265646972646576 exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=chardev reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-chardev="?" new-chardev="/dev/pts/3" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=tpm-emulator reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 device="/run/libvirt/qemu/swtpm/15-win11-swtpm.sock" exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=mem reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-mem=0 new-mem=8388608 exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_RESOURCE pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm resrc=vcpu reason=start vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 old-vcpu=0 new-vcpu=4 exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:31 fedora audit[5448]: VIRT_CONTROL pid=5448 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:virtd_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='virt=kvm op=start reason=booted vm="win11" uuid=3778adb0-2df3-4234-b548-4b4efbd04fd2 vm-pid=29758 exe="/usr/sbin/virtqemud" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:03:32 fedora avahi-daemon[885]: Joining mDNS multicast group on interface vnet14.IPv6 with address fe80::fc54:ff:fe96:299d.
Mar 26 13:03:32 fedora avahi-daemon[885]: New relevant interface vnet14.IPv6 for mDNS.
Mar 26 13:03:32 fedora avahi-daemon[885]: Registering new address record for fe80::fc54:ff:fe96:299d on vnet14.*.
Mar 26 13:03:32 fedora kernel: virbr0: port 1(vnet14) entered learning state
Mar 26 13:03:34 fedora kernel: virbr0: port 1(vnet14) entered forwarding state
Mar 26 13:03:34 fedora kernel: virbr0: topology change detected, propagating
Mar 26 13:03:34 fedora NetworkManager[996]: <info>  [1679853814.4977] device (virbr0): carrier: link connected
Mar 26 13:03:40 fedora systemd[1]: NetworkManager-dispatcher.service: Deactivated successfully.
Mar 26 13:03:40 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=NetworkManager-dispatcher comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:04:02 fedora systemd[1719]: Starting tracker-extract-3.service - Tracker metadata extractor...
Mar 26 13:04:02 fedora systemd[1719]: Started tracker-extract-3.service - Tracker metadata extractor.
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=126 op=LOAD
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=127 op=LOAD
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=128 op=LOAD
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora systemd[1]: Starting systemd-hostnamed.service - Hostname Service...
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora systemd[1]: Started systemd-hostnamed.service - Hostname Service.
Mar 26 13:04:43 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=systemd-hostnamed comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:05:13 fedora systemd[1]: systemd-hostnamed.service: Deactivated successfully.
Mar 26 13:05:13 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=systemd-hostnamed comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:05:13 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=128 op=UNLOAD
Mar 26 13:05:13 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=127 op=UNLOAD
Mar 26 13:05:13 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=126 op=UNLOAD
Mar 26 13:07:16 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=129 op=LOAD
Mar 26 13:07:16 fedora systemd[1]: Starting fprintd.service - Fingerprint Authentication Daemon...
Mar 26 13:07:16 fedora systemd[1]: Started fprintd.service - Fingerprint Authentication Daemon.
Mar 26 13:07:16 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=fprintd comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora audit[31273]: USER_AUTH pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=pam_usertype,pam_localuser,pam_unix acct="quanticle" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora audit[31273]: USER_ACCT pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:accounting grantors=pam_unix,pam_localuser acct="quanticle" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora audit[31273]: USER_CMD pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='cwd="/home/quanticle/Downloads" cmd="journalctl" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" terminal=pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora sudo[31273]: quanticle : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/home/quanticle/Downloads ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/journalctl
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora audit[31273]: CRED_REFR pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:setcred grantors=pam_localuser,pam_unix acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora sudo[31273]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=1000)
Mar 26 13:07:19 fedora audit[31273]: USER_START pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:session_open grantors=pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_systemd,pam_unix acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:46 fedora systemd[1]: fprintd.service: Deactivated successfully.
Mar 26 13:07:46 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=fprintd comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Mar 26 13:07:46 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=129 op=UNLOAD
Mar 26 13:08:49 fedora sudo[31273]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Mar 26 13:08:49 fedora audit[31273]: USER_END pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:session_close grantors=pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_systemd,pam_unix acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:08:49 fedora audit[31273]: CRED_DISP pid=31273 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:setcred grantors=pam_localuser,pam_unix acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora audit[31344]: USER_ACCT pid=31344 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:accounting grantors=pam_unix,pam_localuser acct="quanticle" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora audit[31344]: USER_CMD pid=31344 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='cwd="/home/quanticle" cmd="journalctl" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" terminal=pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora audit[31344]: CRED_REFR pid=31344 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:setcred grantors=pam_env,pam_fprintd acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora sudo[31344]: quanticle : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/home/quanticle ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/journalctl
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora audit[31344]: USER_START pid=31344 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=3 subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 msg='op=PAM:session_open grantors=pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_keyinit,pam_limits,pam_systemd,pam_unix acct="root" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/0 res=success'
Mar 26 13:09:04 fedora sudo[31344]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=1000)

I'm not really sure where to go from here. There aren't any obvious errors, but Windows is failing to boot.

Answer 1

After some hours of testing multiple solutions, I found one which is working for me which I would like to share:

Multiple people reported on GitHub here, that under Fedora 37, not the right secure boot -file is used. There is a different directory /usr/share/edk2/ovmf-4m/ which contains the 4m versions.

Step by step:

1. Open your XML virsh edit your-name-of-the-vm
2. Edit the line <loader readonly='yes' secure='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/edk2/ovmf-4m/OVMF_CODE.secboot.fd</loader> to the ovmf-4m path
3. Copy the UEFI Vars for the 4M file

e.q. XML: <nvram>/home/myuser/.config/libvirt/qemu/nvram/win11_VARS.fd</nvram>

Copy the file:

cp /usr/share/edk2/ovmf-4m/OVMF_VARS.secboot.fd /home/myuser/.config/libvirt/qemu/nvram/win11_VARS.fd

4. Start your VM

If this still does not work (like for me) i've downloaded the latest debian package, extracted the OVMF_CODE_4M.secboot.fd file, saved it to my home directory and edited the XML with this UEFI file. Afterward, I copied the OVMF_VARS_4M.fd into the <nvram> location (step 3).

Hope this helps someone out there.

Answer 2

downgrading ovmf does the trick for me, with:

sudo dnf downgrade edk2-ovmf

Answer 3

Not enough reputation to comment: What is the CPU topologie? Setting up that one wrong caused me a lot of trouble in the shape of HORRIBLY bad performance. SO I heavily recommend setting that manually:
allocation = total threads
Sockets = CPU sockets if this does not mean anything to you set it to 1 most mainboards only have one. Only some servers or workstation boards have mutliple.
Cores = cores, not threads important
Threads = threads per core, so again typical consumer CPUs 1 or 2. The safest choice is 1 but you will leave performance on the table if your CPU support Hyperthreading or a similar technology