The result of this stripping process is an image that can be as small as 3GB to 6GB in installed size. More critically, the RAM footprint can be reduced to under 512MB in idle states. This efficiency makes Windows 7 Lite exceptionally suitable for containerization and nested virtualization where resources are at a premium.
To achieve the "best" result, one must move beyond simple ISO downloads and engage in image creation. The process involves three stages: Preparation, Installation, and Conversion. windows 7 lite qcow2 best
Download VirtIO drivers ISO from Fedora’s repo. Run the installer: The result of this stripping process is an
virt-install --name w7lite \
--ram 2048 \
--disk path=w7lite-base.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
--disk path= virtio-win.iso,device=cdrom \
--cdrom /path/to/windows7-lite.iso \
--os-variant win7 \
--graphics vnc