The cache setting in QEMU dictates how data flows between the guest RAM, the host page cache, and the physical disk. For QCOW2, the choice is critical.
Running Windows XP in 2026 often means doing so within a virtualized environment for legacy software support, hardware emulation, or testing purposes. When using KVM/QEMU, the QCOW2 (QEMU Copy On Write) format is the standard for managing disk images. However, getting peak performance—what we will call the "top" performance—from an operating system designed in 2001 requires specific tuning. windows+xpqcow2+top
Temporary trick: Attach a tiny, dummy QCOW2 drive to the VM as a VirtIO device while keeping your main OS drive as IDE. The cache setting in QEMU dictates how data
"Top Tips for Optimizing Your Virtual Machines Running on QEMU" When using KVM/QEMU, the QCOW2 (QEMU Copy On
You can query QEMU’s own “top” statistics via the monitor socket: