Inside Windows: Run Defragment and Optimize Drives -> Optimize (This allows the guest to mark free space).
On Linux Host: Shut down the VM and run: Windows 10.qcow2
Using QEMU directly:
Virtualization has changed the way developers, IT professionals, and power users interact with operating systems. While VirtualBox and VMware are popular choices, the open-source powerhouse QEMU (Quick Emulator) combined with KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) offers near-native performance on Linux systems. At the heart of this setup lies a specific file type: Windows 10.qcow2 . Inside Windows: Run Defragment and Optimize Drives ->