topic Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS in VMware Workstation Pro Discussions

Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

thiirane — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 20:42:43 GMT

Good Day!

Can someone please point me to the process for enabling my NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super on VMWare Workstation 15.5 running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. I have seen a variety of posts. It is very confusing. I am grateful for your time and assistance.

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

scott28tt — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 11:29:10 GMT

@thiirane

Moderator: Please try and create a thread in the area for the product used - moved to Workstation Pro Discussions (though you may be using Workstation Player)

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

ender_ — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 12:52:41 GMT

VMWare Workstation doesn't let you pass your physical GPU to the VM - the VMs can only use an emulated GPU.

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

thiirane — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 19:59:51 GMT

ok sorry about that.

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

thiirane — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 20:01:57 GMT

Can you please point me to documentation on "Emulated GPU. If you have a physical GPU, would it be used to run normally GPU intensive applications like AI?

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

scott28tt — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 20:14:50 GMT

@thiirane

This thread may help you understand how Workstation utilities a GPU: https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Workstation-Pro/GPU-not-recognized-utilized-in-Workstation-Pro-16/m-p/2819765

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

thiirane — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 21:52:28 GMT

Hi scott28tt,

Ok well this link suggests all you have to do is to disable Hyper V and you should be able to leverage the virtual GPU through the Physical CPU/GPU right? I wish there was more documentation on this specifically with some sort of test to demonstrate functionally of the virtual GPU.

Thanks for the link

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

scott28tt — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 08:43:25 GMT

@thiirane

It was the comments in that thread rather than the “fix” - there is no hard vGPU > pGPU linkage in Workstation.

Re: Enabling GPU for VMWare Workstation running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

wila — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 23:25:41 GMT

@thiirane wrote:

Can you please point me to documentation on "Emulated GPU. If you have a physical GPU, would it be used to run normally GPU intensive applications like AI?

Sadly you can't run any code directly on the virtual GPU from within your VM.
This means that a workload such as AI isn't going to work in a VMware Workstation VM.

You'll have to do that at the host, or use a virtualisation solution that can pass-through the GPU ( vSphere or KVM come to mind )

--
Wil