Using host PCI hardware in Windows XP guest

[KK911]

Hello,

In the past I used VMWare Player and Workstation to run obsolete software packages on the newer OS.

This time I have a need to run Windows XP on Windows 10 host and be able to add PCI I/O cards to VM.
At this point I am curios if I am looking for a Unicorn.Thank you in advance,

Konstantin

[RDPetruska]

Not possible - no PCI passthrough devices functionality in any of the hosted products.

[KK911]

I was afraid that this is going to be the case.

Thank you for the confirmation. (Спасибо)

[bluefirestorm]

If the PCI I/O card consists of RS232-C and parallel ports, you should be able to pass through these ports directly to the VM; although the last time I used serial port passthrough with Windows XP VM in VMware Workstation was around 13 years ago.

If the PCI I/O card is totally different, your choice is using ESXi PCIe passthrough but even that can be hit or miss. Some weeks back, I had a lengthy back and forth in this forum with a person trying to passthrough a National Instrument digital I/O card and somehow the MMIO address assigned during bootup of the Windows 10 32-bit VM didn't match what the NI driver software was expecting.

[RDPetruska]

If the PCI I/O card consists of RS232-C and parallel ports, you should be able to pass through these ports directly to the VM; although the last time I used serial port passthrough with Windows XP VM in VMware Workstation was around 13 years ago.

As far a I understand, that still isn't direct passthrough -- it is assigning the host's serial/parallel port (which is physically connected via the PCI card) to be used by the VM.  Even with my DOS VMs, the serial port under VMware isn't getting the direct hardware access like it does directly in DOS - and our embedded systems can't communicate because the timing is critical and Windows timeslicing messes that up.

[KK911]

It is proprietary OEM I/O PCI card.
Well, I didn't get lucky this time.

Thank you for the input.