VMware Communities
EDOHusky
Contributor
Contributor

Using one GPU on Ubuntu, different one on virtual windows machine

Hi -

I am completely new to virtual machines. I use a workstation running Ubuntu 18.04 for some engineering stuff, and it uses a Radeon GPU. I would like to also use this machine to run a Windows game (specifically DCS World) which requires a different GPU - and directx 11.

If I install a NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti in it, can I use Workstation Player to run Windows 10, utilizing this GPU, but have the native ubuntu system use the Radeon? Do I also understand correctly that Workstation Player supports DX 11 now?

Thanks!

Reply
0 Kudos
4 Replies
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

> can I use Workstation Player to run Windows 10, utilizing this GPU ?

Passthrough of Videocards only works for a very limited list of expensive cards when you use ESXi.


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
EDOHusky
Contributor
Contributor

OK. Please bear with me because, as I said, I am completely new to virtual machines, so I do not know what ESXi is or which limited set of cards can be passed through. I do not even really know what "passed through" means.

What does a virtual machine in VM Workstation use as a GPU? Is it a virtual GPU?

Reply
0 Kudos
continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Yes - a VM in Workstation uses a virtual GPU with features that can be compared to the ones you would get with a 5 years old cheap onboard-GPU.


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

Reply
0 Kudos
bluefirestorm
Champion
Champion

With Workstation/Player, the display adapter is a virtual one (in a Windows VM, the Display Adapter in Device Manager is "VMware SVGA 3D" and not the video card that is on the host) and the driver is from VMware Tools. With a GPU passthrough using ESXi, (take it literally, the GPU is passed through to the VM), the Display Adapter in Device Manager would be whatever GPU card was passed through; it is the VM controlling the GPU hardware as a native GPU device with corresponding driver (e.g. Nvidia or AMD).

If the host machine OS is Windows, you could make VMware Workstation/Player use one GPU for one VM and another GPU for another VM. Add to the vmx configuration of the corresponding VM.

#use Nvidia GPU

mks.dx11.vendorID = "0x10de"

#use AMD GPU

mks.dx11.vendorID = "0x1002"

I am not aware how this can be done for an Ubuntu host as Workstation/Player would be using OpenGL instead of DX11 to bring the accelerated graphics capabilities to the VM.

From the release notes, the DX11 capabilities in a Windows VM is available in Linux host if the GPU is Nvidia, no mention of AMD GPUs.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Player/16/rn/VMware-Workstation-16-Player-Release-Note...

You might need to find a way to select an active GPU within the Ubuntu host (either during bootup or switch on the fly).

Reply
0 Kudos