PCIE Passthrough to use GPU in virtual machine

[Xa3phod]

Hey folks. I have Ubuntu on an X58 system. I would like to run Windows in a virtual machine and be able to access my GTX 1060 instead of using the virtualized graphics system which you cannot game on. I know a lot of games work in Linux, mine does not, unfortunately.

For the uninitiated, how do you set it up so you can pass through the GPU to the virtual machine? I would like the virtual machine to have native access to the GPU.

Thanks for the help.

[KarathKasun]

X58 does not fully support PCIe passthrough AFAIK.

 

It can be done on pretty much all AM3+ AMD systems and newer Intel LGA 1151 and newer Xeons and Non-K i7's.  Intel tends to lock features like this down to make you spend more money.

[LIGISTX]

I can't speak 100% to how this situation would work, but for my ESXi hypervisor I have VT-d enabled and then am able to pass PCI-e devices through via a GUI. I am not sure if X58 supports VT-d tho...... Its sorta a newer technology. I think x58 server boards do have it, but I am not sure about consumer boards, and I think this would be required.

 

I do have a X58 P6T Deluxe V2 I could look for it on, but honestly a google search would be faster than me turning my testbench on ahah. And if its a diff mobo, it may not be that useful anyways.

 

I would check this first, then go from there down the Linux rabbit hole to get it working virtualized there.

[Xa3phod]

My Mobo has VT-d as an option and it is enabled. Asus Rampage III Formula with a Xeon X5690.

 

[KarathKasun]

Just now, Xa3phod said:

My Mobo has VT-d as an option and it is enabled. Asus Rampage III Formula with a Xeon X5690.

 

If the hardware/firmware support is there you will need to find a guide for the software solution you are using.  Also hope that the IOMMU groups make some kind of sense.

[KarathKasun]

This should help get you started...

 

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/play-games-in-windows-on-linux-pci-passthrough-quick-guide/108981

[Alex Atkin UK]

Bear in mind, unless you lock out CPU cores to the VM exclusively you WILL have latency issues, which will likely result in sound issues and stuttering in games.

As such, I still dual-boot and just use the VM for occasional gaming or when I want to test something on Windows without rebooting.

[Xa3phod]

My cpu is a 6 core 12 thread, I put 4 threads and 8GB of ram to the VM. I will check the guide, thanks!

[Razor Blade]

I have not messed with gaming on Linux as of yet. However I have messed around with pasthrough on NVIDIA GPUs (admittedly with ESXI). What hypervisor are you using? PCI passthough on NVIDIA hardware AFAIK isn't the issue as much as setting up the driver. In my experience, if you are using a 10 series NVIDIA consumer card you have to hide the fact you're using it in a VM to make the driver work at all.