Linux, virtualization and gaming

[Wyld_One]

I have seen the 2-in-1 virtualization, and 7-in-1 gaming builds.

 

I was wondering if you could do something similar with a gigabyte brix 1060nvidia(GB-BNi7HG6-1060) and an external docking station for the second video card? I think you have to have two video cards minimum to do this?

 

I was thinking you could use the docking station hdmi for the host OS, and nvidia 1060 card for the virtualized guest win7/10 via pass-through 3d.

 

I am trying for a Linux host (ubuntu 16+) and windows 7-10 for the guest OS. I have already confirmed this box has VT-x and VT-d

 

 

[RadiatingLight]

IDK too much about this, but can't you use the iGPU on one of the VMs if you don't need the other one to game?

 

but yeah, I think that a thunderbolt dock could work for a VM.

[NoRomanBatmansAllowed]

What's the purpose of this build?

[manikyath]

you're wasting time, money, and resources undertaking this.

[Wyld_One]

Primarily home/with some portable use.One that I can run win7/10 for business when needed, and games when I want. I prefer Linux as host for performance, stability and security.

 

No. a laptop is not acceptable because I need a 23" monitor (non-arguable).

 

[Wyld_One]

1 hour ago, bob51zhang said:

What's the purpose of this build?

Primarily home/with some portable use.One that I can run win7/10 for business when needed, and games when I want. I prefer Linux as host for performance, stability and security.

 

No. a laptop is not acceptable because I need a 23" monitor (non-arguable).

[ProjectBox153]

If you're going to use unRAID as your host, you're going to need another GPU. 1 for unRAID and two for the VMs. 

[flowalex]

I would make sure that the hardware is compatible with gpu passthrough, I don't know if it matters for unRAID, but other gpu pass through setups needs specific motherboards for it to work, iommu support, I can't find anything that says the motherboard supports it.  In my opinion it will probably be easier for you to dual boot.

[Wyld_One]

On 10/15/2017 at 11:42 PM, RadiatingLight said:

IDK too much about this, but can't you use the iGPU on one of the VMs if you don't need the other one to game?

 

but yeah, I think that a thunderbolt dock could work for a VM.

I've been doing a bit more digging, and find that Displaylink compatible 'docking station'  are becoming available for USB-C with HDMI (1.4/2) or Displayport output. There's a newer Displaylink driver available that supports linux. Will update when I get some hardware to try it out.

 

As far as virtualization software, I may have to use QEMU with virt-io - not a big deal since I do know virtualization will work. experimentation is ongoing.

 

USB-C -> HDMI Adapters are running at about 85$ us. 

[Wyld_One]

On 10/17/2017 at 4:51 AM, Jamiec1130 said:

If you're going to use unRAID as your host, you're going to need another GPU. 1 for unRAID and two for the VMs. 

that is what I have seen with unRAID. Since the platform really has no PCI slots, I could use that with displaylink adapters. However; the displaylink monitors would be limited to 2D and not 3D.

[Wyld_One]

On 10/15/2017 at 11:48 PM, bob51zhang said:

What's the purpose of this build?

well considering I have been hacking on computers for 42 years or so, I like a challenge. We are almost to a point of a universal platform for any OS we care to use on it.

 

Mostly because I don't like giving up  :-P

[Wyld_One]

On 10/15/2017 at 11:55 PM, manikyath said:

you're wasting time, money, and resources undertaking this.

No, not really. my old system died, and I was building a new one anyway. 

 

I like fiddling with hardware/software from way back (C=64 flashboost for floppy anyone?) I had a bit of code that boosted that by doing things in parallel/burst mode. Never got to do anything with it since faster machines came out.Yeah I'm a ollde school hacker.