IKVM with PCI-E graphics card installed.

M

-Mr Mullet-

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Jun 4, 2011
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Hi.

I know this is probably not the right place to post this, but my guess is that a lot of you are running "server" hardware here, and should be familiar with the question.

I have a Tyan S5512 C204 mainboard with IPMI and IKVM. My problem is that I can't get the mainboard to select the on-board PCI graphics card (to use IKVM) when I insert a PCI-E graphics card.

I want to use the PCI-E card as VT-d in Win7 and use the onboard "PCI" (aspeed) graphicscard for the esxi 5.0 console display.

Is it not possible to get the internal (PCI) as the "boot" graphics card when I have inserted a PCI-E card?


Edit: Forgot to write that I have tried to change the PCI/PEG settings in bios...

-Kaj
 
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The PCI/PEG setting in the BIOS should control this.
That's how it works on my ASUS P8B-E: choose PCI, and the local console always gets routed to the Aspeed VGA. Choose PEG, and local console goes to a PCI-e video card if one is installed.

If the PCI/PEG setting isn't working, report it to Tyan and maybe they'll fix it in a BIOS update
 
The PCI/PEG setting should be set to IGD on the Tyan. Do not use any of the PCI/PEG, PEG/PCI, PCI/IGD, or PCI/IGD settings, just set it directly to IGD only and it should use the on board video as the main.

If that doesn't work then like the previous poster said, contact Tyan.
 
Will it work with supermicro? AFAIK raritan makes KVM modules for tyan and supermicro.
 
I too would like to know the solution to this. I have the exact same setup (same Tyan board) and had the same intentions, i.e. passing through the graphics card to a virtual machine.

Did you find a solution?
 
hnielsen said:
I too would like to know the solution to this. I have the exact same setup (same Tyan board) and had the same intentions, i.e. passing through the graphics card to a virtual machine.

Did you find a solution?
Click to expand...

I've been in contact with Tyan support, but they could not give me a straight answer and had to look into the problem. They said they made a "ticket" for the problem, and will contact me again at a later stage.

If I don't hear back from Tyan next week, I will contact them again.
I'll also keep you updated in this thread.

-Kaj
 
Excellent. I'll post a support ticket monday as well, so that they feel the pressure from more than one party.

- Henrik
 
When I bought my Supermicro X9SCA-F (also C204) and added a PCI-E graphics card, it also disabled the on-board video. There was no BIOS setting to override. Updating the BIOS to the most recent that was only 6 days old did offer that option.
So updating the BIOS is something I'd definitely advice.
 
Nextron said:
So updating the BIOS is something I'd definitely advice.
Click to expand...

I'm already on the latest bios update (v1.03) and the latest BMC firmware (v2.00).

Thanks for the suggestion anyway as this could have been the solution.

-Kaj
 
Same here. Latest bios update is from late june, so hopefully one is in the pipeline for the near future, fixing this issue.
 
Hi.

I got a message back from Tyan. They have identified the problem and are working on a Bios update...

Hopefully it will go through pretty soon.
 
Does passthrough of graphics cards work at all? All I could find were reports of futility.
 
TCM said:
Does passthrough of graphics cards work at all? All I could find were reports of futility.
Click to expand...

Works with a few specific cards, on a few machines. Even if you can get it to work, random things like Windows Updates have a habit of breaking it. It also usually breaks the ability to use the VMWare console (which relies on the emulated VMWare video driver), which can mean you are locked out of the VM if it breaks. Since it relies on direct hardware access, you also can't snapshot it when you have it working properly.

Get an ATI HD3XXX card, Windows 7, and cross your fingers.
 
@McKajVah: Have you heard any updates from Tyan on ETA for the BIOS update? I have tried reaching them a few times on the online chat, but all they will tell me is that "the team is working on it" :rolleyes:

Yeah, I know it's a long shot getting it to work with gfx passthrough. I too read the few posts that have had success, and either ATI 3xxx or ATI 6450 seems to be the best bets, so I got one of the latter. Also, keep the guests memory below 2GB.

That said, I have "fallback plans" if this doesn't work, but by God I'm giving it a try - making it work would be SO nice, enabling me to having just one machine catering to all my needs instead of 2 or 3. :D
 
No, still no update from Tyan...

I've tried a little bit with the 6450, works great in OSX but I'm having problems in Win7. When they release the Bios update, I will for sure try some more (although I doubt the bios update will do anything different for the success of graphics VT-d in win7).

Performance in OSX was great, and everything worked like a charm. I also did a VT-d passthrough of the USB (keyboard and mouse). :)
 
I'm also interested in a solution here, looking to build an all in one and I'd like to do passthru as well. Sucks that there are so many problems.. supermicro doesn't make an IPMI board with a pcie x16 slot, (can you cut and open up the ends on the X9SCM-F so you can put in an x16 card?), tyan makes boards with IPMI and x16 slots or x8 with open ends but apparently this bios issue makes them useless for doing video passthru...
 
McKajVah said:
I've tried a little bit with the 6450, works great in OSX but I'm having problems in Win7. When they release the Bios update, I will for sure try some more (although I doubt the bios update will do anything different for the success of graphics VT-d in win7).
Click to expand...

What problems are you having in Windows 7? Are you running the latest Dec 11 drivers? I'm using a Radeon 4350 / ESXi 5 Passthrough with Windows 7 which works great via HDMI out with audio too!

I'm looking to replace my 4350 with with 6450 for full 7.1 DTS audio support but no one has reported it working in windows / linux yet... I'm hoping the new drivers will do the trick.
 
Mainly BSOD problems installing/enabling the card... Though I have not tested with latest drivers... Maybe I should give it a go again.
 
May be worth a shot, if it works then I look forward to purchasing the Radeon 6450!

Please keep us posted :)
 
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dmg210 said:
What problems are you having in Windows 7? Are you running the latest Dec 11 drivers? I'm using a Radeon 4350 / ESXi 5 Passthrough with Windows 7 which works great via HDMI out with audio too!

I'm looking to replace my 4350 with with 6450 for full 7.1 DTS audio support but no one has reported it working in windows / linux yet... I'm hoping the new drivers will do the trick.
Click to expand...

dmg are you able to get HDCP working?
 
halcyon said:
dmg are you able to get HDCP working?
Click to expand...

That's a good question actually, I hope so, otherwise I'm I correct in thinking I'll be unable to watch freesat / freeview HD?

I'll give it a quick test... Any recommended tools?
 
Did some more testing with the latest drivers and 6450 card. Still no go.. :(

The card won't start and drivers reporting fault. I also get some BSOD at Win7 startup...
 
Thanks for testing that McKajVah, its much appreciated.

Are you running Mac Lion on ESXi with Donk’s ESXi 5 Mac OS X Unlocker?

Its a shame the Radeon 6450 doesn't work, I guess the 6xxx series all have the same issues.

Well back to the drawing board for me...

I'll be testing HDCP later on today, fingers crossed ;)
 
McKajVah said:
Did some more testing with the latest drivers and 6450 card. Still no go.. :(
Click to expand...

How much memory do you have assigned to the VM? You might have more luck trying with just 2GB

I strongly recommend that everyone who is having issues with their GPU passthrough give this method a shot, regardless of whether you are trying to exceed 2GB of RAM on your VM or not.

I followed the advice of SomeMoose:

1. Shut down my Win7 x64 workstation VM

2. Added pciHole.start = 1200 and pciHole.end = 2200 to Options/Advanced/General/Configuration Parameters

3. Changed my VM's configured memory to 6GB (6144 MB), added a memory reservation of 6144 MB

4. Started up the VM, confirmed 6GB present and no BSODs!
 
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Nope unfortunately no HDCP currently, also no DXVA via HDMI which is odd as it works fine via RDP/RemoteFX.

This maybe because the VMware adapter is still present, sorry I didn't have much time last night but hopefully I'll be able to get it working soon. I'm also going to try Linux/XBMC and Mac when I have some time.
 
Doh. What happens when you try to remove the adapter?

I've also heard that folks running the latest XenServer seem to be having success (haven't confirmed HDCP yet), but might be a good alternative.
 
Tyan recently released a new BIOS rev for these boards, can anyone confirm if it allows ikvm for the integrated video while a second video card is in the pcie slot?
 
%#!!!&#!!!¤#`!?"¤¤%!...

Just upgraded to 1.04 bios, and still no go. What the F... are they thinking!

They've had 2 months to fix it... I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow.

Not happy :(
 
Ya I didn't see it on the patch notes, but I had a tiny shred of hope it was still fixed... guess not.. I've been holding off on building my system because of this issue, I fear that it'll never get fixed.. particularly since the next round of motherboards are around the corner.
 
Goddamnit :( On the chat with the same dude I talked to all those months ago. Still saying they are working on it - I have a hard time believing them!
 
Hmm... Raised my voice in the chat and started babbling about "should have gone with Supermicro" instead. That got a little attention. At least now they have created a ticket for me.
 
Really?! You can have a pass through PCI-E vid card assigned to a VM and still be able to ikvm into the box and get access to vmware/citrix's gui??
 
Holy crap. 6 months after an issue report to build a fix? Crazy.
 
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