• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Very specific VMware ESXi pass-through question

L

lightp2

Gawd
Joined
Oct 28, 2009
Messages
672
I just read VMware KB 1010789.

This post is similar to previous thread PCI passthrough for guest VM. I choose to open a new thread because I would like to investigate a very specific question and setup.

In order to save cost and space (only one small desk with many books). Can I do the following?

1. One desktop computer with built-in VGA. Monitor connected to integrated VGA.
2. Buy and install VGA add-in card.
3. Setup the desktop computer for ESXi
4. Temporary use loan laptop to configure a new VM
5. Pass-through the Add-on VGA card to Guest VM, hopefully everything OK.
6. If everything OK, configure VM to autostart upon ESXi boot.

7. Reboot ESXi host, hopefully VM will autostart as well.
8. Disconnect VGA cable from integrated VGA, connect to Add-on VGA card already pass-through to VM.

Hopefully I get a GUI login Screen Displayed ? That still leave the question of how to address the Keyboard? Can I pass a second set of USB keyboard to the VM?

With this I am trying to use one desktop for everything. Additional ESXi VM can be created from the special VM. I can use the special VM as normal desktop, things like that.

It appears that VT-D is not strictly needed for this configuration(my current setup does not support VT-D), but will be helpful if available. I don't actually have any firm detail steps. If someone can point absolute detail step-by-step procedure, it would be wonderful.

Finally, the question is here because indeed I need to buy additional VGA card for this to work, so figure it is better ask 1st before spending.
 
Edit: And ESX is not real time emulation, and doesn't run on most desktop systems, so for anything other than basic office apps, you won't like what you get.
 
Hi Lopoetve,

Appreciate your quick answer. As for the reason, I am trying to setup ESXi testing with only 1 computer at home due to space constraint (only 1 small table) and also trying to save the cost of another computer/laptop (vSphere client console) (looking but have not purchased anything yet). It looks like this setup does not work. Guess I still need another computer.

Thank you again for your quick pointer.
 
Hello Child of Wonder,

I wasn't sure about the combination earlier. appreciate your confirmation.

Per my plan, after several considerations, I will still go for another computer/laptop. Reasons are
1. I need to get Windows 7 license
2. Due to some short-comings in my own situation, I still need a normal laptop.
3. The home desktop I plan to run various test configurations, a lot of time non-windows. For ESXi, maybe I will boot it of USB-harddisk. I try to make the storage/config in this desktop more flexible. Sometimes there are tests that I like to be in physical rather than virtual test environments.

So in summary I figure I will let the laptop handle the MS Windows-related stuff. The next question is which and when to buy. I am still trying to figure that one.

Thanks again for your help. Cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top