Suggestions to improve VM performance?

[ytddewqf]

Hi,

 

I am running a Windows 11 VM on the latest unRaid. I have an i9-10900K, with 42GB of ram allocated to the VM (22GB to unRaid) along with a 2TB SSD dedicated also, I also have a 3060 passed through.

 

The machine feels like it could be a little snappier if I'm honest, but I don't know where to begin. I have all the latest drivers and everything is showing correct in the device manager.

 

My VM template is as follows;

 

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<domain type='kvm' id='3'>
  <name>Windows 11</name>
  <uuid>REDACTED</uuid>
  <metadata>
    <vmtemplate xmlns="unraid" name="Windows 10" icon="windows.png" os="windows10"/>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>33554432</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>33554432</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>10</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='5'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='15'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='2' cpuset='6'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='3' cpuset='16'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='4' cpuset='7'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='5' cpuset='17'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='6' cpuset='8'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='7' cpuset='18'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='8' cpuset='9'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='9' cpuset='19'/>
  </cputune>
  <resource>
    <partition>/machine</partition>
  </resource>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-5.1'>hvm</type>
    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd</loader>
    <nvram>/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/REDACTED_VARS-pure-efi.fd</nvram>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
    <hyperv>
      <relaxed state='on'/>
      <vapic state='on'/>
      <spinlocks state='on' retries='8191'/>
      <vendor_id state='on' value='none'/>
    </hyperv>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='none' migratable='on'>
    <topology sockets='1' dies='1' cores='5' threads='2'/>
    <cache mode='passthrough'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='localtime'>
    <timer name='hypervclock' present='yes'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/local/sbin/qemu</emulator>
    <disk type='block' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source dev='/dev/disk/by-id/nvme-Sabrent_Rocket_Q_7FD407090DDA92030729' index='3'/>
      <backingStore/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <alias name='virtio-disk2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/Windows/Window11_Insiders.iso' index='2'/>
      <backingStore/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <alias name='ide0-0-0'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/virtio-win-0.1.190-1.iso' index='1'/>
      <backingStore/>
      <target dev='hdb' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <alias name='ide0-0-1'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <alias name='usb'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <alias name='usb'/>
      <master startport='0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci2'>
      <alias name='usb'/>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <alias name='usb'/>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'>
      <alias name='pci.0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='ide' index='0'>
      <alias name='ide'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <alias name='virtio-serial0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:36:7a:3a'/>
      <source bridge='br0'/>
      <target dev='vnet0'/>
      <model type='virtio-net'/>
      <alias name='net0'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <source path='/dev/pts/0'/>
      <target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
        <model name='isa-serial'/>
      </target>
      <alias name='serial0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty' tty='/dev/pts/0'>
      <source path='/dev/pts/0'/>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
      <alias name='serial0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <source mode='bind' path='/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/channel/target/domain-3-Windows 11/org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0' state='disconnected'/>
      <alias name='channel0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
      <alias name='input0'/>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </input>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'>
      <alias name='input1'/>
    </input>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'>
      <alias name='input2'/>
    </input>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='pci' managed='yes'>
      <driver name='vfio'/>
      <source>
        <address domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
      </source>
      <alias name='hostdev0'/>
      <rom file='/mnt/user/isos/vbios/rtx3060.rom'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/>
    </hostdev>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='usb' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <vendor id='0x045e'/>
        <product id='0x00cb'/>
        <address bus='1' device='19'/>
      </source>
      <alias name='hostdev1'/>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='2'/>
    </hostdev>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='usb' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <vendor id='0x045e'/>
        <product id='0x0750'/>
        <address bus='1' device='20'/>
      </source>
      <alias name='hostdev2'/>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='3'/>
    </hostdev>
    <memballoon model='none'/>
  </devices>
  <seclabel type='dynamic' model='dac' relabel='yes'>
    <label>+0:+100</label>
    <imagelabel>+0:+100</imagelabel>
  </seclabel>
</domain>

 

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Edited August 1, 2021 by BeardedNoir

[toastman]

Are you not passing through the audio portion of your 3060?

 

There is also a mismatch with the CPU pinning.  Your XML shows 10 cores passed through, but the CPU Pinning screen shows 12.  You could also try an emulatorpin assignment.

I found that using a Q35 type is snappier than a i440fx, but that might be just my setup.

 

Try the MSI Fix?

[ytddewqf]

Hi,

 

thanks for your reply. 

 

I haven't passed through the audio yet to be honest as I was initially focused on the video, then when I saw the continued slow down of the whole system I didn't want to dig any deeper until I got things right. 

 

Oops that's my mistake on the CPU miss mismatch, I took the screenshot before I made the change, the CPU isolation is definitely the same as the VM. Strangley though, I always have the message at the top that; "CPU Isolation: A reboot is required to apply changes" no matter how many times I restart. 

 

I'll try Q35, cheers. I only settled on i440fx because of the tutorial I was following, I don't even know the difference between them. 

 

MSI fix? I wasn't aware of one, but thanks I'll give it a search and see if it helps.