My unRAID VM has 1 processor and 1GB of memory and runs 30% faster than running it "bare metal".

 

How is this possible?  Do you mean "My unRAID VM has 1 processor and 1GB of memory and runs 30% faster than running it "bare metal" with plugins?"

 

I could see it running faster because it is now stock unRaid with no plugins, but I'm struggling to see how the exact same "package" could run 30% faster virtualized as opposed to bare metal.

Install Xen and use my bzroot and bzimage and find out for yourself. Several other people have reported getting a 15% (and more) increase with Parity Checks in the XenServer thread and others.

 

The stock unRAID kernel is designed to run on OLD hardware so I make changes to kernel to takes advantage of the latest CPUs and the speeds at which they can run.

 

Very good to know, thank you. I don't currently virtualize, but have been considering upgrading my CPU and going that route. I know my motherboard has the BIOS options for VT-d but whether or not it actually works I have no idea. I don't recall seeing a post from someone virtualizing with my particular motherboard. 

Hi ddeeds / Ford Prefect / Rest

 

Been thinking about going down the XenServer route and messing about with it on my microserver to learn how to configure it, this is a totaly new area to me i know next to nothing about.

 

Before I even attempt to try it on my main server is there a list somewhere of compatible AMD boards and CPU'S that support the needed AMD-V that's been mentioned here.

 

Pretty sure my budget built server doesn't lol, don't want to spend a fortune if I can help it but looking to get an idea on cost for the parts.

 

Current spec below in sig.

 

...your current setup *does* support ECC memory, but the 760G chipset does *not* support IOMMU.

Which chip set should I be looking at? Think I read somewhere 9xx chip set but I've read loads and not quite understood some.

Install Xen and use my bzroot and bzimage and find out for yourself. Several other people have reported getting a 15% (and more) increase with Parity Checks in the XenServer thread and others.

 

The stock unRAID kernel is designed to run on OLD hardware so I make changes to kernel to takes advantage of the latest CPUs and the speeds at which they can run.

 

Very good to know, thank you. I don't currently virtualize, but have been considering upgrading my CPU and going that route. I know my motherboard has the BIOS options for VT-d but whether or not it actually works I have no idea. I don't recall seeing a post from someone virtualizing with my particular motherboard.

 

Your motherboard might support VT-D, but your processor surely won't

Which chip set should I be looking at? Think I read somewhere 9xx chip set but I've read loads and not quite understood some.

 

Yes, at least the 970 and 990FX are confirmed to work, but you must find a mobo where this feature is supported in the BIOS as well.

See this thread  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=22553.0  and google is your friend, too.

Thanks for the reply ford will look when get 5min.

 

Goigke is indeed my friend but when your not sure what to search for and get loads of results its sometimes easier to ask the pros then you can move to the next hurdle.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

 

I was looking at the Asrock 970 Extreme3 or 4 and an AMD FX 4100 to get me started, i could them later get a better CPU when budget permits

 

Really just after an unRAID VM and one other for me plugins, maybe a VM running xubuntu or something light, if I'm able to run another for testing its great but not overly worried.

 

Only issue is there is no on board graphics to hook a monitor up if its needed, which means i would have to buy a cheap pci / pcie x1 card also

My unRAID VM has 1 processor and 1GB of memory and runs 30% faster than running it "bare metal".

 

How is this possible?  Do you mean "My unRAID VM has 1 processor and 1GB of memory and runs 30% faster than running it "bare metal" with plugins?"

 

I could see it running faster because it is now stock unRaid with no plugins, but I'm struggling to see how the exact same "package" could run 30% faster virtualized as opposed to bare metal.

 

I agree it would NOT run faster in a virtual machine than it would "bare metal" IF the configuration was indeed just bare metal vs. virtualized.    But that's not the case.  Note the comment he made earlier:

 

My unRAID VM has 1 processor and 1GB of memory ...

 

So the VM has 1/4th of the CPU and 1/16th of the memory that's in the system available.  On the surface that would seem to make it even more likely that the VM would be slower ... but remember that there is an issue with some chipsets that result in issues when running with more than 4GB of RAM.  I suspect that may in fact be the case here -- and that the VM is automatically immune to this because there's only 1GB assigned.    I'd consider this a much more "real" comparison is either (a) the "bare metal" system had the 4GB limit parameter on the RAM allocation or (b) the VM had > 4GB assigned to it (perhaps 8GB).

 

 

I was looking at the Asrock 970 Extreme3 or 4 and an AMD FX 4100 to get me started, i could them later get a better CPU when budget permits

 

...the extreme 3 is confirmed to work, see also: http://thehomeserverblog.com/esxi/esxi-5-0-amd-whitebox-server-for-500-with-passthrough-iommu-build-2/

Also, the extreme 4 is mentioned in the thread I linked, AFAIR.

 

Only issue is there is no on board graphics to hook a monitor up if its needed, which means i would have to buy a cheap pci / pcie x1 card also

 

That's the backdraw with desktop boards...*maybe* some offer a headless setting in BIOS, so you can get away with running it without a GPU...but during setup, it helps to have one.

 

Looks like I'll got for the Extreme3 then can use that with my current chip and just swap them out when i get the FX 4100

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASRock-970-EXTREME3-Extreme3-Motherboard/dp/B005POPRG8

 

I'll probably buy the cheapest PCI / PCIe passive cooled graphics card i can find on ebay and leave it in there

 

Thanks for the info and assistance, I'm sure I'll have more questions once i attempt to get xen and unRAID in a VM got to get xmas out way first.

 

So I can't really be going the way I'mgoing with a phenom II X4 965?

 

I mean it'll work. I would just like the added benefit of ecc ram... damn!

 

...if you *want* to stick to the CPU, go for an ASUS AM3+ board.

Almost al of them support ECC ...and still support AM2+ AM3 socket CPUs as well.

Like with the M5A99FX PRO R.2.0: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M5A99FX_PRO_R20/#specifications ..ECC and support for your CPU...the 990FX chipset will support IOMMU...no idea if this is enabled in BIOS though.

 

Would this board support registered ECC ram or ony unbuffered

Sidejack: Some of the i7 4k CPU's have vt-d support. i7-4820K & i7-4830K