I'm familiar with all vmware products on intel platforms but never used AMD beyond vmware workstation type stuff.  I'm assuming that "amd virtualization technology" is pretty much the same as intel VT-d, and I shouldn't have any trouble with passing hardware through to guests.  Just wanted to double check if there where any gotchas.

 

**Edit** Should've mentioned I'd be running vsphere 5.x

 

My current plan is to use the following system.  What I need it to do is run unraid vm, and a windows vm with sabnzbd, sickbeard, couchpotato, plex, general use, and possibly another vm for VPN use.  Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Phenom II 1055t - 6 core @ 2.8Ghz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103851

4Gb ddr3 1600 (Need more memory but board is extremely picky and don't want to buy more of this memory- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227316

ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131631

2x IBM 1015 SAS cards - pass through

Norco 4220 case

 

Possible upgrades

AMD FX-8320 Vishera 3.5GHz or 8350 depending on price - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113285

ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990FX - Has tons of PCIE http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13-131-851&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=3#scrollFullInfo

Memory I currently have 8x 4GB of DDR3 12800 ECC RAM from an Intel system pull.  Fingers crossed it would work with the M5A99FX motherboard because I'm trying to do this on the cheap and 16GB should be enough.

I decided to save myself $100, get more cores and went with the AMD 8350.

 

The real trick is finding a motherboard that can do VT-D / AMD-V and has IOMMU support.

 

Asus isn't known to be VT-D and IOMMU whereas ASRock is.

 

Saw this in another forum where I hang out... It was posted in September so maybe the updated bios is out now.

 

In capitulation to my repeated nagging and pestering, ASUS finally sent me a patched BIOS (M5A99FX-PRO-R20-ASUS-9903.CAP) that attempts to address the IVRS  errors that I was having with my ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 motherboard.

 

Much to my surprise and satisfaction, the patched BIOS resolves ALL the IVRS  errors that I had with my motherboard, eliminating the need for the kernel IVRS override.  Yippee!

 

The support rep couldn't tell me when a version of the BIOS that includes the patch will be available for download from ASUS.  Hopefully soon.

grumpybutfun, what MB did you go with?

 

I am wanting to move into VM and have been trying to decide on a MB/CPU combo as yell. I am AMD currently and always like them plus saving money.

 

Thanks

grumpybutfun, what MB did you go with?

 

I am wanting to move into VM and have been trying to decide on a MB/CPU combo as yell. I am AMD currently and always like them plus saving money.

 

ASRock 970 EXTREME4 AM3+

 

With the above motherboard, you can passthrough sata ports 1 - 4 and leave port 5 for a OS / datastore drive. Onboard NIC works in both too. This motherboard can also handle 64GB of memory and you don't have to install memory in pairs.

 

There is a thread somewhere here on the EXTREME6... I wouldn't get that one if I was you. Get the EXTREME3 or EXTREME4.

Sweet. Thanks for the info.

 

I would just need to find a good video card with that MB for my Plex viewing. Ive had onboard for my last 2 servers.

grumpybutfun, what MB did you go with?

 

I am wanting to move into VM and have been trying to decide on a MB/CPU combo as yell. I am AMD currently and always like them plus saving money.

 

ASRock 970 EXTREME4 AM3+

 

With the above motherboard, you can passthrough sata ports 1 - 4 and leave port 5 for a OS / datastore drive. Onboard NIC works in both too. This motherboard can also handle 64GB of memory and you don't have to install memory in pairs.

 

There is a thread somewhere here on the EXTREME6... I wouldn't get that one if I was you. Get the EXTREME3 or EXTREME4.

 

Thanks for the advice.  I actually was looking at that Extreme 4 too, Microcenter had it as a bundle but they're out of stock like newegg.  I guess maybe I'll just wait until my 1015 cards get here and toss esxi on a drive and see if I can pass it through with my current board.  Then just spend $50 to boost it to 8GB.    I was really hoping I could just spend about $100 bucks and get a new motherboard that would support my existing ECC memory but that's looking like it may be a risk to try.  Only some asus boards I've seen explicitly say they can handle ECC, including my current one but it's POS.

Sweet. Thanks for the info.

 

I would just need to find a good video card with that MB for my Plex viewing. Ive had onboard for my last 2 servers.

 

Not sure if I'm misunderstanding you with this post.  But are you planning on passing a video card to the vm and connecting it to a display source as a HTPC?  If you just mean for Plex server, I don't think plex can use the gpu for transcoding it's strictly cpu. 

 

The idea of using the vm as htpc sounds interesting, I know some people do it successfully.  For me though I'd need to do a 60+ foot hdmi balun and I'm unsure how well my emulators and usb joy sticks would work in a vm and through usb extenders.

 

 

Thanks for the advice.  I actually was looking at that Extreme 4 too, Microcenter had it as a bundle but they're out of stock like newegg.

 

MicroCenter is where I picked mine up along with the CPU. It was cheaper than NewEgg.

 

I guess maybe I'll just wait until my 1015 cards get here and toss esxi on a drive and see if I can pass it through with my current board. 

 

What is your current motherboard?

 

What is your current motherboard?

 

So my current unraid is some athlon x2 setup.  The system I mentioned above is actually my main PC.  Plan was to take that equipment and shove it in a new Norco 4220 and install esxi.  I really don't need the main pc anymore.  I've got tablets and laptops all over the place and that PC really is only used for downloading. 

 

ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX MB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131631

I updated the bios a few days ago, the only thing about virtualization is "Secure Virtual Machine Mode" Enabled/Disabled.  I'm not holding my breath that it will work.  I just don't want to drop another $500 after dropping $500 on the case and cards.

 

I didn't even need the case/cards.  I just eventually wanted to do an esx build but norco's 20% of sale got me.  Current case is a freaking mess, on it's side with loose drives stacked everywhere.  Ugh and I just looked only 1.6TB free, the spending never ends.....

 

 

Not sure if I'm misunderstanding you with this post.  But are you planning on passing a video card to the vm and connecting it to a display source as a HTPC?  If you just mean for Plex server, I don't think plex can use the gpu for transcoding it's strictly cpu. 

 

The idea of using the vm as htpc sounds interesting, I know some people do it successfully.  For me though I'd need to do a 60+ foot hdmi balun and I'm unsure how well my emulators and usb joy sticks would work in a vm and through usb extenders.

 

Sorry.

 

I was referring to running the Plex Client for a HTPC.

 

Right now, I've been  switching between a Mac Mini, Raspberry PI, and Google TV. My Server is on the other side of the wall from my TV. With all this new talk of VM's, I thought perfect. I could just use one box for everything. Unraid, Plex Server, and Plex Client.

 

I could use a VM for the plex client and pass video or if I went with Arch or openSUSE, the plex client could run directly from the OS and wouldn't need a VM. If I wanted to risk messing up the main OS.

 

Hope that makes sense.

I could use a VM for the plex client and pass video or if I went with Arch or openSUSE, the plex client could run directly from the OS and wouldn't need a VM. If I wanted to risk messing up the main OS.

 

As far as a video card goes, I recently bought a few AMD 6450s ($15 Bucks) and they work great. I also have some cheap nVidia 430s too. What I am saying... You don't need to spend a lot of money to get 1080p with HD Audio. If you want to passthrough, go AMD though. nVidia doesn't work yet unless you get the expense Quattro Series.

 

You aren't going to mess up the OS by loading a simple app like XBMC. If you use Hardware Video Acceleration... Your GPU / Video Card will do all the work and your Server will still run less than 5% utilization. If for some reason you do not use XBMC on the server, simply uninstall it. It isn't like AOL or McAfee where it installs and "takes over" your PC and near impossible to remove.

As far as a video card goes, I recently bought a few AMD 6450s ($15 Bucks) and they work great. I also have some cheap nVidia 430s too. What I am saying... You don't need to spend a lot of money to get 1080p with HD Audio. If you want to passthrough, go AMD though. nVidia doesn't work yet unless you get the expense Quattro Series.

 

You aren't going to mess up the OS by loading a simple app like XBMC. If you use Hardware Video Acceleration... Your GPU / Video Card will do all the work and your Server will still run less than 5% utilization. If for some reason you do not use XBMC on the server, simply uninstall it. It isn't like AOL or McAfee where it installs and "takes over" your PC and near impossible to remove.

 

Once again, great info!

 

grumpybutfun, you get more awesome and helpful with every post you make on these forums!

grumpybutfun, what MB did you go with?

 

I am wanting to move into VM and have been trying to decide on a MB/CPU combo as yell. I am AMD currently and always like them plus saving money.

 

ASRock 970 EXTREME4 AM3+

 

With the above motherboard, you can passthrough sata ports 1 - 4 and leave port 5 for a OS / datastore drive. Onboard NIC works in both too. This motherboard can also handle 64GB of memory and you don't have to install memory in pairs.

 

There is a thread somewhere here on the EXTREME6... I wouldn't get that one if I was you. Get the EXTREME3 or EXTREME4.

 

Can you pass them through in ESXi or only on Xenserver?

 

if so, how???

Both ESXi and Xen

 

How? You do it in the software on ESXi or Xen. Tons of documentation and users to help you when you are ready.

Both ESXi and Xen

 

How? You do it in the software on ESXi or Xen. Tons of documentation and users to help you when you are ready.

 

I know how to do passthroughs...... I just can't do the onboard, it just doesn't show up for me. I can passthrough all my M1015s on ESXi but onboard I get nothing. I have to check it out later I can't do it atm

I know how to do passthroughs...... I just can't do the onboard, it just doesn't show up for me. I can passthrough all my M1015s on ESXi but onboard I get nothing. I have to check it out later I can't do it atm

 

If you haven't, upgrade your BIOS.

 

It would also help us out if we knew what you are using. ESXI or Xen.

I know how to do passthroughs...... I just can't do the onboard, it just doesn't show up for me. I can passthrough all my M1015s on ESXi but onboard I get nothing. I have to check it out later I can't do it atm

 

If you haven't, upgrade your BIOS.

 

It would also help us out if we knew what you are using. ESXI or Xen.

Bios was updated 2 weeks ago, and using ESXi

Bios was updated 2 weeks ago, and using ESXi

 

On my motherboard the onboard sata port PCI ID is 11.0. Is it the same on yours?

 

Do you have a drives hooked up to it? Is the OS on any of them? If so, is it on sata port 5?

 

 

Bios was updated 2 weeks ago, and using ESXi

 

On my motherboard the onboard sata port PCI ID is 11.0. Is it the same on yours?

 

Do you have a drives hooked up to it? Is the OS on any of them? If so, is it on sata port 5?

Esxi is on a thumb drive.

 

Drives plugged in to all ports. I'm not near the server I can't check the ID unless I can use the vsphere to do it

Esxi is on a thumb drive.

 

Drives plugged in to all ports. I'm not near the server I can't check the ID unless I can use the vsphere to do it

 

Have you double checked to make sure IOMMU and the other Virtual setting are turned on in the bios?

 

I honestly have not tried to passthrough all the sata ports being filled and the drive on Port 5 not being used by ESXi / Xen. Perhaps that might be an issue, I do not know.

 

There are countless people who have no problems with the ASRock Extreme 3/4 on ESXi / Xen and passingt hrough the onboard sata ports (at least the first 4). Go look in the virtualization section in Hard Forum and post there as well. There are A LOT of Virtual Server Experts on there who have our motherboard and use ESXi (I do not) in all kinds of various ways.

 

Esxi is on a thumb drive.

 

Drives plugge d in to all ports. I'm not near the server I can't check the ID unless I can use the vsphere to do it

 

Have you double checked to make sure IOMMU and the other Virtual setting are turned on in the bios?

 

I honestly have not tried to passthrough all the sata ports being filled and the drive on Port 5 not being used by ESXi / Xen. Perhaps that might be an issue, I do not know.

 

There are countless people who have no problems with the ASRock Extreme 3/4 on ESXi / Xen and passingt hrough the onboard sata ports (at least the first 4). Go look in the virtualization section in Hard Forum and post there as well. There are A LOT of Virtual Server Experts on there who have our motherboard and use ESXi (I do not) in all kinds of various ways.

Thanks

 

 

I just curious if any one with a ASRock 970 EXTREME4 was able to successfully passthrough a M1015 with Xen using unRAID? With ESXi it works well but not with Xen.

 

I documented my experience here http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=28995.0