Use as Desktop

[Chip33az]

Hi,

 

I hope this doesn't sound that silly of a question.

 

I'm looking to consolidate my hardware into a single box (NAS, desktop, etc).  I happened to see a video about unRAID 6 and its ability to use VMs.  I was thinking I could setup unRAID, create a Windows VM (for example) and then use that to play games, budgeting, etc.)  I'm also looking at trying the new HDHomeRun DVR and thought this would be good.

 

But after watching videos, while one can use the hardware directly (say a GTX card), it sounds like you still need to have an actual desktop to connect to the unRAID box.  Or am I missing something?

 

Could I install unRAID, create the virtual Windows and then have it boot and start automatically and display the desktop?

 

Sorry if it is poorly worded or sounds silly, just was curious if this really could combine everything or if I still would need a desktop.

[jonp]

I'm looking to consolidate my hardware into a single box (NAS, desktop, etc).  I happened to see a video about unRAID 6 and its ability to use VMs.  I was thinking I could setup unRAID, create a Windows VM (for example) and then use that to play games, budgeting, etc.)  I'm also looking at trying the new HDHomeRun DVR and thought this would be good.

 

But after watching videos, while one can use the hardware directly (say a GTX card), it sounds like you still need to have an actual desktop to connect to the unRAID box.  Or am I missing something?

 

Could I install unRAID, create the virtual Windows and then have it boot and start automatically and display the desktop?

 

In short...yes.  That said, you still will need another device of some sort in order to configure the array initially and create the VM from the webGui.  This device could be a mobile phone or tablet just using the browser.

 

Sorry if it is poorly worded or sounds silly, just was curious if this really could combine everything or if I still would need a desktop.

 

This is not poorly worded or silly at all.  This is exactly what unRAID is designed to do!  We're working to make this easier and easier iteratively.  One area of improvement is that we want to embed a link to download VirtIO drivers directly to the ISOs share within the webGui itself.  This way you don't need another device to obtain those drivers.  There is still the issue with getting the Windows.iso file on the share as well without using another device, but still looking into that as well.

 

If you already have a Windows.iso and can get it copied over to a user share along with the VirtIO drivers ISO, then the rest of the process to create the VM can be done with your mobile phone or tablet, and the install of Windows could be done using a locally attached keyboard/mouse and a GPU assigned (like the GTX card you reference).

 

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[Chip33az]

Thank you for the prompt response.

 

I think I might have to download the 30 day trial and give it a shot.  I just don't see it.

 

I keep thinking that if I plugged in a monitor, mouse, keyboard to the unRAID box, I would just see a prompt or text (kind of like a ESXi server).

 

I already have a Windows ISO (or Linux) I can use, and perhaps a laptop just to see what happens.

 

Thanks.

[JonathanM]

I keep thinking that if I plugged in a monitor, mouse, keyboard to the unRAID box, I would just see a prompt or text (kind of like a ESXi server).

When you first boot the server, that is exactly what you would see. The initial install of windows as a VM on unraid has to be configured and started from another machine, but after it's installed, you can use that windows install locally. It's more complex than a standard windows install for sure, but the benefits and flexibility make it worth the effort.

[archedraft]

I have 4 VM's running right now and two of them are running as desktops. Let me see if I can make a little more sense of it all. Technically my server has 3 graphics cards:

1. Intel HD Graphics 4000 (integrated with CPU)

2. Nvidia 8800 GT

3. Radeon HD 6450

 

I have two monitors plugged into my Nvidia 8800 GT, one monitor plugged into my Radeon HD 6450 and I have another one plugged into my Intel HD 4000. (So I have 4 monitors plugged into my unRAID machine at once) Now when I boot up my system the following happens.

 

unRAID starts and is displayed on the monitor from the Intel HD 4000, once unRAID has started the data array then the VM's turn on. Now I start my Windows 8 VM and I give it access to my Nvidia 8800 GT so both monitors plugged into the 8800 turn on. Next my Mac OS X VM turns on and I give it access to my Radeon so the 4th monitor now turns on. 

 

In summary:

1. Intel HD Graphics 4000 (integrated with CPU) = Shows unRAID's log in prompt

2. Nvidia 8800 GT = Two monitors showing a Windows 8 Desktop

3. Radeon HD 6450 = One monitor showing a Mac OS X desktop

 

Hopefully that makes sense and doesn't confuse you more.... 

[Chip33az]

Thank you for the responses.

 

I have an i5 laptop (not sure about the detailed specs) I can try this out on over the next week or so.

 

My machine is getting up there (AMD Phenom II X4 925 - I think) and wanted to replace it and consolidate everything.  If I can have a single machine be the NAS and run a Windows VM from it with GPU support and use it as a desktop, I would be very interested.  I would make sure the hardware supports the various virtual components as needed.

[Chip33az]

Okay, a quick follow-up question.

 

How many keyboards/mice do you have connected to that device.  if only one, how do you switch between the various VMs?

 

I can see how the video is displayed based on the video card, makes sense, but the keyboard/mouse now stumps me.

 

Thanks.

[RussellinSacto]

I have the same question.  :-)

 

How do you switch between the simultaneously running VMs?

 

Thanks,

 

Russell

[Squid]

Okay, a quick follow-up question.

 

How many keyboards/mice do you have connected to that device.  if only one, how do you switch between the various VMs?

 

I can see how the video is displayed based on the video card, makes sense, but the keyboard/mouse now stumps me.

 

Thanks.

Presumably you could use something like synergy to do it...  http://synergy-project.org/

[archedraft]

I have two keyboards and mice for my two VM desktops. You could hook up one keyboard and mouse to a USB hub and switch the USB cable each time... You would probably have to pass through a different USB controller to each VM in order to do this with both running at the same time.