USB Graphics Card (DisplayLink) and VMs

[DieFalse]

I have a unique idea (atleast from searching for results standpoint).

 

With unraid making VM's easy, and checkbox passthough of usb devices work great for me,  I wanted to know if using usb gpus (display link IE https://www.amazon.com/Ableconn-USB3HD4KB-Graphics-3840x2160-DisplayLink ) would work as GPU for the VM it's passed through to....  This would free up PCI slots on my mobo for better uses if so.

 

Any ideas?  I don't need gaming performance out of the gpu,  just basic desktop funtions. windows 10.

[Squid]

I used to run a secondary display via a USB adapter no problems.  You won't however be able to set up the VM over the USB though.  You'll have to do it all via VNC, and install the drivers etc.  After that it should just work.

[DieFalse]

1 hour ago, Squid said:

I used to run a secondary display via a USB adapter no problems.  You won't however be able to set up the VM over the USB though.  You'll have to do it all via VNC, and install the drivers etc.  After that it should just work.

 

That's kinda what I was thinking,   pass the usb through,  with the current GPU, then install drivers for the usb, then shutdown - remove passthrough of the gpu and then boot off usb graphics.

 

If you think of any call outs let me know.   I am going to purchase 3 of these tomorrow and try it with dedicated ethernet and gpu via usb this weekend or next depending on free time.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Adapter-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00IU1V9CO/

[methanoid]

@fmp4m  Hello again :-)   Do keep us updated how well this works... and which OS's you use it with     Thanks

[methanoid]

On 5/1/2018 at 7:32 PM, fmp4m said:

 

That's kinda what I was thinking,   pass the usb through,  with the current GPU, then install drivers for the usb, then shutdown - remove passthrough of the gpu and then boot off usb graphics.

 

If you think of any call outs let me know.   I am going to purchase 3 of these tomorrow and try it with dedicated ethernet and gpu via usb this weekend or next depending on free time.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Adapter-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00IU1V9CO/

 

@fmp4m so what happened? worked good?

[Nigel]

Bit of a necro here...but I was trying the same and came across this.  For the benefit of any new visitors...

 

I managed to get this working.  Steps to recreate:

1. Create a Windows 10 VM using the standard unraid VNC.
2. Connect the display link adapter to a USB port with a display emulator dummy plug connected.
3. Pass the USB device through to the VM.
4. Install the display link drivers.
5. Go to display settings and make display 2 (your display link screen) the primary.
6. Shutdown the VM.
7. Edit the VM in XML view to remove the Unraid VNC, which is the graphics and video tags.
8. Save and start the VM.

The VM now has the display link adapter as primary, and you can access to the supported resolutions given by your display emulator and display link adapter with a suitable VNC software solution (I use realvnc).  Performance is also better on RDP and VNC.  But it's not the same as installing a hardware GPU obviously!

Edited May 11, 2020 by Nigel