How to pass a single SATA port to VMs

[Rain_1]

Hello, as suggested by a Mod, I'll make a new thread:

 

I want to pass a single Sata port on my internal MOBO Sata controller to a VM. I've seen multiple threads on multiple places about passing through unique unassigned Hard Drives to a VM (through the unique HD UUID) and a specific threat about passing a SATA DVD or BD-Rom to a VM by assigning it to a SCSI controller and passing one of the devices through https://forums.unraid.net/topic/62070-pass-through-a-host-dvd-drive/. This last one would be ideal for me, but i'm having some issues.

 

Here's how I'm doing it:

 

Every hard drive I plug on that specific port always has the same SCSI address: It's address 2:0:0:0 on the "System Devices" pane in Unraid:

 

[2:0:0:0]	disk    ATA      SAMSUNG HD250HJ  0-06  /dev/sdc    250GB

 

My current configuration leads me to believe that the VM is, in fact, looking at the device, because if I don't have a device on that port, the VM will simply say that it can't find such a device on that address, meaning it can't pass it through. So far so good. My issue is: Windows doesn't see it as a valid SCSI Device. It shows it in Device Manager, but it can't find drivers for it. Trying to install the SCSI drivers from the VirtIO DVD drive is also useless, it says it can't find any.

Here's my Current Windows 10 VM configuration file:

 

    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='scsi' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <adapter name='scsi_host2'/>
        <address bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
      </source>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </hostdev>

Multiple people in the thread I posted earlier mention that this works, but some say it just behaves as I mentioned: Windows 10 just says "unknown SCSI device" on device manager and I can't install VirtIO drivers on it. The VM is seeing the device (because if I remove it, the VM doesn't start). Any idea on the configuration file that would allow windows to identify the controller, or allow me to install the VirtIO drivers?

 

Just some clarification:

• Mounting the hard drive directly through it's UUID wouldn't work: This is an external SATA dock on the case and I want to use it to service computers (mostly to make Macrium Reflect images of hard drives before I can service them). I wouldn't want to manually set the UUID every time I plug in a new hard drive
• Passing through a third external controller is also not viable: There's not any PciExpress slots free on the motherboard AND my CPU doesn't support VT-x, thus I can't IOMMU it to the VM.

 

This *should*  work, but I don't understand KVM's configuration enough to understand why the drivers are not being accepted (and I read some documentation on KVM).

 

Alternatively, a Docker Hard Drive imaging solution would suffice (although I still prefer using Macrium Reflect).

 

Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks for the help!

[testdasi]

Copy-paste your entire VM xml please.

[Rain_1]

Sure, I didn't do it becuase it would be too big:

 

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>Windows 10</name>
  <uuid>d55b6be0-99c6-270e-1307-69084ad03e86</uuid>
  <metadata>
    <vmtemplate xmlns="unraid" name="Windows 10" icon="windows.png" os="windows10"/>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>3145728</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>3145728</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>4</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='0'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='4'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='2' cpuset='1'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='3' cpuset='5'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-4.2'>hvm</type>
    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd</loader>
    <nvram>/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/d55b6be0-99c6-270e-1307-69084ad03e86_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'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='2' 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='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/domains/Windows 10/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x08' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/Windows10.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <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-0.1.173-2.iso'/>
      <target dev='hdb' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <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'>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
    <controller type='ide' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='0' model='lsilogic'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:f5:d6:43'/>
      <source bridge='br0'/>
      <model type='virtio'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
        <model name='isa-serial'/>
      </target>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </input>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0' keymap='en-us'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='scsi' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <adapter name='scsi_host2'/>
        <address bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
      </source>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </hostdev>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x06' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
</domain>

Reading through the documentation of KVM, it seems that "hostdev" is indeed a PciExpress pass through method, but I'm not sure if a SATA device falls into that configuration (are they all treated as PCI Express lane on bare metal level?). Again - I don't have enough knowledge on that end.

[testdasi]

15 hours ago, Rain_1 said:

Reading through the documentation of KVM, it seems that "hostdev" is indeed a PciExpress pass through method, but I'm not sure if a SATA device falls into that configuration (are they all treated as PCI Express lane on bare metal level?). Again - I don't have enough knowledge on that end.

 Hostdev can be used for any host devices (that supports it). PCIe device is the most frequently passed through one, doesn't mean it's the only thing.

 

Your scsi controller tag uses is lsilogic model so naturally virtio driver doesn't work. (how did you do that?)

 

First thing first, boot Windows and install the virtio scsi driver from the virtio iso manually.

This is because attaching a scsi virtual device to Windows may cause blue screen if there's no driver.

You can skip this step but if you get blue screen then you know why.

 

Then try this xml instead. (note how I changed model to virtio-scsi instead of lsilogic)

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>Windows 10</name>
  <uuid>d55b6be0-99c6-270e-1307-69084ad03e86</uuid>
  <metadata>
    <vmtemplate xmlns="unraid" name="Windows 10" icon="windows.png" os="windows10"/>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>3145728</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>3145728</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>4</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='0'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='4'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='2' cpuset='1'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='3' cpuset='5'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-4.2'>hvm</type>
    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd</loader>
    <nvram>/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/d55b6be0-99c6-270e-1307-69084ad03e86_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'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='2' 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='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='writeback'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/domains/Windows 10/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x08' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/user/isos/Windows10.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <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-0.1.173-2.iso'/>
      <target dev='hdb' bus='ide'/>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-ehci1'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci1'>
      <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'>
      <master startport='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='ich9-uhci3'>
      <master startport='4'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x07' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
    <controller type='ide' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='0' model='virtio-scsi'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:f5:d6:43'/>
      <source bridge='br0'/>
      <model type='virtio'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
        <model name='isa-serial'/>
      </target>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </input>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0' keymap='en-us'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <hostdev mode='subsystem' type='scsi' managed='no'>
      <source>
        <adapter name='scsi_host2'/>
        <address bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
      </source>
      <readonly/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </hostdev>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x06' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
</domain>

If you didn't install driver from step 1 then install driver after Windows has booted (use Device Manager to find the scsi device without driver).

Assuming there's no blue screen.

[Rain_1]

On 3/23/2020 at 9:39 AM, testdasi said:

Your scsi controller tag uses is lsilogic model so naturally virtio driver doesn't work. (how did you do that?)

Honestly, I just copied the information over from a different thread, where they were mapping a DVD Drive through an internal sata port to windows (very similar to my scenario, except instead of a DVD drive, it's a regular hard drive), and they were saying it was working. I kind of associated that the controller tag would dictate the driver to be used, but the thread said it was working and I couldn't find information about the existing drivers on the dvd image. 

 

I tried looking for information on the KVM VM configuration file and different devices, but i couldn't ever find something that would directly answer my questions or explain what they mean - for instance, I don't really understand what does the "managed" tag do and my quick google search today didn't bring any clarity to the issue. Other than "it doesn't work on scsi devices", I don't know how it works.

 

Changing the device model, like you mentioned it, seems to work fine. The SATA port doesn't seem to have a hotswappable information for windows in the VM, but it works and it detects different hard drives when I plug them in, which means it totally works for creating images (which was my original goal).

 

Thank you so much and sorry for the long delay - i've been busy. I need to do more research and see if I can make this be hotswappable, or bootable when there's no device in the slot, as the motherboard is and unraid sees and updates drive information in real time.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by Rain_1

[testdasi]

Glad that it works for you.

 

Reason I asked how you did it was in case it was a bug in Unraid (cuz it should be using virtio by default). If it's just old info online then it's fine then.