Software to access VM in the same computer

[Yeyo53]

Hello guys!

 

After some months setting up my Unraid Server with its multiple dockers and harddrives I created my first VM. It was a Windows 10 for testing some stuff and it works great. I dont have a very powerfull server but it does the job.

The thing is that, after watching a youtube video of ''Linus Tech Tips'' where he mounts and unraid with 2x2080 to have 2 gaming setups, I want to try something ''similar''.

 

I want to try to install a 1060 6Gb I have around and use that VM as an option for gaming when I'm in this house. So the question is, when you have a setup like that, you start your computer so unraid load, then you open the VM through the unraid web gui? and thats how you work and how you game? Or there are other programs to run the VM more 'transparently'? For example, I was thinking that Unraid GUI doesn't have any sound, if you passthrough a nvidia card.. will you have sound through that VM?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[mikotoiii]

For gaming, you would pass the 1060 through to the VM. This will let the VM access it at the hardware level, and any monitors on that video card will be used by your VM. You will either need another video card (onboard may work) to run your Unraid from if you want local access to it, or you can run it "headless" aka without a monitor and control it from your phone, tablet, other computer, etc via the website.

[Yeyo53]

Nice!

 

So can I run headless unraid and past through also mouse and keyboard to VM right? the only 'drawback' is that I have to start the VM through the server gui through the phone as you said.

 

Because, what happens if I have the VM running all the time EVEN if It has no use? will it down the performance of the server? I mean, the passthrough cores and the ram are blocked by the VM and cannot be used by the sever while the VM its running?

 

Last question: If I run unraid headless, can I passthrough the onboard graphics card to another VM?

Thanks for your information!

 

 

[mikotoiii]

Usually you would pass through a USB controller. so you can connect and disconnect devices at will. The guide here can help you more with that. https://forums.unraid.net/topic/35112-guide-passthrough-entire-pci-usb-controller/

 

You can have the vm powered on all the time if you plan to daily drive the VM, there is an autostart toggle on the VM page that will let the VM automatically power on when your Unraid fully loads. Otherwise you can start and stop VMs from webpage on another device like your phone.

 

If you leave the VM on all the time, it will drain performance from the Unraid server, as those resources will be dedicated to your VM, and not your Unraid server.

 

If you run Unraid headless you should be able to pass through the onboard graphics. My motherboard doesn't have onboard graphics, but I have 2 GTX 2060's and I am passing them to separate VMs running in headless mode. Here's a video that can give you some good information on GPU passthrough and running a system headless.