GPU virtualization and passthrough setup from Linux host to Windows VM
GPU virtualization and passthrough setup from Linux host to Windows VM
Sure thing! Here’s a clearer version of your questions:
You recently watched a Linux gaming guide from June 2020 and are considering switching to Linux for your new PC. You’re planning to keep Windows as a virtual machine for work and maybe for games that require DRM, while still using Windows for everyday tasks. You’re curious about converting your current OS into a VM and want to know if your Nvidia GPU can run inside it. You’re also wondering about the best VM software for Linux and whether RTX support is possible, especially if you’re concerned about performance.
Yes, you can run KVM on Linux and activate IOMMU to route your GPU directly to the guest Windows OS inside the virtual machine. This provides the VM with complete GPU access, allowing you to install Nvidia or AMD drivers within the VM just as on a physical system. Numerous online tutorials are available, such as a subreddit focused on the topic (r/VFIO).
GPU passthrough requires dedicating the GPU to the virtual machine, making it unavailable for use on the host. This typically involves using two GPUs or at least an integrated graphics card for the host. The virtual machine will access the GPU directly through its drivers, ensuring the host doesn't interfere with performance on devices like the RTX.
As long as everything is passed to the KVM it shouldn't matter. The performance impact is fairly minimal and if setup correctly would have a set amount of ram and cpu cores that's always available. Your GPU and peripherals that are passed to the KVM, would have direct communication removing any performance penalty.