Linux and Windows compatibility with KVM?
Linux and Windows compatibility with KVM?
Hey everyone, I'm getting close to finishing school and have a plan to upgrade my setup. After that, I'll be building a new PC using a Ryzen 7 1700X. Right now I'm running Windows 10, but it's not my favorite. I'm thinking of switching to Linux Mint later. The main issue is that some games and programs don't work well on Linux. I remember seeing a video where someone was planning to run both Windows and Linux together, streaming games between them. That's what I was thinking too. I was considering using KVM to run Windows inside a virtual machine, to avoid performance problems. Do you have any experience with that or other suggestions?
For proper VGA pass-through gaming on AMD systems, you need IOMMU support which isn't available for VGA at ATM. Check your motherboard compatibility and explore Linux options using the Steam client, including native games that meet system requirements. On Linux, you can verify game availability via Steam's system checker. If you must use Windows, consider dual-booting for a smoother experience.
Well that doesn't sound ideal... Would you like me to try using unRAID? I'm open to pairing two graphics cards and setting up RAID1, but I really want a Ryzen processor for those extra cores. (Similar to the "2 gamers 1 CPU" or "NAS + gaming machine" tutorials). Yeah, I understand, but running all games on Linux isn't feasible. I also don't want to set up a dual boot because it feels too cumbersome. Edited April 21, 2017 by leletec
You're on the right track, but expect challenges ahead. Through testing and adjustments, you'll find your way. Linux can benefit from an onboard graphics card while keeping the dedicated one idle for KVM use. For gaming, prioritize single-core performance over multi-core numbers—Intel and NVIDIA tend to shine on Linux with proper drivers, eliminating the need for virtualization. Avoid loading drivers if you encounter issues; simply blacklist them in Grub settings. Once passthrough is set up, let Windows drivers manage the graphics card. If the host claims ownership, KVM guests won't connect directly. I see the point in not dual-booting—simply double-click your desktop and launch Windows as a background, letting Linux handle everything. This keeps things smooth and lets you resume where you left off. There were some insightful discussions on Reddit about KVM and passthrough; check those out. Since you haven't purchased anything yet, don't rush into hardware—research thoroughly and pick components that work well with Linux. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and select the right gear.
Thanks for the feedback! Your approach makes sense—more cores at a reasonable price is a smart choice. The 1700X seems to handle games well enough. For the GPU, a NVIDIA card is definitely on your list. I’ll check out the HyperX examples you mentioned and see if any virtualization reports are available for Ryzen right now. I’ll keep tracking and sharing my findings.
This subject always fascinates me. Right now I'm using a dual boot setup with Windows and Ubuntu 16.04 at home, while I mostly enjoy Linux for gaming. Switching to Windows is necessary for certain titles, but I'm still craving more performance on Linux. A Vulkan or OpenGL implementation would really boost the scene and make Linux gaming a serious contender. Relying on DirectX in Windows feels limiting. Without gaming on my PC, I wouldn't be using Windows at all. Wishing you success with your KVM project—I'm excited to see the outcome!
OpenGL has seen significant improvements recently, particularly with SteamOS and Valve’s efforts. More titles are now supporting Linux, though some ports still struggle with it. I don’t use Windows at all; I left after Windows 8.1 failed me two years ago and have been using Ubuntu ever since. Switching was a good decision. The only drawback is that roughly 30% of my Steam library isn’t available, though most games are still functional. Newer titles like Saints Row and CS:GO perform well. I’m impressed by Valve’s optimization on Linux, and I notice no major differences between running CS:GO on Windows versus Linux at the same settings. I’m not sure how effectively Ryzen handles passthrough, but this post covers the basics.
Thanks for the link. It's quite intriguing, particularly: Most VAC games should work on Linux. That night I considered GPU passthrough again and realized with UnRAID I’d likely need three separate GPUs, as Ryzen doesn’t have an integrated GPU. On the other hand, using VmWare with passthrough seems like a more practical solution. I plan to check which of my programs aren’t compatible with Linux and share the details in a future post. I’ve also heard that you can sometimes run DX games with Wine.