Linux and Windows gaming virtual machines using VGA routing
Linux and Windows gaming virtual machines using VGA routing
I chose this subject because I heard @Slick plans to move to Linux as his main operating system and keep Windows only for games and other tasks that don’t run smoothly on Linux. Right after the release of Windows 10 in late 2015 to early 2016, I started exploring options. Linus’ video “7 Gamers, 1 CPU” really inspired me. But I didn’t want a complex setup like Unraid for a basic home PC, so I searched and discovered that KVM could handle it on any standard Linux distribution. What you’ll need: a CPU supporting IOMMU (Intel VT-d or AMD-Vi), two GPUs (one integrated, one dedicated), one for the host Linux and another for Windows virtualization. Any modern Linux distro with proprietary drivers works best—Debian, Arch, or Fedora are good choices. Virt-manager is a handy tool to experiment with. Optional: Synergy 2xMonitors for easier setup, which will later be replaced by Synergy. I’ve been using it for some time now and it’s performing well. Initially, I used an nVidia GTX 580 in my VM, but it stopped working recently, so I switched to a temporary RX 460 until I can get a better GPU. For the host machine, I’m running a GTX 260, which isn’t ideal since modern nVidia drivers don’t support it well. I run any Linux-compatible game via Steam and launch the Windows VM for other applications. You can even stream Windows-only games on the Linux host through Steam, though performance for FPS and online games might vary. For the VM, I used Windows 10 LTSB N before switching to the RX 460, which caused driver problems, so I returned to Windows 8.1. There are excellent tutorials available for Arch and Debian distributions; some steps can be simplified with Virt-manager. I’m happy to share a short guide if anyone wants it.
Hello. I’m keen on a guide similar to what was available in 2017. It’s possible things have evolved, so I need a clear step-by-step approach. Right now I’m running a Windows-only dual-monitor desktop with ASTER; it functions but I’d like a Linux VM option that doesn’t require restarting the main PC for remote access. ASTER has some issues I’ve been weighing against using a second budget machine. I was evaluating Antegros, Debian, and Ubuntu, but I’m not sure about Unity. My current setup includes: Asus Z170 Pro Gaming i7 6700k, one 1080GTX, one 32GB RAM, and a 2K HDMI TV.