Two players and two graphics cards.
Two players and two graphics cards.
I'm working on a single gaming rig with two VMs. So far, it's taken a lot of time without progress. To save myself effort, I'm wondering if others have similar configurations or know of effective solutions that match my needs. I ended up choosing Aster. I previously downsized to three gaming PCs for LAN play and now aim for fewer machines to keep costs down. If possible, I'd like to purchase premium hardware for the main machine and then use it as a base for additional PCs when upgrading. In this setup, my goal is to start just one VM at boot, with the others loading on demand—preferably via a web interface. I want a straightforward method to split system resources evenly between both VMs, ideally turning off the unused GPU when running as a single system. My 980 Ti will be the most powerful component, and I’d like to shut it down during operation. The only function this machine needs right now is handling two identical game instances.
System Specifications:
- ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
- AMD Ryzen 3800X 8c/16t
- 32GB RAM
- nVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti (primary)
- nVIDIA GTX 980 Ti (secondary)
- Three 250GB SATA SSDs (data striping planned)
- 1kW PSU (currently disconnected, will be connected)
Each VM requires:
- 4 cores
- 16GB RAM
- 1 GPU
Shared storage will be the focus.
Approaches I've explored (5 methods):
1. Unraid with KVM in CentOS
2. Proxmox with KVM in Debian
3. VMware ESXi (self-hosted hypervisor)
4. Windows + Hyper-V Aster
5. Aster (Ruslan’s app)
Challenges:
- Unraid: Stuck on Windows install, booting into Windows after first restart; VNC loading issues.
- Proxmox: No stable boot or VM launch from web UI.
- VMware ESXi: Freezes during VM startup; no GPU passthrough support.
- Aster: Slow boot times, hardware limitations.
- Linux Mint/SteamOS: Didn’t work.
- Hyper-V: Mouse/keyboard sharing and GPU passthrough are tricky.
Recent attempts:
- Updated drivers on GTX 1080 Ti but still freezing.
- Tried Windows 6.10 RC1 update—no improvement.
- Booted SteamOS; no success.
- Read about GPU-passthrough in VMware ESXi but encountered CPU virtualization restrictions.
Real-world advice:
- I’m considering using a hypervisor like Proxmox or VMware to manage resources, but setup is proving difficult.
- Some users with similar setups use a single GPU and disable certain features (like PCI passthrough) to avoid complications.
- A Russian app exists that allows multiple users on one system—though it lacks GPU targeting and sharing options.
My priority now: find a stable, easy-to-manage solution that lets me run two VMs with balanced performance and minimal setup hassle.
Hey those are both my videos You can select the gpu by which monitor the session is plugged into. Works pretty well. This id say is the easyiest method by far. What error did you get? You need to use https too for the web session. could you ssh in. Hyper-v doesn't support usb passthough, but you can passthrough usb controllers. This is normally more complex than the linux options, so id skip it Your gonna have to go more into detail here about what exact issues you see. Some hardware just doesn't like gpu pass-though as its not really officially supported. Was the 980ti the primary gpu? What is the vms config?
Thanks for your reply! I abandoned the Hyper-V concept. That person was using Parsec for remote access, which wasn’t suitable for my needs. It’s an interesting idea, but I want to prevent any lag. With Proxmox, the `https` option was problematic... I still have the USB drive and might try it again tomorrow. This seems like the most times I’ve ever installed Windows outside of a work environment.
I rely heavily on proxmox; it handles the task well but likely requires more effort than Unraid for similar outcomes. Power consumption shouldn’t be a major concern—the GPUs consume only 10-15 watts when idle. You can put the system to sleep or shut it down if needed. Shoot should have considered this earlier. I wasn’t able to get LAN gaming with TF2, though I’m not sure if that’s unique to that game. I believe you could host on another PC and connect multiple systems using the same IP easily. Core information is a Microsoft tool that shows which threads go to each CPU core. Ideally, leave it so users can access it freely if performance isn’t an issue. The main challenge is that no major manufacturer—like MS, Intel, or AMD—offers a solid solution for multiple users playing games on one PC. GPU passthrough is mostly designed for servers and works fine on desktops. There are strong cloud options, but they aren’t suited for desktop use. Just set up several systems and save time and effort if I were in your position.
After experimenting more with Aster, the system now supports power-saving modes on individual displays. This is exactly what I expected. It creates two separate operating environments, which feels natural. If the cards consume only 10-15 watts during idle time, it’s not a major concern. I’ll cover that cost with the added benefit of ease. Honestly, I’d only need to update and maintain the OS. I prefer minimal upkeep but enjoy playing with different setups. Having a dual-VM configuration is impressive. Based on my tests with Aster, this setup runs smoothly with little effort. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now I have a workaround for Sandboxie and Steam! The problem lies in Steam’s installation location—usually under `Program Files (x86)`. If it installed in `%appdata%`, each user would have their own instance, eliminating Sandboxie concerns entirely. This would boost performance and reduce worries. I’m not 100% confident yet, but I’m testing it now. I’m genuinely impressed by how effective this random software is despite the clunky interface and occasional language issues. What I appreciate most are your two videos. Without them, I wouldn’t have downloaded this program. I’ve been anxious about having a functional computer for my son, and now it works! --- I’m not sure if you’ve used or heard of BeTwin, but it seems similar to Aster. How does it compare? It looks much older and hasn’t been updated in years. Could be another low-maintenance alternative.
Aster originates from Tallinn, Estonia—not Russian. I discovered another option, XCP-ng, which seems promising compared to Proxmox, Unraid, and VMware ESXi. Performance issues with Sandboxie have been resolved as observed. Compatibility remains a challenge; some titles require unsandboxed execution or specific runtime environments. I haven’t tried the performance fix yet, but it appears effective for stress-tested games. CPU handling is still uncertain—testing shows no problems with dual copies of demanding titles, though CPU spikes were noted during downloads. It’s unclear if the issue lies in Aster itself or in the required drivers. A DX11 alternative was found, but its impact on Vulkan games is unknown. I left CPU cores open for heavy workloads; allocating them caused problems with certain titles. The decision to keep it open may be due to performance constraints. Quirks include unexpected behavior when switching terminals and Steam closing games after a user logs out. Switching ports or terminal settings might help. Games in Steam Big Picture didn’t work, possibly because they’re older titles unrelated to this configuration. Overall, the setup is functional but not optimal—better than running multiple VMs so far. I’m using Aster in a non-traditional way, likely for efficiency rather than convenience.
Another update I bought for Aster. It’s a good investment. Excellent software! The CPU increased during downloads after speaking with Aster support. They also offer the ability to set Ethernet cards and link private IP addresses to specific users. Not perfect, but it functions. I’d like to see it use DHCP addresses and let me pick which user gets the physical adapter. Auto-Login was handy—my Windows PCs would automatically log into Steam and open games when I booted up. Aster lets you decide for each Place whether a default Windows account is selected and if that account logs in automatically. That’s clever! Single GPU mode works well. Thanks @Electronics Wizardy, I tried using several places on one GPU, and it functioned! Now I can play Baldur’s Gate 3 while my child enjoys an adventure game without extra Windows setup or Hyper-V. It’s impressive. You can share the same GPU sound card with a single configuration, though that’s not ideal. Anyone else using Aster? It’s the most affordable and straightforward way to let multiple people play games together on one machine. It has some oddities due to Steam, but those are minor compared to the setup needed for alternatives like Unraid, Proxmox, or VMware.
I resolved the Vulkan problem by installing the newest nVIDIA GeForce 492 drivers. Both the GTX 1080 Ti and 980 Ti now support Vulkan when playing Baldur's Gate 3—likely due to a faulty driver or installation. The latest release a few weeks ago probably fixed it. Running Aster is smoother now, with just minor tweaks needed for Sandboxie setup: install apps in a non-sandboxed Steam environment before enabling sandboxing. That’s the end of it!