EXSi: HowTo Deactivate SVGA for Passthrough to Linux-Guest

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SaveServer

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Feb 16, 2022
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Hello,
is there a way to disable the EXSi 7u2 SVGA-graphic so that the Linux guest does not see it?

Unfortunately, the 'svga.present = false' command does not work.
Unfortunately, I can't deactivate the SVGA graphics in Linux either, so I would rather deactivate it directly to have a clean system.
 

BShoppy

Member
Apr 16, 2021
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I just set up a new VM on ESXi 7U3 (I would think 7U2 should be the same) and svga.present=FALSE works fine for me.

svga.present=FALSE
Code:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 01)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 08)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 08)
00:07.7 System peripheral: VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface (rev 10)
00:10.0 SCSI storage controller: Broadcom / LSI 53c1030 PCI-X Fusion-MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI (rev 01)
00:11.0 PCI bridge: VMware PCI bridge (rev 02)
00:15.0 PCI bridge: VMware PCI Express Root Port (rev 01)
...
00:18.7 PCI bridge: VMware PCI Express Root Port (rev 01)
02:00.0 SATA controller: VMware SATA AHCI controller
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: VMware VMXNET3 Ethernet Controller (rev 01)
svga.present=TRUE
Code:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 01)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 08)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 08)
00:07.7 System peripheral: VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface (rev 10)
00:0f.0 VGA compatible controller: VMware SVGA II Adapter
00:10.0 SCSI storage controller: Broadcom / LSI 53c1030 PCI-X Fusion-MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI (rev 01)
00:11.0 PCI bridge: VMware PCI bridge (rev 02)
00:15.0 PCI bridge: VMware PCI Express Root Port (rev 01)
...
00:18.7 PCI bridge: VMware PCI Express Root Port (rev 01)
02:00.0 SATA controller: VMware SATA AHCI controller
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: VMware VMXNET3 Ethernet Controller (rev 01)
You can see that the 00:0f.0 SVGA Adapter goes away. What are you seeing on your setup?
 

SaveServer

New Member
Feb 16, 2022
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You can see that the 00:0f.0 SVGA Adapter goes away. What are you seeing on your setup?
If I restart the VM after setting svga.present=FALSE, I get no signal on my monitor.
When I then try to use the GPU in my Windows VM the GPU isn't working correct. Then I have to reboot the host and the GPU-Passthrogh is working again in the Windows-VM.
 

BShoppy

Member
Apr 16, 2021
30
18
8
If I restart the VM after setting svga.present=FALSE, I get no signal on my monitor.
When I then try to use the GPU in my Windows VM the GPU isn't working correct. Then I have to reboot the host and the GPU-Passthrogh is working again in the Windows-VM.
Ok, I should have asked if you were trying to do GPU passthrough or just a headless server. But I'm a little confused; are you passing the GPU to the Linux VM or to the Windows VM?
 
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SaveServer

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Feb 16, 2022
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But I'm a little confused; are you passing the GPU to the Linux VM or to the Windows VM?
I want to pass it two both, but not at the same time.
The Windows-VM works fine with passthrough. But I think I found the problem.
When the GPU was passed to the Windows VM I have to reboot the ESXi host, that I can pass the GPU to the Linux VM. A Shutdown of the Windows VM is not enough, that ESXi releases the GPU.
Is this a bug or is that a configuration problem?
 

BShoppy

Member
Apr 16, 2021
30
18
8
I want to pass it two both, but not at the same time.
The Windows-VM works fine with passthrough. But I think I found the problem.
When the GPU was passed to the Windows VM I have to reboot the ESXi host, that I can pass the GPU to the Linux VM. A Shutdown of the Windows VM is not enough, that ESXi releases the GPU.
Is this a bug or is that a configuration problem?
Ok, that is not a configuration that I am familiar with. I don't have a GPU on my 7U3 system, or I'd test out. If I get a chance I can test it on my 6.7 host and see if the same behavior occurs there.
 

SaveServer

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Feb 16, 2022
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It seems, that ESXi 7 blocks the passthrough-device after it was used by one vm till the next reboot. :(
Is this a bug?