Re: Is my Intel HD Graphics 4600 Xen VGA Passthrough to Windows 8 Enterprise HVM domU Considered Successful?

[Gordan Bobic <gordan@bobich.net>]

 On Fri, 19 Jul 2013 19:37:16 +0800, "Singapore Citizen Mr. Teo En Ming 
 (Zhang Enming)" <singapore.mr.teo.en.ming@gmail.com> wrote:

>>>>>>> My Windows 8 Enterprise HVM domU configuration is as follows. I 
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> to *disable* gfx_passthru, that is, gfx_passthru=0. Please take 
>>>>>>> note.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [...]
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> So is my Intel HD Graphics 4600 Xen VGA passthrough to Windows 
>>>>>>> 8
>>>>>>> Enterprise HVM domU considered successful?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If it works, it's successful.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I cannot enable gfx_passthru, that is, gfx_passthru=1. If I 
>>>>>>> enable
>>>>>>> gfx_passthru, Windows 8 Enterprise HVM domU would start for a 
>>>>>>> few
>>>>>>> seconds, then the LCD monitor would go into power save mode 
>>>>>>> (blank
>>>>>>> screen) *forever*.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Please advise me on how I can get VGA passthrough to work with
>>>>>>> gfx_passthru=1.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Can you elaborate why exactly do you need to have that GPU 
>>>>>> passed
>>>>>> through as primary? Primary GPU passthrough has always been
>>>>>> problematic because domU has to re-post the card's BIOS which
>>>>>> has always been problematic.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The only difference in the general case is that with 
>>>>>> gfx_passthru=1
>>>>>> you get to see the POST and boot information on the monitor
>>>>>> connected to the GPU. With gfx_passthry=0 you can only see this
>>>>>> in the VNC session connected to the virtual primary VGA card. In
>>>>>> the vast majority of cases seeing the POST and boot animation
>>>>>> isn't useful enough to be worth bothering with.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have a working setup with 2x Quadro cards, each passed through
>>>>>> as secondary (gfx_passthru=0) to different domUs, with separate
>>>>>> mice/keyboards passed through to each domU (multi-seat gaming
>>>>>> rig), and that works lovely (only limitation being 2GB of RAM
>>>>>> for each domU until I get around to upgrading to 4.3).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Unless you have a very compelling reason to use gfx_passthru=1
>>>>>> I suggest you don't bother even trying.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Gordan
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Dear Gordan,
>>>>>
>>>>> I want to use the monitor connected to Intel HD Graphics 4600
>>>>> directly. I don't want to use a VNC session to connect to the 
>>>>> Windows
>>>>> 8 Enterprise HVM domU.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you very much.
>>>>
>>>> You only need VNC for the POST. Once Windows boots up you should 
>>>> be
>>>> be able to get all your display output on the physical screen.
>>>> Disable the virtual VGA interface in device manager if you have
>>>> to - I've found that is sometimes necessary to get the physical
>>>> GPU working properly.
>>>>
>>>> Gordan
>>>>
>>>
>>> Dear Gordan,
>>>
>>> How do I disable the virtual display adapter in Windows 8 
>>> Enterprise
>>> HVM domU? I see nothing on the physical screen at all.
>>
>> Have you tried going into your desktop/resolution settings and
>> extending your desktop to the physical monitor?
>>
> How do I do that? What are the steps? Please elaborate. Please show
> me any screenshots, if any.

 Sorry, that's a Windows question and that is outside of my area of
 expertise.

 Gordan