Proxmox noob asking a simple question....(intel/iommu)

[ComfySofa]

As above - ive been using it a little while and im a convert (love it!)

Ive just got the iommu stuff working (optiplex 3050) with on board intel 630 graphics.

Now its working to make sure ive got it all right ive got a few general questions...(this is win11 vm related) i think

1. VNC (real vnc) and RDP are working but the console isnt - is this normal or could i have the console working?
2. Can i assign the 630 to another vm (ubuntu) for example or as the gpu is a weedy one can i just have the one or, can i assign to multiple ones but only have one vm running at a time that targets the gpu?

Cheers to anyone that takes a swipe!

 

[Dunuin]

1. VNC (real vnc) and RDP are working but the console isnt - is this normal or could i have the console working?

Thats normal, because you guest is then using the physical GPU and not the virtual one used by Proxmox.

2. Can i assign the 630 to another vm (ubuntu) for example or as the gpu is a weedy one can i just have the one or, can i assign to multiple ones but only have one vm running at a time that targets the gpu?

You can only have 1 VM running with that GPU at a time. But you could add that GPU to multiple VMs. But this is quite annoying because then your backups will fail if one of these VMs is running. Because when a VM with passthrough is running, starting all the other VMs that want to use that GPU will fail. And in order to do a backup PVE has to start that VM. I personally set up a cron job thats shuts down all my VMs with PCI passtrough before my backup job starts, so all VMs are shutdown before the backup job starts, so the backup job won't fail.

 

[ComfySofa]

Brilliant - thanks very much.....now ive got it working and i can see the benefits of it...im thinking of going up a level to a slightly larger box (mines a usff) model (a really small one!) - so might go up a size so i can get a half height card in there - now i know that ups the power (im in the uk so electricity here is really expensive) but if i were to do that and i get a half height card if, a vm that uses a gpu is runing but dormant does the power drop (or if its being used atall) - i have home assistant and pihole running 24/7 - the 3d based vm's would only be used now and again...

Going back to my windows 11 vm based on what you said about having no console....if i were to have a problem with the os and i couldnt boot and have lost access to the console am i screwed if i were to have a problem...?

Thanks for the prompt reply...

 

[Dunuin]

Going back to my windows 11 vm based on what you said about having no console....if i were to have a problem with the os and i couldnt boot and have lost access to the console am i screwed if i were to have a problem...?

In that situation I previously added the virtual GPU again, removed the PCI passthrough and restartet that VM. Then it is using the virual GPU and your console is running again, so you can fix stuff.

 

[ComfySofa]

Ah - great so remove the gpu in the hardware settings, get the console back, fix and then re-add?

 

[Dunuin]

Ah - great so remove the gpu in the hardware settings, get the console back, fix and then re-add?

Jup

 

[ComfySofa]

Brilliant - all questions answered! - up to me now to make a decision on "going up a size" to take advantage of the gpu stuff now...! many thanks again!