VM options with a 1090t

Software & Operating Systems Linux
#1

Love the idea of running windows with hardware pass though. However I know the Phenom cpu is not capable of that type of virtual capabilities. I guess my question is is there a way to do a linux vm in linux that would give you hardware pass though? That way I could mess with wine and other things without breaking my host system and still have actual hardware do the work without the vm middle man? Thanks.

Running Opensuse. May do a fresh install so i can undo all the bad things I did in the beginning.

#2

On the AMD platform the option you are looking for in the BIOS is IOMMU.

Its the same thing as VT-d on Intel, it just requires an AMD-V CPU (which the 1090T is) and a chipset that supports it.

I'm not entirely sure how you do hardware passthrough on a type-2 hypervisor though, but this maybe of use

#3

I have a 890fx motherboard. From what I have read AMD requires all cpu features to be available on chipsets that support the cpus. So My motherboard does support AMD-Vi which is a FX processor feature not a Phenom feature. So if the 1090T does support AMD-V I should be able to activate that in the bios then

 

#4

also thanks for the link Ill read though that

#5

AMD virtulization should be under the advance CPU options (I think) and the IOMMU is under chipset options.

Pretty much all AMD CPU's after 2006 have AMD-V (Anything after Athlon 64 "Orleans")

#6

VT-d is called AMD-Vi in AMD lingo.

The Phenom is totally capable of IOMMU, not on all SKU's, but on most. All AMD mobos are capable of IOMMU, because it's an AMD requirement to OEM's that they implement all the features the chipset offers. Some OEM's, mainly Asus, make it difficult by reversing "yes/no" in the BIOS settings or by trying to withhold users from using an IOMMU enabling BIOS by classifying the IOMMU capable BIOS as "beta", but that should stop nobody...