[vfio-users] Hyperthreading and kvm
José Ramón Muñoz Pekkarinen
koalinux at gmail.com
Sat Aug 22 17:02:37 UTC 2015
Hi,
I gave it a try today with no success. The launch command was:
/qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -vga cirrus -cpu host -smp 4,cores=4,threads=1
-m 4096 \
-netdev user,id=user.0 -device e1000,netdev=user.0 \
-usb -usbdevice tablet \
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly,file=/usr/share/edk2.git/ovmf-
x64/OVMF_CODE-with-csm.fd \
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,file=/usr/share/edk2.git/ovmf-
x64/Windows_ovmf_vars_x64.fd \
-drive
file=/dev/koalita/koalitavm,format=raw,cache=none,aio=native,if=virtio
I tried to launch it using the virtio disk, the ide disk, and empty disk
with the windows 7 installer, and even without disk to see if the cdrom
launchs ok.
Best regards.
José.
On Wednesday 19 August 2015 23:23:43 Blank Field wrote:
> The need of Q35 is overrated. Usually you need it for booting from sata
> controllers or something.
> For our use 440fx works better.
> I've used windows 7 on my machine. All you need to do is to follow the OVMF
> whitepaper:
> http://www.linux-kvm.org/downloads/lersek/ovmf-whitepaper-c770f8c.txt
>
> 2015-08-19 20:35 GMT+03:00 José Ramón Muñoz <koalinux at gmail.com>:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Sorry for not replying to all, I wrote from the phone and
> > sometimes
> >
> > happens.
> >
> > About the ovmf stuff, I would give it a try just in case I didn't
> >
> > read the
> > Alex Williamson post that explained that I need windows > win7 to be able
> > to
> > use it. I'm still not planning to upgrade it to windows 10.
> >
> > How about q35? I tried to launch it but it seems to yield a
> >
> > beautiful
> > BSOD because of the ati drivers not being expanded. Do anyone uses it
> > regularly?
> >
> > BR.
> >
> > José.
> >
> > On Wednesday 19 August 2015 20:12:23 Blank Field wrote:
> > > Please, use the reply-all button. Include "vfio-users at redhat.com"
> >
> > address
> >
> > > in the "to:" field.
> > >
> > > > So, I got it right that using OVMF my setup can work reliably? I
> > > > was
> > >
> > > considering to build it but it seems to be not so straight forward in
> > > Gentoo.
> > >
> > > I haven't tried doing this on gentoo, but you can try using "alien" to
> >
> > use
> >
> > > RPMs from kraxel.org
> > > https://www.kraxel.org/repos/
> > > Also, i recall there was just plain binary files builds from jenkins,
> >
> > lurk
> >
> > > around and see if you can make yourself an ebuild with an overlay.
> > > Also, there's a xen-tools package which has OVMF USE-flag, try
> >
> > researching
> >
> > > this.
> > > And i think i saw an user-created portage overlay with the OVMF package
> >
> > in
> >
> > > there.
> > >
> > > I think plain libvirt and virt-manager should already be in the main
> > > portage tree.
> > >
> > > 2015-08-19 6:16 GMT+03:00 José Ramón Muñoz Pekkarinen <
> >
> > koalinux at gmail.com>:
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > So, I got it right that using OVMF my setup can work reliably? I
> >
> > was
> >
> > > > considering to build it but it seems to be not so straight forward in
> > > > Gentoo.
> > > >
> > > > BR.
> > > >
> > > > José
> > > >
> > > > On Aug 19, 2015 3:09 AM, "Blank Field" <ihatethisfield at gmail.com>
> >
> > wrote:
> > > >> Well, that sounds like the first time i've got it working.
> > > >> Sooo, i've managed to make it work back then with just x-vga and
> > > >> qemu.
> > > >> It worked. Sometimes.
> > > >> Sometimes it crashed the host.
> > > >> Sometimes it froze the VM and messed up the GPU.
> > > >> I did a foolish research with no results whatsoever, but i've made
> > > >> one
> > > >> observation - if the firefox is started and it eats a ton of memory,
> > > >> i
> > > >> have
> > > >> better chances to run the VM right.
> > > >> However, i've dropped that way and went the OVMF way, avoiding the
> >
> > VGA.
> >
> > > >> Check the dmesg, maybe you're more lucky than me with the motherboard
> >
> > and
> >
> > > >> it's just the GPU that freezes. Also, i'd check the temperatures.
> > > >>
> > > >> 2015-08-19 0:25 GMT+03:00 José Ramón Muñoz <koalinux at gmail.com>:
> > > >>> Hi,
> > > >>>
> > > >>> I'm using and APU a8-7650k, and apart that from time to time
> >
> > the
> >
> > > >>> win7
> > > >>> guest decides to freeze, so many times during boot time, and
> > > >>> ocassionally
> > > >>> during gaming, I'm fairly happy with the performance. The passed
> >
> > through
> >
> > > >>> gpu
> > > >>> is a HD5670 and I managed to play games like MGS Ground Zeroes,
> >
> > Blades
> >
> > > >>> of
> > > >>> times, and currently DAO: Origins.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Best regards.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> José.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> On Wednesday 19 August 2015 00:09:09 Blank Field wrote:
> > > >>> > Use "Reply All" button. Include the mailing list in the "to:"
> >
> > field.
> >
> > > >>> > >I'm currently running an A10-5700 with a discrete Nvidia card,
> > > >>> > >and
> > > >>>
> > > >>> I've
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > got a LMDE2 install in which I'm preparing to do an experimental
> >
> > W10
> >
> > > >>> VM.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > So, according to your experience, I shouldn't expect much with
> > > >>> > this
> > > >>> > processor, then?
> > > >>> > http://pastebin.com/rEhebfQM
> > > >>> > It will work. But it has taken a year for me to figure out how to
> >
> > make
> >
> > > >>> it
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > work.
> > > >>> > The pastebin link is my currently working domain xml.
> > > >>> > Two asus HD7750 on an asus F2A55+Athlon X4 750k (Trinity).
> > > >>> > The kernel and module parameters are:
> > > >>> > options kvm-amd npt=1 nested=0
> > > >>> > options kvm ignore_msrs=0 allow_unsafe_assigned_interrupts=0
> > > >>> > options vfio_iommu_type1 disable_hugepages=1
> >
> > allow_unsafe_interrupts=0
> >
> > > >>> > CMDLINE:
> > > >>> > nofb pci-stub.ids=1022:780d,1002:683f,1002:aab0
> > > >>> > enable_mtrr_cleanup
> > > >>> > amd_iommu_dump=1 iommu=pt acpi_enforce_resources=lax
> > > >>> >
> > > >>> > Try doing it with nested=1
> > > >>> >
> > > >>> > If you will use libvirt, that should work 100%, as i have almost
> >
> > the
> >
> > > >>> same
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > CPU.
> > > >>> >
> > > >>> > 2015-08-18 23:57 GMT+03:00 ALG Bass <olorin12 at gmail.com>:
> > > >>> > > Gotcha. So it would be better if I got the i7.
> > > >>> > > I'm currently running an A10-5700 with a discrete Nvidia card,
> >
> > and
> >
> > > >>> I've
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > > got a LMDE2 install in which I'm preparing to do an experimental
> >
> > W10
> >
> > > >>> VM.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > > So, according to your experience, I shouldn't expect much with
> >
> > this
> >
> > > >>> > > processor, then?
> > > >>> > >
> > > >>> > > On Tue, Aug 18, 2015 at 3:46 PM, Blank Field <
> > > >>>
> > > >>> ihatethisfield at gmail.com>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > > wrote:
> > > >>> > >> Hyperthreading on host means MORE cores which you can commit to
> >
> > the
> >
> > > >>> VM.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >> More cores = more performance.
> > > >>> > >> It is good for you.
> > > >>> > >> For the host it doesn't matter logical or physical. For the VM,
> > > >>>
> > > >>> you'd
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >> want to pin "pairs" of cores, so there would be less CPU cache
> > > >>>
> > > >>> issues.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >> Like, assign a core and it's sibling instead of two separate
> >
> > cores.
> >
> > > >>> > >> I use AMD Athlon X4 750k which is based off A10-5700, and it's
> > > >>>
> > > >>> working
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >> very unstable.
> > > >>> > >> The only way to get it working - use OVMF without VGA and do
> > > >>> > >> not
> > > >>> > >> use
> > > >>> > >> hugepages.
> > > >>> > >> That's all.
> > > >>> > >>
> > > >>> > >> P.S.
> > > >>> > >> Oh well, here we go again.
> > > >>> > >>
> > > >>> > >> 2015-08-18 22:26 GMT+03:00 ALG Bass <olorin12 at gmail.com>:
> > > >>> > >>> Hi all, new to this list, kvm, and vfio. I've been researching
> > > >>>
> > > >>> this for
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> about a week.
> > > >>> > >>> I'm also going to be building a computer in the near future,
> > > >>> > >>> so
> > > >>>
> > > >>> I've got
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> a quick two part question:
> > > >>> > >>> Does the hyperthreading on i7 series Intel processors make a
> > > >>>
> > > >>> significant
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> difference in running Windows in a VM, such that it's a
> >
> > noticeable
> >
> > > >>> > >>> increase
> > > >>> > >>> in performance over an i5? And, does anyone here run Windows
> >
> > in a
> >
> > > >>> VM
> > > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> using
> > > >>> > >>> an AMD A-series APU like the 7700k, and how is the
> > > >>> > >>> performance?
> > > >>> > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> Thank you!
> > > >>> > >>>
> > > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________
> > > >>> > >>> vfio-users mailing list
> > > >>> > >>> vfio-users at redhat.com
> > > >>> > >>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/vfio-users
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