[gentoo-user] vmware opengl

[gentoo-user] vmware opengl

[Matt Harrison]

Hi list,

I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work 
reasons, but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to 
see how the latest DMs are coming along.

The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive 
and everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working 
for compositing.

The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has 
opengl compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not 
sure what else needs to be done.

glxinfo gives me:

name of display: :0
Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig

I'm not sure if it's even possible to get opengl working here...but I 
assume it is as a mythbuntu vm works perfectly displaying live tv etc.

Anyway, any tips on this subject appreciated. It's hard to find anything 
on google related to this.

Many thanks

Re: [gentoo-user] vmware opengl

[Paul Hartman]

On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Matt Harrison
<iwasinnamuknow@genestate.com> wrote:
> Hi list,
>
> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work reasons,
> but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to see how the
> latest DMs are coming along.
>
> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive and
> everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working for
> compositing.
>
> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has opengl
> compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not sure what
> else needs to be done.

AFAIK there is nothing working currently that allows you to use 3D
acceleration in linux guest in VMWare. There are several non-working,
half-working, used-to-work-but-don't-anymore projects trying to
achieve it, but they're generally unmaintained and more of
proof-of-concept than ready for users.

The 3D acceleration does work for Windows guests, using the vmware
helper drivers. Last time I tried it (a year or so ago), it "worked"
as far as 3D being detected by the guest OS, but was not actually
useable for anything real because it was so buggy and incomplete.

I think the "official" way to use 3D in linux vmware guest is to use
the vmwgfx kernel module, building some specific (patched?) libdrm,
mesa with certain gallium configuration options, and enabling some
magic switches in your xorg.conf, though I have read that this hasn't
worked in a year or two. If you're using old versions of kernel &
everything then maybe it could work...

But I'm no expert in this area, maybe I'm wrong. ;)

[gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 06/07/2011 09:43 PM, Matt Harrison wrote:
> Hi list,
>
> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work
> reasons, but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to
> see how the latest DMs are coming along.
>
> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive
> and everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working
> for compositing.
>
> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has
> opengl compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not
> sure what else needs to be done.
>
> glxinfo gives me:
>
> name of display: :0
> Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig
>
> I'm not sure if it's even possible to get opengl working here...but I
> assume it is as a mythbuntu vm works perfectly displaying live tv etc.
>
> Anyway, any tips on this subject appreciated. It's hard to find anything
> on google related to this.

You need to use the vmware DRM kernel driver and vmwgfx Gallium driver. 
  Only then can you have accelerated 3D in Linux guests.

The DRM driver is easily enabled in the kernel configuration (it's in 
the "staging drivers" section).  Not sure about the vmwgfx gallium 
driver though.

Re: [gentoo-user] vmware opengl

[Paul Hartman]

On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:33 PM, Paul Hartman
<paul.hartman+gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Matt Harrison
> <iwasinnamuknow@genestate.com> wrote:
>> Hi list,
>>
>> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work reasons,
>> but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to see how the
>> latest DMs are coming along.
>>
>> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive and
>> everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working for
>> compositing.
>>
>> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has opengl
>> compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not sure what
>> else needs to be done.
>
> AFAIK there is nothing working currently that allows you to use 3D
> acceleration in linux guest in VMWare. There are several non-working,
> half-working, used-to-work-but-don't-anymore projects trying to
> achieve it, but they're generally unmaintained and more of
> proof-of-concept than ready for users.
>
> The 3D acceleration does work for Windows guests, using the vmware
> helper drivers. Last time I tried it (a year or so ago), it "worked"
> as far as 3D being detected by the guest OS, but was not actually
> useable for anything real because it was so buggy and incomplete.
>
> I think the "official" way to use 3D in linux vmware guest is to use
> the vmwgfx kernel module, building some specific (patched?) libdrm,
> mesa with certain gallium configuration options, and enabling some
> magic switches in your xorg.conf, though I have read that this hasn't
> worked in a year or two. If you're using old versions of kernel &
> everything then maybe it could work...
>
> But I'm no expert in this area, maybe I'm wrong. ;)
>

I will add that maybe you can do something more simple like
client/server relationship between your host and guest, just use your
non-virtual X server to render the "remote" (virtualized) programs.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Matt Harrison]

On 07/06/2011 20:34, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 06/07/2011 09:43 PM, Matt Harrison wrote:
>> Hi list,
>>
>> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work
>> reasons, but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to
>> see how the latest DMs are coming along.
>>
>> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive
>> and everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working
>> for compositing.
>>
>> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has
>> opengl compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not
>> sure what else needs to be done.
>>
>> glxinfo gives me:
>>
>> name of display: :0
>> Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig
>>
>> I'm not sure if it's even possible to get opengl working here...but I
>> assume it is as a mythbuntu vm works perfectly displaying live tv etc.
>>
>> Anyway, any tips on this subject appreciated. It's hard to find anything
>> on google related to this.
>
> You need to use the vmware DRM kernel driver and vmwgfx Gallium driver.
> Only then can you have accelerated 3D in Linux guests.
>
> The DRM driver is easily enabled in the kernel configuration (it's in
> the "staging drivers" section). Not sure about the vmwgfx gallium driver
> though.
>
>

Thanks both of you, I'll take that as a no, but I'll keep playing and 
see if I can get anywhere :)

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Matt Harrison]

On 07/06/2011 20:34, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 06/07/2011 09:43 PM, Matt Harrison wrote:
>> Hi list,
>>
>> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work
>> reasons, but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to
>> see how the latest DMs are coming along.
>>
>> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive
>> and everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working
>> for compositing.
>>
>> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has
>> opengl compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not
>> sure what else needs to be done.
>>
>> glxinfo gives me:
>>
>> name of display: :0
>> Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig
>>
>> I'm not sure if it's even possible to get opengl working here...but I
>> assume it is as a mythbuntu vm works perfectly displaying live tv etc.
>>
>> Anyway, any tips on this subject appreciated. It's hard to find anything
>> on google related to this.
>
> You need to use the vmware DRM kernel driver and vmwgfx Gallium driver.
> Only then can you have accelerated 3D in Linux guests.
>
> The DRM driver is easily enabled in the kernel configuration (it's in
> the "staging drivers" section). Not sure about the vmwgfx gallium driver
> though.

The DRM driver compiles and loads, the next step is to build the vmwgfx 
module from mesa. There is a post on the vmware forums with a user who 
talks about "tweaking the ebuild" for mesa to get the module built. 
Unfortunately that's all the info he gives.

Plus, the rest of the post ends with people pretty much giving up on the 
whole project. It sounds like vmware aren't really interested in 
continuing development for it...shame.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Matt Harrison]

On 07/06/2011 21:40, Matt Harrison wrote:
> On 07/06/2011 20:34, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
>> On 06/07/2011 09:43 PM, Matt Harrison wrote:
>>> Hi list,
>>>
>>> I have to run windows most of the time on my main desktop for work
>>> reasons, but every now and then I install a gentoo guest on vmware to
>>> see how the latest DMs are coming along.
>>>
>>> The current KDE4 is vastly improved from last time, extremely responsive
>>> and everything is really nice...except that I cannot get opengl working
>>> for compositing.
>>>
>>> The virtual machine has acceleration enabled, everything relevant has
>>> opengl compiled. I'm not very experienced with X/opengl/etc so I'm not
>>> sure what else needs to be done.
>>>
>>> glxinfo gives me:
>>>
>>> name of display: :0
>>> Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig
>>>
>>> I'm not sure if it's even possible to get opengl working here...but I
>>> assume it is as a mythbuntu vm works perfectly displaying live tv etc.
>>>
>>> Anyway, any tips on this subject appreciated. It's hard to find anything
>>> on google related to this.
>>
>> You need to use the vmware DRM kernel driver and vmwgfx Gallium driver.
>> Only then can you have accelerated 3D in Linux guests.
>>
>> The DRM driver is easily enabled in the kernel configuration (it's in
>> the "staging drivers" section). Not sure about the vmwgfx gallium driver
>> though.
>
> The DRM driver compiles and loads, the next step is to build the vmwgfx
> module from mesa. There is a post on the vmware forums with a user who
> talks about "tweaking the ebuild" for mesa to get the module built.
> Unfortunately that's all the info he gives.
>
> Plus, the rest of the post ends with people pretty much giving up on the
> whole project. It sounds like vmware aren't really interested in
> continuing development for it...shame.

Well I eventually managed to get the vmwgfx gallium driver to compile, 
but I get an undefined symbol when trying to load it with xorg. I'll 
give up with it now unless anyone else has an idea. It was a nice 
thought that I might get to see the power of vmware opengl :P

[gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 06/08/2011 12:17 AM, Matt Harrison wrote:
>[...]
> Well I eventually managed to get the vmwgfx gallium driver to compile,
> but I get an undefined symbol when trying to load it with xorg. I'll
> give up with it now unless anyone else has an idea. It was a nice
> thought that I might get to see the power of vmware opengl :P

Well, they announced that they plan to work on this though:

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OTQ5MA

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: vmware opengl

[Matt Harrison]

On 07/06/2011 23:16, Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 06/08/2011 12:17 AM, Matt Harrison wrote:
>> [...]
>> Well I eventually managed to get the vmwgfx gallium driver to compile,
>> but I get an undefined symbol when trying to load it with xorg. I'll
>> give up with it now unless anyone else has an idea. It was a nice
>> thought that I might get to see the power of vmware opengl :P
>
> Well, they announced that they plan to work on this though:
>
> http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OTQ5MA
>
>

Thanks Nikos, that sounds promising. We'll have to see what the results 
are like.

Matt