Are there any virtual machine programs out there that will recognize and use the physical machine's graphics card for graphics work?
Context: I'm trying to run a virtual copy of XP so I can play Freelancer online, without all the Vista problems.
Virtual Machines and Graphics Cards
Moderator: Thanas
Emulates it (or rather, works as a wrapper). The only VM technology that did direct access to graphics hardware was a special version of VirtualPC for PPC Macs that interfaced directly with the old 3dfx add-in boards.
These days both VMWare and Parallels are working on DirectX functionality in their VMs (mostly on their Mac products) - right now they claim DX9 but without shaders - effectively, as phongn notes, DX7.
These days both VMWare and Parallels are working on DirectX functionality in their VMs (mostly on their Mac products) - right now they claim DX9 but without shaders - effectively, as phongn notes, DX7.
You have to be careful what output method you choose. Overlay does not work from within a VM so if that is your output method it will fall back to software overlay which is sloooow. DX7-based output should work on those new versions that support it, however I don't have any idea how fast it is.
Still, its a bit strange you can't get good playback even with the software output - I can manage non-action .avi's over RDP (which has similar limitations WRT display technology and an additional one of bandwidth).
Still, its a bit strange you can't get good playback even with the software output - I can manage non-action .avi's over RDP (which has similar limitations WRT display technology and an additional one of bandwidth).
Well, Virtualbox doesn't have the feature of VMWare Workstation for wrapping the graphics APIs. And workstation costs money.Braedley wrote:I can't even get an avi file to play back properly using VirtualBox. I have no hopes of using my VM for games.
ah.....the path to happiness is revision of dreams and not fulfillment... -SWPIGWANG
Sufficient Googling is indistinguishable from knowledge -somebody
Anything worth the cost of a missile, which can be located on the battlefield, will be shot at with missiles. If the US military is involved, then things, which are not worth the cost if a missile will also be shot at with missiles. -Sea Skimmer
George Bush makes freedom sound like a giant robot that breaks down a lot. -Darth Raptor
Why aren't you playing Freelancer in Vista - it works fine, I played it earlier this (or rather, at this point, last) year. Possibly you need to set a few of the compatibility options (Win XP, admin mode) - I don't recall any more, but it worked on Vista perfectly - I played through the main campaign.
Freelancer is a DX8 game, isn't it?Hawkwings wrote:Failure. "Freelancer did not detect a 3D capable video card in your system."
Checking the documentation now for anything I missed. Any suggestions?
That's because VMWare Workstation provides a lot more features.Also... Good god! VMWare Workstation uses so much more system resources than the other VM tools I've used.
It has to be enabled manually in the config file, iirc. Add mks.enable3d = TRUE to your virtual machines config (.vmx, open with wordpad). It probably still won't work, or will work very slow. Also you must have the vmware utilities installed in the guest OS.Hawkwings wrote:Failure. "Freelancer did not detect a 3D capable video card in your system."
Checking the documentation now for anything I missed. Any suggestions?
Also... Good god! VMWare Workstation uses so much more system resources than the other VM tools I've used.
Better off running it natively, since your on windows anyway. I played it on vista and it works fine (turn off aero, admin mode, XP SP2 compatibility).
“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” - Oscar Wilde.