Enabling audio in a Windows Server 2008 R2 guest

[MariusRoma]

I need to enable audio in a Windows Server 2008 R2 guest VM hosted by either an ESXi 5.0 and an ESXi 5.5 host.

If I create a Windows 7 guest VM on the same hosts and I access it via RDP audio works fine without any specific confnguration .

If I create a Windows server 2008 R2 guest VM and access it via RDP I get a message saying that no audio device is available.

How should I configure either the VM and the Windows Server 2008 R2 guest OS in order to make audio work?

I do know that using audio in a guest Remote Desktop Server is not a good idea, but a limited use of audio is a critical requirement for the customer...

Regards

marius

[hapip87]

you can try to edit the connection settings in RDP if the soundcard is attached to vm you should be able to play sound.

so in RDP session before you connect go to settings and make sure the audio is enabled.

[MariusRoma]

Thank you for your message.

What have I to do in order to attach the soundcard to the VM?

In the Windows 7 VM I don't do anythink and audio works, in Windows server 2008 R2 I don't see any setting to attach the souncard...

Regards

marius

[hapip87]

right click the VM

Edit settings

Add device

Sound card

and you are done ..

[MariusRoma]

For my version 8 VM hosted by an ESXi host version 5.5.0 I don't see any option to add a sound card: I can add a serial port, a parallel port, a network interface, a floppy drive and so on, but no soundcard: am I missing any relevant step?

Regards

marius

[hapip87]

here are 2 things which i recommend

1.

  >1. Go into the 'Services' section (under Admin tools, under Control Panel)

   >2. Change the 'Windows Audio service' from 'Disabled' to 'Automatic' - and start it

   >3. Go to the 'Terminal Services Configuration' section (under Admin tools, under Control Panel)

   >4. Double click on 'RDP-TCP'

   >5. Select the 'Client Settings' tab

   >6. Clear the 'Audio Mapping' check box

2. try to enable pass through on sound card and attach is directly to vm

here are the steps:

1. go to the host configuration.

2. advanced settings.

3. click configure pass-through and select the appropriate sound card.

after doing this you might require to restart the esxi host

than you can go to vm edit settings add device and select PCI device this time it should not be grayed out if it is than you require to restart the esxi host. and after restart it should be green .

please also note that if you do this you need to install the appropriate drivers for the sound card because in a nutshell you will be directly attaching the sound card to the vm so it will not pass by the esxi.

[hapip87]

HI

is your issue resolved?

[MariusRoma]

Thank you for your message.

I found useful information on page http://virtualization.blognotions.com/2011/07/27/virtual-hd-audio-hardware-in-vsphere-5/ about the way to add an HD Audio virtual adapter to my guest VM.

I still have problems because if I confngure a VM with an HD audio virtual adapter and install Windows 7 in the guest VM thje audio adapter is recognized and confngured without further action, while if I install in the same VM Windows Server 2008 R2 I can detect the audio device but I am unable to make it work in an RDP session.

Given my guest VM works fine with Windows 7 I don't think I have to do anything to set my ESXi host, is it correct?

Is there anything else I can try?

Regards

marius