Virtual machine display output on physical monitor

[magicool]

Hello,

After a lot of testing and reading around I can not find the solution to what I thought was a simple problem:

I have a virtual machine running Windows XP Home edition and a very simple application that displays some informations (nothing fancy, no 3d graphics). I need to display that information on a physical monitor used only for this purpose.

I played around with ESXi 4.1 on an Intel DQ45CB mb and VMDirectPath to a secondary PCIe card (I tested 6200LE, 7300GT from Nvidia and HD4350 from Ati but no luck).

Do you know any VMware product/solution that can solve this?

Can you think of a solution for my problem?

Thank You!

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Moved to the ESXi forum.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[AndreTheGiant]

Theoretically with a second graphic adapter and with VMDirectPath...

But I'm not sure that it can work...

Have you consider to use (for this VM) VMware Server (Or VMware Player) instead?

Andre

[magicool]

Hello,

If that is possible I wouldn't mind using VMware Server. I can use linux as the host os. How can it be done in VMware Server please?

Thank you!

[golddiggie]

If the VM is running Windows, why not use a low-end system to RDP to the server and display what you need that way? You could probably get away with a thin terminal if you have any handy... Otherwise, a system that's not strong enough (anymore) for the end users should be sufficient to do the task... Especially if it's just passing through display information...

VMware VCP4

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[magicool]

Thank you all for the replys!

I have only one computer running 24/7. The display must also run 24/7. That would mean I have to purchase another computer, another Windows license and more power consumption.

[golddiggie]

Or you could add a video card, connect a second display, use RDP to connect to the VM you need to display the output from, and run it to that second display...

From the way you started the thread here, it sounded like a company environment. Seems like it's not anymore...

Have you considered using VMware Workstation on your system to run that VM? What is the VM showing for info that's so important? Hell, you could just connect a secondary display to your system (the one you run the vSphere Client on, and leave the console session window running on it...

VMware VCP4

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[magicool]

Hello,

Please do not provide alternative/workaround solutions. I need help to set a vm video output to a physical monitor. Both VMware solutions (ESXi and VMware Server 2) are OK to use.

Thank You!

[jhanekom]

Also think Player with full-screen should work great. Alternatively, perhaps give one of the many USB display adapters a try? http://www.google.co.za/search?q=usbdisplayadapter

Regarding licensing: if we go strictly according to MS licensing constraints, you'll need to buy a license in any case. Virtualisation rights only come with Windows Professional/Enterprise Edition. This does not mean it won't work, but it does mean that - technically - you're not complying with the EULA.

http://download.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/windows%20vista_ultimate_english_36d0fe99-75e4-4875-8153-889cf5105718.pdf (page 14)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/d/4/3d42bdc2-6725-4b29-b75a-a5b04179958b/licensing_windows7_with_VM_technologies.docx

[magicool]

Please sir if you can help with setting the VMware Server vga output!

[AndreTheGiant]

For VMware Server, open the Console on the host machine and put in full screen.

Andre

[J1mbo]

If your host supports vmDirectPath, that certainly seems the way to go. According to the whitebox unofficial HCL, the Sapphire Radeon 4550 should work:

http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/esx40_vmdirectpath_whitebox_HCL.php

http://blog.peacon.co.uk

Please award points to any useful answer.

Unofficial List of USB Passthrough Working Devices

[magicool]

Hello,

I already tested the Sapphire Radeon 4550 and it does not work. I'll try the usb to vga but I am afraid I'll get a pile of devices (like I did with video cards)