Windows Server 2008 R2 with high end graphics: anything works but VMWare?
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Thursday, August 20, 2009 6:53 AMFor different reasons, my main development workstation has always been Windows server over the years (Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2003 Server and Windows 2008 Server).
Last Friday I downloaded and installed Windows Server 2008 R2 x64. I created a new partition and installed it without problems.
Unfortunately, just like with Windows 2008 Server, I cannot use hyper-v in Windows 2008 Server R2. Since this is my main workstation I have a high end graphics card from Nividia - I enjoy Aero, and now Aero Peek, etc... But as soon as I installed the Hyper-V role, the machine's performance went down the drain. High CPU, un-responsiveness, etc... This not something new, the same thing happened in Windows Server 2008 and it has not yet been fixed in Windows Server 2088 R2. There a Microsoft Support KB article that gives the reason (something related to "flushes" from the graphics driver), but gives no solution.
Ok, I told myself - Microsoft decided not to give this a high priority. Let me then try the new "Windows Virtual PC" - the one that makes "Windows XP Mode" work so well in Windows 7. Unfortunately, after attempting to install the latest "Windows Virtual PC", I got the error that Windows Server 2008 R2 is not supported.
All right, I said, let me go back to my trusted Virtual PC 2007 SP1 - it has worked so well in Windows Server 2008. I was able to install Virtual PC 2007 SP1 on Windows Server 2008. Unfortunately the virtual graphics adapter broke my real network adapter. If I unchecked the virtual graphics adapter option in my physical adapter's properties, it worked again. I tried the fix of deleting the virtual graphics adapter, rebooting and adding it again, but that did not work - the moment I added it back my real network adapter stopped working.
So I'm left with no way to run my VHD in Windows Server 2008 R2.
I'm back using the free VMWare Server 2.x - I like Virtual PC 2007, Windows Virtual PC and Hyper-V better, but you leave me no choice.
By the way, if I cannot use VHDs in my development environment, I will not recommend we use them in our Production environment. VMWare is what we'll use until Microsoft starts giving a bit of support to developers who need to run the server OS as their main workstation.
Update: I decided to add this rant to my blog -
Forced to use VMWare on Windows Server 2008 R2, Hyper-V still doesn’t work
http://blog.ehuna.org/2009/08/forced_to_use_vmware_on_window.html
Yep - from my perspective and the hundreds that voted on the Connect bug, Hyper-V simply does not work.
Update: I finally got Virtual PC 2007 SP1 working on Windows Server 2008 R2. I bought an old 100Mb network card - the "Virtual Machine Network Services" worked with this new network card! I had to uncheck "Virtual Machine Network Services" on the gigabit network card - but it works on the new 100Mb card.- Moved by Andy Song Monday, August 31, 2009 3:16 AM Windows 2008 R2 OS (From:Windows 7 Virtualization)
- Edited by Emmanuel Huna Monday, August 31, 2009 6:08 PM
All Replies
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Thursday, August 20, 2009 7:16 AMThe problem with the high-end video cards is that they interfere with the hypervisor. The product group is well aware of the problem. Guess what OS they run on their machines? It just hasn't reached the top of the priority list for Hyper-V.
If you want Hyper-V to run well you need to remove the driver for the video card and use the standard vga driver. If you want the eye candy, Hyper-V performance will be poor.
Bill -
Thursday, August 20, 2009 3:56 PMHey Bill, thanks for the response.
Yes, I understand the problem with hyper-v and high end graphics cards - I voted on the Connect bug. But that's not my beef right now.
My problem is that in Windows 2008 Server R2 I can't use any of Microsoft's virtualization products: neither hyper-v, windows virtual pc or virtual pc 2007 sp1 work.
With Windows 2008 Server at least I had the option of using Virtual PC 2007 SP1 if I wanted Aero and other high end graphic features (and since I spend most of my time on this development workstation, I do). -
Friday, August 21, 2009 5:30 AMIf you primarily run it as a workstation, what new features of R2 do you think that you need?
Bill -
Saturday, August 29, 2009 2:15 AMBill,
For one thing I really wanted the better Hyper-V.
I prefer to have my own virtual machines instead of depending on a virtual server managed by IT.
I have virtual machines with Windows 2000 Server and lots of COM+/MFC code I still need to manage for older projects.
In addition, all of the new UI from Windows 7: the new awesome bar, aero peek, and a bunch of other stuff that makes me more productive.
I haven't looked at the R2 specific features, but I do need the Windows Server features such as multiple sites under IIS, etc... -
Monday, August 31, 2009 9:41 AMHi, I'm curious what sort of processor you have - apparently the new(ish) Intel Core i7 processors have some feature which stops this graphics problem occurring.
I've only heard this from one person and would be very interested to know what sort of machine you're on.
Thanks,
John -
Monday, August 31, 2009 5:57 PMHi John,
I have an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83 GHz running on a Dell Precision T3400 .
The Core i7 were way too expensive for the difference in CPU processing power, so I went with the 2.83 Ghz Quad.- Edited by Emmanuel Huna Monday, August 31, 2009 6:44 PM
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Monday, August 31, 2009 6:08 PMUpdate: I finally got Virtual PC 2007 SP1 working on Windows Server 2008 R2. I bought an old 100Mb network card - the "Virtual Machine Network Services" worked with this new network card! I had to uncheck "Virtual Machine Network Services" on the gigabit network card - but it works on the new 100Mb card.
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Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:10 AMI have just purchase the Core i7-860 Lynnfield which has "VT-d" the I/O virtualization feature. As far as I have read, it is not supported in Hyper-V but I'm looking forward to what Citrix and VMware can do with it when they are ready. I think one of them is already onboard but I don't quite remember. This processor works with the P55 chipset which is less expensive in terms of motherboards then the x58 chipset. Sorry for budding in and at such a late date no less.
I agree with John's comments about getting us something we can run with for virtualization on a desktop. I just put together this system with the i7-860 proc so I could do virtualization on my more powerful desktop at home. So many of us now have had to scrap our good 32bit servers at home so we can study and work in these new environments. We need something affordable and workable so we can use our desktops. I am running this system with 8GB of RAM and the mobo has USB 3 and Sata 6 for faster loading of VM's. Virtualization has been around a long time but issues remain.
Keith
Keith Caravelli
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