Arch Linux

chronosifter

Member

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 4

VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

Howdy folks, I recently started getting into arch linux and set it up for dual booting. Being a graphics engine developer for multiple platforms I began to work on adding support for linux.

What I was trying to set up was so that I can use VirtualBox to load my arch install from hard disk, which I have gotten running, so that I can use virtual box to test if things work when developing simultaneously for windows, and boot over to arch for performance optimization type stuff.

The problem I am having however is that in VirtualBox I can not get the glx extensions to load, looking at the log file it's definitely trying to load the nvidia glx extensions. My PC has an Nvidia Geforce 9600GT, so for proper support in arch I of course installed the drivers for it.

As per suggested in the wiki I removed the xorg.conf (actually just renamed it), along with a few other files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d that were causing problems in virtual box (mainly the 20-nvidia.conf file). I have verified it does boot into arch with full 3D support as it did when the xorg.conf was in place. But still having the problems getting the glx extension to load when inside VirtualBox.

I would greatly appreciate any help ya'll can provide, being able to load my arch install from virtual box would make developing this graphics engine of mine so much easier. But I still want to be able to boot into arch. Having to use a VirtualBox instance booting from a virtual hard disk is a real pain since it add to the places I need to sync up source code.

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

Virtualbox emulates a machine, not YOUR machine. The video card that Arch 'sees' when loaded into VirtualBox isn't your own videocard, but a generic VBox-create videocard.

I do not think what you're trying to do (nvidia development within VBox) is possible. It doesn't (and can't) provide that sort of direct access to hardware.

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Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
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chronosifter

Member

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 4

Re: VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

I think you misunderstood ngoonee. Just trying to get open gl working from within virtual box, I know it's only serving as a layer over the graphics stuff.

The problem however is that to allow gpu acceleration when I boot into it, the nvidia driver will need to remain there. But it appears the glx in the nvidia driver will not play nice with what virtual box needs.

Idea is to use the same arch install for both virtual box and the dual boot.

Last edited by chronosifter (2010-07-21 04:28:54)

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

You'd maybe have to uninstall the nvidia drivers and install libgl, since AFAIK the nvidia libgl implementation is not compatible with other gcs, meaning not with the one VBox provides.

Stab-in-the-dark, though. Random question - have you actually installed the guest additions? Don't take it personally if you have, just having to check the obvious.

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Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

chronosifter

Member

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 4

Re: VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

Aye have the guest additions installed.

In the case where I have no choice but to uninstall nvidia's drivers, any good alternative that uses libgl?

Last edited by chronosifter (2010-07-21 04:38:36)

chronosifter

Member

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 4

Re: VirtualBox from hard disk, nvidia glx conflict

Well after some research I found this article which seems to outline switching between the proprietary driver and an XFree86 driver. Still not entirely sure it'll do what I'm needing, but going to give it a shot.