VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

Wodger · 2023-12-12 03:57:26

Hi everyone,

Well, this is a bit of a weird one. I have been using a 1050Ti as a 2nd GPU in VFIO passthrough for my VM's with no issues at all.

Well, arriving the Christmas season, and the daughter is off school soon for a bit, she desired to play some games that her machine simply can't run on the integrated GPU (system is an old 4790K running windows).

Option 1 - Put an old GT 730 I have in her machine - It worked with no problems but games were yeah - Powerpoint special - its not a gaming card...

Option 2 - I rig up the previous setup I had with extra sound card on my system and connect her screen to the 1050Ti and run her as a VM - I really want this as a last resort as it is a lot of faffing around.

Option 3 (where I am) - I put the 1050Ti in her machine and I use the GT 730 as replacement in the VM I use for windows (I dont game in this so it should be fine), but I'm faced with the classic "Error 43" with the 390 drivers for windows, and using the KVM=hidden xml edits in virtual manager, the VM BSODS.

What I have done:

- Tried to flash new firmware to the GT 730 within the dedicated windows machine - NVFlash didn't want to work properly at all (latest version just returned me to prompt after starting the command, older versions just say "can't flash this device")
- Tried to dump firmware using GPUz on dedicated machine - refused, managed to dump firmware with another app.
- Tried to insert .rom / .dump files from Techpowerup GPU database to the VM using xml edit (checked the 2 firmwares I downloaded and HEX edited to remove the extra NV stuff in the header). No errors given in the logs or virtual manager but GPUz in the VM still reports the firmware ID as the same, and installing the Nvidia drivers still results in BSOD

A new GPU is definitely not possible as I have no budget for even a cheap card.

Would appreciate some advice if anyone has some.

Thanks,

Pete

Last edited by Wodger (2023-12-17 02:47:59)

seth · 2023-12-12 07:59:12

If we strip the family stories, the problem is that you're passing through a GT730, but the 390xx windows drivers get you error 43
Previously you had successfully passed through a 1050Ti along a newer driver version?

Why are you using the 390xx drivers tbw? The GT730 seems supported by the 474.64 WHQL driver, https://www.nvidia.com/download/driverR … 109/en-us/

Wodger · 2023-12-12 15:09:27

seth wrote:

If we strip the family stories, the problem is that you're passing through a GT730, but the 390xx windows drivers get you error 43
Previously you had successfully passed through a 1050Ti along a newer driver version?
Why are you using the 390xx drivers tbw? The GT730 seems supported by the 474.64 WHQL driver, https://www.nvidia.com/download/driverR … 109/en-us/

Hi, thanks for responding and sorry about the family story.

To answer your questions:

>1050Ti was successfully passed through without any issues running the latest 500 series drivers.

>The GT 730 I have here is the smallest of the Fermi parts (GF108). I usually use NVcleanstall for windows systems and Nvidia drivers to avoid bloat and nonsense and it automatically picked the 391.35 driver for the card (Hardware ID: 10DE:0F02)
There was a 2nd release of a GT730 as a Kepler part (GK107) which by suffix of OEM I assume was only for PC supply builders - this required a 6 pin power whereas this card has nothing.
Interestingly, if you try to pick the GT 730 in Nvidia's geforce driver selection it does recommend the 474.64 drivers. I have attempted to install their recommended download and the 474.44 supplied by NVCleanstall via manual selection, but both fail with "Can't detect GPU"

Regards,

Pete

seth · 2023-12-12 15:30:36

https://mathiashueber.com/fighting-erro … l-machine/
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PCI_pa … vidia_GPUs

Alternatively, since you're not gaming, do you need to pass through a GPU at all?

Wodger · 2023-12-12 16:39:33

Cheers for the links, I will check tomorrow if I get the time as past midnight here for me.

Not bother with the GPU? It is possible to do so, couple of reasons I have on not using passthrough.

>If I use the QXL as the video driver, the mouse seems to lag on the VM window - the QXL driver seems to drive the refresh rate of the window at 64Hz (as reported in Windows VM), whereas my main screen is putting out 60Hz - I have looked into trying to change the refresh rate to 60Hz, but I haven't yet found some info on this.

>My main screen is a 1st gen Acer predator X34 - so the resolution is not standard as ultra wide screen (3440 x 1440), I was using the HDMI from passthrough card so it can have the whole screen to play with and it stays at 60Hz (main system using DP).

Appreciate the advice and time to answer.

Pete

Wodger · 2023-12-17 02:47:11

Just thought I would reply on the result of this issue for those in a similar situation as I.

Ended up removing the GPU and focused on getting it working well with QXL driver.

Discovered a post from 2020 here:
3440x1440 resolution for Windows 10 KVM VM
Following the instructions, gave the QXL driver more memory to play with in by editing the .xml:

 <model type='qxl' ram='131072' vram='131072' vgamem='32768' heads='1' primary='yes'/>

Then installed the windows guest tools, acitvated auto resize VM to the screen in options and then once machine booted hit fullscreen - mouse behaves now.

In addition, I assigned my keyboard to the VM as I found the super key activating both host and guest.

Thanks to @seth for his comments and suggestions.

Pete

Arch Linux

#1 2023-12-12 03:57:26

VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

#2 2023-12-12 07:59:12

Re: VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

#3 2023-12-12 15:09:27

Re: VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

#4 2023-12-12 15:30:36

Re: VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

#5 2023-12-12 16:39:33

Re: VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

#6 2023-12-17 02:47:11

Re: VFIO and a GT 730 [SOLVED]

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