A headless Windows VM on a Linux Host: How to improve Performance

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smartysmart34
Posts: 101
Joined: 21. Apr 2008, 20:56

A headless Windows VM on a Linux Host: How to improve Performance

Post by smartysmart34 »

Hello all,

I am currently running a Windows VM in headless mode on a Linux Server. It is a rather old PC (Core I5-5xxx) without a dedicated GPU but has sufficient RAM.
I RDP into the windows guest and I feel that the GUI is a bit laggy. Well at least it feels slightly slow (not talking about gaming or alike. I primarily use business / office software and Image processing (RAW converter...))

I am thinking about getting a new barebone PC with a current CPU and my question is the following:
If I put a mid-range GPU into the PC and activate 3D-acceleration for the guest, would the headless VM benefit from that? Even though there is no Linux GUI-session like when I use it locally via KDE?
My understanding is that RDP anyways only transmits the final desktop content (image). But I would assume the rendering of the screen is happening in the VM? Would that rendering benefit from a decent GPU?

Kind regards,
Martin
scottgus1
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Re: A headless Windows VM on a Linux Host: How to improve Performance

Post by scottgus1 »

Headless VMs don't use 3D Acceleration, as best I know. So a host GPU won't ever help a headless VM.

Virtualbox RDP doesn't remote into the VM's OS in any way. Virtualbox RDP remotes into the VM's monitor, keyboard, and mouse. So OS's that have no idea what RDP is, like DOS, or a VM with no OS installed in it yet, can be remoted into with Virtualbox RDP. This means that the OS inside the VM must fully compose its desktop and windows before VRDP can send it.

On the other hand, remoting into the OS inside the VM directly may provide a better experience. Microsoft RDP from Windows Pro OS's provides a smoother experience than Virtualbox RDP.
smartysmart34
Posts: 101
Joined: 21. Apr 2008, 20:56

Re: A headless Windows VM on a Linux Host: How to improve Performance

Post by smartysmart34 »

Thanks for your feedback. I was afraid that 3d acceleration wouldn't help.
I am actually using the Windows-RDP to access the VM, NOT Virtualbox-RDP.

I might consider Proxmoxing the whole installation and then passing a PCIe GPU into the Windows partition.
I'll do some research on that...
fth0
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Re: A headless Windows VM on a Linux Host: How to improve Performance

Post by fth0 »

FWIW, there's a VRDE property for 3D redirection (H3DRedirect/Enabled) documented in VBoxManage modifyvm - Remote Machine Settings.

Since this is supposed to work with a 3rd-party RDP client, there could be a general way to let a RDP client render 3D screen output of a RDP server.
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