Basic VM setup for linux - theory vs. reality question.
Posted: 10. Aug 2022, 19:15
Anyone could suggest best settings (from experience) for reasonably stable and performing Linux VM (LUbuntu, used for development, with basic 3D present):
A. Paravirtualization
B. Graphics Controller
C. Chipset
D. Network Card
# Audio (that one is not really important)
Also, do I need to enable USB (host) access for other reasons than actually using it? (like OS'es assuming it will be always there and going mad if it isn't)?
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Longstory (for the curious): so I have been trying to get myself a new linux VM for work, and managed to whatever reason to fail each and every time because guest distros seem to have 1000 reasons not to work properly inside vm, first try being simply no compatible VM additions available (too new) then I installed different one and manually installed additions died after first update to never rise again, then I tried using additions that come with a distro and those works for a while while outdated, but 2-3 boots after it got updated those too similarly just died for no reason. All the while I saw in a log bunch of VMWARE driver errors.
At the same time aging windows VMs could run around them in circles without issues (although they crash occasionally when idle, reducing number of cores seemed to fix that). And just for comparison, when linux drivers were working, benchmark showed to work around ~0.2% performance of host machine, this is minimum I would like to achieve and I don't think this is unreasonable level of expectations to have (when drivers are not working, VMs are basically unusable, everything is way too laggy, and if it isn't everything still sits on CPU, which result in persistent high CPU core utilization even though there is nothing running on them). Generally too big of an negative to justify using VM for anything beyond security and even that has its challenges these days.
While occasionally running Linux on my Windows VMs or more random configurations, I have noticed that recommended configuration settings seem to be, let say "quite unreliable" and are possibly outdated (state at 2022.08). And I assume even most basic settings can make a huge difference, I listed my main suspects in the beginning, if anyone has any recommendation which of their settings result in somehow usable and stable linux guest it would be really appreciated (options from commandline config would be acceptable too, but I doubt there is some miracle cure out there, and they tend to come with a price (or at least a risk) so I'm thinking of them as a last resort).
Just to clarify, I am aware that official recommendations are for those (read through that documentation page), I'm asking about practice and that is completely different matter. After testing manjaro, debian, ubuntu, opensuse am currently thinking about settling at Lubuntu (assume that sticking with X will get me around ubuntu driver support issue, not happy about it as after testing wayland seem unreasonable faster), and if everything fail some partial knoppix installation making OS lifespan too short for it to "brick" (not technically bricking, still useless though).
Ps. I use AMD-V, there is also some old iommu present, below requirements for GPU pass-trough, and I couldn't find any information on its capacities. I think it is not really used (supported) based from some system log notice when I was setting up vulcan..
Edit: Got straight to the point, not to waste people's time
A. Paravirtualization
B. Graphics Controller
C. Chipset
D. Network Card
# Audio (that one is not really important)
Also, do I need to enable USB (host) access for other reasons than actually using it? (like OS'es assuming it will be always there and going mad if it isn't)?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longstory (for the curious): so I have been trying to get myself a new linux VM for work, and managed to whatever reason to fail each and every time because guest distros seem to have 1000 reasons not to work properly inside vm, first try being simply no compatible VM additions available (too new) then I installed different one and manually installed additions died after first update to never rise again, then I tried using additions that come with a distro and those works for a while while outdated, but 2-3 boots after it got updated those too similarly just died for no reason. All the while I saw in a log bunch of VMWARE driver errors.
At the same time aging windows VMs could run around them in circles without issues (although they crash occasionally when idle, reducing number of cores seemed to fix that). And just for comparison, when linux drivers were working, benchmark showed to work around ~0.2% performance of host machine, this is minimum I would like to achieve and I don't think this is unreasonable level of expectations to have (when drivers are not working, VMs are basically unusable, everything is way too laggy, and if it isn't everything still sits on CPU, which result in persistent high CPU core utilization even though there is nothing running on them). Generally too big of an negative to justify using VM for anything beyond security and even that has its challenges these days.
While occasionally running Linux on my Windows VMs or more random configurations, I have noticed that recommended configuration settings seem to be, let say "quite unreliable" and are possibly outdated (state at 2022.08). And I assume even most basic settings can make a huge difference, I listed my main suspects in the beginning, if anyone has any recommendation which of their settings result in somehow usable and stable linux guest it would be really appreciated (options from commandline config would be acceptable too, but I doubt there is some miracle cure out there, and they tend to come with a price (or at least a risk) so I'm thinking of them as a last resort).
Just to clarify, I am aware that official recommendations are for those (read through that documentation page), I'm asking about practice and that is completely different matter. After testing manjaro, debian, ubuntu, opensuse am currently thinking about settling at Lubuntu (assume that sticking with X will get me around ubuntu driver support issue, not happy about it as after testing wayland seem unreasonable faster), and if everything fail some partial knoppix installation making OS lifespan too short for it to "brick" (not technically bricking, still useless though).
Ps. I use AMD-V, there is also some old iommu present, below requirements for GPU pass-trough, and I couldn't find any information on its capacities. I think it is not really used (supported) based from some system log notice when I was setting up vulcan..
Edit: Got straight to the point, not to waste people's time