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Re: [Xen-users] hardware accelerated 3D-graphics in Win-XP-domU possible

To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Martin Nicolay <m.nicolay@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] hardware accelerated 3D-graphics in Win-XP-domU possible?
From: Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 09:43:52 +0000
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> Is there any way to make gaming in domU work?  It's not clear to me, if
> this can be done with open-gl or so.

For a Linux domU right now, your best bet is to use X protocol over the 
virtual network (but this will be slow).  For Windows, it's not possible now 
I'm afraid.

Further in the future:
* Jacob Gorm Hansen has written a paravirtualised 3d driver called "blink" 
that may allow this (nb. currently for Linux / Unix guests)
* You might be able to give Linux guests access to a separate PCI graphics 
card using the PCI assignment stuff

If you want Windows games, I guess you could use Wine / Cedega .... ?  Of 
course if you did that, you might as well run in dom0 or on native Linux!

Further developments include efforts by some companies to develop a 
virtualisation-aware 3d graphics card that'll support multiple virtual 
machines, and the IOMMU work mentioned.  It'd also be possible to emulate a 
full 3d card to the Windows guest, but it's not clear that'd be worth the 
effort.

Sorry there's not a better answer right now :-/

HTH,
Mark

> If this is impossible now, is some development planned in this area?
> Eventually I would wait buying my next pc until the necessary cpu features
> are available.
>
> TIA, martin

-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

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