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Unable to passthrough GPU (AMD 6450), Intel 2600IP4 motherboard, esxi 6.0u2

idata
Employee
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I have been unable to passthrough my GPU cards - AMD 6450, to any of the windows 8 VMs (install under EFI firmware) , under esxi 6.0u2. The VM simple unable to power up. If the card is removed, it boots normally. No issues with passthrough of USB 3.0 cards or HBAs such as the onboard storage module or a dell H310 card.

This AMD card is a known GPU that is passthrough capable.

Is there any bios settings, esxi settings or sequence that is needed to allow this to happen?

Any help appreciated

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idata
Employee
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Hello,

 

 

We would like to inform you that the issue you are experiencing is related to compatibility based on the fact that the AMD 6450 is not a validated hardware component for the S2600IP4.
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idata
Employee
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Hi,

What would be the GPU cards recommended for passthrough with ESXI 6 for the S2600IP4?

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idata
Employee
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Hi,

 

 

The validated GPU cards are the following:

 

 

- Tesla M2050

 

- Tesla M2090

 

- Tesla M2070

 

- AMD 100-505563

 

- Tesla C1070

 

- Tesla C1060

 

 

This information can be found here:

 

 

https://serverconfigurator.intel.com/exalt/RequestManager?ServletNumber=1&localinfo=0&RestrictionVal=SVG&APPLICATIONCODE=1 Serverconfigurator.intel.com
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idata
Employee
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Thank you.

What settings in Bios or ESXI 6.0 should i make to enable 4 validated GPU cards to be used in Passthrough mode to windows VMs?

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idata
Employee
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Hi,

 

 

The settings you need to enable are under advanced- processor configuration in the BIOS set up menu:

 

- Intel Virtualization Technology

 

- Intel VT for directed I/O

 

 

For further configuration information on VMs please contact the operating system developer directly.

 

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idata
Employee
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Thank you.

Those settings were already enabled in the Bios. It did not make any difference.

What about the "memory map below 4G", and "memory map above 4g"?

Yes, I am also in contact with VMware for this issue

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idata
Employee
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Hello,

 

 

Such setting is meant to enable support on the Xeon Phi Coprocessor.
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idata
Employee
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I am unable to passthrough more than 1 GPU card if I leave it at the default setting of :

Memory maximised below 4G - disabled

Memory map above 4G - enabled

if memory map above 4G is disabled - the system cannot boot and a major 146 error is given

Is there anyway to have "memory map above 4G- disabled" and also have the system boot successfully?

I also notice if I put any GPU card in the slots assigned to CPU1, i do not have any onboard video. How do I overcome this as I cannot see anything on my screen even if I go into the bios?

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idata
Employee
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Hello,

 

 

To answer your question, the setting for Memory Mapped I/O above 4GB should be enable when using a GPGPU or Xeon Phi Coprocessor,not a regular card as you are using. Also the AMD 6450 is not a validated hardware component for the board so we recommend using one of the tested cards previously mentioned to narrow the issue and based on that we can jump into conclusions. We also recommend contacting AMD directly to address this issue.

 

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idata
Employee
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Hi,

The AMD 6450 , Nvidia Quadro 2000 although not cards on the tested list, have no problems being passed through in ESXI with other C602 motherboards. In fact, it the AMD card in particular is a favored card for GPU passthrough because it works so well. However, the behaviour exhibited by the Intel s2600 motherboards is odd that whenever more than 1 GPU is being installed, GPU passthrough simply would not work. I can passthrough all 4 cards in all the Supermicro C602 motherboards easily. The difference is the bios settings in which in Supermicro motherboards- supermicro BIOSes have an option to expand the below 4G memory area (MMCFG BASE), which appears to be missing in Intel Bios.

Has intel ever tested more than 1 of the "approved" GPU cards installed on this motherboard and passthrough under ESXI? I would be very interested to know because it would clearly eliminate if the motherboard, or the card is the issue as you have suggested.

So unless this setting is hidden in the current latest bios, or perhaps a beta can be created to allow expansion under the 4G mark. Or ESXI will simply not boot the VM.

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