VirtualBox on Ubuntu 16.04 not using Nvidia memory

I'm using a DELL M3800 with a Nvidia Quadro K1100M with 2GB VRAM.

Before installing the Nvidia drivers using

apt-get install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings nvidia-prime

VirtualBox 5 was displaying only the 256 MB VRAM of the integrated Intel Video adapter.

Now I installed the Nvidia drivers but VirtualBox still only provides the 256MB.

How can I provide the Nvidia card VRAM in VirtualBox? Is there a way to scan for updated host hardware?

Update:

I'm speaking about this VirtualBox settings dialog but not about video settings inside the VM.

Alexander Zeitler

Posted 2017-02-05T01:10:06.547

Reputation: 901

Does your CPU support vt-d? – Ramhound – 2017-02-05T01:16:58.687

Answers

How can I provide the Nvidia card VRAM in VirtualBox? Is there a way to scan for updated host hardware?

You cannot! VirtualBox does not care how much physical VRAM you have. It sets aside the virtual VRAM from your physical memory.

user477799

Posted 2017-02-05T01:10:06.547

Reputation:

Based on VirtualBox's Documentation:

Graphics. The VirtualBox graphics device (sometimes referred to as VGA device) is, unlike nearly all other emulated devices, not based on any physical counterpart:

https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.html#idm1254
The VirtualBox Guest Additions contain experimental hardware 3D support for Windows, Linux and Solaris guests

https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.html#guestadd-video

You are not accessing the Nvidia card, but the "emulated video card".

About "Change the Memory size", from Ask Ubuntu Forum:

askubuntu.com/questions/587083/virtualbox-how-to-increase-video-memory
```
VBoxManage modifyvm "Name of VM" --vram 256
```

Abour "GPU and Virtualbox", I found this page:

www.se7ensins.com/forums/threads/how-to-setup-a-gaming-virtual-machine-with-gpu-passthrough-qemu-kvm-libvirt-and-vfio.1371980

explaining "How to setup a gaming virtual machine with GPU passthrough (QEMU, KVM, libvirt, and VFIO)". It is not simple (and probably not guaranteed)

apagando_tudo

Posted 2017-02-05T01:10:06.547

Reputation: 340

Thanks for your reply. Please see my update on the initial question. I want to increase the amount of VRAM provided for the VM. – Alexander Zeitler – 2017-02-05T11:35:51.683

Ok, I made some changes in my answer too, see the topic "About 'Change the Memory size'" – apagando_tudo – 2017-02-05T15:58:00.427

In theory depending on your platform, you can use VBoxManage to try to increase your ram beyond what the GUI supports but that's only up to 256mb. VBoxManage modifyvm "Name of VM" --vram 256.

No matter what your video card is, the video ram available to the VM, via its emulated GPU is the same.

The only way to get more vram is if oracle increases the limit you have available

Journeyman Geek

Posted 2017-02-05T01:10:06.547

Reputation: 119 122