Solved Windows 8 under VMWare Player : better graphics performance possible?

Golden

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Hi,

I'm running an updated Windows 8 CDP under VMWare Player. Navigating around 8 is not as snappy as I would have hoped, and the graphics performance is horrible. Is this because I'm running as a virtual machine?

Is my only hope of using the full capability of my graphics card to run W8 natively?

Regards,
Golden
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS X54C
    CPU
    Intel Core i3-2330M @ 2.2GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUSTek K54C
    Memory
    4GB DDR3 @665MHz (9-9-9-24)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 3000 On-board
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Screen Resolution
    1366*788
    Hard Drives
    1*Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Not fast enough!!!
    Browser
    Comodo Dragon
    Antivirus
    MSE & Malwarebytes
As you propapbly know, every virtual machine creates virtual parts for the computer, and those parts are just emulating real ones. since it is impossible to emulate a good graphics card. So don't atleast wait staring at the clock for a fix for the issue.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 x64 Home Premium / Commodore OS Vision / Windows 8 Release preview
    CPU
    AMD Athlon x2 Dual Core 7750 BE 2,7Ghz (2/4)
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-e
    Memory
    4Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE (ATI) Radeon HD 6870 (1Gb)
    Sound Card
    Do i have one?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2
    Screen Resolution
    1x HD1080 1x SXGA
    Hard Drives
    1x Samsung 500 Gb
    1x Samsung 30 Gb
    1x LaCie 1Tb Hard drive.
    PSU
    Antec 500W
    Case
    Antec three hundred
    Cooling
    3 fans + psu and cpu + gpu
    Keyboard
    Logitech G19
    Mouse
    CM Storm Xornet
    Internet Speed
    110mb/ s
    Other Info
    Look, what i've created... just a few visits at the recyclement center was enough...
Hi Golden,

You got good hardware so this solution should work.

Try to install Vmware Tools to replace the Basic Display Adapter with a better one. You need to go to settings in your vm and activate 3D graphics acceleration.

See screenshot:
vmware-player-graphics.png

Then start up the vm and install the tools.


Good luck
Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Hi there
I did post a way of increasing the graphics VRAM in a VM under vmware on the W7 Forum.

A Tip on increasing Graphics VRAM in a VMWare WM - Windows 7 Forums

When I ist posted that (a few vmware releases ago) the default VRAM size was 16 MB --it might have changed but in any case you can still adjust it.


You need to increase the basic VRAM.

Also enable on the HOST any graphics acceleration and enable 3D graphics on the VM.

So long as you have the latest version of vmware tools installed graphics also on a VM should be fine --don't expect to play serious games where the game needs to make direct hardware calls however --it won't work.

Basic multi media should be fine now.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Thanks Jimbo

64 mb = 67108864 bytes
128 mb = 134217728 bytes

It works, but if you install VMware Tools then you standard get 128 VRAM from the VMware drivers.

Can we then apply a 256 mb = 268435456 bytes or even 512 mb = 536870912 bytes ? (128 worked always very well.)

These last two lines are a bit extreme but theoretically should work for someone with a 512 or 1024 mb graphics card. I don't know if you get a boost in performance.

I'll let you know after some benchmarks in VMware Player.

Thanks
Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
I'm back

32mb without tools installed and 128mb with tools it's only for Windows XP and older. My mistake :eek:

For the tests I used a fresh install of Windows 8 CP x64 on VMware Player 4.0.2 (tools 8.8.2).

My host is a laptop and gets this score:
host.png

Now for the guest:
Windows 8 gets without the tools 256mb (0mb dedicated):
noaditions-standard.png

And with the tools... 1596mb !! (896mb dedicated)
additions-standard.png
You see the score is better for the graphics.
That's way better than I expected so no need for manual setting vram of 256 or 512 if you use the tools and your host graphics card is good enough.

Also manual setting the vram didn't work for WMware Player 4 (what am I doing wrong?):
svga.vramSize = "512000000" (not working)
svga.vramSize = "536870912" (also not working)

Use the standard settings and you're good to go.

Regards,
Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Hi Hopachi,

Thanks for going to so much effort to demonstrate the VMTools. I followed your suggestions, and W8CP x86 is far, far, far more snappier now!

Here is the new WEI.

Thanks again +Rep to you :D
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS X54C
    CPU
    Intel Core i3-2330M @ 2.2GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUSTek K54C
    Memory
    4GB DDR3 @665MHz (9-9-9-24)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 3000 On-board
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Screen Resolution
    1366*788
    Hard Drives
    1*Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Not fast enough!!!
    Browser
    Comodo Dragon
    Antivirus
    MSE & Malwarebytes
Thanks Golden

Great score.


Hopachi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy DV6 7250
    CPU
    Intel i7-3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP, Intel HM77 Express Chipset
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD4000 + Nvidia Geforce 630M
    Sound Card
    IDT HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.6' built-in + Samsung S22D300 + 17.3' LG Phillips
    Screen Resolution
    multiple resolutions
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 250GB + Hitachi HDD 750GB
    PSU
    120W adapter
    Case
    small
    Cooling
    laptop cooling pad
    Keyboard
    Backlit built-in + big one in USB
    Mouse
    SteelSeries Sensei
    Internet Speed
    slow and steady
    Browser
    Chromium, Pale Moon, Firefox Developer Edition
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's basically it.
Hi Hopachi,

Thanks for going to so much effort to demonstrate the VMTools. I followed your suggestions, and W8CP x86 is far, far, far more snappier now!

Here is the new WEI.

Thanks again +Rep to you :D

Golden your score 7.3 for windows 8 guest is amazing!!!

Can you tell me your hardware configuration?

Thanks in advance
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 pro
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