[Solved] Virtual Box: how to increase maximum video memory?

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Pangolin
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[Solved] Virtual Box: how to increase maximum video memory?

Post by Pangolin »

Hi guys.
I run VBox 5.2.8 on my LM 18 Cinnamon laptop.
The laptop has an integrated Intel graphic chipset and an additional Nvidia GT 635M card with 2 GB memory.
I've set up my system so that Nvidia is the default chipset (with proprietary driver in use).

Now, VBox allows me to set a maximum of 128 MB for video memory no matter what chipset I set as default for the host system.

Is there a way I can use a larger amount of memory from the Nvidia card?
Thank you.
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catweazel
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Re: Virtual Box: how to increase maximum video memory?

Post by catweazel »

Pangolin wrote: Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:48 pm Is there a way I can use a larger amount of memory from the Nvidia card?
Some may say, yes, but the fact is, the host video memory is passed through to the VM when 3D acceleration is enabled, which means the VM is using the host card's video memory, irrespective of the amount you set in the VM settings.

To increase the amount of host RAM allocated to the VM's video driver, not actual video memory, set the display to 3D acceleration then, with the machine shut down, in a terminal:

Code: Select all

VBoxManage modifyvm "NameOfVM" --vram 256
Where NameOfVM is the name of the VM you want to change.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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Re: Virtual Box: how to increase maximum video memory?

Post by Pangolin »

Thank you, catweazel!
It works :D but I'm not sure I understand your statement:
catweazel wrote: Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:06 pmTo increase the amount of host RAM allocated to the VM's video driver, not actual video memory
Can you explain that?
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catweazel
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Re: Virtual Box: how to increase maximum video memory?

Post by catweazel »

Pangolin wrote: Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:29 pm Thank you, catweazel!
You're most welcome.
It works :D but I'm not sure I understand your statement:
catweazel wrote: Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:06 pmTo increase the amount of host RAM allocated to the VM's video driver, not actual video memory
Can you explain that?
There are two types of memory on the host, one is host RAM, the other is video RAM, which is on the video card, or it is shared host RAM on some laptops. When you set up a VM, the host's video RAM is made directly accessible to the guest. As I said, this is unaffected by how much RAM you allocate to video in the VM settings. When you allocate RAM to the video in the VM, that RAM is host RAM for the video driver to other things with, buffering for example, it is not video RAM.

It's complex and I can't simplify it more than that.

Cheers.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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