LinuxQuestions.org - How can I update my virtual video driver?

- Linux - Virtualization and Cloud (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-virtualization-and-cloud-90/)

- - How can I update my virtual video driver? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-virtualization-and-cloud-90/how-can-i-update-my-virtual-video-driver-4175457916/)

How can I update my virtual video driver?

I'm running CentOS 6.4 and have created a Windows 7 VM using virt-manager. The VM runs fine, but the default video card that the Windows VM sees is a "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" with a maximum resolutuon of 1280x1024. The problem with this is that I am running the CentOS box on a 30" monitor with a 2560x1600 resolution. By comparison, the 1280x1024 window seems tiny. I'd like to be able to run the Windows VM at the full monitor resolution. Is there a way to accomplish this?

Have you tried installing the KVM drivers for Window guests?

http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Windows7Install
http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Window...wnload_Drivers

--C

I wasn't aware this existed. I'll check it out. Thanks.

virtio drivers do not cover the video adapter. You need to switch the video protocol and card to Spice and QXL respectively, and install the QXL drivers from spice-space.org

The VM is being launched through virt-manager. In looking at the xml description for the VM under virsh, I see the video defined as:

Code:

    <video>

      <model type='cirrus' vram='9216' heads='1'/>

      <alias name='video0'/>

      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>

    </video>

I tried changing the type from cirrus to spice but it didn't the change. I'm also not sure where in the xml description where I would set this QXL value. Any pointers?

Thanks, this looks to be what I need.

Peter

As you use virt-manager, you dont need to poke around the .xml files, just go in the VM details and change the video adapter type to qxl and the display to spice (instead of vnc). Make sure you add a spice channel too - this is for seamless mouse integration, automatic resolution change and clipboard transfer.

You the need to install the spice guest tools for Windows that contains all relevant drivers and stuff:

http://spice-space.org/download.html

PS.
- For automatic resolution change (that fits the guest the viewer window automatically) you need to use spicy (spice-gtk) because the built-in virt-manager viewer cannot do this with the current version.
- Also i found that USB redirection works fully only with the spice redirection (as opposed to the add hardware->host usb device which isnt working fully yet, for example cannot format USB drives).
- The qxl driver is signed, but my Win7 Pro 64 bit VM refused to load the driver - i had to mess around a bit and put Windows in developer mode. On the other hand i had a 32 bit Win7 Home VM that loaded it just fine (with the red warning box, but it worked).

Thanks for all the information. Looks like I have a plan...