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

Hi everyone.

Just a little hard to find bit of info on increasing the graphics size memory for the virtual SVGA graphics adapter on a Virtual Machine running under vmware products.

The default is only 16 MB (VRAM) which probably isn't enough to get Aero going on a Windows 7 Virtual machine. You need WKS 7 / vmware workstation 3.0 for 3D support in any case.

Solution

Edit the .vmx file with notepad (Open with notepad) and insert this line

svga.vramSize = "sizeInBytes"

I think 64MB is needed for AERO -- mine works with 64MB - but you could try 32.

Vm runs with FULL AERO -- no prob at all.

here's what I added to my .vmx file for a Windows 7 Professional X-64 Virtual machine - look at the last line.


pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "160"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"
scsi0.sasWWID = "50 05 05 66 67 3e f6 b0"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "134217728"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
vmci0.id = "780936453"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:0.deviceType = "mouse"
ide1:0.autodetect = "FALSE"
ide1:0.allowGuestConnectionControl = "FALSE"
tools.upgrade.policy = "manual"
scsi0:1.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:1.fileName = "Windows 7_pro x64-0.vmdk"
scsi0:1.redo = ""
floppy0.present = "FALSE"
ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
svga.vramSize = "64000000"




Give it say 64 MB. Don't forget its size in BYTES you have to set -- if you do it wrong then the VM won't power on so backup the .vmx file before messing around with it.

Cheers
jimbo

So this is probably only applicable to Vista mode, huh? I added the line anyways!

Hi there
not sure what you mean by "Vista mode"

I'm running a full Windows 7 X-64 pro Virtual machine and have installed some proper Windows 7 Aero themes from the MS download site -- all work perfectly.

Increasing the Virtual Video Ram does also tend to speed up the graphics in general on Virtual machines running under vmware -- there's a very slight price to pay on the HOST system but as I've got a QUAD processor this is easily absorbed.

I've also increased the graphics memory size on W2K3 server VM's - these also seem to draw the graphics much snappier.

To check AERO on Windows 7 virtual machine is working just have 2 open windows and press the start + tab key (or the Windows + tab key) - the windows should rotate in "3D" mode as per the Host system.

Note that the eventual screen output will depend on you REAL graphics adapter on the host - but you can eliminate some of the bottleneck on the Virtual SVGA adapter.

Cheers
jimbo.

Stickified and edited title to show it is for VMWare

Oh sorry, I thought you were using a virtual Vista. I didn't know they had proper Windows 7 aero themes for XP. Can you share the link to the download site?

Hi there
I never actually mentioned XP in the post - for full AERO you need to be running VISTA or Windows 7 in a VM (vmware version).

However you can get an "almost" Windows 7 like them (no AERO but still a nice theme) for XP -- I'm using a Virtual W2K3 server as a VM = I've enabled themes on the server where you can use XP themes on it.

Here's a screenshot.

XP ROYALE NOIR theme with the Jaguar wallpaper extracted from the Brazilian Regional Windows 7 Themepack downloaded from MS site.

Enc screenshot of the desktop and the jaguar wallpaper. You'll have to google for ROYAL NOIR XP theme as it was a while since I downloaded it.

Cheers
jimbo

windows 7 runs almost as fast in virtualbox (ubuntu 9.10 x64 host) as it does when you boot the actual windows 7. Aero effects can be enabled if you have a graphics card with more than 128MB memory. Most games that will run in windows 7 will work just fine in a windows 7 guest system in Vbox if you have a high end video card. Virtualbox is free and so is ubuntu. So why can't we even get 32 bit color in xp mode, let alone 3D hardware acceleration?

Hi there
XP mode as I've posted elsewhere is really only meant for small apps -- and IMO isn't really of much use anyway since you need at least Windows 7 Professional and a 64 bit enabled machine to run it on.

It was designed for small workplaces but IMO is nopt even suitable for that.

For legacy apps I'd recommend a small workplace uses an OLD computer (probably can be got for almost ZERO cost) and run XP server 2003 on it - and then allow uses to RDP / connect to it to run the old apps.

XP mode -- great idea - silly implementation.

This thread however is for increasing the graphics size in a VM.

If you don't SET THE VRAM parameter in your VM it won't matter how much your Real graphics card has -- your vm will only use the default which I think is very small.

Cheers
jimbo

Dont see that line in my file.

Want to emulate aero in 7 Ultimate x32.

VMWare Workstation 7.0
256MB Host Video Memory

Should you put in this line instead?

svga.vramSize = "67108864"

1 MB isn't 1,000,000 bytes, but it's really 1,048,576 bytes. That value times 64 MB gives you 67,108,864 bytes.