Will Altium 17 run in Virtualbox or Vmware on a Linux host? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: twgray
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 06, 2017, 05:58:21 am
content: I am running Ubuntu Linux and want to run Altium 17 in a Windows 7 guest. I have a Radeon video card and nowadays the only Linux Radeon driver is the open source one. BTW, I own Altium 14, which runs fine on this hardware, and am trying the 15 day free trial of Altium 17. So far I can't get the pcb view to draw at all. Everything else seems functional.

author: Christopher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 08:47:37 pm
content: I would like to know this too! (also SolidWorks... I think it's gonna be a dual boot)The open source drivers are pretty crap, I have installed the pukka driver from my gfx card manufacturer.VirtualBox has a guest option for 3D accelleration & a corrosponding driver you need to enable in your guest.

author: lty1993
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 06, 2017, 11:47:17 pm
content: Altium 17 works fine in my Virtualbox guest machine.

author: jd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2017, 06:20:57 pm
content: Quote from: lty1993 on July 06, 2017, 11:47:17 pmReally? On a linux host? I never got 3D working when I tried with earlier versions.

author: aandrew
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 01:18:19 am
content: Altium runs just fine on a mac using VMWare Fusion. To say I was surprised is an understatement.I pushed it further.Altium runs fine in a win7 VM on ESXi, connecting to it using RDP. The caveat there is that you need to make sure you've got a real (AMD, not nVidia) GPU being passed through to the VM or the layout windows won't work correctly. This requires the ESXi host to support DirectPath I/O (VT-d on Intel IIRC).The AMD/nVidia thing isn't fanboyism; nVidia plays dirty and disables their GPUs if they detect you're using them in virtualized environments. They want you to spend the big money for their workstation-class video cards. Joke's on them though; a $70 Radeon HD 6450 got everything working great.

author: lty1993
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 03:11:14 pm
content: Quote from: jd on July 11, 2017, 06:20:57 pmYes, my host is Arch Linux.I believe you have to make sure following condition are met before PCB will work:1. Graphics driver for the host machine is installed. Such as xf86-video-intel, mesa, mesa-libgl, etc.2. Enable 3D acceleration in your virtual machine software.3. The guest os additions software have to be installed in guest machine before 3D acceleration will work.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 12, 2017, 03:22:04 pm
content: Thanks for the info, I should try VBox again.

author: jd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2017, 10:36:37 am
content: Quote from: lty1993 on July 12, 2017, 03:11:14 pmThanks, that does not look any different from what I tried a couple of years ago with no success (on Debian and then Ubuntu IIRC). I ended up having to make Windows the host which was pretty galling after 10 years of linux as my primary desktop OS!As evb149 mentions it was the lack of "Shader Model 3" support that was the problem and I have not seen any sign of this appearing in VB (in fact I recall an official announcement they abandoned attempting 3D support).

author: ddavidebor
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2017, 01:02:16 am
content: I use altium in vmware in a remote linux host through TurboVNC.You must have the opengl drivers working before enabling 3d acceleration. Works like a charm. Virtualbox was a bit slower, but works too.

author: Gerhard_dk4xp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2017, 10:22:12 pm
content: I also run it on Linux Mint (which is some Ubuntu++) and VMware.Board layout simply does not update its windows when there is noDirect-x support, no complaints ever. :-(The nouveau-driver for Nvidia has no/not enough DirectX support; it does notwork for PCB layout. Using the closed source driver from Nvidia works.It should be newer than, say, a year.In Linux Mint, you can simply select it in the driver manager; 2 years agochanging the graphics driver was more involved.I did not get support for anything with Altium running on a virtual machine.I made some space for a WIN7 boot partition, but in the end it was mewho found out that AD simply crashes when you rename a veteranprotel99-lib as .schlib .I understand that they are not comfortable with virtual machines;after all you can just export/copy the entire machine and walk awaywith it. But that does not justify not to support paying customers.regards, Gerhard

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 05:09:59 pm
content: Altium runs fine in a VM , BUT ! you need to have the Graphics hardware installed and exposed to the VM. ( and the VM must be capable of properly using the graphics system )It shouldn't matter what the host is. A true VM runs in PARALLEL and has access to hardware. You may not be able to run it properly in a window on a host. In parallel with full access works fine.

author: Gerhard_dk4xp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2017, 08:46:03 pm
content: No, it must run in a window, and that's the point of a virtual machine.That is not simply time sharing. The VM gets only access to a part of the screen bufferand the master operating system must be very careful what to allow andwhat not. Such as who is currently the owner of the keyboard and the mouse.Yes, it's complicated, but it can be done.regards, Gerhard

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2017, 06:08:45 pm
content: But: does it really perform well ? Altium bank a lot on the Direct3D calls to the graphics.Does 3D mode behave fluidly ? do things like a spacenavigator work properly ?How much performance hit is there with the 3D acceleration ?

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2017, 12:40:37 pm
content: Altium 18 also runs

author: m4l490n
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2017, 06:55:43 pm
content: Hey @ebclr what distro and VM are you using? I need to know if AD18 runs stable and well on a VM on Linux mint and/or ubuntu.My laptop recently died and I need to get a new one. I would really like to get a system 76 serval ws but the only thing that is keeping me to confidently make that decision is AD. I really don't want to get a laptop with windows just for AD but I really need AD for work.I guess my main question is, does AD18 work perfectly fine out of the box in a VM on Linux.Thanks!

author: dgtl
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2017, 07:18:55 pm
content: In my experience, for about half a year Altium in Virtualbox has worked without problems, before it was unable to open pcb at all (some directx shader issues). But it is still unbearably slow in my i7-4600U laptop, integrated intel graphics, latest Linux Mint.In wine it works much better, but there are some bugs, that cause crashes (especially one with 3d models that happens when changing component layer; there's a workaround for that). In addition, the SQL library integration did not work at all, so I have to use Virtualbox to pull in components from company db. Havent tried the AD18 beta yet.

author: m4l490n
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2017, 06:50:02 pm
content: Quote from: dgtl on November 13, 2017, 07:18:55 pmWhat are your VM settings? because I tried this yesterday and it doesn't work correctly. I can't see the PCB not in 2D nor in 3D.Thanks!

author: Gerhard_dk4xp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2017, 07:29:44 pm
content: I had the same problem with Linux Mint / VMware / AD16.the solution was as simple as pushing a different radio buttonin the driver manager and rebooting. The default was nouveau.(see #11)

author: dgtl
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2017, 07:43:39 pm
content: Quote from: m4l490n on November 15, 2017, 06:50:02 pmQuite default config here. Win10 in Virtualbox 5.1.30, 256MB video memory, both 2d and 3d acceleration enabled. The guest additions should be recent as well and 3d acceleration enabled during guest addition installer in Windows (afaik it cant be disabled for win10 anyway).As others said, things differ due to Linux graphics drivers. My machine has integrated Intel graphics with stock Mint/Ubuntu drivers. Users of AMD or Nvidia may have to try different drivers to get things working (if at all possible).

author: Gerhard_dk4xp
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2017, 08:33:43 pm
content: I just tried the virtual machine on a Dell XPS13 notebook that has built-in Intel graphics.That does not work. I can draw schematics, but the PCB part is dead.VMware says that there is no 3D support on the host when booting the virtual machine.

author: m4l490n
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2017, 04:25:22 pm
content: It's working now!!I just needed to switch from the intel graphics to the nvidia and enable the "intel microcode" radio button in the drivers!! Now VMWare is supporting hardware graphics acceleration and 3d!

author: vbelloir
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 03:24:27 pm
content: Hi all,I'm trying to run Altium Designer 19 on a Windows 10 virtualbox Guest.My host is a ubuntu 18.04 computer, with a Intel Graphic chip (HD Graphics 620).I'm using i915 driver for that graphic chip.QuoteMy VM machine is configured with 3D and 2D accelerations activated, and maximum graphic memory allowed (e.g. 256Mo).I can run AD19, I can edit schematics, but I can't run PCB. AD19 complains with DirectX 10 not installed.In VM logs, I can see :QuoteIs it possible to run AD in virtual VM, with a intel HD chip?Thanks.vincent

author: Gribo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 05:30:01 pm
content: i915?? That is an ancient chipset, are you sure you don't have a better option?.

author: vbelloir
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 07:10:27 am
content: I don't really know.The chipset HD620 is quite new, started with Kaby Lake.The inxi command shows that I'm using snd_hda_intel.Quotei915 seems to be loaded, but not used.In fact, if I activate 3D and 2D acceleration in Virtualbox, I can't open PCB editor (directX is missing), but without enabled them, Altium is fully fonctionnal, but really slow in PCB Editor.

author: vbelloir
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 25, 2019, 08:12:02 am
content: Hum, I'm running Nexus 2 and AD19 like that. I mean that I can edit schematics and pcb if I deactivated 2D and 3D accelerations in Vbox.This is quite slow in PCB editor, but usable.3DView is possible, but very difficult, sometimes it makes the computer freeze.My machine is quiet smallcore i5-7200U12Go RAMSSDIntel HD620.

author: Ribster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2019, 10:34:25 am
content: I am running AD19 on parallels. Macbook pro with Mojave. WIN10 on the parallels VM.Works great. My current laptop has some issues if i push the resolution above 1080p. But for the rest it's perfect.I had WIN7 before with AD16. That worked much smoother then WIN10 + AD19 tho..

author: vbelloir
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 04, 2019, 07:50:53 am
content: I's is usabled, but not for a long time.For some small change in schematics or layout, it's enough, but for long work period, I have to switch du dual bootSo, no idea for me on how using 3D acceleration with my computer?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2019, 03:56:26 pm
content: Quote from: twgray on March 06, 2017, 05:58:21 amIn my experience only VMWare has decent 3D support. But VMWare isn't free and you won't be able to use Virtualbox and VMWare at the same time.

author: plugwash
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 17, 2020, 07:45:29 pm
content: My experiances,I couldn't get altium 15 to work, even after enabling the experimental 3D support in virtualbox, enabling the experimental 3D support just changed the issue from nothing drawn at all to a corrupt display that would not move or zoom at all. I think your mileage may vary depending on what graphics card you have.I saw references to an option to disable directx, but I could not find any such option in version 15.So I decided to experiment with older versions. I first tried 2004, which worked but can't open modern PCB files. I then tried 10, which worked after disabling 3D support and was able to open my PCB files from 15 (with some warnings). I then tried 13 which also seemed to lack the option to disable direct3D. There did not seem to be any versions between 10 and 13 available for download on altium's site.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2020, 08:50:11 pm
content: For me the last version was Altium 14 that worked satisfactory in a VirtualBox vm on Win 7.

author: Ribster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2020, 12:58:13 pm
content: There is no possibility to disable the background ERC ?Like the PCB online DRC check that you can switch to enable / disable

author: kirill70674
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 27, 2020, 05:35:05 pm
content: Hello everyone !By now I've seen about twelve or more topics about launching AD17-20 on Linux.Today I've finally made it. I have Ubuntu 20.04 installed on my Dell Inspiron 17 3793 laptop that has GeForce MX230 on board.After several attempts to launch AD on VB with Win7 I just gave it up because newer versions of AD just consumed more program details (those details most likely related to 3D graphics) and nothing newer than AD18 didn't work. But those versions that I've launched could open just schematic and it's running was awful because I could not place any line or see any grid at all.So I've installed VMware 16.1.0 build-17198959, gave it 4 CPU and 4Gb of RAM and switched to nvidia-driver-455.After that I installed Win7 and AD18 on it.Everything running just fine!No lags no errors, full schematic, 2D and 3D layouts power!I've opened miniPC example project and checked all aforementioned modes and didn't see a thing lake stalling or crashing etc.Hope it will help some of you.

author: Elasia
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2020, 10:40:29 pm
content: Quote from: kirill70674 on December 27, 2020, 05:35:05 pmCan confirm.. VMware is mine of choice, I actually run most of my software inside vms and not on the native hardware. Allows for easy snapshotting of whole environments as well as keeping the host clean of 5 billion programsI also use... Windows 10, yes i am a blasphemer