VMware WDDM Display Driver on Server 2008 (&R2) Guests
VMware Tools provides many of the needed drivers for a guest OS, such as for video performance. The console of any virtual machine is sluggish without these tools, with the results being a “choppy” mouse feel. However, an annoyance on Windows 2008 (&R2) guests is that even with VMware Tools installed, the video performance is poor. As an alternative, RDP can be utilized to gain access to the virtual machine, however, the console is nearly a requirement at times (such as initial configuration, or troubleshooting a guest that is having network issues).
If you need a copy of the wddm_video drivers, I have made them available in a zip file. Click here to download.
The Default Video Driver
The first step is to figure out what video driver is loaded on the guest. Using a Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise guest as an example, the current video driver is the “Standard VGA Graphics Adapter.”
Although this driver functions on a Windows guest in a VMware environment, it does not provide any of the performance required in the console. Looking at a Windows 2003 R2 Enterprise guest, the driver is listed as “VMware SVGA II” and provides a smooth performance.
Thus, the issue is that in Windows 2008 the default driver is still active, instead of the VMware driver. This is a simple fix.
The WDDM Display Driver
Per the VMware KB Article “WDDM and XPDM graphics driver support with ESX 4.x, Workstation 7.0, and Fusion 3.0″, the WDDM driver for hardware version 7 is supported, but not installed.
|
Windows guest operating systems on ESX 4.x
|
WDDM driver
requires HW v. 7 |
|---|---|
|
Windows 7
|
Supported and installed by default |
|
Windows Server 2008 R2 *
|
Supported but not installed by default |
|
Windows Server 2008
|
Supported but not installed by default |
|
Windows Vista
|
Supported but not installed by default |
The asterisk next to Windows Server 2008 R2 states that “Unless there is an explicit requirement for enhanced graphics, the preferred driver for Windows Server 2008 R2 is the Microsoft-provided VESA driver.” Apparently there were a number of issues where the old XPDM driver was being loaded prior to ESX 4.0 u1.
Additionally, the path to the driver is listed. Per the article:
To install a WDDM or XPDM driver go to Control Panel > Device Manager of the installed Windows operating system. To locate the drivers, browse to C:Program FilesCommon FilesVMwareDriverswddm_video on the hard disk.
Update the Display Adapters Driver
The first step is to update the display adapter driver to the VMware WDDM (SVGA) driver. Expand the “Display Adapters” tree and right click on the “Standard VGA Graphics Adapter” entry. Choose “Update Driver Software…”
Next, choose “Browse my computer for driver software”.
In the “Search for driver software in this location” box, type:
C:Program FilesCommon FilesVMwareDriverswddm_video
And click Next.
After a brief install, a successful install message should appear.
Note: The server will require a restart to take advantage of the new driver.
The new VMware SVGA 3D driver is installed and functioning properly.
Thoughts
I’ve been running the WDDM driver for quite some time on my Windows 2008 R2 guests without issue. After a month of problem free usage, I’ve upgraded my gold image template of Server 2008 R2 to include this driver. I’d like to find a way to automate the upgrade of the driver via VMware Tools and a command script, but have been unable to do so at this time.
I also invite you to check out Chris Colotti’s blog, which verifies that this method improves performance for a vCloud environment as well.
Go here to download the WDK (Windows Driver Kit) for a variety of tools. DPInst is the tool we’re looking for.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=36a2630f-5d56-43b5-b996-7633f2ec14ff
Here is a good article to quickly get started with using the software: http://blogs.technet.com/b/svengruenitz/archive/2008/07/02/driver-installation-and-updating-made-easy-dpinst-exe.aspx
Great article. You might want to post something about the need to up the amount of memory the video card needs with this driver.
Requirements for supporting the WDDM driver on ESX 4.x, Workstation 7.0, and Fusion 3.0:
•More than 8 MB of video RAM (32MB is recommend for best performance)
•Hardware version 7
great article. but i am trouble getting the WDDM drivers installed or downloaded to the server.
I have:
uninstalled tools.
increased video memory to 35mb.
installed tools again using custom and selected to download drives. Using the x64 install.
downloaded the tools from http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/4.1/windows/x86_64/index.html
redid the process again nothing – no video drive installed.
i know to a point that the install of tools works because the mouse drivers change to vmware.
server is 2008 R2 x64
any help i’ll take
thanks
I’d check to make sure the files are there. If you browse to the path “C:Program FilesCommon FilesVMwareDriverswddm_video” you should see the driver files. Make sure the VM is at hardware version 7. The default tools bundled with vSphere 4.X should come with this driver by default.
Sir
I did check three times. i havethis folder C:Program FilesCommon FilesVMwareDrivers but no folder called wddm_video. i also did a search for wddm, nothing.
You have to install the SVGA drivers when you install the VMWare tools, aftyer that you will have the wddm_video folder
Can somone please just zip the folder up and post it for us somewhere. I have looked at a hundread installs of esx and cant find this wddm folder anywhere. all i see in the common vmwaredrivers directory is the video folder which does not work… please I’ve wasted ours on this and the mouse is driving me nuts
I’ve updated this post with a link to the wddm_video drivers. It’s at the top of the post, or click this link.
http://db.tt/VfDCBME
Hi Chris,
In the thoughts section you mentioned you were searching for some automated script to carry out this work.. did you get a chance to find a script to upgraded the drivers ? I tried using the DEVCON command but that did not workk out.
Thanks,
Jitendra
Hi Jitendra,
I did not search very hard for a script, and instead baked in the wddm drivers into all of my templates. I’ve taken to mainly using RDP to manage VMs at this point, and only use the console when I am fixing a network related issue (typically firewall or IPsec).
Oracle VM provides a set of drivers Paravirtualized Drivers for Windows Guests XP 2003 2008 Vista 1.0.8 – 32bit 64bit on . When installing these drivers answer yes to all the questions about the drivers being uncertified. Because the paravirtual driver software has been installed Windows will now be able to actually install and load the drivers for the devices that OVM has made available to Windows.
Thanks, Excellent article, helped me to get a couple of 2008 R2 up and running on our old ESX-platform, without freezing any further.
Fun thing though, my mouse dissapeared, viusally, right click shows menu’s on desktop, but I still can’t see the mouse it self
Well no big issues in it, those machines are only for test and I get the mouse, when I using RDP.
Thanks Michael. This has been a surprisingly popular article, I don’t see why VMware don’t just slip the WDDM driver in with the tools install now that the OS stability issue is resolved.
Thanks for the great help! We’re setting up our Cisco UCS and our consultant couldn’t remember the exact path of the video driver. A quick Google search to your site and we had the info.
Cool, glad the article helped out. Have fun with your Cisco UCS environment, I’m a fan of their technology.
Awesome article and tip! Made my Windows 7 stable on ESXi 4.0
Hi there!
Probably a stupib question….
Can I install the drivers in the top(wddm) in a simple win7 machine which currently shows “typical VGA driver”?
Thank you
Sure. It doesn’t work on Windows 8 though.